Wow, a new column. Looks tasty, doesn’t it? So what’s up with Just Eat? Sounds like a question for the Answer Girl. Ha ha ha, man, I am funny.
Okay, here’s the deal. We’re college students. Most of us actually live off campus, but virtually all of us have access to a kitchen – you know, the room with the oven, stove and sink – even if it’s shared among dorm residents.
But who wants to cook? And who knows how to make enough different stuff to be satisfied anyway? Well, if you can afford to eat out every night or you’re content to subsist on Ramen noodles and mac ‘n’ cheese, that’s cool. Go for it.
But if you’d like to try to make some “real” food every once in a while that is easy, pretty much healthy, and not so time consuming, then Just Eat is the ticket.
Unlike many recipe columns, though, this one won’t provide gourmet ideas in every edition. Come on. Real people (especially college students with lots and lots to do besides cook) just don’t eat like that.
Hey, I’m a real college student. I know these things. I also know that I have a lot to do besides cook, but I have found ways to make real stuff in less time. I’ll tell you what I do, and hopefully you’ll be inspired to give it a shot.
Okay, so tonight I’m actually planning on eating El Chico leftover fajitas. There’s a tip for you. If you take some home when you go out to eat, it’s like an additional free meal later. That’s cheap and easy.
But anyway, since I’m already in kind of a Tex-Mex mode, here’s a Tex-Mex microwave-friendly dish that is good for a snack or an occasional dinner. (Hey, if Ramen noodles are your current watermark, you’ll be doing great to substitute the following recipe for dinner every now and then. Ha ha.)
Black beans and salsa stuff:
Get a can of black beans and a jar of salsa. If you like sour cream and/or cheese, that’s cool, too.
Open the can of beans, drain some of the juice out, and dump it into a microwave-safe bowl.
Okay, moment of decision: if you always like your salsa cool/cold, don’t add it to the beans yet. If you’d like to try it warm, go ahead and dump some in and give it a stir.
Microwave until warm/hot. (It’s really up to how warm you like – the beans are not “raw” or anything, so you could technically eat them straight from the can if you wanted.)
Add the salsa if you haven’t yet, slap some sour cream and/or cheese on there, and eat it with tortilla chips.
If you like rice, have it with that instead (you can actually cook rice in the microwave as long as you follow the directions on the bag – cook the rice first, then heat up the beans).
If you like tortillas, scoop the bean stuff (with or without rice) onto a tortilla, roll up and enjoy. So versatile. And the salsa adds all the seasoning for you.
As with any recipe, if it tastes like it needs more salt, pepper, etc., add it.
Yay, food. Easy … yes. Cheap … yes. Just Eat.

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