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| These are interesting ideas to say the least. Luckily my job doesn't require me to be out of town on weeks on end.
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If you are really serious, you can buy a single hotplate for about the same cost as an iron. It is lighter and much easier to pack and much much easier to use. Just toss in a small sauce pan and frying pan and you are all set. Actually, to lighten your baggage you could make do with just one pan. 
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No coffee maker here, and no cup of soup either. They don't sell them here. I looked!
They have quick rice, like pilaf, but that didn't work well. It was cold long before the rice cooked - gross.
I don't like salad, so that leaves eating out or no vegetables, or the iron!
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XANADUREALM
3/28/08 7:17 A
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This is an interesting concept. I never thought about cooking with an iron! I usually use the coffee maker to cook stuff. I have heated bagels topped with cheese on the warming plate.
I you don't have a coffee pot or an iron you can use hot tap water to make "cup of soup" or bouillon cube soup. I really like fresh fruits and veggie salads best, though.
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Steamed vegetables
It is very difficult to get plain steamed vegetables at a restaurant abroad, especially if you don't speak the language well. Use your iron to get a fix!
Steamed Zucchini
Wash and slice the zucchini thinly, about 1/2cm per slice
Measure aluminum foil to fit the iron. You want only one layer of foil between the iron and the vegetable.
Lay the zucchini on the foil, only one layer thick. Do not stack as this will make the cooking process much slower. Wrap the foil around the top of the zucchini and place the package on the iron. There should be only 1 thin sheet of foil between iron and zucchini.
I recommend the highest heat setting. Wait 1.5-3 minutes. The vegetables will start sizzling as the water begins to boil inside the package.
Carefully slide the foil off of the iron and open it. The zucchini should be soft and slightly brown on the side that was facing the iron.
Do not use a fork to get the zucchini up unless you know they are done! A fork will stab right through the foil and you won't be able to put the package back on the iron.
It took me three packages to cook 1/2c zucchini - be patient! If you want a fast meal just eat the vegetable raw! This is a very flavorful way to cook vegetables, it is a mixture of steaming and grilling and is really delicious.
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The easiest item to cook on an iron is a grilled cheese sandwich or toast. You will need aluminum foil.
Turn on the iron to get it heated up. I recommend the highest heat setting. Make your sandwich and wrap it in aluminum foil. If possible use room temperature cheese to speed up the melting process.
Once the iron is warm, hold it with the heat side facing up and balance the sandwich on top of the iron. I don't recommend 'ironing' the sandwich as that just serves to squish it. Wait for 1-2 minutes then slide the foil wrapped sandwich off and flip it to the other side. After 1-2 minutes on the other side set down the iron and open the packet. The foil cools very quickly, but there might be steam inside fo be careful.
If the cheese hasn't yet melted, put your sandwich back on the 'grill'. You must be patient, your reward will be a piping hot melty delicious sandwich!
The bread should be crisp on the edges and slightly brown, and the cheese should be melted throughout when you are done.
Variations: -add tuna for a tuna melt, chicken for a chicken melt
-use pita bread or tortillas for a crisp sandwich
-heat just the bread for toast in the morning
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| Living in a hotel has some limitations. If you are lucky, your hotel will have a fridge and microwave. Traveling outside the US you'll find more often you have a fridge but no microwave. This has been the case for me on more than one occasion. After a month of eating cold food or eating out, I bought an iron. Here are my findings.
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