Between exams and travel expenses, sometimes it’s impossible for college students to make it home for the holidays. Some students who stay on campus may invite over a few friends to have dinner but run into the problem of not having a kitchen to cook in. But, luckily, for those students who are stuck on campus over Thanksgiving break, it’s actually pretty easy to cook a Thanksgiving feast in the comfort of your own room without a complete kitchen.
Turkey
When you think of Thanksgiving, you probably think of a hot turkey being pulled from the oven. But if you’re a college student, you probably know that a microwave will cook anything just as well as an oven would, including turkey. To get the best results from your microwave, buy a small turkey, approximately 3-4 pounds and brush the skin with olive oil, salt and pepper before placing it in the microwave. Set the microwave to medium power, and cook the turkey 10-12 minutes per pound. After the turkey has been cooked, let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.
Mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole
You can also use your microwave to make your mashed potato or sweet potato recipe. Wash the potatoes, and, using a fork, poke holes halfway through the potato. Place the potatoes in the microwave onto a damp paper towel, and cook for 15 minutes at medium power. Add time as needed. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, remove the skin and mash them with a fork. For traditional mashed potatoes, add butter, garlic and salt to the potatoes while you are mashing them. For sweet potatoes, add butter, cinnamon and brown sugar to the mashed sweet potato mixture.
Stuffing
No Thanksgiving meal is complete without stuffing. Although you can’t cook your stuffing inside your turkey if you’re using the microwave method, there’s still a simple way to make delicious stuffing without a stove or oven. Buy any brand of pre-packaged stuffing mix, boil water in your microwave, and combine with butter and stuffing mix to make a super simple stuffing to go along with your turkey.
Gravy
If you need something to top your turkey and mashed potatoes, look no further than gravy. And, yes, you can make gravy in the microwave, too. To start, melt butter in your microwave on high power. Stir in flour until you’ve reached your desired consistency, and add in heavy cream and chicken or beef stock. Cover and cook for five more minutes, stopping to stir frequently. Remove the gravy from the microwave, and add salt, pepper and any other additional seasonings. Finally, use a fork to stir the gravy until it is completely smooth.
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is a must have on Thanksgiving, but baking pies can be a bit tricky if your room doesn’t have an oven. But luckily for college students everywhere, a no-bake pumpkin pie is incredibly easy to make and requires no kitchen appliances other than a refrigerator. All you’ll need for a no-bake pumpkin pie is a store-bought graham cracker crust, non-flavored gelatin, sweetened condensed milk and pumpkin puree. Add your favorite spices like nutmeg or cinnamon, refrigerate, and, voila, your pumpkin pie is ready to be served.
You don’t need a full kitchen to be able to have a nice Thanksgiving dinner with your friends on campus. Most recipes for traditional Thanksgiving dishes can be altered to make them residence-hall-friendly. Sometimes, all you need is a microwave and a little know-how.
