The first time I really felt like a legit college student wasn't when I went to my first class or got my first grade or met my first roommate. It was when I sat on my dirty futon and ate my first plastic bowlful of Top Ramen. Ring any bells?

When I married my husband, I was forced to use the Japanese version of the beloved noodle, and I wasn't all that jazzed about trying it. Don't mess with a good thing, you know? No, I didn't know. This stuff is the king of instant-ish noodles, and you MUST give it a try. The traditional kind is called yakisoba, is often tossed with sauteed vegetables and meat, and shouldn't be too hard to find in grocery stores. If you have an international market like the Super G, you'll have lots to choose from. We eat the Ichiban brand, but eat whatever you find. Or stick with what you know and use Top Ramen. It's still awesome.

Yakisoba with Chicken and Vegetables

• one carrot, peeled and cut into thin strips
• half of a green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup or so of shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken
• 1 package of yakisoba
• one chopped green onion (optional but awesome)

This makes a quick lunch for two people, so double or triple for the number of folks you're serving.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, add a quick drizzle of canola or vegetable oil (not olive), and add the carrots and green peppers. Season with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper, and cook for about five minutes or so, stirring once or twice. While the vegetables cook, shred the chicken. Once the vegetables are mostly done, add the chicken just long enough to warm it through. Put that stuff on a plate and set it aside until later.

Now add some water to the now empty skillet, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan (about a cup). Bring that water to a boil. Don't worry if there are little browned bits of chicken or vegetables in the pan; the water will keep those from burning, and they'll flavor the water really nicely. Once the water is boiling, add the block of noodles. Let it sit there for a minute or so just to soften. Then with a pair of tongs, gently move the noodles around the pan until they absorb all the water. If you need to add more water, no problem. Just add a little at a time until the noodles are cooked.

Once the noodles are done and the water is absorbed, add the packet of seasoning that came in the yakisoba package. Stir that in, and then add the chicken and vegetables. Toss in the green onion, and serve it up!

This takes about ten minutes total, is incredibly easy, and costs waaay less than ten bucks for four people. And anything that takes you down memory lane is always welcome... unless of course we're talking about freshman year calculus. Or the overalls I wore almost every single day of my college career. Really. Could someone not have said something?