How to Throw a Great Dinner Party

Want to hang out with your grad school buddies but sick of going out every weekend? Bring the fun to your apartment by throwing a dinner party! To have a successful dinner party, you need:

• Invitations - Send out invites to 4-7 of your closest friends a couple weeks prior to the party. Chances are your apartment won't hold more than 7 people and your neighbors won't appreciate the noise of a larger crowd. Save money by sending the invitations electronically via Evite.com or Sendomatic.com.

• A Theme - Dinner parties are always more fun if there's a theme. Print up a food menu and give each dish a name fitting to your theme, such as "Astronaut Brownies" if your theme is Outer Space. Decorate your apartment to look like your theme, make a song playlist to set the mood and tell your guests to come dressed appropriately. Some great party theme ideas can be found here.

• Games - Get your entire group to interact by planning some fun games (preferably ones not centered around drinking massive amounts of alcohol. A grad school dinner party should be a step up from an undergrad frat party!) Charades is always a good choice, or you can incorporate your party's theme into another game. Some game ideas can be found here and here.

Save money on food by asking your guests to each bring a side dish to pass. If you want to mix up some cheap drinks for guests, check out Miranda's "Look! Cheap Cocktail Night."

I’m In a Relationship With my Crock Pot

I might sound like a middle aged women when I say this but regardless: I am in love with my Crock Pot. Being a student and especially a graduate student means your time is precious. Between balancing school, work, and some semblance of a social life, one of the last things I have time for at night is deciding what to cook for dinner.

I’m not one of those people that hates to cook either, I actually love it. You can usually find me on a weekend evening enjoying a glass of merlot and trying out a new recipe. But during the week, I really start to miss the old days of when my mother would ask me what I wanted for dinner. Consequently I was living the dream back then and never knew it until I put on my “big girl pants”, got a one-bedroom apartment and started graduate school.

This is just about the time I discovered the crock-pot and was introduced to it’s magic. Not only can you plan ahead and make it in the morning before work or school, a delicious meal can be waiting for you when you get home.

One easy and delicious meal to make in Crock Pot is chili. This is a great fall or winter meal, but with a side of corn bread I can enjoy it anytime of the year.

Black Bean Chili with Beef

Source: Southernfood.about.com

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cooked black beans

1 lb. stew beef, cubed

2 tablespoons bacon drippings or vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped green peppers

1/2 cup diced green chile peppers

3 tbsp. tomato paste

3 to 4 beef bouillon cubes, or beef base

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. salt and pepper

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or mild Cheddar cheese

Preparation:

Brown stew beef in bacon drippings or oil with onion and green pepper. Combine all ingredients except cheese and cook 6 to 8 hours on low. Serve hot in bowls with a little cheese sprinkled over each serving.

Another delicious meal that can be served year round is chicken with potatoes. Also a good tip when using a Crock Pot is to give yourself enough time. Most of the recipes usually need between 5 and 7 hours to cook.

Easy Chicken With Potatoes

Source: Southernfood.about.com

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (or mix basil, oregano, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder to equal same)

1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

4 to 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges or thick slices

Preparation:

Place chicken in bottom of Crock Pot. Sprinkle with half of the Italian dressing, spices, and the grated cheese. Put the potatoes on top or around the chicken. Sprinkle with the rest of the dressing, spices, and cheese.

Shopping Guide for Beginning Grads: These are a few of my favorite things

As important as it is to be frugal in grad school, it's also important to eliminate stress wherever you can. I'm a big believer in buying the right tool for the job, and these items are some of the best buys I've made in trying to simplify my life.

Air Mattress: because futons are so undergrad!

Grad school can be stressful and a well timed visit from friends or family can help restore your sanity. Making your visitors crash on the floor or sofa (if you have the luxury of space to accommodate a sofa) will pretty much pretty any return visits, however. The price of an air mattress is far outweighed by the knowledge that you can make your guests comfortable and welcome.

• My tips: Avoid air mattresses that have a built in pillow bump, which do nothing but give you a crick in your neck. Mattresses with electronic pumps are also unnecessary (you can just use a blow dryer set on cool), but mattresses with built in manual pumps are really handy for getting it to just the right firmness. Also, when you make up the mattress for your guests place another blanket between the bottom sheet and the mattress itself; this just makes it more cozy and gets rid of that vinyl feeling.
• My pick: Wenzel Full Insta-bed with Comfort Adjust Pump (Amazon $39.99)

Functional Bag: because a crooked spine is rarely sexy

A backpack? As an adult? Yeah, I know, I felt the same way. I crammed by laptop, books, notepads, and various other accouterments into my purse

for my first semester—until it started crushing my spine. I then gave up and made the adult decision to go for functionality over fashion, and I’m really glad I did. It’s great for toting around all your class stuff, lugging

groceries home, or packing for a weekend escape.

• My tips: Think about how you’re going to use the bag first: Will you be carrying a laptop? Snacks? Water bottle? Sunglasses? Pens, pencils, PDAs, and such? Then find a bag that will meet all of those needs. I love Dakine bags because they have a ton of differnt types and styles, but are consistently high quality and very user friendly.
• My pick: Dakine Women’s Academy Pack (Moosejaw $29.99-$45.99)

Water Bottle: one that you’ll actually use

This is just a practical must have. Having a water bottle on hand keeps you hydrated and saves you from buying bottled water which helps your wallet and the environment

• My tips: Make sure it’s leak-proof! I mean really leak proof—like trust it in your bag with your laptop leak proof. It’s also helpful if it has a built-in clip to attach it to your bag, so you don’t have to carry it around. My pick is a BPA-free plastic water bottle (for more info on BPA-free items check out Nalgene’s site); however, you may want to opt for a metal version,which is even more eco-friendly since it isn’t made with non-renewable petroleum products.
• My pick: Contigo AutoSeal BPA Free Hydration Bottle (Amazon $9.59)

Shelving Cubes: classier than plastic crates but holds

just as much crap

As a grad student, you’re probably going to moving a few times during and after your studies, and you’ll be able to alter these shelves to fit any space or decor you run into. They also come apart easily and stack neatly to take up less space during the actual move. They’re great because you can toss a ton of stuff into them, slide them shut, and look totally organized even when you’re not. I’ve used mine for an entertainment center, bathroom storage, an entryway bench, shoe storage, bookshelves, and a filing cabinet.

• My tips: Comparison shop; you’ll probably be making more than one trip to numerous big-box stores during your preparations, and most of them will have a version of these shelves. Just make a note of their prices so you can get the best deal. Price the canvas drawers separately because one store may have the best deal on the shelves while another has a better deal on the drawers themselves (the shelves and drawers are typically a foot square but double check just to be sure). You can also buy additional shelves to make new configurations in the future without having to redo the entire shelving unit.
• My pick: ClosetMaid 6 Cube Organizer (Target $49.99)

For more tips on simplifying the space you live in, check out Stefania's Home Sweet Home: Five Steps to Making your tiny studio Feel Like HOME.

Free Internet Access for Students on the Move

Whether Verizon/Comcast/RCN screwed up again or you're just stuck studying far from home, every grad student needs easy Internet access--and getting stuck paying an hourly rate while trying to stick to a budget is never fun. Thankfully, many shops and restaurants are recognizing this need and rising to the occasion by eliminating fees, required log-ins, and other hurdles many Internet-seekers had to jump over in the past. Here are some coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants that feature free wireless Internet, no matter your location (just make sure you're using a WiFi-enabled device!):

• Starbucks recently quit charging for unlimited Internet. While you're there, use some of Get Grad Schooled's budget-friendly coffee shop tips!
• Panera Bread has free WiFi hotspots at all locations. Their salads and sandwiches are pretty phenomenal, too.
  
• Au Bon Pan offers a location search on its web site to help patrons discover if their local cafe is WiFi-enabled. Some locations have a six-hour limit.
  
• The New England-centric Boloco is a popular spot for burritos, smoothies, and of course-- free WiFi.
  

And if a quieter, less aromatic atmosphere is more your studyin' style, then the national bookstores might be your salvation. Both Barnes & Noble and Borders now offer free WiFi to all patrons. Libraries often have free access, either in general or by using an easily-obtained--and free--library card, so check your local library's policies, too.

If you prefer avoiding the chains, visit the web sites of (or pick up the phone and call) your nearby independent stores and eateries to discover which locations have WiFi, and never be without free Internet again!

Hard-to-Kill Plants for the Graduate Home

Sorry. No pets allowed in your current apartment. And even if there were, with your hectic schedule of class, internships you aren’t getting paid for and menial paid labor, poor Tin-tin would probably waste away from lack of care. But if you absolutely, positively have to have something living in your living space, we suggest one of those spindly green things that sit in that brown stuff.

Plants are considerably easier to take care of than animals (sorry Tin), often needing no more than a splash of water and a ray of sun to keep on trucking. However, as a self-admitted plant killer, I am more than aware that this easy scenario could go horribly wrong. Here are some low-maintenance, hip plants that might work for you.

Indirect Sun and Minimal Water Plants   

Blooming Jade Plant

Jade This dark green, juicy-leafed succulent does well in small pots and stores water much like cactus plants. 

Aloe Vera

  
Aloe Beautify your home and your body with this multifaceted succulent. Unlucky cookers and sunbathers can also use it for nasty burns. What a gem.



 

Christmas Cactus

Cactus You don’t have to go for the three-pronged stereotype from the westerns. The Christmas Cactus, also known as the Orchid Cactus, is a sprawling beauty with gorgeous pink and white flowers. 




 

Sun and Water Loving Plants

Bamboo

 
Bamboo The tall, elegant bamboo is not only chic, but a tough to kill. Place these plants in a water-filled glass bowl or vase with colored stones at the bottom to hold down the roots. Voila, instant decoration/centerpiece/room accent.

 

Silver Vase Urn Plant

Urn Plant Bring the Amazon to you with this pink flowered, spike-leafed bromeliad. Or if you don’t care much for flowers, check out the silvery octopus-like Tillandsia Xerographica.


 

Tillandsia Xerograhpica

Plant Care Resources

The National Gardening Association
The Flower Expert
Plant Care.com
Bromeliad.com
The Bromeliad Society International


Image Credits: Anika Malone. “Jade Plant is Blooming.” Flickr, 11.26.07; Biology Big Brother. “Aloe Vera.” Flickr, 2.11.07; Spablab.“Full Bloom” (Christmas Cactus).  Flickr, 1.20.2009; Dizfunkshinal “Plant Love” (Bamboo). Flickr, 8.20.2005; Cliff1066. “Silver Vase, Urn Plant (Aechmea fasciata).”  Flickr, 9.14.2008; I-saint. “Tillandsia Xerographica.” Flickr, 6.6.08

Need a roommate? Useful tips to help you find one!

Moving to a new city for your graduate studies? If yes, chances are you aren’t moving along with roommates. So you’re going to need to find a couple because living on your own as a graduate student – while a lovely idea­ – is too expensive for many of us. Hence the need for roommates, whomever they may be.

How to find these people whom you hope to share your home with (minus your food and toothbrush)? A couple methods:

· ­Your school. Yep, one of the best ways could be through your graduate institution. The summer before I entered grad school, my program provided get-togethers for incoming students. We were able to mingle and meet with other students who were also looking for roommates.

I realize it may seem strange to meet someone and try to decide rather quickly on their roommate-potential, but at least you are in the same school. If they’re a grad student, it’s less likely that a.) they will flake on you and b.) they are a random creeper.

· Web listings. If you miss out on your school’s housing event, or if one isn’t provided, then web listings are probably the next place to turn. Yes, these people are strangers. But at least you can narrow down your search to your age range and maybe even to people in grad schools. If you go this route, make sure you spend time with them to figure out their creep rating. The lower, the better!

When looking for a roommate, be picky. Even if that means asking about someone’s nose-picking habits. You don’t want to choose the first person you come across just to have the decision made. You have to live with this choice – and this person – for a year. Make sure it is someone you think you can get along with. If you prefer quiet after 8:00 p.m., make sure the person doesn’t want to hold band practice every night at 9:00. If you don’t like parties at your place, discuss this before any lease agreement is signed. Find common ground with your future roommate – do you both cook or prefer take-out, shower at night or in the morning. Best case scenario: you become friends. Even if you never reach that level, at least you’ll have a roommate with whom you feel comfortable.

Look! Cheap Cocktail Night.

Keg parties are so undergrad, so why not mix up a few cocktails at home? Oh, right, keeping even a minimally stocked liquor cabinet is way out of my grad-school budget. But there's another way.

Instead of spending money on fifths or even liters of our essential ingredients, my boyfriend and I bought a variety of miniatures. (50-mL bottles, or between 1.5 and 2 fluid ounces. Apparently they're called nibs here in New England.) For the same cost as just a couple regular-sized bottles of liquor, we were able to buy everything we needed to make six different drinks—three for each of us.


Here are the (mostly) classic cocktails we tried out:

• Amaretto Sour
• Tequila Sunrise
• Chocolate Martini
• Tom Collins
• White Russian
• and this crazy thing called a Monkey Gland Cocktail I stumbled across on Forbes magazine online, of all places

A note on the ingredients:
Each 50-mL bottle is about the same as one shot, the right amount of alcohol for one drink. The Monkey Gland calls for absinthe, which was our only budget breaker: we found a 100-mL bottle for $9.99. If you're just looking to try it out or only need a little, though, this amount goes a long way. A full-sized bottle will run you closer to $50 or $60. No thank you.

Did you know you can make your own sour mix and grenadine at home? Sour mix is just heavy simple syrup plus lemon juice, so I bought one lemon for 69¢ instead of spending $4.99 on a whole bottle of the pre-made stuff. Grenadine is just pomegranate juice plus sugar, but I actually didn't save money here. I paid a dollar more for real pomegranate juice than I would have for grenadine. However, the grenadine at the store is almost entirely high-fructose corn syrup, not actual juice. I think this is an extra dollar well spent.

The Monkey Gland and the Tequila Sunrise both call for orange juice, but I didn't want to buy a whole carton just to use about five ounces of it. I bought two oranges and fresh squeezed them. I'm sure this is much tastier, anyway.

Shopping list and total price:

amaretto	$2.99
tequila	$2.49
vodka	$3.50 (for 2)
gin	$5.98 (for 2)
Kahlua	$2.49
chocolate liqueur	$3.99
absinthe	$9.99
lemon	69¢
2 oranges	$1.07
pomegranate juice	$4.99
club soda	59¢
Grand Total:	$38.77 + tax

Sure, buying in larger volumes is a better value, but this was a cheaper overall cost and much greater variety for six drinks than we could've gotten if we'd bought larger bottles. More than 25% of our total was the absinthe, too, so we can make it much cheaper by nixing it next time.

Another thought: we're moving to a new apartment this weekend. This might just be the grad-school answer to the traditional housewarming party. Potluck, anyone?