Cooking Hacks

Cooking can either be a lot of fun, or a tedious chore – either way, everyone enjoys when life gets made easier for them! Here are just a few tips and tricks to ease the cooking process.

Seasoning:

Adding salt and pepper can instantly change a dish, but don’t forget about the other seasonings as well. Chicken dishes benefit from basil and oregano. To beef, why not try some rosemary or sage? Having a range of herbs and spices can make every dish taste like new.

Lazy-Seasonings:

Can’t be bothered to slice onion and dice garlic? Many supermarkets supply pre-cut meal extras, even pre-seasoned tomato puree and ready-to-serve breadcrumbs. Baking soda can also be added to mash potatoes before baking to increase their fluffiness.

Pancakes:

Just because it’s not Pancake Day, doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy them all year round! Use cookie cutters to make various shapes suitable for any season. This trick also works with eggs!

No Cutters?

A glass can be used to cut out meat patties or cookie batter just a quickly and easily!

Boiled Eggs:

Pricking a hole in the bottom of each egg with a drawing pin makes sure the shell peels away effortlessly, leaving the egg intact and boiled to perfection. For a golden egg straight out of fairy tales, shake a raw egg for 3 minutes to mix the yolk and the whites before boiling.

Recycling:

There is always one tortilla going to waste after having fajitas for dinner – cut into shapes, spray with oil and salt, and cook for 10 minutes at 350 degrees for a batch of nachos. Paper cake trays can also be used as ‘cup-hats’ to keep bugs out of your drink as the weather gets warmer.

Saucepan and grease become best friends?

Shift those stubborn stains by heating up on the hob, before soaking in hot water for 10 minutes, the grease and fat will easily come off with a quick sponge.

Is peeling just not appealing to you?

Garlic gloves can be aided in the peeling process by placing in between 2 bowls and shaking vigorously for 30 seconds. Ginger also peels easily with the use of a spoon, cutting down on the wastage compared to peeling with a knife.

No baking trays?

By rolling foil into a spiral, you can create a makeshift baking tray for roasting meat and pizzas. If you DO have baking trays, cover them in foil before cooking to reduce on the washing up afterwards.

Leaves being left everywhere

Remove the root at the bottom of a lettuce first; the leaves will separate easily meaning fewer shavings to clean up afterwards.

We all scream for ice-cream

Storing your ice-cream tub in a zip lock plastic bag keeps it frozen, yet soft enough to scoop without bending all the spoons you own.

Gourmet budget snacks

As hard as we try, we university students just can’t resist those cheap ramen style noodles! Make them more exciting and appetizing to eat by adding ham, cheese, veg, or even chili flakes.

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10 Flippin' Good Pancake Toppings!

Pancake day is this coming Tuesday! So instead of scrimping on those ready mix pots (which we all know taste disgusting!) why not try some of these sweet and savoury ideas to challenge the classic lemon and sugar?

Yoghurt, lemon and raspberry

If you’re after a fresh, lemony pancake topping, look no further. Just stir the zest of half a lemon into 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt and spoon over warm pancakes. Top with fresh raspberries and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Apple and cinnamon pancakes

Once you’ve made your pancake batter, stir in about 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (less if you don’t like it so strong). Core, peel and slice an apple and heat gently in a small saucepan with a tiny splash of water and half a teaspoon of vanilla sugar. Make your pancakes, spoon the soft, warm apple over them, and top with a scoop of ice cream. You can add a pinch of cinnamon to the apples in the pan instead of the pancake batter, if you prefer. 

Vanilla pancakes with raspberry jam and ice cream

Make your pancakes in the usual way, but trickle in half a teaspoon vanilla extract into the batter along with the milk and egg. Warm a couple of teaspoons of raspberry jam until runny and spoon a little over the cooked pancakes. Top with some vanilla ice cream. If you have any fresh raspberries, scatter these over the top too.

Smoked bacon and maple syrup

This classic American pancake works so well by combining sweet, salty and smoky flavours. Just grill a couple of rashers of smoked bacon until crisp. Melt a small knob of butter over some warm pancakes, top with the cooked bacon and drizzle over a little maple syrup.

Caramel, whipped cream and chocolate

For this gorgeously decadent pancake, spread a dollop of caramel over your pancake, and then dot with whipped cream. Fold up the pancake, and grate a little dark chocolate over the top.

Chocolate pancakes with strawberries, cream and hazelnuts

Add a 2-3 teaspoons of good quality cocoa powder to your pancake batter along with half a teaspoon of vanilla essence. Cook in the usual way, then fill with a little double cream, sliced strawberries and drizzle over some melted plain chocolate. Top with roasted, chopped hazelnuts.

Banana, honey, yoghurt and toasted almonds

If you fancy a healthier treat with your pancakes, try this one. Top a warm pancake with a couple of spoonfuls of natural yoghurt and a sliced banana. Drizzle over some runny honey and scatter over a few toasted almond flakes for crunch.

Blueberries and honey with vanilla ice cream

Cook or warm your pancakes and put to one side. In a small frying pan, tip in a handful of blueberries along with a small splash of water and put on a medium heat. When the berries begin to sizzle and pop, drizzle over a tablespoon of runny honey. Squash a couple of the berries, and as you stir, a sticky, dark purple sauce will start to develop. This just takes about a minute. Spoon over your pancakes and top with a scoop of good-quality vanilla ice cream. 

Chilli con carne and cheese

We often tend to think of pancakes as sweet, but they make an excellent base for rich, savoury flavours too. Just top with some hot chilli con carne and finish with grated cheese for a light and tasty lunch.

Spinach pancakes with egg and mushrooms

Add a couple of blocks of defrosted and cooled frozen spinach (or some fresh, chopped spinach) to your pancake batter. In a separate pan, gently cook a handful of sliced chestnut mushrooms in a little butter and olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook the pancakes as usual, spoon the mushrooms over and top with a poached egg. Breakfast sorted.

 

Twitter: @PikaJules @Accomforstudent @afs_canterbury @GlideStudent

Instagram: @RaiJules @Accomforstudent

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9 Cheap dates for Students

As Valentine's Day draws closer, and the pinch of our student loans rapidly running dry, our other half may or may not be too satisfied with another night doing nothing. Why not try these student-focused date ideas?! (Special thanks to Alex for letting me showcase these embarrassing old images of us!)

1. Take a walk
Every university city has something exciting to offer you can't see anywhere else. Whether it be natural beauty, historic features, architectural feats - there is something in your city to walk to and see. Even if it just be what your city looks like in snow.





2. Home cooked meal
This is a great way to sit down and get to know each other - plus a great way to flaunt your cooking skills! (
 



3. Game/Movie night
Assassins Creed is at the top of the list for my favourite game to play together. He's good at large scale fights, but I rule when it comes to stealth missions: together we make one passable assassin! Wether it be a console game, a PC of even a board game, you're bound to find something that entertains you!

Failing that, cuddling up to a good movie is a safe bet. (Alex, I'm sorry for making you watch Frozen, but hey, Love is an open Doooooooooor!!)

4. Study buddies
For your inner geek! Or a date when finals are drawing ever nearer! Get your work done whilst spending time together :) I promise its more fun than we make it look!







5. Play games
We've already mentioned board games and video games; but there's plenty more out there! I used to like Nerf til he got a semi-automatic gun that fire 48 bullets in 15 seconds.....







6. Beach
A walk along the beach may sound cheesy, but a change of scenery can bring up stories you never even thought of sharing. Plus you cant beat a good ice cream while topping up your tan!

7. Stargazing
Another cheesy date - but all the best ones are! Find yourself a steep hill in the dead of night, snuggle up with a blanket and just watch the world go by

8. Sledding
Seasonal date, obviously, but with the upcoming warnings this may become inevitable! Building snowmen and having snowball fights can also be incredibly fun (if he lets you win!)





9. Local events
Most universities or the nearest city have events going on that will appeal to anyone! Here we are at the Red Bull Soap Box Derby Race, only £10! Check your local media and try something new!

Twitter: @PikaJules @Accomforstudent @afs_canterbury @GlideStudent

Instagram: @RaiJules @Accomforstudent

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Going home for Christmas? Don't come back to unexpected damages!

You may not have been brilliant at doing the dishes, or taking the rubbish out, but one thing you MUST remember to do before leaving your student house is to leave your heating on low and/or turn off your stop cock. *High-five to anyone else who immaturely giggled at the word 'stop cock'*

It really is very important that the water is turned off or the heating left on because a burst pipe running for any length of time can leave the house uninhabitable for months. But there is even more to watch out for.

Rats! - Whatever you do, don’t leave food/plates/bowls out to rot while you are away or the house will stink when you get back and you could find yourself infested with rats and/or mice, together with a large bill to get rid of them. You should also check the fridges for anything that may rot over the Christmas period.

If you live in Canterbury, Please make sure all rubbish or recycling is put in the correct bin. If you leave any other bags out, they will still be there when you get back but ripped to shreds by animals. The Council will identify the culprits and dish out heavy fines. If you have excess bags take them to the tip on Vauxhall Road, CT1 1QY (Use Google maps if you are unsure where that is).

If you live in Medway, bag everything up and put the bags out. You will know your bin collection days by now and these are as normal up to 24 December. Make sure you have a good clear out the night before as you are not allowed to put bags out for longer than a day and will be fined by the Council if you do. You will need to take any excess bags to the tip - Ambley Road off Hoath Road ME8 0SJ (use Google Maps if you don’t know where it is).

When returning to the house, run the taps for two minutes so the water supply is fresh and not stagnant water that has been sitting in the pipes for weeks.

Don't ruin New Year by damaging your property - do it now for a truly Happy New Year!

Twitter: @PikaJules @Accomforstudent @afs_canterbury @GlideStudent

Instagram: @RaiJules @Accomforstudent

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I know you want me....... do you? 5 Ways to tell if that girl in class REALLY likes you

You've got settled in now, into the flow of assignments and lectures, how to cure that hangover, and where the hottest of hot hotspots are. You may have even got talking to that hot girl in your class, and you want to see if she'd like to "hang out" sometime. But we all know, women can be tricky. So how can you tell if she really DOES like you enough to want to see you outside the class or club environment?

Obvious eye contact
Look with your eyes, not with your hands! that how lawsuits happen. If you catch her looking at you often, or if she is actually really interested in what you're saying, hanging on your every word, she probably likes you. Just watch out for the crazy eyes - COMPLETELY different ball game!

 

Leaning towards you

If she is constantly finding reasons to be near you, but doesn't feel comfortable enough yet to physically touch you, she's probably sniffing around to see if you'll make the first move. But if she leans and falls, she's probably drunk - so make a good judgement call with this one.

Physical touching

If you've played all your cool cards and send off the right signals, she might be confident enough to touch you. This is the most obvious sign that a woman is interested. Touching your arm, knee or bum for the more cheeky ones is pretty much guaranteed that she's interested. Or again, drunk.

 

Talking to you a lot

In lectures, after lectures, text, phone, Facebook, twitter - if she maintains a conversation long than any other girl you know, she probably likes you. Or is a grade A stalker.......

 

Fidgeting

laying with clothes, hair, jewelery or anything else she has on her person could mean she wants to put her hands on you, but still isn't sure if you'd reciprocate. This girl could very well be interested in you!

 

Twitter: @PikaJules @Accomforstudent @afs_canterbury @GlideStudent

Instagram: @RaiJules @Accomforstudent

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Driving home for Christmas; 5 tips for traveling home

It's approaching that time of year, where the days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder, and term is almost over! Now it's time to think about how you are going to get back home.

1. Book early

The early the book your ticket home, the cheaper it will be! Save money and hassle, do it today!

2. Leave early

You may be tempted to stay a bit longer for that house party, but with bad weather forecast across the country, don't risk being snowed in and being unable to travel home!

3. Alternative modes of travel

Getting a train directly home may be quicker, but looking into coach travel for tr entire or part of your journey can dramatically reduce your travel costs

4. Planes

It may sound crazy, but depending in where uni is and where home is, planes can sometime be cheaper! Flights from London to Ireland or Scotland can be cheaper than trains if you book early enough

5. Hitch a ride

If a course friend is driving home, ask kindly if you could hitch a lift all the way, or even part way. Petrol money is DEFINATELY cheaper than trains!

Twitter: @PikaJules @Accomforstudent @afs_canterbury @GlideStudent

Instagram: @RaiJules @Accomforstudent

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A very student Christmas

A students Christmas is very different to a family one, but not necessarily in a bad way! It may be a lot less expensive and the decorations may be tackier, but that's not necessarily bad! Here are a few tips to make your student Christmas your own.

1. Secret Santa

Much cheaper than getting a present for everyone! Write everyone's name down on a piece and paper and put into a hat/bowl or whatever container you can find. Each person then takes a name (not their own!) and buy that person a present. Set a limit of around £5/10 for a widespread, cheap Christmas everyone in your house/course/halls can get involved with!

2. Ready-to-cook dinner

Your local supermarket will know students don't want to cook a full dinner, so produced meats, veg, roasties and stuffing that you only need to warm in the oven. Make it easy and delicious with little washing up!

3. Pot luck dinner

Same as the ready to cook dinner, but more widespread. Each dinner guest brings one item of food. One brings the meat, another the potatoes, another the gravy... And so on!

 

4. Takeout dinner

Even easier! Everyone chips in and orders a takeout - simple!

5. Decorations

Use scrap paper and car to make snowflakes to stick on windows. Pound land is always filled with tinsel and cheap trees you can all chip in for too.

 

6. Music

Bored of your grandmas Christmas vinyl? Put a twist on your music by adding more recent songs by modern artists - the Killers and Fall Out Boy make a sure fire change to Nat King Cole!

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Twitter: @PikaJules @Accomforstudent @afs_canterbury @GlideStudent

Instagram: @RaiJules @Accomforstudent

www.accommodationforstudents.com