I’m not a vegetarian, but I have a vegetarian boyfriend (and an aversion to all things Thanksgiving). I’m going to his parents’ house for the holidays this year and, luckily, they’re tolerant of nontraditional main dishes, so we’re going to experiment a little.

The stereotypical veg main dish for Thanksgiving is, of course, Tofurky, but this has always seemed like one of the most disgusting foods on the planet to me. If you’re a vegetarian, the object is to refrain from eating meat, correct? So why exactly would you want to scarf down something that’s supposed to imitate the texture and taste of a plump, perfectly roasted turkey? I get that some vegetarians don’t mind the taste of meat and went veg for other reasons, but still. Tofurky will remain a bizarre mystery to me, and I’m fine enjoying a meal without it, thankyouverymuch.

So if you’re not going to bake up a delicious vat of Tofurky, then what?

Well, you have zillions of options. You could make a fancier-than-usual veg stir-fry featuring a killer marinade and sautéed pieces of tofu, textured soy protein, or nuts and legumes. Personally, though, I prefer the casserole route—this might be because I’m from the Midwest, but I just find casseroles so comforting and perfect for chilly weather. Ratatouille, vegetable lasagna, baked pasta with butternut squash, spanakopita, veggie gratin, and veggie chili are all excellent choices that I guarantee will make the meat-eaters at your table drool. Read More »

Like most families, mine gathers around the dinner table on Thanksgiving and (after making fun of each other for a few minutes) shares what they are most thankful for that year. Growing up, I hated this tradition; it was so cheesy and lame. But now that I’m an adult (and an adult that comes from a family that never says nice things about one another), going around the table at Thanksgiving allows me to tell my family how much I love them…

And suck up for better presents come Hanukkah.

But really; it’s important to stop and show gratitude for all of the things we typically take for granted. Like my new niece; yes, even though she peed on me last weekend, I am thankful to have her in my life. Or the fact that I not only still have a job, but I have a great job (and a liquor store right next to my office!). Or my incredible friends who support me and laugh at my jokes… even when we all know they’re not funny.

Gosh, when I stop to think about it, there are just so many things I am thankful for. Maybe I should really show some gratitude year round….

But anyways, being that we’re really freaking close to Thanksgiving dinner (stuffing!!!), I thought I’d ask the CollegeCandy writers to share what they’re thankful for this year. (Apparently everyone’s giving thanks for their boyfriends… whereas I’m giving thanks that I don’t have one so I can eat as much pumpkin pie I want on Thursday night…) Read More »

With Thanksgiving around the corner, there is no doubt that most of us are more than ready for the holidays.  Although you’re taking a mental break from school, be sure to stay mindful when it comes to your environmental impact.

There are some easy ways to stay green over the holidays without having to ruin your traditional Turkey Day.  Take charge of your family’s eco-responsibility and convince your family green up their holiday.  Hey, you may even get Grandma Doris talking about something other than the fact that you “still” don’t have a boyfriend.

Getting home
If you drive: Carpool with friends to save on gas money and minimize pollution.  Be sure you all time your travels so that you don’t hit traffic and waste unnecessary gas in gridlock.  Leave with plenty of time so you or the driver doesn’t have to speed down the freeway.  Reducing your speed from just 70 to 60 MPH can severely reduce the amount of money and gas your trip guzzles.

If you fly:  Pay the extra money for a direct flight, as takeoff and landing require the most fuel of any other part of the flight.  If you have the resources, buy carbon offset credits along with your flight in order to reduce your footprint.  Many companies, such as Continental, allow you to easily purchase carbon offset credits online before your flight.

Eating Dinner
Buying the bird:  If you just can’t bear a tofurky, you can still buy a real turkey that is relatively environmentally friendly.  All you have to do is buy from a local farmer.  Go to this site to find a turkey farmer in your area.  If for some reason local just doesn’t work for you, look for the labels mentioned in my last post such as grass-fed, cage free, or free range to slightly improve your turkey decision. Read More »

In lieu of my regular Thursday pre-game playlist, I decided to try something a little different.

Odds are most of you are relaxing at home with the fam, digesting some delicious dishes and avoiding the scale in Mom and Dad’s b-room at all costs. What goes better with relaxation and digestion than some slow Thanksgiving tunes? Lord knows you can’t jam out to this mix with Gramms and Gramps by your side.

So this playlist is a little slower and family friendly. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it with a little wine…and leftovers (or even play it during dinner!)

Enjoy the music, the food and the holiday; just make sure to take the time to really be thankful for everything you’ve got today. We are all pretty damn fortunate.

Check out the easy listening here.

Happy Thanksgiving, ladies!

Right now you are either working out in anticipation of tonight’s food fest, or diving face first into a plate of sweet potatoes and marshmallows. Yum.

Instead of running our regularly scheduled “Love Em or Hate Em” column this week, I decided to honor my favorite holiday with a special fashion poll. Because who really cares what everyone thinks of Leather Leggings when there is a giant Pumkin Pie in front of you!? And more importantly, who the hell can fit into them after a full day of stuffing yourself with stuffing?

So, let’s get to the real important questions on this gluttenous holiday: When you head out to Thanksgiving dinner today, will you be wearing unforgiving pants, or a nice roomy dress?

+ =

The worst part of Thanksgiving is the dogs. Everyone has that one relative with a German shepherd, two Corgis and a Schnoodle/Pug mix. Some of us have more than one of these relatives, and some of us have many, many more than one. Some of these relatives have named their dogs Bill O’Reilly. All of these relatives arrive at every holiday party.

But you can’t just tell someone that you don’t like their dogs. There is no greater insult around the Thanksgiving table; you may as well have stuffed, dressed and roasted nephew Kenny.

Political beliefs work the same way, and in some ways are more annoying, because there’s no practical limit to how many you can stuff into the same party, and they’re usually invisible, unless Uncle Joe’s got some kind of witty hat (“Republicans Screw The Country, Democrats Usually Raise Taxes”). Read More »

[I used to think I knew everything…until I found myself stranded in the middle of adulthood with no map and no one to guide me when I got lost. I have learned a lot since then - from how to balance a checkbook to how to sew on a button - and will share my wisdom with you.

Every Monday I will be back to teach you how to do something useful, even if it also happens to be completely random. Because, hey, you never know when you just might need to know how to change a tire…or mix a perfect martini.]

So, Thanksgiving is coming and now that we are all college students (read: adults) it has come to the time when we are expected to contribute something to Thanksgiving Dinner.

Before you cry, stomp your feet, beg your mommy not to make you grow up, and run to the grocery store to pick up a pre-roasted turkey or a box of Stove Top Stuffing, hear me out. You can do this. Really. You can impress your family and friends with your Top-Chef-style cooking skills and send them home stuffed, impressed… and not food poisoned.

First step: offer to do a dessert.

Next step: offer to do this dessert. It is simple, it is classic and it is super duper delicious, which means you get to seriously enjoy the fruits of your labors.

Read More »

Thanksgiving is almost here, so it’s time to eat lots of really delicious stuffing and pumpkin pie and buy things on sale look around and say thanks for everything that we have. We are all very lucky people who have so much to be grateful for; like our education, our families and CollegeCandy.com.

With the holidays just around the bend, it is nice to stop focusing on what we want in life and focus instead on everything that we already have. We at CollegeCandy are so grateful to have a job that lets us laugh every single day…and the ability to work from home in our sweatpants.

This week we asked our writers to weigh in and tell us what they are thankful for this year:

Elise – UCLA: I’m thankful for Pumpkin Pie Frozen Yogurt….so thankful, in fact, that I plan to buy twenty quarts right before Thanksgiving’s over…that should last two weeks, right?

Jill – University of Wisconsin: The usual (my job, family and friends, etc) BBQ Soy Crisps, the ability to blink (seriously, the dentist pinched a nerve once and I couldn’t smile or blink on the left side of my face for 12 straight hours; you would be thankful too). Oh and of course, The Rachel Zoe Project.

Ali – Syracuse University: I am thankful that gas prices have gone down, making my drive home a little less painful.

Suzanne – Tulane: My education (if, of course, it actually gets me a job after graduation).

Amber – Old Dominion: I’m thankful to have made it through my sophomore semester at home without going (completely) insane. Read More »

Thanksgiving is probably one of my favorite holidays. The food, the family, the festivities…the food.

Normally, I go home to visit my family for Thanksgiving. But they are all the way in California and I’m in New York. With the economy in the dumps and hardly any money in my pocket, going home for a couple days wasn’t worth the trip.

So this year, I’m spending Thanksgiving on my own. My brother will be visiting me from Boston (he’s also too broke to fly home) and we will be having a lovely low key Thanksgiving meal together.

There are just a couple problems…1) I’m broke, remember? 2) how the eff do you prepare a Thanksgiving meal?!?!

Well, I did some research and here’s what I found on how to make a d’lish Turkey Day meal without throwing away too much money:

1) Campbell’s Kitchen — so we already know Campbell’s soups are ‘M’m M’m Good’ but they are also M’m M’m cheap. If you check out their website, it’s full of great Thanksgiving recipes that definitely won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Like green bean casserole, and creamy mashed potatoes! *yum*

2) DIY — you may THINK that buying already made pies and desserts and other T-day goodies is cheaper, but doing it yourself may actually save you a couple bucks. Sure it’s a little more work, but hey, it’ll be fun! Here are some savory pumpkin pie recipes to get you started.

3) Get your turkey from the supermarket — there are a ton of grocery stores that have ready-to-make, and sometimes ready-to-eat birds available. Some stores, like this one, have the entire meal, fixings and all, ready for pick up. And it’s not as pricey as you think!

Enjoy!

The stuffing is gone. The pumpkin pie has been demolished. Which can only mean one thing: the season of giving thanks and showing appreciation is officially over. It is time for gifts, deals and a whole lot of shopping.

I don’t know about you, but this whole “Christmas season is for giving” bullshit is getting a little out of control. Christmas isn’t for giving. It is for getting: good deals, good presents, and the respect and awe of all the people you are giving gifts to. In fact, this morning on the radio I listened as shoppers regaled their Black Friday horror stories. People were camping out overnight at stores, women were getting in fights, and people were even stealing things from each other’s carts!

Where is the Christmas spirit, damn it?

How is it possible to transition so quickly from a holiday that focuses on being grateful for all the things we have in our lives to dropping elbows for a copy of Hairspray on DVD? How can people go from being all about the family to skipping out on Thanksgiving dinner early to get a good spot in line at Best Buy?

Buying things for people is not the way to show your love and appreciation! Read More »