For many college students, a full turkey dinner adorned with dozens of side dishes on Thanksgiving Day is not an easy feat — to both cook and pay for! Sometimes, heading home for the holidays just isn’t possible; but that doesn’t mean that your Thanksgiving has to be turkey-less. Entertaining some pals or even having a cozy night by yourself has never been easier! These recipes require only three things: a bowl, an oven and an open mind. Below are eight simple, affordable and delicious recipes for a college student’s DIY Thanksgiving dinner.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Keeping hunger at bay is extremely important during the whirlwind of preparations for Thanksgiving dinner. This spinach-artichoke dip from Mom’s Dish will definitely keep you and your friends patient while the main course dishes are being assembled and cooked. All you need to do is to mix the ingredients together in one bowl, throw it in the oven with some shredded cheese on top, wait thirty minutes, serve and enjoy!
No-Knead Rolls With Honey Butter
A great coupling with the spinach-artichoke dip are these no-knead rolls with (optional) honey butter from Averie Cooks’. Requiring no fancy equipment and minimal cooking time, these rolls can be made up to five days prior to being baked. With that being said, there is no shame in grabbing some crescent rolls at the grocery store, lathering on some easy-to-make honey butter and indulging!
Herb-Loaded Turkey Tenderloin
And now — the main course! If you are entertaining a small number of people, it may be impractical to cook an entire turkey, especially since some don’t enjoy the bird to begin with. However, if you purchase a turkey tenderloin, leg or breast, this herb-loaded turkey recipe from Taste of Home will spice up this plain meat and make its flavor unrecognizably delicious. Even if you’re anti-turkey, chicken can be used as a substitute in this herbaceous, juicy and delectable recipe!
Homemade Gravy
Of course, with turkey comes its sides — especially gravy and stuffing. No matter what kind of poultry you end up using, this easy homemade gravy from The Kitchn will enhance its tasty flavors. Whether you roast a whole turkey, a piece of turkey or even buy a rotisserie chicken at the store, all you need to do is take some of the juices from the bird, some flour, cornstarch and broth and get your taste buds ready for an extra punch of flavor!
Stuffing
Turkey’s next main side dish often gets a bad reputation; stuffing does not always mean you actually have to stuff the bird. With this boxed stuffing from Stove Top, you can have the delicious taste of homemade stuffing in only five minutes! However, if you want to be creative, throw the stuffing in the oven with your turkey pieces, and cook them together as a turkey-stuffing casserole!
Green Beans with Bacon
As we all know, plain string beans can be straight up boring, soggy and unappetizing. One way to enhance the flavor of your green beans is to add pieces of cooked bacon! Put bacon into a pot with the beans and let them cook. If you don’t like bacon , the addition of minced garlic will suffice. This green beans with bacon recipe from Taste of Home will have your guests wanting more!
Mashed Potatoes
While you can always just throw some potato pieces in the oven, a creamier and cozier alternative are these buttermilk mashed potatoes from Food Fanatic. Even if you don’t have buttermilk handy, regular milk, half-and-half or cream can be used as well. A slightly different take on this recipe would be to use sweet potatoes, adding a little brown sugar and you’re all set. Whichever potato you decide to use, these velvety mashed potatoes will definitely be a crowd-pleasure!
No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
Now, for dessert! With minimum prep work and zero cook time, this no-bake pumpkin pie from Desserts on a Dime will leave your taste buds satisfied after your savory meal. This dessert is incredibly easy to make, as you mix all the ingredients together and pour them into a premade graham cracker pie crust; it can easily be made two to three days in advance, taking some pressure off of turkey-day prep. Served with whipped cream, ice cream or by itself, this pumpkin pie is the perfect ending to your Thanksgiving Day feast.
