While many go home for Thanksgiving break to celebrate the holiday with their families and reconnect with old friends, there is a good portion of students that do not. This is especially the case at Northeastern, where many students would have to travel long hours at expensive costs just to go home for a few days. However, the Thanksgiving spirit does not need to be lost simply because you are not enjoying Mom’s homemade cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes from scratch. There are ways to cook a Thanksgiving feast for you and your friends in your dorm room.
To start off, keep appetizers simple. Examples include vegetables with dips such as hummus, bread and spinach dip, cheese and crackers, and a cranberry nut trail mix. Offer regular beverages as well as festive ones like apple cider, cranberry juice and pumpkin soda (a delicious drink I discovered at WholeFoods).
Next, you do not need an oven for high level cooking. A microwave works just fine, since after all, it is a form of an oven. Therefore, a turkey can be cooked in one. Here are the basics:
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A 12 – 14 pound turkey
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Use an oven bag, dish with a lid, or plastic wrap with ventilation holes
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Cook at 165 degrees (meat thermometer recommended)
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10 minutes per pound of the turkey
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Remember to turn it
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Spread two tablespoons of melted butter on the turkey and seasoning before cooking
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Trim the fat
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Stay in your room while it is cooking (you do not want to be the one who causes a fire drill)
- Learn how to carve a turkey – or find someone who can.
While the turkey is often the most daunting item on the menu to cook, it is the sides of the meal that are the most important. These are easier though. While you may be used to making homemade potatoes, improvisation may involve some cheating. Since most college students lack a proper stove and pots and pans, instant potatoes are a better option. Highly rated options include Betty Crocker Home-style Creamy Butter Mashed Potatoes and Velveeta Cheesy Potatoes. These can be made in a microwave as well by following the direction on the box. Cranberry sauce also requires a saucepan; therefore if you do not have a stove, then buy it in a can in the store. You can make a simple salad any way you like, applesauce, and crescent rolls for your guests.
For dessert, focus on no bake desserts for the sake of convenience. There are plenty of low maintenance ways to make pumpkin pie, apple tarts, and cheesecake online! They taste just as delicious as those that come out of an oven!