“Friendsgiving” is a great way to bond with pals before you part for break, but when classic Thanksgiving dishes seem too demanding, difficult or played out, cooking for a potluck can become a chore. As college students, our priorities and palates differ from those of our grandparents, and a successful Friendsgiving celebration will reflect that difference. In lieu of trying to tackle a turkey or bake the perfect pie, take it easy and try one of these college-tailored Thanksgiving recipes.
Sweet Potato Burritos
To satisfy your Chipotle cravings with a Thanksgiving twist, try these vegan mashed sweet potato burritos, lightly sweetened with coconut milk and a hint of lime. A cinnamon and chipotle pepper spice mix bridges the gap between classic Mexican flavors and Thanksgiving staples.
Approximate time: 1.5 hours
Makes 4 burritos
Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes
1 cup coconut milk
4 large flour tortillas
1 can kidney beans
1 can corn
1 teaspoon lime juice
Cinnamon and chipotle powder (to taste)
Steps
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Using a fork, poke several holes in each of the sweet potatoes. Set on a greased baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for an hour.
3. While the potatoes bake, place a greased skillet onto medium heat. Drain the corn and heat in the skillet until the kernels are browned, stirring often. Remove from heat.
4. Drain the kidney beans and add to the cooling skillet with the corn for just a few minutes, stirring the corn and beans together. Add ¼ of the finished mixture to each tortilla.
5. Place skillet over medium heat again. Once the potatoes are cooked, let cool and remove skin. Mash the peeled potatoes in the skillet, stirring half the coconut milk into each potato. Season with lime juice, cinnamon and chipotle and continue mashing in the skillet until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
6. Remove the mashed potatoes from the skillet and spoon ¼ of the mixture into each tortilla.
Edible cookie dough turkeys
Edible cookie dough, a trend that’s been spawning new products and shops across the country, indulges every baker’s favorite guilty pleasure without the risk of illness. A recipe like this one can be especially valuable in college, when the impulse control necessary to refuse a bite of raw cookie dough is at an all-time low. With just a few candy decorations, balls of dough can be shaped into little turkeys for a touch of seasonal whimsy.
Approximate time: 40 mins
Makes 20-25 turkeys
Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons milk or milk substitute
Candy corn
Edible googly eyes
Reese’s Pieces candies
Steps
1. Heat treat flour by placing it in a microwave-safe bowl and heating on high for 50 to 60 seconds.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and butter until fluffy and homogenous. Beat in the vanilla and salt until combined.
3. Beat in flour until just combined. Add milk one tablespoon at at time and beat until dough starts to come together.
4. Once the dough is formed, roll into small, smooth balls.
5. Press eyes, orange or yellow Reese’s Pieces beaks and candy corn tail feathers into each ball of dough to create a turkey.
Adapted from What Molly Made
Vegan Stuffing
If you’re looking for a way to use up all the random perishable food in your kitchen before break, stuffing is an easy Thanksgiving staple that calls for everyday ingredients. When your friends divvy up dishes for a potluck, call dibs on this low-budget classic — you won’t have to worry about the rest of your sandwich bread getting stale or moldy while you’re home for the holiday, and any spare vegetables on hand can be cooked and added in lieu of the shallots and mushrooms.
Makes 4 servings of stuffing
Approximate time: 1 hour
Ingredients
6 slices sandwich bread
4 diced shallots
14 ounces canned mushrooms
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tablespoon unsweetened dairy-free milk
Olive oil
2 teaspoons rosemary
Steps
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Tear bread slices into one-inch pieces and spread onto a baking sheet. Toast for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Coat a skillet in oil and sauté shallot until it is translucent.
3. Pour mushrooms, rosemary, shallots and toasted bread pieces into a baking dish and toss together. Slowly drizzle vegetable broth and almond milk over the mixture and toss again. Cover with aluminum foil.
4. Place baking dish into oven for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.