Are you celebrating Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving on campus this year and asking yourself, “how am I going to cook a dish when I don’t have enough time between classes to wait for an oven?”
Don’t stress! The microwave can be your holiday hero. There are many quick and easy recipes that can be prepared with a few ingredients and the click of a button.
Here are some dorm-friendly recipes that can be prepared in a microwave:
Turkey
Believe it or not, a turkey up to fourteen pounds can be cooked safely in a microwave at 50 percent power. For your mmicrowaveable turkey dinner, you will need cooking bags-so the turkey isn’t cooked unevenly, a food thermometer, and seasoning. If you want to season the turkey with herbs or a dry salad dressing mix, do that before sticking the turkey in the microwave. Put the turkey (in the cooking bag) into the microwave. Make sure there are three inches above the turkey and two or three inches around the turkey in the microwave. The turkey needs to cook for ten minutes per pound, so if you have a 14-pound turkey, cook it for 140 minutes in the microwave. (This is still way faster than an oven). After the microwave beeps and the turkey is done, check your turkey with the food thermometer and make sure the meat is a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the largest parts of the turkey. Wait 20 minutes before cutting the turkey for your feast.
Do not put a turkey with stuffing in the microwave. That is not safe for consumption. Food safety information is from the USDA.
Mashed Potatoes
Now for something a bit easier than a turkey. There are two ways to make mashed potatoes in the microwave. You can buy pre-packaged mashed potatoes from the store and heat them up in the microwave. Or if you enjoy the fun of making your dishes from scratch, here is how to do that with just a microwave and some innovation.
You’ll need potatoes, two microwave safe containers, a fork or spoon, butter, milk, and salt. Chop up the potatoes into even pieces and put them in a bowl. Microwave the potatoes for about 12 minutes, or at least until they are soft. Mash the potatoes with your utensil. In a separate container, warm up your milk and a couple of slices of butter in the microwave. Mix all of the ingredients together, add a pinch of salt, and voila! You have a delicious and easy side dish for Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving.
Stuffing
Stuffing is a simple microwaveable side to make in a dorm because it can be whatever you want. There are many variations of stuffing that can be the perfect dish for a Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving dinner, and some even say it’s the best thanksgiving food because of its versatility.
You can prepare this dish with a breadcrumb base or with a box mix. If you’re using a premade mix, follow the instructions on the box. If you’re going old school, then what you’ll need are breadcrumbs, butter, broth, and whatever else you would like to mix in. This is typically fruit and vegetables, but feel free to get creative. Put all of your ingredients in a microwave safe dish and heat the dish for about six minutes. You can stir the stuffing after three minutes and fluff it with a fork afterwards if you want to spruce up the dish.
Pumpkin Pie
It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without dessert. There are plenty of microwaveable dorm-friendly recipes for desserts, but a Thanksgiving staple is pumpkin pie. You can either buy a pie from the bakery section of your local grocery store or get a nine-inch pie shell and bake it yourself in your microwave.
You’ll need a can of pumpkin pie filling, three large eggs, sugar, heavy cream, and then whatever spices you like to add in. Mix all your ingredients into a microwave safe bowl, put that in the microwave for four minutes and stir it once in the middle, then pour the liquid into your nine-inch pie crust. Put the pie in the microwave and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes. It should be set in the center after microwaving. You don’t want this pie to sit out for hours, so make the dish right before your gathering unless you have access to a fridge.
There are countless ways to enjoy the best thanksgiving foods without having to turn on an oven. Whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving in a dorm room, or hosting a Friendsgiving in a common lounge, these recipes are ideal dishes for dorm room culinary creativity.