We’re back with another themed week on the site: Food Week. This semester, Her Campus FSU has created themed weeks dedicated to exclusive content we believe all of our readers should have access to. Keep up on the site for the next few days as we cover everything from the best brunch spots in Tallahassee to a complete recount of what went down when one of our staff writers decided to cook a meal in her dishwasher (yes, it’s a thing and yes, she actually tried it). Don’t miss out!
You know how you always see those fun cooking videos all over your Facebook? They have everything from vegan mac ‘n’ cheese to red velvet cookies, and even a how-to on cooking your own dinner in the dishwasher. Yes, you read that right. Crazy, right? Well the craziest thing about it all is that it turned out to be absolutely amazing.
Now, I bet you’re thinking quite a variety of things from, “that has to be so unsanitary” to “she must be bat-sh*t insane.” You would not be wrong to assume the latter, but that’s another completely unrelated story because this meal is actually completely safe, sanitary and scrumptious. The food stays safe and sanitary by being mixed in an airtight jar, like mason jars or recycled pasta jars like I used. You simply mix the ingredients together in each respective jar, make sure they’re locked tightly and throw them on the top shelf with all of your other dishes.
It works because our dishwashers run for somewhere around an hour and a half at an average temperature of about 140 degrees Fahrenheit so the food spends anywhere between one to two hours poaching in the steamy sauna of your dishwasher – and your dishes get cleaned at the same time! Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Just make sure the jars are airtight so none of the soapy water gets in. I’m not trying to poison you here. Also, be sure to set it on the hottest setting and turn on the “heated dry” option if you have it.
Now, one of the wildest things is the high quality meal I was able to cook. It wasn’t just some simple boiled spaghetti and warmed up sauce. I made lemon dill salmon in white wine, lemon dill couscous and a strawberry cinnamon compote that I put on some vanilla ice cream. And it was delicious. Here’s how to do it.
Lemon Dill Salmon
Courtesy: Lauren Pleasants
What you need:
- 1 large jar (I used an old Prego spaghetti sauce jar)
- 1 cup white wine (I used a drier Pinot Grigio which turned out nicely)
- 1 lemon, sliced
- Salmon fillet
- Dill
Lemon Couscous
Courtesy: Lauren Pleasants
What you need:
- 1 large jar (I used another old Prego jar. They work like a charm)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 ¾ cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup couscous
Strawberry Cinnamon Compote
Courtesy: Lauren Pleasants
What you need:
- 1 medium jar (I used a smaller Ragu jar. Yes, I eat a lot of spaghetti)
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (I only had regular syrup but it did the job)
- ½ cup water
For all of the recipes simply mix the ingredients into their respective jars, close the lid tightly, and throw it in the washer! Here’s the final product.
Courtesy: Lauren Pleasants
Courtesy: Lauren Pleasants
I promise it tastes just as amazing as it looks, and doesn’t it look pretty incredible? The salmon came out juicy and flavorful, not to mention buttery soft, and the couscous was fluffy as a cloud. Don’t believe me? Take it from my friends who tried the meal as well.
“It has inspired me to go buy my own dishwasher because it was just that good.” – Kristen Kingston, 19
“The most sophisticated meal I’ve eaten in weeks. It was strange, but woah, that salmon was on point.” – Brendan East, 21
“I thought Lauren was nuts when I came home and she was putting her dinner in the dishwasher, but the food ending up being phenomenal. 10/10 would recommend.” – Bree Amborn, 21
Still don’t believe it? Try it for yourself! I guarantee this oddball meal will not let you down. So throw your dirty dishes in the washer, mix up your ingredients, lock the jars tightly and turn that sucker on. You too will be surprised at just how incredibly delicious this meal is.