Starving Artists

Starving Artists

Hungry?

We've all been there. And if you're an artist, poet, thespian, student, mime, musician, or traveler, you'll appreciate these pearls from your fellow bohemians--people who really know how to stretch a dollar at dinnertime.
They're not glamorous, but they're kind on your belly and your wallet.
So enjoy, and please add your own resourceful recipes.

Bon Appetit!

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Remote User:
Date:
27 Aug 2007
Time:
12:41:17
Comments
Asian Noodles:

Take some instant noodles. Add soy sauce and hot mustard. Use the free packets from Chinese takeout. Then add a can of mushrooms. It really improves the flavor of Ramen.
Remote User:
Date:
10 Sep 2007
Time:
00:20:26
Comments
In my experience, every trip to the poor-man’s pantry is like a chance to order from an exotic menu in a language you don’t speak. I mean the table next to you is eating something that looks like a cross between geoduck clam and cauliflower, but if you take something from each column, there is bound to be something eatable.

So let’s talk connections, or as your physical education teacher called them, food-groups. I like to group them by function. Some things make you full, and some make you hungry. Some make you last longer between stops and some, shall we say, don’t. When you’re not sure, the easiest grouping is by color, then texture. Let’s make a meal!

Step one – Locate something green. The green thing is your vehicle. It generally is not the best tasting thing on the plate, but it helps get other things to your mouth and it may be gas powered. No not that! – throw that away! OK, that one.

Step two – something of color. To get vitamins you have to be brave. I find if it is bright and “still” stands on its own, it is probably healthy for you. The stray time-hardened gummy bear included.

Step three – If you’re like me, what you picked for step one and step two have not yet fit together. That is because they are missing a few things. The most important is protein. Meat can be hard to come by as a poor-person, so some experimentation may be necessary. Remember that anything which moved on its own at one time or another is fair game. Just make sure you have a back story and an alibi for anything involving the neighbor’s beloved. When you don’t have the heart for Sammy or he already “ran away,” look to the insects. They are the largest kingdom by variety and possibly total weight, but make sure to remove any stingers.

Step four – Well, you got all the food groups, but it still does not work. You need a bonding agent. This is generally in the form of a thick goop with a strong enough taste to wash out the main three ingredients of your meal. Look for things which are of uniform color and consistency before adding your mix-ins. This helps let you know what you are eating when and is a good indicator of when your bonding agent is bad. The bonding agent will be around you kitchen the longest, so do not trust your memory.

At this point, it is better if you just mix it all together in the most disposable container created while selecting ingredients, and then eat with your hands. No point in doing dishes for this bad boy! Chances are you will either make it again for dinner, or never eat it again. Either way, you don’t want to have see it dried on a plate.

And for the record: 1 can of stir-fry vegetable mix (bonus for steps 1 and 2 at the same time), slice of Spam or spam derivative, and 3-spoons of peanut butter was a delicious and healthy snack. - Suggestion may expire upon graduation.. -
Remote User:
Date:
31 Oct 2007
Time:
02:34:02
Comments
First, ensure that someone in your vicinity carves a pumpkin and saves the seeds. Call neighbor. Coerce neighbor into baking you pumpkin seeds. Preheat oven to 400 F. Rinse pumpkin guts off of seeds, and dry thoroughly. Place seeds on baking sheet, and salt liberally. Transfer baking sheet to hot oven.

While waiting, bring out quality vodka, preferably something Russian. Distribute shots. After downing a shot, bite into a pickle or slice of lime to enhance the sensations of vodka. Check seeds. Are they brown? Then remove them. Are seeds still white? Then shake pan to jostle seeds, and return them to oven. Have a 2nd shot and a second bite of pickle. See Figure 1.

When seeds are lightly browned, munch while warm. Serve with a side of pickles.
Remote User:
Date:
01 Nov 2007
Time:
10:58:39
Comments
Beautiful, cheap dessert! Sounds weird...taste? GREAT!!! Ingredients: Fresh, ripe strawberries (must be very red, sweet) Sour Cream Brown Sugar Preparation: Wash berries, and leave the green stems ON Dip sour cream into a nice bowl (presentation :) Pour brown sugar into another bowl Instructions for serving: Line the three bowls up from left to right, Pick up strawberry by the green top, dip into sour cream, roll in brown sugar, eat.
Remote User:
Date:
01 Nov 2007
Time:
17:06:12
Comments
Mmmm-mmm. I do enjoy a tasty can of beans. Van Camp's Pork and Beans, that is. Empty Van Camp's into a bowl, cover it with shredded cheddar cheese, and add sliced tomatoes. Nuke it for one minute, stir, and eat.
Remote User:
Date:
01 Dec 2007
Time:
15:37:34
Comments
Now that the weather's cold, I crave soup. But a good can is expensive. You can make it last a lot longer by pouring it over some cooked rice, pasta, or cous-cous. Like beef stew over rice. It suddenly becomes two warm meals that way.
Remote User:
Date:
29 Dec 2007
Time:
21:54:30
Comments
butternut squash soup; veg-head friendly stuff: butternut squash, veggie broth (or chicken broth if you want to contribute to that ;) ), onion, heavy whipping cream, salt, pepper. what you do: peel the squash, cut up and boil, then drain and mash. add broth and cream to your liking, and salt and pepper (i never use pepper but you might want to) mix together over heat and you're done. best served (i think) with dry french bread. enjoy this cheap easy meal that can last you a while during the winter holidays. ~lex
Remote User:
Date:
01 Jan 2008
Time:
23:01:32
Comments
If you've got a blender and are inclined to use it, get more out of your squash soup by chopping and then sauteing the squash with onions and oil. Then add broth, bring to boil and simmer until the squash is very soft. Then scoop into the blender a cup at a time to blend into mush, but don't drain. I also then put in a lot of parmesan cheese rather than heavy whipping cream, more protein.
Remote User:
Date:
17 Jan 2008
Time:
14:11:32
Comments
Egg in a cup Soft boil an egg. Shell it, put in a teacup and chop very roughly. Take a slice of brown wholemeal bread and break it up into crumbs, mix with the egg thoroughly and add salt and pepper. Tastes quite different from a boiled egg. Nice lunch snack.
Remote User:
Date:
23 Feb 2008
Time:
22:15:50
Comments
Something when theres not so much to work with Need: Any kind of pasta noodle Tomato juice Bowl pot water fork Boil noodles as you would any other. I like using cork screw noodles for this. Strain and what not. Put noodles in bowl. Pour can of tomato juice - yes juice - not sauce eat like a cereal or soup sounds strange tastes great