When I was a child, I would buy myself Cup Noodles when I was hungry. I would peel off the lid, add about half of the seasoning packet and water, then microwave it. It only took three minutes to eat the entire packet and fuel my pirouettes. This routine isn’t unique. According to the World Instant Noodles Association (WINA), Americans will consume over 5 billion instant noodles by 2024. The noodles are designed to survive. They can be fried, air-dried or pre-boiled and then vacuum-sealed in plastic. When cooking them at home deviate from the package instructions. Have some fun with Peter J. Kim’s Instant Ramen Kitchen: beef stroganoff; frijoles de olla; spinach gratin. This is just the beginning. Love Japan is my favorite type of cookbook. Okonomiyaki, with lots of crunch. It’s a unique cookbook written by Aaron Israel and Sawako Okochi, with Gabriela Gershenson as co-author. Plus: it’s full of well written recipes. Hiroshima Style Okonomiyaki is the one I make most often. It begins the usual way by cooking a mountain of shredded carrots, cabbage, and bean sprouts bound with a simple batter made from rice flour. The Hiroshima style is achieved by flipping the pancakes over circles of crispy noodles made by frying discs of boiled Ramen noodles in nonstick skillets until golden and crackly. The crunchy noodles are a great contrast to the chewy pancakes. Shilpa Uskokovic is senior Test Kitchen editor. Bare bones stir-fry. When my fridge is empty, I always pick up a Maruchan Nama Yakisoba package and whatever vegetables are in the display case. Sometimes Napa cabbage, sometimes bean sprouts. At home, I will set a pan on medium-high heat and add a generous amount of oil. Then, I’ll add the vegetable of the day. I keep a frozen knob of ginger that I will grate into the pan. Next, I add the pre-cooked noodle along with the seasoning packet, and some water to make the dry powder into an umami-heavy, glossy sauce. I love it with a fried egg and a lacy edge, but the noodles will do for days when there is no food in my fridge. Nina Moskowitz is the associate editor of cooking. She suggests: “Sick-day Noodle Soup” After reading Instant Ramen Kitchen, one of my favorite cookbooks from last year, I bulk-ordered soy sauce-based ramen. I have only just finished it. My favorite recipe is pretty close to the instructions on the package: I cook the ramen and add half the seasoning packet into the water. Inspire by the soup that my colleague Hana asbrink makes, I add fish sauce and soy to the broth. To bulk it up I add frozen spinach (which is ready in minutes) and firm, firm tofu. Pour a generous amount of sesame seed oil to finish. It’s the perfect meal for a sick day. –Emma Laperruque, cooking director