Grab your stretchy jeans

Thanksgiving recipes for college students

DINNER

Sweet Potato Casserole 

Ingredients 

1 can cut sweet potatoes, undrained 

1 cup white sugar 

2 eggs 

1/3 cup butter 

1/3 cup milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup packed brown sugar 

1 cup chopped pecans 

1/3 cup melted butter 

Directions 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. While oven is preheating, butter a 2-quart baking dish. 
  2. Place the sweet potatoes and their liquid in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat, drain and mash. 
  3. In a medium bowl, mix the mashed sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, butter, milk and vanilla extract. Spread evenly into the prepared baking dish. 
  4. In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, chopped pecans, flour and melted butter. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture. 
  5. Bake for 35 minutes. 

 

Cornbread

Ingredients 

1 cup yellow cornmeal 

2/3 cup white sugar 

1 teaspoon salt 

3 . teaspoon baking powder 

1 egg 

1 cup milk 

1/3 cup vegetable oil 

Directions 

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. While oven is preheating, lightly grease a 9-inch round cake pan. 
  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. 
  3. Stir in egg, milk and vegetable oil until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. 
  4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. 

 

Holiday Ham 

Ingredients 

1 can sliced pineapple 

1 spiral-sliced, fully-cooked, bone-in ham 

2/3 cup maraschino cherries 

1 cup packed brown sugar 

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt 

Directions 

  1. Drain pineapple, reserving the juice. 
  2. Place the ham on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. 
  3. Secure pineapple and cherries to ham with toothpicks. 
  4. Combine brown sugar and seasoned salt and rub over ham. Gently pour pineapple juice over ham. 
  5. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 1. to 2 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Baste frequently with brown sugar mixture. 

 

DESSERT

No-bake mini pumpkin cheesecakes 

Ingredients 

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree 

2 tablespoons brown sugar 

3 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 

2 tablespoons white sugar 

1 12-ounce container frozen whipped topping 

1 1-ounce package cheesecake pudding mix 

1 sleeve graham crackers 

1/2 stick butter 

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk 

1 8-ounce package cream cheese 

Directions 

  1. Crumble the graham crackers into a sand-like texture, then add brown sugar, white sugar and melted butter and mix. 
  2. Press the crust mixture in cups for serving and chill. 
  3. Blend cream cheese with pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and cheesecake pudding mix. 
  4. Add sweetened condensed milk and mix, then add whipped topping and mix again. 
  5. Chill the mixture. 
  6. After chilling, put the filling in your serving cups on top of the crust and enjoy.