By Erika Kuehl | Staff Writer
Thanksgiving break is almost here, which means Friendsgiving is even closer. With a limited college budget and little time, meal options are minimal. The Arts and Life Desk is here to share what we would bring to Friendsgiving that is both delicious and affordable.
Emma Weidmann | Arts and Life Editor
I’m no Gordon Ramsay, but I do love to bake, so my Friendsgiving go-to would be dessert. My favorite fall dessert and Thanksgiving item of all time is pumpkin pie, so I would jump at the opportunity to make it for my friends. What I love about baking is that there are really set-in-stone rules to follow, and if you stick to the recipe, it’s hard to mess up. With cooking, the recipe can be more subjective, which makes me a little nervous. Back to the pies — you can either go with a full-size pie or several mini pumpkin pies, depending on how many people you’re feeding. Either way, you can’t go wrong with this classic treat.
Continuing along the lines of dessert, apple fritters or hand pies are a good way to bring some variety to the typical apple pie staple. They’re easier to make than a whole pie, and they make a great single-serve dessert that each guest can grab — and then grab again.
Erika Kuehl | Arts and Life Writer
Like I do with everything in my life, I would go the unconventional route. Although jalapeño poppers aren’t conventional, they can be a great savory appetizer for lovely holiday festivities. While you could opt for frozen ones in a pinch, the homemade ones are even better and are sure to please the football-loving men in the group.
Another crowd-pleasing dish is spinach artichoke dip in a bread bowl. If you don’t have time to make the dip yourself, grab a store-bought version and a bread bowl from H-E-B. Before leaving for your Friendsgiving arrangements, pop the bread bowl in the oven and rip out the inside. Your friends — and your stomach — will thank you later.
Olivia Eiken | Arts and Life Writer
I’m not much of a cook, so I would definitely whip up something easy like “funeral potatoes” for any Friendsgiving function. They’re so easy that even I can make and serve them with the promise that they’ll be edible.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 stick of butter
- 28- or 32-ounce bag of shredded hash brown potatoes
- 1 onion, finely diced
- ¼ cup of flour
- 1 cup of milk
- 2 cups of chicken broth
- 1 ½ cup of Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup of sour cream
- ½ cup of grated sharp cheddar
- ¼ cup of grated parmesan
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. This is a good time to take the hash out of the freezer to thaw.
Then, take a pan or skillet and melt the stick of butter. Add the diced onion, but be sure to keep stirring. You only want them to soften. After three or four minutes, sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir it all together. After two minutes, whisk in the milk and broth and bring it all to a simmer, allowing it to thicken up. Now is when you can season it to taste however you like. Cut the heat and start stirring in all the cheese. Once the cheese is melted, stir in the hash and transfer the whole mixture to the dish.
Cover the whole thing with foil, bake for 20 minutes, and voila! Easy funeral potatoes that all your besties will enjoy.
Bella Whitmore | Intern
For my Friendsgiving meal, I would undoubtedly be bringing mashed potatoes. I am obsessed with potatoes in any form, but there is something about mashed potatoes that feels so comforting — on top of them being delicious. Plus, my grandma makes the best mashed potatoes, so I’m definitely a bit biased toward her cooking. The best way to prepare mashed potatoes is to mix them with butter and milk to get the perfect texture and flavor. Season them with some garlic, salt and pepper, and they make the perfect side to all the rest of the yummy Thanksgiving food you’ll be eating.
