Whether you love or hate eating at Hasbrouck dining hall, there are always going to be times when it just doesn’t seem to have any food. These times are known as awkward hours: the gaps between lunch and dinner when the staff is on break and there aren’t any hot meals being served.
Even Hasbrouck aficionados will admit that finding something good to eat during awkward hours can be frustrating. To the untrained eye, the dining hall might even look completely empty.
Luckily, people like me and my roommate, Steve, are here to help. This week, we set out to make a delicious selection of dishes during the most awkward of Hasbrouck's hours: 3 p.m. All of the plates we've created are vegetarian-friendly and can be part of a balanced meal. Here are our top five picks from the afternoon:
1. Greek yogurt parfait with melon wedges and a dash of granola.
A sweet and mild starter that goes great with a cup of coffee or juice. The melon slices make this a colorful and eye-catching treat, while the granola adds a crunchy texture the truly brings the dish together.
Tip: Make sure your Greek yogurt is not actually sour cream. Hasbrouck doesn’t believe in putting labels on its dairy products.
2. Mediterranean grilled cheese with feta, provolone and crushed green peppers on toasted wheat.
This was one of the two grilled cheese sandwiches that we tried out. Our ingenious combination of feta and provolone gives this one a distinct sharp flavor and an irresistible creamy texture.
Tip: According to Steve, it’s very important to crush the peppers. He refused to explain why. Also, be sure to smell your feta before putting it on the sandwich. They tend to keep it right next to the tofu, which looks almost identical.
3. Peanut butter and banana sandwich with granola and strawberry jam garnish.
This after-school classic is sure to bring back memories. The bananas and peanut butter combine to make a rich, creamy filling that washes down perfectly with milk.
Tip: Don’t actually garnish the plate with jelly. It was messy, it took forever, and we looked ridiculous doing it. Just put it on the sandwich and don’t try to impress anyone.
4. Classic grilled cheese with onions and peppers and a side of tomato basil soup.
Our second grilled cheese is more traditional, using a combination of three cheeses to achieve the perfect gooey texture. We used two slices of American, one slice of cheddar and one slice of Swiss. The tomato basil soup compliments the dish perfectly and adds a hint of sweetness to this savory sandwich.
Tip: Make sure that the person working the sandwich press cooks your sandwich long enough. We had to put this one in the microwave to get the cheese to melt fully.
5. Hot apple crisp with vanilla ice cream.
This is dessert is our proudest Hasbrouck creation. To make it, we sliced up a fresh apple and two cinnamon rolls and microwaved them to perfection. Then, as if this weren’t tasty enough on its own, we topped it off with two cold scoops of vanilla ice cream. I have no tips for this one; it’s simply a must-have... or should I say, must-Has?
I’ll be here all week, folks.
