RA balances meal plan, cooking

March 26, 2007 —

Sara Tank's friends rave about her cooking. And if Tank weren't balancing 16 credit hours, early morning Ryder Center workouts and a job as a University Resident Assistant, she says she would cook for them more often.

Known for randomly passing out baked goods to the inhabitants of Living Center South, the junior believes the sense of community she receives from residents is the best part of being a RA. For Tank, cooking is part of that interaction.

"I cook for other people sometimes," she says. "If I didn't like being around other people, then I wouldn't be able to do this job."

Along with her generous baking habits, the education major has a variety of crockpot and self-devised concoctions to spare. She says her chicken Alfredo seems to be a favorite.

"Chicken Alfredo my favorite?" friend and sophomore Kyle McDaniel says. "Sure. I don't argue with her. Whatever she makes is amazing."

One of Tank's favorite "easy" recipes at the moment is chicken marinated in ranch sauce with melted cheese. Cheesy potatoes and asparagus complete the meal. The particular recipe is a product of a cookbook and her very own ingenuity.

So Tank knows her way around a kitchen, but how often does she actually cook?

"Not as much as I did last year," she admits, "maybe once a week now. I go to Einstein's and the Apple Slice a lot of the time."

Although she enjoys cooking her own meals, Tank says she is impressed with many of the dining options campus has to offer. She recommends the salads and stir-fries at Einstein's Eatery and the cold-cut subs at the Regional Education Center's Apple Slice.

Tank may eat campus food, but she draws the line when it comes to eating out at fast food restaurants. Even with her busy schedule, she claims she'd rarely be spotted in a drive-through window lineup.

"It's just not worth it," she says. "You can eat better for less money on campus."

Although Tank believes dining satisfaction on campus depends upon an individual's preferences, she thinks the food and atmosphere of campus' different eateries provide a welcome relief to dorm life.

"I like cooking," she says, "but I also like to leave my room. I think getting out gives you a break, and I think students need a break. Or they could even take their homework with them. I mean, I take a book over to Einstein's and read sometimes."