How to do Friendsgiving – Residence Hall Style

For college students that can’t go home every holiday or who want to celebrate with friends, Friendsgiving is a great new trend. Grab a few friends or get your residence hall floormates together for an early celebration or a day of Thanksgiving.

All you have to do is make a quick store run, grab some holiday ingredients and favorite foods, and create your Thanksgiving in the Residence Halls. At Black Hills State University, each of the Residence Halls have a kitchen that is available to students for use. The only requirement – clean up after yourselves!

In terms of what you can and cannot use, John Ginther, assistant director of residence life at BHSU, shares that students are allowed to use pretty much any cooking apparatus except toasters or cookware with open flames/coils. “Students should also stay with their food at all times,” Ginther states.

Maybe one friend is in charge of preparing the potatoes, another is in charge of the vegetables, and two or three friends are responsible for the turkey and stuffing! Splitting costs, and spending the day together is a great way to get to know one another better and to spend your holiday.

Need some dish inspiration? Check out these favorites and fun alternatives!

1. Turkey Sliders – Let’s face it, college students don’t have the time or patience to sit and wait four or more hours for a turkey to cook. Here is a fun alternative that can include the traditional Thanksgiving food and it only takes five ingredients – Hawaiian rolls, whole grain (or honey) mustard, mayonnaise, turkey and Swiss cheese! The cheese doesn’t have to be Swiss, mix it up and use cheddar, Gouda or even American. Another bonus to this recipe is that it takes less than half an hour total to complete. After preheating your oven to 350 degrees, cut the rolls in half lengthwise without breaking them apart (in the end you will have two large pieces from the package.) Spread a fourth cup of mustard and mayonnaise on each side of the roll, place the bottom roll in a pan, and top with the cheese and turkey (alternating between turkey and cheese layers). Place the other half of the rolls on top and then brush the top with a mixture of the remaining mustard and melted butter. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and voilà! You have some amazing turkey sliders.

2. Sweet Potato Dish – Instead of buying potatoes that you have to peel and boil and then mash, this dish from All Recipes is quick and easy for college students to prepare. The ingredients are two 15-ounce cans of sweet potatoes, a quarter cup orange juice, three-quarters cup flour, a half cup sugar, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a pinch of salt, half a cup of margarine, and one-and-a-half cups (or more if you love them) marshmallows. Before mixing any ingredients, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then, place the potatoes in a 10x6 inch shallow baking dish and pour the orange juice over it. In an additional small bowl, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon, salt; mix together and cut in the margarine. Sprinkle the mix over the potatoes and bake for approximately 30 minutes. To get the beautiful golden brown color of the marshmallow topping, simply turn the oven to broil and throw the dish back in for about 5 minutes.

3. Pumpkin Chili – If you want to skip the side dishes and go simple this year, this pumpkin chili is a great way to include some of the favorite fall flavors without having to go too big. It may sound a little bizarre, but Sammi Ricke from Happi Homemade here in the Black Hills assures that the pumpkin in this chili is subtle enough you won’t even know it’s there. The ingredients list is quite a bit longer, and the cook time is about 6 hours in a crockpot or slow cooker set to low, but that gives you time to clean up the kitchen space and watch some football in the lobby or play some card games with your friends. However, if you don’t want to wait the six hours, you can make it in a large pot on the stove as well. After browning the meat of your choice (turkey, beef, venison, or buffalo) add the ingredients and bring the concoction to a simmer for at least 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, or any other chili toppers.

The options for Thanksgiving food alternatives are limitless, and as long as you’re with your food while it’s cooking, Residence Halls are a great place to cook. Just remember that BHSU is a dry campus, so students should not plan recipes that include any alcohol – even if it’s just for cooking. Residence assistants (RA’s) also ask that students clean up after themselves. Don’t leave a sink full of dishes or breadcrumbs all over the counter.

Students may also want to consider planning around the A’viands traditional turkey dinner Thursday, Nov. 21 from 11-1 p.m. or doing take out from the deli at local grocery stores. 

Add a few board games and/or movies (both are available to check out from the library) and you’ll have all the ingredients for a memorable Friendsgiving.

If you have any questions, contact Ginther at John.Ginther@BHSU.edu or 605-642-6086. Learn more about the Residence Halls at BHSU by visiting www.BHSU.edu/ResidenceLife

About Residence Life at BHSU

Five residence halls and an eight building apartment complex – all with spectacular views of the Northern Black Hills. The new Bordeaux Hall, which connects Heide and Thomas Halls creates an active campus. The BHSU residence halls offer wireless high-speed internet, recreation lounges with big screen TVs & gaming systems, laundry facilities, and mail services. Other perks include proximity to your classes and campus activities.

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Published on BHSU.edu/News