5 Delicious Thanksgiving Recipes You Can Make At Home

Thanksgiving is typically associated with one thing: food. Sitting around the table and stuffing yourself with so much food you need to lie down doesn’t really get old, especially when you’ve been living off Ramen Noodles and peanut butter for the past month.

Instead of making the long commute home, some students will undoubtedly be staying in Kingston this weekend, and that doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice any of the delicious meals that Thanksgiving has to offer. Here’s a list of several recipes that are affordable and fun to make and several key ingredients that are on sale this time of year.

Because everyone deserves to pig out and then lie down on the floor this Thanksgiving.

Recipe 1: Cranberry Orange Glazed Turkey

Let’s face it – Thanksgiving is essentially nil without a turkey. However, it can be intimidating when you’re staring face to face with one of those bad boys, so I searched long and hard to find pretty much the simplest recipe out there. Essentially all you have to do is make the glaze, brush it on the turkey, and pop it in the oven. Just like mama made it.

•  3/4 cup orange marmalade
• 3/4 cup frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (14 pound) Frozen Whole Turkey, thawed
• No-stick cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine marmalade, cranberry juice concentrate, maple syrup, vinegar and salt in small heavy saucepan. Bring to boil on medium heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, stirring frequently 12 to 15 minutes.

2. Place turkey, breast side up, on a flat roasting rack in a shallow pan. Brush turkey lightly with vegetable oil or cooking spray. Roast turkey for 2 hours. Cover loosely with foil to prevent overcooking.

3. Continue roasting turkey for another 45 minutes. Remove foil and brush generously with glaze. Return foil loosely to top of turkey. Cook for another 45 minutes.

4. Brush with remaining glaze. Let turkey stand 15 minutes before carving.

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Recipe 2: Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Almond Parmesan

* Vegetarian * Gluten Free

If you have any dietary restrictions, or simply want a healthy addition to the usual Thanksgiving haul, this meal is for you. It’s surprisingly easy and cost effective if you’re eating with friends.

• 2-2.5 pound butternut squash
• 2 lg. cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. fine grain sea salt
• 1 cup de-stemmed and roughly chopped kale
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 400F and lightly grease a casserole dish with oil.

2. Peel the squash. Thinly slice off the bottom and top and then slice through the middle lengthwise to make two halves. Remove seeds & guts. Chop two halves into 1-inch chunks and place into casserole dish.

3. Add minced garlic, parsley, oil, and salt into casserole dish and stir until well combined with the squash. Do not add the kale yet.

4. Cover casserole dish with a lid (or tin foil with a few holes poked) and bake at 400F for about 45 minutes.

5. After about 45 mins (or when squash is just fork tender), remove from the oven and reduce heat to 350F. Stir in the chopped kale and almonds and sprinkle the Parmesan all over the squash. Bake for another 5-8 minutes, until the nuts are lightly toasted. Watch closely so you don’t burn them. Remove & serve!

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Recipe 3: Green Beans with Lemon and Garlic

* Vegetarian * Gluten Free

This is definitely a recipe you can make with all that stuff you forgot your mom bought you that’s chilling in your kitchen.

•  2 pounds green beans, ends trimmed
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• Salt and black pepper

1. Blanch green beans in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until bright green in color and tender crisp, roughly 2 minutes. Drain and shock in a bowl of ice water to stop from cooking.

2. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and the butter. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans and continue to sauté until coated in the butter and heated through, about 5 minutes. Add lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.

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Recipe 4: Apple Crisp

This is a great easy dessert that looks impressive with minimal effort. Serve it to friends, or eat it all straight from the dish – we won’t judge.

•  6 apple – peeled, cored and sliced
• 1 package white cake mix
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch-baking dish.

2. Arrange apples in an even layer in bottom of baking dish. Pour water over apples.

In a medium bowl mix together cake mix, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter or margarine until ingredients are thoroughly blended; mixture will be crumbly. Sprinkle mixture over apples.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes.

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Recipe 5: Pumpkin Muffins

If you’re like me, it’s all about pumpkin and cinnamon flavours for fall. These muffins are amazing in all of their pumpkin and cinnamon glory.

•  1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup raw sugar
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Baking spray
• 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a mini muffin tin with paper liners and lightly spray liners with oil for easy removal.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin spice, cinnamon, and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl mix pumpkin puree, oil, egg whites and vanilla; beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl.

4. Add flour mixture to the wet mixture, then blend at low speed until combined; do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips.

5. Pour batter into prepared muffin tin and bake on the center rack for 22 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

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