Being in college has taught the true meaning of too many cooks in the kitchen. When you share a kitchen with at least 30 other people things become annoying and difficult. Going to the kitchen to cook becomes a stressful time that you never want to put yourself through. But eventually you get tired of microwaving food. So instead I got a rice cooker to solve all those problems. Besides making different kinds of rice you can also make a bunch of different delicious dishes. These are the ones I've tried so far that are delicious. I have an aroma rice cooker so what I know is purely based off of my experience with it.
Chili
I used a pound of ground beef but you can use whatever meat you like. All you do is season the meat, put a little water in the bottom of the cooker and let it run through about a 5 minute steam cycle. Once that finishes turn the meat and put it in for one more 5 minute steam cycle. After that put in all your other ingredients like tomato sauce and paste and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Now you have delicious homemade chili.
Chicken
You can use the same method you used for the chili meat or you can use the steamer rack. Season your chicken and put it on the steamer rack. You can even cook rice underneath if you want. The chicken will give it more flavor. Once it's done you have a full meal. Bonus points if you can, steam vegetables at the same time.
Pasta
This one might be my favorite because it is so easy. All you do it put the water, salt, and the pasta of your choice and turn it on. For angel hair 5 minutes should be good. Everything else is about 7 minutes. You might want to put the rice cooker on top of a towel depending on how much pasta and water you have so it doesn't boil over.
Hard Boiled Eggs and Potatoes
I love eggs and potatoes. All you have to do is peel the potatoes, cut them up, and put them in the water. If you put eggs in the water with it you can hard boil them. Once the potatoes are done you can mash them and put cheese on them and make it delicious.
There are a bunch of other things you can make in the rice cooker you just have to research and try them out. I love my rice cooker and I think they are a great investment. You and your friends can cook in your dorm rooms and never have to go down to the stressful kitchen.
