cooking

#PROFspective: Perks of Living On Campus with Dom Natali

Posted on by Marian Suganob
Dom sits on marble steps at Bunce Hall wearing black-and-white plaid.

Today we speak with Dominick Natali, a first-year Music Industry major from Washington Township (Gloucester County) who lives on campus. 

What are you looking forward to about next year?

I’m looking forward to my first apartment and not having people accidentally come into the room. I currently live in a suite. Some days I’m working in my room in my pajamas and one of my suitemates will accidentally open the room when they’re trying to lock the door.

Do you know how to cook? 

I know how to cook pasta. I’m a proud Italian! I can only make pasta. I don’t know what I’ll be learning to cook next year, but I am going to get an unlimited meal plan. I love getting as much food as I want. I do enjoy Jersey Mike’s. 

Dom smiles up at the camera by Bunce Hall, wearing black-and-white plaid and pink sunglasses.

What aspect of apartment life do you look forward to most of all? 

I am looking forward to having personal space and the way the apartment is set up where everyone has their own individual room. 

I don’t have a roommate right now luckily. So I don’t experience having to hear somebody else’s alarm before your own or somebody not coming back to the room because they’re out. If anything, I’m just excited to be able to have a place with some buddies.

Has it been lonely without a roommate?  

It hasn’t been very lonely this year even without a roommate. It’s also beneficial because I like being able to play loud music in his room. I listen to a lot of rock and metal, 90s metal (Slipknot, Korn, Linkin Park) and modern stuff. I met Stephanie Batista [featured here] through the Rowan Alternative Music Club. I thought I was the only person that liked this kind of music because everyone talked about Weezer. I didn’t hear anyone talk about Slipknot or Chevelle until Stephanie did! That’s how we became friends. There’s always a place for loud music at Rowan. Rowan has a diverse music taste.

Dominick does a yoga pose in pink sunglasses by Bunce Hall.

Tell me more about your social life!

My friends at Rowan are from before college as well as music events. The Rowan Alt Music Club and Rowan Photography Club have been really great for making new friends. I’m not a photographer [yet] but I model for the club and hope to learn more about photography.

I haven’t been able to do much because of school work, but I go to the trivia nights with friends. [Surprisingly,] a whole room of 30 people didn’t know anything about Tom Cruise movies! I also go to RAH events, and I look forward to “post-Covid” in-person classes. I learn better in person and can focus more when in an actual classroom compared to studying in your dorm room on your laptop. I associate the dorm room with downtime, food, comfort and the classroom with work. For me, it’s a weird balance of “I have to learn” and “I want to get food out of my fridge and take a nap.”

Like what you see?

LEARN MORE

Story by:
Marian Suganob, senior public relations and advertising double major 

Photography by: 
Stephanie Batista, sophomore music industry major

Read More

3 Easy Holiday Cookie Recipes College Students Can Make On Campus

Posted on by Rachel Rumsby
Different kinds of cookies in different kinds of shapes.

Today’s story is written by sophomore Communication Studies and Public Relations major Rachel Rumsby from River Edge, NJ (Bergen County). Rachel is an on-campus resident currently living in the Rowan Boulevard Apartments. Here, she shares with us some of her favorite, easy holiday cookies, and how she makes them in her apartment. 

The holidays are my favorite time of year. There is a special kind of magic, no matter what holiday you celebrate. It fills my heart with joy, love and warmth. This time of year reminds me of cheerful memories with family and friends. It is a time of helping others and enjoying certain traditions. 

One amazing tradition in my family during the holidays is baking. Every year, my mom and I bake cookies and make little bags of them for some of our neighbors. Some of these recipes are super easy to recreate in my apartment. Here are three easy holiday cookie recipes that you can make where you live.

123 Cookies. 123 cookies are one of my favorites, yet easy to make. We call them 123 cookies because there are only three ingredients in them.

You will need: 1 and 1/4 sleeves of graham crackers (count how many are in one sleeve and use 1/4 of that), 1 can of sweetened condensed milk, and 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips.Ingredients for 123 Cookies.

Directions: 

  1. Put the graham crackers in a plastic bag. Pound them into crumbs.Graham cracker crumbs and a cup. 
  2. Mix all of the ingredients together and pour into a greased, square baking pan.
  3. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
  4. Cut into squares.123 Cookies finished product.

Peanut Butter Blossoms. My mom loves this kind of cookie. The Hershey kiss gives it a nice finishing touch, especially for the holidays!

You will need: 1 cup of creamy peanut butter, 1 cup of sugar, 1 egg, and Hershey Kisses.Peanut Butter Blossoms ingredients.

Directions:

  1. Warm peanut butter in the microwave for 1 minute, stirring often.
  2. Beat and stir in the egg and sugar, mix well.Peanut Butter Blossom "dough".
  3. Form the “dough” into 1 inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet, then flatten with a fork.
  4. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees.
  5. press Hershey’s kiss into the middle of the cookie while it is still warm.Peanut Butter Blossoms with Hershey's kisses.

Bark. This is another one of my favorites! I love the sweet and salty flavors in this treat. 

You will need: 1 sleeve of saltines, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 bag of milk chocolate chips, 1 stick of butter or margarine, and red and green sugar (optional for the holidays). Ingredients for bark.

Directions:

  1. Lay out the saltines on a greased cookie sheet.
  2. Microwave the butter and sugar together until the butter melts.
  3. Pour over the saltines.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until the saltines are light brown.
  5. Spread the chocolate chips on the saltines, and put them back in the oven for one minute to melt.Bark that is halfway finished.
  6. Spread the melted chocolate over all the saltines, sprinkle on the colored sugar, and refrigerate until it is cold.Bark after it has left the fridge.
  7. Break the bark into pieces.Bark that has been broken into pieces.

Like what you see? 

LEARN MORE

Story and photos by:
Rachel Rumsby, sophomore communication studies and public relations double major

Header photo courtesy of:
Unsplash

Read More

3 Ways I Make College More Affordable

Posted on by Christian Browne
Christian walks down Rowan Boulevard with two other students

Today we feature junior Communication Studies major and Journalism minor Christian A. Browne, who commutes to Rowan from Sicklerville, NJ (Camden County) and is originally from Philadelphia. Christian transferred to Rowan from Camden County College. Let’s be honest, college is a huge financial decision. With food, textbooks and parking, there are a bunch of expenses […]

Read More

Cook with Me: Brioche French Toast

Posted on by Bianca Torres
Printed plate with French toast and bananas
https://youtu.be/63c7iGmEpho

Welcome to our new series to give you a glimpse into Rowan University, our campus culture, and the lives of our students, while we’re practicing social distancing to protect society from the spread of COVID-19. Today’s video is from Bianca Torres, a senior Music Industry major isolating from her home in Long Valley, NJ (Morris County).

Step into Bianca’s kitchen as she whips up a delicious breakfast treat, Brioche French Toast, from home. 

Like what you see?

LEARN MORE


Video and music by:
Bianca Torres, music industry major

Header photo courtesy of:
Unsplash

Read More

Pandemic Profs: Recreating a Favorite Restaurant Dish at Home

Posted on by Maria Mancini
Here are the main ingredients.

Welcome to our series to give you a glimpse into Rowan University, our campus culture, and the lives of our students, while we’re practicing social distancing to protect society from the spread of COVID-19. Today’s story is from Maria Mancini, a senior isolating from her house in Gloucester County, NJ. Maria is a Public Relations major. 

One of my favorite things to do is go out to eat.

It was always a treat growing up to go out to a nice restaurant with my family and to indulge in everything on the menu. As I got older, the more and more we would go out to eat. Now we are in quarantine and social distancing, and we cannot go anywhere. This has been a big adjustment for everyone, but it has also given me the opportunity to do another thing that I love to do, which is cook.

I was thinking about what recipes I wanted to share with you. I thought I would do a copycat recipe of my favorite appetizer at my favorite Italian restaurant.

Here is my version of fried peppers in a tomato sauce. 

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup vegetable oil
  • 4 green bell peppers, sliced
  • ½ onion, sliced
  • 1 long hot pepper, sliced
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 3 fresh basil leaves, or ¼ tsp dried basil
  • 1 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
  • 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ of the crushed tomatoes can filled with water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • ½ tsp crushed red pepper, optional
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Oil filled pan on medium high heat.

Add vegetable oil into a round pan that is about 4 inches deep and heat on medium high heat. Once hot, add green bell peppers, onion and long hot pepper. 

Peppers added to the pan on high heat.

Season the peppers and onion with salt, black pepper and basil. Mix all together and let peppers fry on high heat for 10-15 minutes, flipping them occasionally. When the peppers are done, they should fall right off of a fork when you try to pick one up. 

Pepper put to the side after cooked.

Remove the peppers from the pan and set on the side. 

Added crushed tomatoes to the pan. 1/4 can of water added to the crushed tomatoes.

Reduce the heat to medium and add garlic. Once garlic has cooked a little, about 30-40 seconds, add crushed tomatoes, and water. 

Loosely covered tomatoes.

Season the tomatoes with salt, black pepper, sugar and crushed red pepper. Stir and bring tomatoes to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cover loosely with a piece of foil. Let the tomatoes cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the peppers to the crushed tomatoes.

After 10 minutes, add the peppers back into the pan, mix and cover loosely with foil. Cook for another 5 minutes. 

Peppers and tomatoes all mixed together.

Lastly, add extra virgin olive oil and turn heat off. 

Peppers and tomato on slices of bread.

Serve with sliced fresh bread. 

I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I do! 

Like what you see?

LEARN MORE 


Story by:
Maria Mancini, senior public relations major

Read More

Pandemic Profs: Pizza from Scratch!

Posted on by Rachel Rumsby
A Sicilian slice of pizza on a plate.

Welcome to our series to give you a glimpse into Rowan University, our campus culture, and the lives of our students, while we’re practicing social distancing to protect society from the spread of COVID-19. Today’s story is from Rachel Rumsby, a freshman holed up in her house in Bergen County, NJ, for the rest of the semester. Rachel is a dual major in communication studies and public relations who normally lives in Mimosa Hall. 

As an extrovert, I thrive in situations where I get to talk to people and have human interaction. I love doing activities and keeping busy outside my house. During this time, where there is a need for social distancing, I’m not thriving so much. To make up for that, I have been doing a lot of cooking and baking to keep my mind off things. One recipe I have been making often is Sicilian pizza from scratch. Most of my recipes are made from scratch, and I have often been called a food snob because of this. I believe that anything from scratch is better and more fun.

Here is my recipe for pizza from scratch! While I make it as a Sicilian pie, you can make it as a round pie if you have the proper pan. In this post, I will use a pizza stone, but a cookie sheet works well, too. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:Ingredients for pizza.

2 cups of flour

1 large egg

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1 cup of warm water

2 envelopes of yeast

olive oil

red sauce

mozzarella cheese

toppings of choice

cooking spray

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, mix 2 cups of flour, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Flour, egg, and baking powder mixed together in a bowl.2. In a separate bowl, dissolve 2 envelopes of yeast in 1 cup of warm water. Mix batter until firm, but not sticky. Yeast dissolving in warm water.
  2. Move batter to a floured surface. Cover hands with flour and knead into a ball. Add a dab of olive oil to the top. Pizza dough kneaded into a ball with a dab of olive oil on top.
  3. Cover with a dish cloth until the dough rises, about 15-20 minutes. Pizza dough is rising underneath a dishcloth.
  4. On desired pan or pizza stone covered with olive oil or cooking spray, form dough into a pizza shape. Pizza dough is formed into pizza shape on a pizza stone.
  5. Add sauce, cheese, and desired toppings.Pizza has sauce and cheese and is ready to go into the oven.
  6. Cook pizza at 400 degrees until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden brown. Slice and serve!Pizza is finished and cooling on the stovetop.

    Like what you see?  

    LEARN MORE

    Story and photography by:
    Rachel Rumsby, freshman communication studies and public relations double major
Read More

Pandemic Profs: Isolating with Microwave Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

Posted on by Rachel Rumsby

Welcome to our series to give you a glimpse into Rowan University, our campus culture, and the lives of our students, while we’re practicing social distancing to protect society from the spread of coronavirus. Today’s story is from Rachel Rumsby, a freshman isolating from her house in Bergen County, NJ. Rachel is a dual major in communication studies and public relations who normally lives in Mimosa Hall. 

Ever since I was a young child, I have been in the kitchen in some capacity. When I was young, I used to “help” my mom bake. When I was 5 years old, my mom wrote me a cook book of all of her recipes that she makes so that My recipe book that my mom made me when I was 5 years old.someday I would be able to make them myself. A lot of the recipes that I make are from this book. Recently, I have added some of my own recipes into the book, in hopes that maybe someday this book will be passed on.

The recipe I will share with you today, as well as the Depression Cake that I have previously shared, are both recipes my mom wrote in this book.  Each recipe has a little story of what my mom made the recipe for and what the recipe might be good for! Here is my own take on why I love Hot Fudge Pudding Cake. 

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake is one of my favorite chocolate treats to make. It’s great for warm weather because it doesn’t require any baking in the oven. This treat is fast to make as well. It only requires a few minutes to prepare, 8 minutes to microwave, and 5 minutes to cool!

This dessert is decadent and rich, similar to an expensive hot chocolate that I tried in Paris a few years ago, although my mom has been making it since before I was born. The dessert will come out with some parts cake-like and some parts liquid and pudding-esque, so if the inside is liquidy, don’t think this means you didn’t cook it enough! It can be served with ice cream, or by itself.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful recipe! It brings me back to Paris every time I make it, which is great, especially in a time where we must isolate and definitely cannot travel! It also reminds me of family and my childhood. 

Ingredients: Ingredients for hot fudge pudding cake.

  • 3/4 of a cup of flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking soda
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 2 tablespoons of cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/3 cup of milk  
  • 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

To sprinkle on top:

  • 3/4 of a cup of brown sugar (I prefer light brown sugar)
  • 1/4 of a cup of cocoa
  • 1 cup of HOT water

Directions:

  1. Mix flour, baking powder, 2 tablespoons of cocoa, salt, vegetable oil, and vanilla together in a microwave safe bowl. Mixed cake ingredients for hot fudge pudding cake.
  2. Sprinkle brown sugar on top of mixture.
  3. Sprinkle 1/4 of a cup of cocoa on top of brown sugar. Cake mixture withe pudding topping on top.
  4. Pour hot water on top. DO NOT MIX!Water poured on top of cake and topping.
  5. Microwave uncovered for 8 minutes. Let cool in microwave for 5 minutes before serving. Inside may be liquidy.Microwave with pudding cake inside.
  6. Can be served by itself or with ice cream on top. Bon Appétit!

Cooked hot fudge pudding cake.Hot fudge pudding cake with cookie dough ice cream on top.

Like what you see?  

LEARN MORE

Story and photography by:
Rachel Rumsby, freshman communication studies and public relations double major

Read More

Pandemic Profs: Baking Depression Cake During Social Distancing

Posted on by Rachel Rumsby
A chocolate cupcake with powdered sugar on top on a plate.

Welcome to our series to give you a glimpse into Rowan University, our campus culture, and the lives of our students, while we’re practicing social distancing to protect society from the spread of COVID-19. Today’s story is from Rachel Rumsby, a freshman holed up in her house in Bergen County, NJ, during spring break. Rachel is a dual major in communication studies and public relations who normally lives in Mimosa Hall. 

My favorite ways to spend my time are baking and eating baked goods. I like to make sweet treats in any kind of weather or circumstance. The recipe I am going to share with you today is called the Depression Cake. The recipe’s ingredients would have been accessible during the Great Depression, hence the name. From my current experience during the coronavirus outbreak, most shelves are bare, so this is the perfect time to make this cake! This cake is dairy free. It can be made as a full cake, cupcakes, mini cupcakes, or a layer cake. In this instance I have made cupcakes!

Ingredients:

Ingredients for the cupcakes laid out on the table.

  • 1 1/2 cups of flour
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 3 tablespoons of cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon vinegar
  • 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil
  • 1 cup of warm water
  • Powdered sugar or preferred icing

Directions:

  1. Wash your hands often!Author washes her hands.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Put all dry ingredients into a bowl.
  4. Add all wet ingredients into the bowl and mix well. Mixed ingredients
  5. Grease pan with butter, cooking or baking spray, or alternative.
  6. Pour batter into the pan.The batter is in the pan.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes or until done. 
  8. Let cool.The finished cupcakes before garnish.
  9. Top with powdered sugar or preferred icing. Bon Appétit!The finished cupcake topped with powdered sugar.

    Like what you see?  

    LEARN MORE

Story and photography by:
Rachel Rumsby, freshman communication studies and public relations double major

Read More

20 Minute Radius: Rowand’s Farm

Posted on by Chad Wittmann
Rowand's Farm, a view of the strawberry picking area

Just last week, a friend and I were cooped up in the house with nothing to do. So we decided to take a drive around Glassboro to see what we can get into. We had a craving for fresh fruit, but didn’t want to risk the chances of buying bad fruit from a grocery store. New Jersey is full of produce stands and we knew there had to be a good one around campus.

Strawberry at Rowand's Farm

To our surprise on Greentree Road just behind the ShopRite is a quant little farmer’s market. We decide to pull over to check it out and we ended up very pleasantly surprised. Watermelon, cherries, avocados, bananas, corn, tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, plums, pears, apples, peppers, zucchini — any fresh produce you could possibly want! Rowand’s Farm is a produce stand that sells only locally grown fruits and vegetables without breaking the bank.

Jayce Williams, a Rowan student, picks his own strawberries at Rowand's

Rowand’s offers a variety of fresh produce and the opportunity to pick your own strawberries! Sunday through Friday the market is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. However, they are not open on Saturdays. Fortunately the market recently opened for the season and will be open until October. Once the fall rolls around the market will have a larger assortment of fresh vegetables as well.

Bundles of strawberries at Rowand's

The best part is that the market is less than five minutes from campus! Students can easily get there by car, bike or even by foot. The produce is reasonably priced and picked fresh daily. Get your friends together, take a refreshing bike ride to the Rowand’s Farm and spend the day picking your own fruit and making memories. It is definitely worth the trip, and the strawberries hit the spot!

Contact them at (856) 589-9234 or on their Facebook page!

Like what you see? Come visit us!

VISIT CAMPUS​​

Story and photography by:
Chad Wittmann, senior journalism major

Read More