This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CWU chapter.
With the holiday’s quickly approaching and having your Thanksgiving or even a Friendsgiving coming up you may have multiple gatherings to attend. The stress is always what to bring and how to throw something together quickly that looks appetizing that everyone will love. Here’s a few recipes that take a matter of minutes with limited ingredients that everyone will enjoy this holiday season.
- Mac & Cheese: Probably the creamiest mac and cheese will you ever consume, I found this recipe on Tik Tok from @mamainthekichen. You’ll start by boiling your macaroni pasta, draining it and setting it aside. Next, you’ll start shredding your blend of cheeses or just grab store-bought to make the process even quicker, you’ll want sixteen ounces of cheddar cheese, four ounces of Monterey jack and four ounces of Colby jack cheese and set that aside as well. In a separate pan, you’ll want to start heating up four tablespoons of butter and slowly add in four tablespoons of flour while whisking to combine. Continue whisking while slowly adding in twenty ounces of heavy cream until it starts to thicken. Add your cheese to the thickened mixture while lowering the heat and mixing in the cheese. Once all the ingredients are combined, add in two ounces of cream cheese, half a teaspoon of paprika, half a teaspoon of garlic powder and a quarter teaspoon sazon (for color). You’re going to now pour that entire mixture over the top of your macaroni pasta that is placed in a baking dish. Mix that cheesy liquid into all the noodles making sure they are coated then you can feel free to top it off with more of the shredded cheese used in the previous steps. Finally, you will bake it at 400 degrees for twenty minutes then broil for a few minutes to give it a nice golden brown crusty top.
- Brussel Sprouts: A vegetable that has taken me years to like. I’ve always been hesitant to cook brussel sprouts just because they come out mushy with minimal flavor. Tik Toker @lowcarbstateofmind has a great side dish of brussel sprouts that look flavorful and beautiful at the table. First, you’ll take your brussel sprouts and trim off the ends and then cut them in half and place them into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave your Brussel Sprouts for one minute and toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper (measure with your heart on all ingredients). Place the seasoned brussel sprouts onto a baking sheet and cook at 450 degrees for twenty minutes. Once you take the sprouts out of the oven you can place them into a serving dish and even add some cooked bacon chopped up for some more flavor.
- Cinnamon Apple Pie Bake: This is such a simple dessert and something I will be trying out this year. Tik Toker @athomewithshannon had this easy minimal ingredient dessert that is ready within minutes. Take a package of cinnamon rolls and cut each roll into about six pieces. Place the cut pieces into a greased baking dish and add one can of apple pie filling to the top. Use a spoon to disperse the apple pie filling in between the rolls. Place into a 350-degree oven for about twenty minutes. Don’t forget to add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to your scoop of this delicious dessert.
- Kale Pasta Salad: A recipe I am anxious to try holiday season or not, Tik Toker @bold.carly made a simple kale pasta salad that looks so tasty. Add some Kale to a large bowl, and then add your cooked tortellini pasta right on top. Drizzle with some olive oil and massage the kale and tortellini mixture gently. Next, dice a shallot and two cloves of garlic and add to the bowl. Add a splash of olive juice (either black or green olives) and chop up some sundried tomatoes and add to the bowl. Use either a whole lemon, lime, or even both, and use the juice to add into your bowl as the dressing. Season generously with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Add some feta cheese crumbles and toss!
- Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Cake: An easy dessert with minimal ingredients that is done in less than ten minutes. Tik Toker @whatsmomcookin started with three cups of heavy whipping cream and mix with your stand or handheld mixer (tip: place mixing attachments and bowl in the freezer for about ten minutes so the whipped cream holds well). You’ll want to whip this together for about three to four minutes or until stiff peaks form when taking your mixing attachment out of the whipped cream. To a baking dish, add a layer of whipped cream to the bottom. For the next layer, line with your favorite crispy cookies and top with another layer of whipped cream. Repeat another layer of cookies and whipped cream once more then top with sliced strawberries. Repeat this layer arrangement again until you have three layers. Place in the fridge or dive in if you are ready for dessert.
Whether it’s Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving or any holiday gathering you have coming up dishes like these will leave your guests with full stomachs. Easy recipes like these are stress-free and will have you focusing more on the time with friends and family rather than the stresses in the kitchen.