Pumpkin Pie Two Ways
by Joann Row, Assistant News Editor
Baked
You’ll need:
1 prepared Pie Dough Disk
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Make the filling by gently whisking the pumpkin, cream, granulated sugar, two eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and salt. Pour the filling into the crust, and bake until set around the edges, about 50 minutes to 1 hour (the middle will still jiggle slightly). Transfer to a rack, and let cool completely.
**This recipe is great for students living away from home, with access to an oven. All these ingredients combined cost less than $20, and many of the ingredients can already be found in the kitchen cupboards.
No-Bake
You’ll need:
1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
1 (.25 oz.) package unflavored gelatin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs, beaten
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
In a heavy saucepan, combine the gelatin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Stir in the condensed milk and beaten eggs, mixing well. Let stand one minute, then place on burner over low heat, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes or until the gelatin dissolves and mixture thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in the pumpkin puree, mixing thoroughly, and pour the mixture into graham cracker crust. Chill for at least three hours before serving.
** This no-bake, stress-free recipe is ideal for the college student who doesn’t have access to an oven. This pumpkin pie recipe tastes almost the same as the prepared version and uses the same basic ingredients as a baked pumpkin pie.
Mom’s Cranberry Mold
by Kelsey DeMeire, Staff Writer
For as many Thanksgivings as I can remember, my mom has made my favorite cranberry dish — a tasty side addition to the traditional turkey and stuffing. Mom’s Cranberry Mold is an easy twist to traditional cranberry side dishes and makes an impression at every Thanksgiving party.
Cranberries, pineapple and oranges come together to give this dish a sweet, sour and tangy taste, and the walnuts add a little crunch.
This dish is ideal for low-budget college students and easy to make the night before the big Turkey Day.
You’ll need:
2 cans of whole cranberries (not jellied)
1 large box of wild strawberry Jell-O mix
1 large box of cherry Jell-O mix
1 orange
1 cup of chopped walnuts (non-salted)
1 medium can of crushed pineapple (in its own juice, not in syrup)
Start by boiling water in a pot. Once at a boil, slowly pour four cups of the hot water into a big bowl, and add the two Jell-O packets. Whisk all ingredients together, and don’t add any cold water to mix. Pour both cans of whole cranberries and the can of pineapples, including the juice, into the bowl and mash them into the mix with a potato masher. Cut the orange into fours, and then squeeze the juice into the bowl. Finally, add the chopped walnuts. Pour the entire mix into a glass mold bowl, and refrigerate overnight or until it has fully hardened. Serve cold, and enjoy.
Gluten-Free Crispy Apple Cobbler
by Rabiya Hussain, News Editor
Finding flavorful gluten-free food can be hard, even moreso when looking for deserts, which are normally made with some form of wheat flour. This gluten-free dessert, a mix between an apple crisp and an apple cobbler, is relatively easy to make as a Thanksgiving treat for everyone to enjoy.
Most of the ingredients to make this dish are staple items that can be found in almost every kitchen pantry. The gluten-free Crispy Apple Cobbler takes only about an hour to prepare.
You’ll need:
6 apples of any kind, thinly sliced
3/4 cup of dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
Gluten-free Bisquick (or any other gluten-free pancake mix)
2 cups of
sugar
1 1/2 cup
of baking powder
1 teaspoon
of salt
2 eggs, slightly beaten
½ cup melted
butter
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
3 ounces of crushed
pistachios
Molasses, drizzled to taste
1 cup of quick oats
1 can peach slices
To make this crispy apple cobbler, start by mixing the thinly sliced apples, canned peaches, brown sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make sure to mix everything well so that the apples and peaches are evenly coated and there aren’t any blobs. Next, arrange the mixture in a 9-by-12 inch Pyrex or other baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix the gluten-free Bisquick, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, and mix well. Once properly mixed, add the eggs and melted butter, and mix thoroughly until the ingredients form a smooth paste. Then spread the mixture evenly over the apples and peaches, and top the mix off with the crushed pistachios. Lastly, drizzle some molasses over the top before baking it in the oven for 35 minutes. Let the cobbler cool for 20 minutes, and serve with a dollop of Cool Whip.
Yamtastic Lentil Salad
by Danielle Carson, Diversions Editor
Everyone knows that the colonists were not vegans, but the Native Americans introduced them to the sweet potato, which has been a staple in our Thanksgiving table spreads ever since.
Yams are commonly candied and covered in marshmallows when eaten on Turkey Day, but this vegan-friendly dish is a much healthier option that can be eaten on the side or as the main entree.
You’ll need:
2 yams
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 cup of uncooked green lentils
1 cup of canned vegetable broth
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
A few handfuls of spinach
1 orange bell pepper
Your favorite spices
Optional dressing:
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Dijon Mustard
Maple syrup
Skin and dice the yams into large chunks. In a bowl, mix the yams with a tablespoon of olive oil and whatever spices make you happy. Lay the chunks evenly on a baking sheet, and pop them into the oven to roast for 25 to 30 minutes at 400 degrees. Meanwhile, pour the can of vegetable broth and lentils into a pot, and bring to a boil. Cook the lentils over medium heat until the broth evaporates and the lentils are soft. Periodically stir both the yams and the lentils. Mince the onion, two cloves of garlic (a clove is not the whole bulb, just a section) and sauté in olive oil in a large pan for five minutes. Chop a few handfuls of spinach and a whole orange bell pepper, and throw them in the pan as well, continuing to cook on low heat for a few minutes. When the lentils and yams are done, add them to the pan, mixing all the ingredients into a delicious vegan Thanksgiving salad.
Optional: The salad is delicious by itself, but combine the dressing ingredients to add even more flavor.
For those who don’t have a kitchen, buy canned vegetables, spice them as desired, and toss them with whole-leaf spinach. This dish is delicious hot or cold and can be served with rice as well.
Jean Potatoes
by Kristine McGowan, Editor in Chief
A potato dish is a must on every Thanksgiving Day. If you’re tired of mashed potatoes, though, and potatoes au gratin aren’t doing it for you, here’s a cheesy and crunchy potato recipe you’ll want to look into. It’s a family recipe, and every time someone tries these Jean Potatoes, that person comes to Thanksgiving dinner next year looking for more.
You’ll need:
1 bag of frozen Potatoes O’Brien
1 can of cream of chicken soup
8 oz. of sour cream
8 oz. of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Durkee French Fried Onions
Grab a big bowl — one that gives you lots of room to stir — a casserole dish and something to stir with. Dump the bag of Potatoes O’Brien, still frozen, into the bowl with the cream of chicken soup and sour cream, and get ready for a workout. You can also pour in the cheese at this point, but it’s much easier to stir the first three ingredients together beforehand and then stir the cheese in. After all of those are mixed together, place the mixture in the casserole dish, and cover the dish with foil. Cook the dish in an oven at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Once that’s finished, remove the foil and liberally sprinkle a layer of Durkee French Fried Onions over the top. You can use corn flakes in place of the onions, but the latter tastes much better. After that, bake your onion-layered dish, without foil, in the oven for a few minutes until the onions are toasted. Let cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!
Candied Sweet Potatoes
by Donn Gruta, Assistant City Editor
Nothing can capture the essence of fall quite like a tray of candied sweet potatoes.
Amid the cool breeze during the fall season, the caramelized chunks of sweet potatoes nestled under a blanket of perfectly toasted marshmallows is a treat you won’t want to miss.
In a few easy steps, you can prepare this treat that complements all of the other Thanksgiving dishes on the table. If you can, use a transparent baking dish to display the beautiful orange-colored goodness hiding beneath that fluffy, white top layer.
You’ll need:
2 cans of sweet potatoes
1/4 cup of butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of pecans (optional)
2 packs of jumbo marshmallows
To start, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Distribute the sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar and vanilla extract evenly on your dish, but make sure to leave room for a layer of marshmallows. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are nice and soft. Once done, take the dish out of the oven, and let it cool for a few minutes. If you plan on using pecans, this is the perfect time to throw them in. Arrange a layer of marshmallows to cover everything up, toss it back into the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes, and voilà!
Corny Casserole
by Courtney Tompkins, Managing Editor
Searching for that quick and easy side dish for Thanksgiving that won’t break the bank? Look no further. This simple vegetarian-friendly dish is sweet and savory. For those looking to spice it up, try adding green Ortega chilies or chopped jalapenos to the mix. This cheesy casserole is both delicious and easy to whip up for those with very little kitchen know-how.
You’ll need:
1 can of whole kernel corn, drained
1 can of creamed corn
1 box of Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 cup of sour cream
1 stick of butter, melted
1 1/2 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the first five ingredients and a half cup of cheese in large bowl, and mix well. Pour the mix into a 13-by-9 inch baking dish, and bake for 45 minutes. Add the remaining cup of cheese on top, and bake for 10 to 15 additional minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Southern Stuffing
by Shane Newell, Opinions Editor
While Thanksgiving often consists of grilled turkey and honey-baked hams, one cannot forget the meal’s greatest complement: stuffing. A homestyle recipe from Alabama, Southern Cornbread Dressing is sure to delight everyone this holiday. This recipe comes from the 1940s, and now its lovely simplicity can come to your dinner table.
You’ll need:
1/2 cup of flour
3 eggs
1 box cornbread mix (or you can use your own recipe)
6 slices of white bread
5 ribs of celery
1 onion
A bit of butter
1 cup of chicken broth
1 cup of condensed milk (to moisten)
Begin by following the directions on the box to cook the cornbread or by using your own recipe. Stir and bake until done. Once the cornbread has cooled, crumble it into a bowl. Toast six slices of bread and crumble it into the bowl of crumbled corn bread. On the side, chop five ribs of celery. Also peel and chop one onion. In a pan with a small pat of butter, sauté both for approximately five minutes. Once finished, add this to the bread mix. Following the sauté step, pour chicken broth over the bread mixture and stir well until the corn bread is in small pieces. Pour this mixture into a pan and cover with foil. Bake until it is slightly browned on the edges. If the stuffing is too dry, add sweet milk and continue baking. This recipe goes well with any type of Thanksgiving dinner. Adding a little Southern hospitality is sure to spice up America’s favorite eating holiday.\
Home-made Italian Dressing
by Jason Clark, Sports Editor
Salads can be the most simple or most tedious dish to prepare on Thanksgiving. It all depends on how willing you are to make it your own. A pre-cut and pre-mixed substitute can be found at the grocery store any day, and you could just pick up a bottle of dressing while you’re at it.
But Thanksgiving is about making dinner your own. Make it personal with some homemade dressing.
Not only do my parents usually chop the vegetables, but they also plant, pick and wash every tomato and head of lettuce ahead of time. This salad does not require that kind of effort, though.
You’ll need:
2/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
3/8 cup of red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
1 teaspoon of seasoning salt
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon of sugar
Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
Put all of the ingredients in a bowl or salad shaker, and mix or shake away. The advantage of a salad shaker is that it’s already bottled once you finish mixing it. If you use a bowl, just take a ladle or spoon to pour the dressing on your salad. You may even use a funnel if you like. You’re in college, and your resources are not plentiful, so get creative. Be sure to make the dressing a couple hours ahead of time, though, and refrigerate until you use it. The end result will be a salad that you can be proud of because you didn’t rely on Hidden Valley Ranch to dress your salad.