BoomerGirl Diary

For the past six weeks I've been miserable. I had my kitchen remodeled and there was nowhere to entertain. There I was, holed up in an upstairs guest suite, living like a college student. I was making the best of things, and the whole experience reminded me of what it was like when my husband and I lived in a miniature apartment with a postage stamp-sized kitchen.

If that's your situation, take heart: You can still do some entertaining. Here are some simple tips for cooking without a kitchen. You can still have friends over even when your couch is the size of a marshmallow and you have to put a cutting board on the bed to serve dinner.

Food prep

The toughest part of tiny apartment, dorm or hotel living is that you probably don't have a garbage disposal, and that can make it difficult to prep many fresh ingredients. Don't fret about it. That's where convenience foods come in handy. Take a trip to Costco and buy those big bags of frozen stir-fry vegetables. They're already chopped, and they defrost quickly in the pan. Get baby potatoes and pop them in the microwave.

Check the grocery store produce aisle for pre-washed salad greens and already-prepped crudite-like green peppers, celery and carrots. Buy cherry tomatoes instead of big tomatoes. All these are great time savers and keep you from making a mess or getting discouraged that you can't cook from scratch. Save the prep for ingredients that add loads of flavor: garlic, onions and ginger. A few bits of those go a long way to making soups and other dishes taste rich and homemade.

Appliances are key

Remember that hot plate Mom gave you for your dorm room? Drag it out and get it plugged in again. If you don't have a George Foreman Grill, now's the time to get one. You can make everything on it from steak to veggie kabobs.

The Crock-Pot is your friend, too. Make spaghetti sauce in it. And try some homemade soup with pre-made stock, those Costco veggies and a whole roast chicken that you've cut up and thrown in with some fresh herbs. Don't give up on breakfasts, either. Toaster ovens make biscuits and refrigerator breads. Electric griddles are great for pancakes, bacon and sausages. Waffle irons are easy to use and clean. Get the "make it in a flash" pancake and waffle mixes that come in a plastic pitcher — you just add water and shake.

Guerilla tactics

During that whole renovation adventure, I traveled to New York and Las Vegas. Even then I was so desperate for homemade food and some hostess action that I started cooking in my hotel room. I don't recommend it in fine hotels. But anyplace you've got a kitchenette, don't hesitate to invite folks over for drinks and hors d'oeuvres. Get frozen appetizers and heat them in your little microwave. Serve on spiffy paper plates with cocktail napkins. Add a leaf of mint or basil for window dressing just to surprise them.

Consider packing your fondue pot. No, I haven't lost my marbles. Just bring the pot and buy Sterno fuel when you get there (don't ever pack flammables if you're getting on an airplane). You can find Sterno in kitchen shops like Williams-Sonoma. Get your cheese, bread, kirsch and wine after you arrive, and you're ready to go. Just about any room can be a place to entertain if you really want to have people over.

Remember making grilled cheese sandwiches with the iron? Here's what we did in our Vegas hotel room: Take one bagel, split it, cut a pair of Laughing Cow Babybel rounds in half and sandwich them inside the bagel. Set it on a paper plate and put another plate over the top. Cover the whole thing with a tea towel. Heat the iron and press it over the towel until the cheese melts. Serve with in-room coffee sweetened with a tiny bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream from the mini bar. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Mmmmmmm.

Makeshift kitchen

— Chef's knife in a holder

— Small, portable cutting board

— Salad spinner

— Pop-up sponges

— Portable French press coffee maker

Waffle iron paninis

Serves two

Four slices bread, your favorite

Two slices cheese

Three 1-ounce slices cold cuts or ½ cup tuna or chicken salad

Butter or margarine

Mayo and mustard

Thinly sliced tomatoes, optional

1. Soften butter or margarine.

2. Spread mayo and mustard, if desired, onto bread. Make sandwiches by layering meats and cheeses or tuna or chicken salad and tomatoes.

3. Spread outsides of the sandwiches with soft butter or margarine.

4. Heat waffle iron. Set sandwich inside and close lid. Grill until cheese melts and bread is golden brown. Slice and serve.