As we all know from the miraculous cancellation of classes, Frankenstorm made its way up to Syracuse. Luckily, we didn’t get the worst of it, but to err on the side of caution, I did not adventure to a new restaurant this week.

Instead, I stocked up on what was left at Tops, combined it with what I have in my pantry and made a superstorm menu to help brave the weather. Sandy or no Sandy, these easy recipes are good for whenever you’re hungry.

Tuna tortilla bites

When I walked into Tops on Monday and saw the mayhem, I automatically thought of the worst-case scenario — no fridge, no stove, no oven or microwave. I immediately gravitated to the only things I remembered on the list of recommended foods to stock up on during a hurricane: canned tuna and tortilla chips, two items that happen to go very well together.

Ingredients:

Tortilla chips, preferably the scoop-chip variety

1 can (6.5 ounces) tuna, drained well

3/4 cup chopped red onion

1 large tomato, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

A few springs of fresh cilantro, fine chopped

OR 1 jar of premade salsa if you’re feeling lazy

Once the tuna’s drained, break it up with a fork. Mix in onion, tomato, jalapeno and lemon juice. Place mixture into tortilla scoops with teaspoon so that they’re full and then garnish with cilantro and extra lemon juice if desired. If you’re using premade salsa, use your discretion in deciding how much to use so that tuna doesn’t get soggy.

Mac and cheese and baked beans

Canned baked beans are always on the list of emergency food items, but I genuinely enjoy their sweet, tangy taste. So when I grabbed a can, I immediately thought of the SpongeBob SquarePants mac and cheese I had at home.

Follow the normal instructions on your instant mac and cheese. (Boil water, add pasta, drain or, in the case of Easy Mac, fill water to line and hit start.) Instead of adding milk and/or butter in with the cheese powder, add an undrained can of baked beans.

The sauce from the beans mixed with the cheese powder creates a delicious sauce.

If you have butter, breadcrumbs and an oven, you can mix two tablespoons of butter with a half cup of breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top of the pasta in a baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until crumbs are browned.

Dino nuggs and couscous

Dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets are something that every college student should have on hand, disaster storm or not. With those in mind, I thought of an easy, delicious side dish. Couscous won because it cooks remarkably fast and yields double what you think you’re getting once it has absorbed all the water.

Ingredients:

1 box couscous

1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

1/2 tablespoon garlic

Pinch of salt

For every cup of couscous you’ll need two cups of water

Use a microwave or stove heat the water with salt to a boil, add couscous, olive oil or butter and garlic. Mix well, cover and wait until water has been completely absorbed. Cook the dino nuggs in the microwave, pan or toaster, according to directions. I recommend using the pan or toaster if you have one, because they get nice and crisp.

Ice cream cake

Frozen desserts may not be your top priority if the power goes out, but FEMA suggests you fill your freezer up because a full freezer melts slower than an empty one if the power goes out. So why not fill it up with dessert?

Ingredients:

1 package of Oreos

2 small tubs of Cool Whip

9 ice cream sandwich bars

Crush up Oreos and add to one of the containers of thawed Cool Whip. On a piece of foil, place three ice cream sandwiches down next to each other. Spread a layer of the Oreo, Cool Whip mixture on top. Add another layer of ice cream sandwiches and then repeat. Cover the stack with the unopened Cool Whip and garnish with crushed Oreos. Let harden in freezer for 2-4 hours.

Published on October 31, 2012 at 2:58 am

Contact Danielle: dmodiama@syr.edu | @daniemarieodie