With Thanksgiving in a little less than two weeks, many people are celebrating their annual Friendsgiving before heading home for the holiday. Since we don’t have our parents here to help us out with our dish, many people like myself are at a loss for what to make to bring as our contribution to the party. Further, many people are stuck in small dorm rooms without a lot of space or appliances like at home. So, here are four quick and easy recipes that I’ve made or help make for each course at Friendsgiving!
Appetizer: Gianna’s Pasta Salad
Growing up in a majority Italian household, the first thing I’ve ever learned to cook on a stove was pasta. Pasta salad is a classic appetizer for any get together and one that I use often even without occasion.
Ingredients:
- Tri-color rotini pasta
- Italian dressing
- Cherry tomatoes
- Cucumbers
- Block of sharp cheddar cheese
- Fill a medium saucepan with about 1.5 cups of water. Salt if desired. Place on stove and bring water to a boil.
- Pour pasta into water. Cook for about 8 minutes or until pasta is desired texture.
- Drain pasta in strainer. Immediately rinse with cold water.
- Slice cherry tomatoes in half.
- Slice cucumber. Cut cucumber slices into fours.
- Cut block of cheese into small cubes.
- Add sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and blocks of cheese to drained pasta.
- Add at least half a bottle of Italian dressing to pasta. Add more for desired taste.
- Place pasta in refrigerator to cool for at least 30 minutes. Serve cold.
Entree: Mom’s Chicken Wings
Let’s skip the turkey this time, leave it up to your family when you get home lol. Chicken wings are always a favorite among everyone. Luckily, my mom has an easy chicken wing recipe that can be used with any type of sauce.
Ingredients:
- Chicken wings
- Desired seasonings (mainly salt, pepper, garlic powder)
- Barbeque sauce or hot sauce
- Place chicken wings on pan 1 inch apart. Season with desired seasonings such as salt, paper, garlic powder.
- Place in oven for 10 minutes on 400º.
- Taken chicken wings out of the oven. Smother in barbeque sauce or hot sauce as desired.
- Place chicken wings back in oven for about 35 minutes or until slightly crispy.
Side: Gram’s Oven-Baked Potatoes
My favorite part of holiday meals growing up and still to this day are my Gram’s oven-baked potatoes. They are crispy on the outside but warm and mushy on the inside. The perfect side to any Thanksgiving meal!
Ingredients:
- About 5 lbs of Idaho potatoes
- Vegetable oil
- 2 Onions
- Desired seasonings (mainly salt, pepper, parsley)
- Cover bottom of pan with oil about 1 inch high
- Peel Idaho Potatoes and cut in half.
- Lay potatoes in pan add fresh sliced onions and seasoning: salt, parsley, and pepper as desired
- Bake in oven at 350º for about 1 hour and 30 minutes until slightly brown around the edges.
Dessert: Katie’s Cannoli Dip
A favorite sweet dish among my friend group was always my best friend’s cannoli dip. The taste of Italian cannoli with half the mess and time.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of ricotta cheese
- 1 package of cream cheese
- 1.5 cups of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of mini semisweet chocolate chips
- Optional: Nilla Wafer Cookies and waffle ice cream cones
- Add ricotta cheese and cream cheese to a large bowl. Beat until smooth.
- Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Stir until sugar is completely mixed.
- Add chocolate chips, fold into mixture.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Place in refrigerator to cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve cold.
- Break waffle ice cream cones into medium size pieces. Use waffle cone pieces and Nilla Wafer Cookies to dip.