6 Recipes To Bring To Your College Friendsgiving Party

Thanksgiving isn’t only to be celebrated with your family; it is also the perfect time to celebrate your friends that you have made here at FSU, whether that be through Greek life, an organization, or just in your dorms. Friendsgiving is about giving thanks to all of the people who have made your college experience worthwhile–besides, who doesn’t love having more than one Thanksgiving? Being that these get-togethers are more like a Thanksgiving potluck, we need recipes that are college-student friendly, meaning they are quick and easy to make. Is it just me or are the sides more important than the turkey itself? Maybe not, but we’ll leave the turkey to the host; here are some deliciously simple sides to bring to your Friendsgiving:

1. Corn Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can of whole kernel corn

1 can of cream corn

1 container of sour cream (16 oz)

2/3 cup of milk

1 egg

3/4 stick of butter

2 package of Jiffy cornbread mix

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes for Thanksgiving given to my family by my great-grandmother. It sounds and looks a little weird but it is amazing! I prefer to mix it all in the same pan it will be baked in, but you can choose to make it in a bowl and transfer it to the pan too. I will continue with the recipe as though it were being mixed in the same pan. Begin with a 9×13 cake pan, greased, and add the can of cream corn, the drained can of whole kernel corn, sour cream, milk, egg, and cornbread mix. Combine this in the pan, ensuring that the ingredients are well combined. Then, cut the stick of butter into 6 to 8 slices and place them on top of the mix, a couple inches apart. Then push these down into the mix, which will allow it to melt into the bread as it bakes. Once you are finished, bake it in the oven on 350 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes. This is a large gap in time, but my cook time tends to fall in the middle. Frequently check it by sticking a toothpick in it–if it comes out clean, it’s done.

2. Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 bag of cranberries

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of water

If you haven’t tried fresh cranberry sauce, you are missing out. Once you try this, you will never go back to the canned version. Place a pot on the stove on high with sugar and water, stirring it before allowing it to sit. Once it begins to boil, add the cranberries and allow it to boil again. Once this happens, turn down the heat–between medium and medium-high heat–and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes until it turns into a jelly-like texture. This recipe is perfect because it requires so little time and ingredients.

3. Chocolate Pie

Ingredients:

1 container of cool whip

1 box of pudding mix

1 premade graham cracker crust

3 cups of milk

You can never go wrong with chocolate, that’s why this chocolate pudding pie checks off every box–cheap ingredients, simple to make, and a real time-saver. My grandma was simple, make the pudding, put it in the curst, serve. I think it makes it just a tad more interesting to add the cool whip; I hope she’s okay with that. Begin with the box of chocolate pudding mix, add the cold milk and follow the instructions on the back of the Jell-O box (whisk for 2 minutes and allow to sit for 5). Once this is set, take half of the pudding and layer it in the bottom of the pie crust. Then take half of the cool whip and fold it into the rest of the pudding left in the bowl (folding is softer than mixing because it will not reduce the fluffy texture of the cool whip). Take this mixture and gently lay it over the chocolate pudding in the pan. Lastly, use the remaining cool whip and create the top layer. Believe it or not, that’s the last step! Store it in the fridge and enjoy!

4. Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

5-6 medium-sized golden potatoes

1/3 cup of 2% milk

3 tbsp of butter

Salt and pepper to taste

It’s not Friendsgiving without mashed potatoes. Place a pot of water on the stove on high, it should be about 2/3 of the way full of water. This will begin to boil as we slice and peel our potatoes. Begin by peeling your potatoes and then slicing them into fourths, there’s no need to worry about how even they are, the water will soften them. Once you have finished, if your water is boiling, place them in the water and reduce the heat to medium-high. Allow them to boil for 15 to 20 minutes, ensuring that they are soft when poked with a fork. Drain your potatoes with a strainer in the sink and return them back to your pot. Now combine the milk, butter, salt, and pepper and mash it together with a mashing utensil. The texture should be creamy, free of lumps. If not, continue mashing, adding small amounts of milk. I prefer to taste mine as I go to determine if they are creamy and salty enough. Store in the refrigerator until it is ready to be reheated for the party.

5. Banana Pudding

Ingredients:

vanilla wafers

1 box banana pudding

3 cups of milk

1 container cool whip

2-3 bananas

This recipe may be inspired on a southern-style Friendsgiving, but Tallahassee is in the south, right? If you are a terrible baker, this one is for you. It requires more layering than baking. Begin by setting up your ingredients so they are ready to layer. Cut up 2-3 bananas, set out your wafers and cool whip, and make your Jell-O pudding according to the instructions on the box (combine mix with 3 cups of cold milk, whisk for 2 minutes and allow to sit for 5 minutes). Grab your 9×13 inch baking sheet and start by using your vanilla wafers to create a crust on the bottom of the pan. Then, create a layer of banana pudding, followed by a layer of banana slices, and a final layer of cool whip. Begin the process over again with a layer of vanilla wafers and so on, until you have run out of ingredients. The top should be a final layer of cool whip. I also like to sprinkle some crushed up vanilla wafers as well, for a garnish for the pudding. That’s all there is to it. Store it in the refrigerator and enjoy!

6. Stuffing

Ingredients:

1/2 stick of butter

2-3 stalks of celery (chopped)

1/2 of a yellow onion (diced)

1 bag of stuffing herb mix

1 egg

2 tsp of sage

Turkey stock (or chicken)

Salt and pepper to taste

Any other time of year, box stuffing may suffice, but in this recipe, we’re only half cheating, in the spirit of Friendsgiving. We are still college students, we can’t be expected to make everything from scratch. Start by placing a pan on the stove on medium-high heat with the celery, onion, and butter, sauté these until slightly softened. In a 9×13 baking pan–your new best friend–spread an even layer of the stuffing mix along with your sauteed vegetables. Pour over the turkey stock (or chicken broth); I provided no measurement for this because it is something I do by eye. I pour it evenly over the mixture, enough to ensure that all of it is wet, but not soggy, leaving a small layer of liquid on the bottom. This will make the center soft but the top crispy (1 1/2 to 2 cups should be a safe amount). Bake this at 350 degrees for approximately 35 minutes.