Thanksgiving recipes to ease dorm fever

On Wednesday and Thursday, hordes of students will leave grimy bathrooms and clogged kitchen sinks for the comforts of clean tiles and the smell of Mom’s home cooking. But the few unlucky internationals and West Coasters who must stay behind will attempt to scrounge together a makeshift feast. To aid their cooking endeavors, here are four Thanksgiving classics made dorm kitchen-friendly—no pans, whisks, or can openers necessary.

Don't Go Cold Turkey

Unfortunately, the most iconic of Thanksgiving dishes—turkey—also presents the greatest challenges for the dorm chef. But sliced turkey isn’t just for deli sandwiches anymore—with this simple recipe college cooks stand a chance at crafting an exquisite dish.

To begin, obtain the desired portion of sliced deli turkey breast. When preparing a whole turkey for roasting or frying, brining—or marinating the bird in a salt-water mixture—tends to increase its moisture and flavor. Season the meat with a blend of salt, black pepper, dried parsley, onion powder, and a bit of sugar.

Before heating the turkey, prepare the gravy. In a microwave, boil a cup of water. Stir in one chicken—or if available, turkey—bouillon cube to make a plain stock. Tear up a small amount of turkey meat and allow it to steep in the broth. Combine one tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water and add to the gravy, stirring well. Bring the gravy to a very low boil in the microwave, mixing it to ensure that all cornstarch lumps dissipate. Melt one eighth of a cup of butter in the microwave and add it to the gravy, again stirring well. Season it with the same blend used for the turkey meat and reheat the gravy, continuing to mix intermittently to thoroughly integrate all ingredients.

Cook the deli turkey in the microwave until it is steaming hot. Then pour some of the gravy on top of the sliced breast meat. Serve this dish in the place of a more conventional—but no more palatable—whole bird.

- Jason Bell

The Right Stuffing

Students with the misfortune of staying at Columbia for Thanksgiving can forget about stuffing a turkey into a dorm room oven, let alone stuffing that turkey with stuffing. Luckily, stuffing is one Thanksgiving essential that’s easily made dorm-friendly.

First, take out all your anger at being left on campus over this holiday by ripping up one third of a loaf of day-old bread. Then mix it with one third of a can of cream of mushroom soup, one third of a can of vegetable broth, one fourth of a teaspoon of salt, one fourth of a teaspoon of sage, and one fourth of a teaspoon of poultry seasoning, for that turkey taste sans actual turkey. At this point, the dressing can be personalized any way. Two tablespoons of chopped onion or celery, three tablespoons of wild rice, one tablespoon of chopped pecans, two tablespoons of dried cranberries, two tablespoons of cubed apples—the possibilities are endless. For a non-vegetarian option, throw in some Italian sausage pieces.

Next, shape this sticky, individualized concoction into a loaf and wrap it in foil. Finally, bake it for an hour at 350 degrees, slice it, and serve it to your abandoned compatriots.

- Allison Malecha

Get Saucy In The Kitchen

For most family dinners, can-shaped cranberry sauce dumped into a festive bowl is not only arguably the most delicious dish at Thanksgiving, but without a question the easiest to prepare. As many students have discovered at some point in their college cooking careers, can openers are few and far between in dorm room kitchens. But those that haven’t made the $15 investment to introduce a whole selection of canned cuisine into their routines should not fear. Instead, they should capitalize on the nearby Greenmarket currently offering seasonal berries and make the sauce from scratch. Only three essential ingredients and a saucepan are required.

Wash and pick over four cups of fresh cranberries. Boil one cup of water and one cup of sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Add the cranberries and stir as the water returns to a boil. Reduce the heat, and let the mixture simmer until the cranberries burst (which should take about 10 minutes). Add any combination of optional ingredients, including orange peels, raisins, nuts, blueberries, or spices. Continue to stir until the mixture is well blended, then turn off the stove. Let the sauce cool completely, then refrigerate it. The cranberry sauce will thicken. Serve it in the aforementioned festive bowl, or whatever you can scrounge up—Tupperware is perfectly acceptable, your friends will forgive you.

- Devin Briski

An Easy Piece of the Pie

The traditional pumpkin pie likely originated in a form many students may find surprising—typically, the pumpkin’s top was sawed off and the seeds were scraped out, and milk, spices, and honey were added to the inside of the gourd, which was baked in hot ashes.

In the absence of a whole pumpkin or even an oven, college students staying on campus for Thanksgiving may find themselves in a predicament when it comes to a delicious pumpkin dessert. But the finishing touch of a dorm-friendly Thanksgiving dinner doesn’t have to be out of reach. For students who don’t want or are unable to bake a whole pie, this individual microwaveable dessert provides the perfect solution.

Mix one tablespoon plus one teaspoon of sugar with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice. Add one tablespoon of egg or egg product and blend it with the sugar mixture. Add three tablespoons of pumpkin puree and two tablespoons plus one teaspoon of cream or condensed milk. Crush one graham cracker sheet and spread it over the bottom of a shallow bowl. Pour the pumpkin mixture over the crushed graham cracker crust. Microwave it on medium for three minutes, or until the custard is mostly firm. The custard will become firmer after chilling in the refrigerator, so be careful not to overcook it, as this will cause a rubbery texture.

- Paula Gergen

Tags: Arts & Entertainment, Allison Malecha, Devin Briski, Jason Bell, Paula Gergen