College Cooking 101

Veer off beaten path with easy cooking

Five girls are crammed in front of a television screen, drooling over actor Matthew McConaughey's stalwart efforts to create the perfect dinner for Kate Hudson in the film "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days."

Why are the girls drooling? There is an enigmatic appeal about men and women who perform tasks that commonly are assigned to members of the opposite sex. A man's "attractive" factor skyrockets if he knows how to wield a spatula now and then, just as a woman's sex appeal can increase if she knows how to change her car's tires. Of course, if food is the way to a man's heart, then a cook's charm applies to both girls and guys.

Romance awaits many of us in the coming months. Why not jump-start a college relationship with an atypical date? Substitute eating out with a home-cooked, yet classy, meal — and turn up the heat in just one date. Any college student by day can be a chef by night through whipping up the following recipes, which are made with ingredients that can be found at any grocery store.

Salmon Dijonnaise

2/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 pound salmon (purchased pre-skinned and boned)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the sour cream and mustard together. Set in a warm place to lose its chill. Season the salmon on both sides with a punch of salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Use a wide spatula to transfer the fish to a serving platter without breaking it. Add the sour cream and mustard to the drippings in the pan. Stir to blend well. Pour over the salmon and serve immediately.

Greek spinach salad

1 pound fresh spinach, cleaned and stemmed
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (if you buy it in a block, just rub chunks of it in your hands over a bowl and the feta will crumble slowly)
2/3 cup creamy garlic dressing

Toss all the ingredients together in a large bowl and serve immediately.

Strawberry Shortcake

Individual angel food cakes
Cool Whip
1/2 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

Place a small spoonful of cool whip in the bottom of each wine glass. Layer one individual angel food cake and layers of strawberries, separating each layer with a layer of Cool Whip. Refrigerate until ready to serve.