It’s always hard for college students to get into the holiday spirit when finals are approaching and family is too far away to surround you with warm hugs and all the holiday food we look forward to. Here are some holiday recipes that are simple and affordable to make to hold you over until the most wonderful time of the year!
1. Frosted Pumpkin Cake. Coined by a friend’s mom, this is an easy and festive recipe! All you need is a box of spice cake mix and a 15 oz can of pumpkin pie filling! Combine the ingredients in a bowl (just the two, no eggs or oil needed!) and follow the instructions for baking on the box, and that’s it! You can top with cream cheese frosting, my personal favorite!
2. Roasted Chicken and Turkey. Many holiday dinners include roasted chicken and turkey. Just because you don’t have an entire turkey or chicken to roast doesn’t mean you can’t make your own version! Buy chicken or turkey breasts and some veggies. Place them on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Use spices like oregano, thyme, and rosemary to season the meat and veggies to give it the roasted taste and holiday feel. Drizzle a mixture of olive oil and garlic onto the pan before you put it in the oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Bake a baked potato in the microwave 10 minutes before the food is done and you have yourself a mini holiday meal!
3. Sausage Dip. When I think about the holidays and the meals I eat, I always think about the crazy amounts of platters and appetizers as a sort of pregame before the meal. My favorite appetizer, and the easiest to make, is sausage dip! Take one pack of Jimmy Dean hot sausage and cook in a pan. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and combine the sausage with one block of cream cheese and a jar of Tostitos salsa in a small cooking pan and put it in the oven for 30 minutes! Enjoy with any chips you like.
These recipes are all super simple and affordable with minimal ingredients needed to make them, so don’t let the end of semester blues get you unmotivated for preparing for the holidays! Use these recipes to take a snack break from studying. Counting down the days until Christmas break won’t be so bad when you’re enjoying a semi home-cooked meal!
[Photos Courtesy of AllRecipes]