The Complete Cookbook for a Successful Friendsgiving

As the Halloween festivities draw to a close, it’s time to prepare for the next holiday in 2016. Thanksgiving, the holiday that is quite literally celebrated by eating as much as you possibly can, is approaching very quickly. For the students that are lucky enough to go home for the holidays and have a homecooked Thanksgiving meal, I envy you. For the students that are staying here in Los Angeles for the festivities, I recommend hosting a Friendsgiving. Gather all of your friends that are staying at USC over the break and cook up your very own Thanksgiving dinner, college style. Try cooking these simple recipes for an easy and unforgettable holiday celebration.

THE TURKEY

Cooking a Thanksgiving turkey is not a simple task. I recommend cooking pan seared turkey cutlets as an east alternative option.

Ingredients:

• 1 – 2 pounds (4-8 pieces) Turkey Cutlets (they should be nice and thin)
• Olive Oil

Season with:

• Sea Salt
• Garlic Powder (or Garlic Sea Salt)
• Cracked Black Pepper

Directions: Put a few splashes of oil in a large sauté pan or a cast iron skillet. Heat over high heat. Season your turkey cutlets and carefully place in the hot pan. Let cook a few minutes on each side. The outside should be nicely browned and the inside fully cooked and opaque. Cook in batches. Let rest a few minutes before serving. Season with any additional fresh or dried spices.

HOMEMADE MASHED POTATOES

Ingredients:

• 10 medium russet potatoes (about 3 lb.), peeled, cut into quarters
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, if desired
• Dash pepper
• ¼ cup hot milk

Directions: Place potatoes in large saucepan; add enough water to cover. Add 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover loosely and boil gently for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes break apart easily when pierced with fork. Drain well. Return potatoes to saucepan; shake saucepan gently over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes to evaporate any excess moisture.

Mash potatoes with potato masher until no lumps remain. Add margarine, pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; continue mashing, gradually adding enough milk to make potatoes smooth and creamy.

STUFFING

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4
cups Swanson® Chicken Broth or Swanson® Certified Organic Chicken Broth or Swanson® Natural Goodness® Chicken Broth
• 1 
stalk celery, coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 
small onion, coarsely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• 4 
cups Pepperidge Farm® Herb Seasoned Stuffing

Directions: Heat the broth, celery and onion in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the stuffing and mix lightly.

PUMPKIN PIE

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Combine eggs, pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl and mix until combined. Fit pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish; pour pumpkin mixture into the crust. Place pie on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake until filling is set, 35 to 40 minutes.