On Campus for Thanksgiving? Try These Dorm-Friendly Recipes
In the video above, Boston University campus culinary director Christopher Bee shows Terriers Sangmin Song (COM’26) and Kenna LaFitte (COM’26) how to prepare a Thanksgiving dinner using four simple recipes.
Are you hosting your first Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving meal and feeling overwhelmed about making all those festive holiday dishes? Are you working in a dorm kitchen or off-campus apartment with just a few pots and pans?
Don’t worry. BU Today reached out to Christopher Bee, Boston University’s campus culinary director, and asked him to come up with four inexpensive, easy-to-prepare dishes that students could make for the holiday.
On a recent weekday, Bee, joined by BU Today intern Sangmin Song (COM’26) and social media intern Kenna LaFitte (COM’26), arrived at a campus residence on Bay State Road. Over four hours, Bee showed the students how to prepare a full Thanksgiving meal—tmain course, two sides, and a dessert—in a dorm kitchen without fancy appliances. Bee walked Song and LaFitte through making herb-roasted turkey breast (Cornish game hens work nicely, too, he says), cranberry chutney, maple butternut squash, and an apple crisp. Each dish requires no more than 10 ingredients and 10 steps to make. And all are gluten-free.
“Great food can be easy—let the ingredients speak for themselves,” Bee says. “Fancy tools are fun, but not necessary. A sharp knife, a good pan, and some measuring tools are more important for success.
“I’d never used an oven once in my college life, but after watching Chef Bee at work, I learned that baking is actually pretty simple, and the oven can turn out really good food,” Song says.
So put down that delivery app. All you need to make a festive meal to share with friends is a quick trip to your local grocery store for ingredients, a stovetop, a microwave, and an oven, and you’ll be slicing up turkey breast and ladling cranberry chutney in no time.
“When I think of Thanksgiving dishes, they’re super labor-intensive and time-consuming, so I was surprised to see the recipes were so simple,” LaFitte says. “Everything had a few ingredients and tasted just as good as my home-cooked sides.”
Our special thanks to Chris and to Sangmin and Kenna. Happy Thanksgiving, Terriers!
Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast or Cornish Game Hens
Gluten-free
- 2-3 lb. skin-on turkey breast or 2 Cornish game hens
- 1 tsp thyme
- ½ tsp sage
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 tsp butter
Rinse turkey or game hens and pat dry with paper towels. Preheat oven to 325F. Melt butter in a microwave in a small cup or on a stovetop in a small saucepan, then add herbs, salt, and pepper. Brush turkey breast or game hens with butter mixture. Place turkey breast in a high-sided, oven-safe pan and roast for 30 minutes (20 minutes if using game hens). Rotate tray, then roast for an additional 30 minutes (15-20 minutes if using game hens), or until the bird reaches an internal temperature of 165F. Remove from the oven and let rest before serving.
Cranberry Chutney
Vegan, Gluten-free
- 1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- Juice of one orange
- Pinch of salt
Place sugar, salt, orange juice, and orange zest in a saucepot. Place on stove over medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Add cranberries, turning heat to medium-low, and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cool, and serve.
Maple Butternut Squash
Vegetarian, Gluten-free
- 1½ lb butternut squash, cubed
- 3 tbsp butter (or vegan spread)
- 1 tbsp Vermont maple syrup (pancake syrup may be substituted)
- 1 tbsp water
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
Cube squash and place in a microwave-safe dish with water. Cover with plastic wrap, leaving a small opening to vent. Microwave on high for five minutes. Remove from microwave, carefully taking off the plastic wrap, and stir squash. Re-cover with plastic wrap and heat in microwave for another five minutes. (The squash will be done when it can easily be pierced with the tines of a fork.) Remove squash from microwave, discard plastic wrap, and add butter, maple syrup, salt, and pepper. Mash with a fork until smooth. Adjust seasoning, and serve.
Local Apple Crisp
Vegetarian, Gluten-free
Filling:
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 3 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
- 2 tbsp butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Topping:
- ¾ cup of rolled oats
- ½ cup oat flour
- ½ cup diced, cold unsalted butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. In a mixing bowl, add apples, lemon juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar, and stir to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. In a separate mixing bowl, add all topping ingredients. Incorporate butter into mixture by hand, rubbing butter between fingertips until the mixture resembles pea-sized crumbs. (Alternatively, you can use two forks or knives to vigorously “cut” butter into the mixture.) Place topping over apple mixture in a baking dish and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.