Tortilla Wrap and New Dorm Room Food Video/Picture Book Intended to Start a Conversation

Four years ago, I dreamed of putting together step-by-step video and picture books to help people get in and out of the kitchen as quickly as possible – and live to tell about it - with something darn flavorful on a plate. And though I hopped on that dream right away and do have video and picture books on the market, I’ve always been limited by book distributor file size constraints and could never have the videos directly embedded in the books free of Internet access. Now I can – but only through Apple and iTunes – and specifically, only for the iPad.

The book that just went on the market, Dorm Room Food: Snacks, Sandwiches and Tortillas, is geared for college students. This no-kidding first-of-a-kind book has recipes in it like Ramen Smash, Banana with Stuff, Tuna Your Way – Now! and more that require only what’s available in a typical college dorm room: fridge, microwave oven and the most basic utensils. The book also comes with a shopping list for all its ingredients organized by grocery store aisle. Most of all, though, the book is intended to start a conversation by interacting with college students, finding out what they want, figuring out how to do it quickly with limited resources, and together help them help others.

The recipe you see here for a cold or warm tortilla wrap is a purely text version of one of the step-by-step video and picture book recipes included in a free, fully capable book sample available at the iTunes store (just type either “bruce tretter” or “dorm room food” in the book search box). You can also get a complete step-by-step picture book recipe by clicking this link.

Preparation Time: 1-2 minutes

Optional Cooking Time: about 45 seconds

Needed (for 1 wrap)

• 1 Tortilla
• Favorite Sliced or Grated Cheese
• Favorite Cold Cuts
• Topping (use your choice or combination of mustard, mayonnaise or favorite sandwich spread, hot sauce, relish, salsa and/or even plain yogurt or sour cream)
• Microwave Oven Safe Plate
• Tablespoon
• Table Knife

1. Spread an even layer of mayonnaise (or your favorite sandwich spread) over the entire tortilla, and put the tortilla on a microwave oven safe plate (if you’re planning to warm the tortilla wrap in the microwave oven).

2. Top with your choice or a combination of cheese, cold cuts, mustard, relish, salsa, and/or plain yogurt.

3. Roll up the tortilla, cut it in half, add an optional shot of hot sauce, and either have the tortilla wrap as is cold or put the tortilla wrap in the middle of the microwave oven and cook using HIGH heat or 100% power for 45 seconds. NOTE: Cooking time will vary depending on microwave watt output power. The tortilla wrap shown here was cooked in a 1200-watt microwave oven for 45 seconds. If your microwave oven puts out less watt power, cooking time will take a little longer. If your microwave oven puts out more watt power, cooking time will be shorter.

4. After cooking, carefully remove the cooked tortilla wrap from the microwave oven. The tortilla wrap is done when the cheese has melted.