If you’re still working on your Thanksgiving Day menu or want to see what the experts are making, sure, you could turn on Food Network and see Bobby Flay, Alton Brown, and those Iron Chefs whip up their own traditional and untraditional menu items.

But there’s expertise shared daily with students at culinary institutes, which may be a career field you’re considering, that you can use when preparing for the holiday. Chef instructors shared their favorite recipes for a memorable Thanksgiving meal.

Turkey Breast Stuffed with Sausage, Fennel, and Golden Raisins

From Robert Brener, associate professor at Johnson & Wales University (Charlotte, N.C., campus)

Ingredients

• 4 green onions
• 3/4 pound Italian sweet sausages, casings removed
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 slices of bread crusts removed and cubed
• 1 egg lightly beaten
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1 3-pound boneless whole turkey breast butterflied & pounded to a half-inch thickness.
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups chicken stock
• Flour as needed to thicken pan sauce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Finely chop onions and mix with, sausage, raisins, bread, eggs, and cream, season with salt and pepper.

3. Place turkey on work surface, skin side down.

4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5. Spoon sausage mixture in row down center of breast.

6. Starting at 1 long side, roll up turkey breast to enclose filling.

7. Tie with kitchen string at 1-inch intervals to hold shape.

8. Brush oil all over turkey.

9. Season with salt, pepper.

10. Roast until thermometer inserted into filling registers 165°F.

11. Remove turkey and allow to rest under loosely tented foil.

Sweet Potato Hash

From Chef Jim Gallivan, department chair, culinary arts, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Atlanta

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 ½ cups green bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cups yellow onions, chopped
• 1 ½ cups sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into ½” cubes
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup cooked corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• ½ lime, juiced
• Sea salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions

1. Sauté bell pepper, garlic, and onions in 1 tablespoon olive oil until soft.

2. Add sweet potato and stock and simmer until potato is soft.

3. Drain, keeping the stock for future use.

4. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, corn, lime, and cilantro. (Use your gloved hands to avoid breaking up the sweet potato.)

5. Season to taste.

6. Serve at room temperature. Serves 6.

Fresh Cranberry Relish

From the Culinary Institute of America (see this recipe being prepared). The CIA’s main campus is in Hyde Park, N.Y., and it has additional locations in St. Helena, Calif., San Antonio, and Singapore.

Ingredients

• 12-ounce bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
• 2 to 3 tablespoons orange marmalade

Directions

1. If using fresh cranberries, wash, pick through, and dry them thoroughly.

2. In a medium saucepan, mix 1/3 cup of sugar with the cranberries and the remaining ingredients.

3. Taste to adjust sweetness and add more sugar if desired.

4. Place over medium-high heat and simmer, stirring occasionally until the berries pop.

Serve hot or cold. Makes 6 servings.

Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Adapted from the Culinary Institute of America’s The New Book of Soups (2009, Lebhar Friedman). See this recipe being prepared.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 1/4 cups diced onion
• 1/3 cup diced carrot
• 1/2 cup diced celery root
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 to 4 cups vegetable broth
• 3 cups cubed butternut squash
• 1 cup sliced tart apple
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 cup crème fraîche for garnish (optional)
• 8 small pumpkins (about a pound each) or one large pumpkin
• Directions
• 1. Heat the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is tender and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.
• 2. Add the broth, squash, and apple. Bring the broth to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until the squash is tender enough to mash easily with a fork, about 20 minutes.
• 3. While the soup is cooking, wash the pumpkins with mild soapy water, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry. Carve a lid off the tops and remove the seeds from inside.
• 4. Purée the soup using a handheld blender directly in the pot, with a sieve or a food mill, or in a countertop blender food processor. Return it to the soup pot if necessary. Return the soup to a simmer over medium-low heat.
• 5. Season the soup as needed with salt, pepper, and orange zest.
• 6. You can serve the soup in heated bowls topped with a dollop of crème fraîche if desired.
• 7. Or, to serve the soup in pumpkins, place each pumpkin onto a plate and fill them with soup topped with a dollop of crème fraîche if desired. If serving the soup in one large pumpkin, place the lid back on top to keep the soup warm. You can also offer the crème fraîche in a separate bowl on the buffet.
• Makes 8 servings.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

From Chef Jim Gallivan, department chair, culinary arts, The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Atlanta

Ingredients

• Crust
• 1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup water
• Cheesecake
• 18 oz. low-fat cream cheese
• 1 ¼ cup fructose
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 4 tablespoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons nutmeg
• 2 ½ teaspoon cloves
• 6 sheets* gelatin
• 4 cups pumpkin, canned

* Can use equivalent plain packaged gelatin

Directions

1. Combine water and graham cracker crumbs

2. Press into a 10 in. cake pan and set aside.

3. Cream together the cream cheese and fructose.

4. Combine pumpkin and spices and mix well.

5. Fold the pumpkin mixture into the cream cheese mixture.

6. Soften gelatin in warm milk.

7. Quickly fold into the cheese mixture.

8. Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate overnight.

Serves 8-16 (depending on serving size).

Students give back as part of their Thanksgiving tradition.

Although the Thanksgiving holiday arrives at a time of the year when students are finishing up projects and major papers, or needing to study for finals, it’s amazing to see adult students take time of their hectic schedules to help those in need.

For example, graduate students at the Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business in Winter Park, Fla., hope to collect more than 600 toys in November and December during their second annual holiday toy drive. The toys collected will go to three organizations – Arnold Palmer Children’s Hospital, Florida Hospital, and Give Kids the World.

Jesse Merrell, an MBA student and working professional, shares why it’s important that students focus on the needy during the holidays: “The holidays are usually full of celebration and family gatherings; yet, several students in the MBA class have personal connections to this cause, either having spent a holiday in the hospital or having a family member absent (in the hospital) for an extended period of time. The uncertainty and stress disrupts the entire family’s spirits.”

The students want to help alleviate the pain and provide hope by bringing joy to children, especially since adult students often have little ones, too. She adds: “We are grateful for the opportunity to give a little of ourselves to make a difference.”

That’s just one example of college students, from traditional freshman to adult students pursuing associates to doctorate degrees, giving back. Other schools, such as Arcadia University, a private school offering bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in metropolitan Philadelphia, are holding fundraising dinners to fight hunger and homelessness. Some schools are participating in Thanksgiving food drives, such as Madison Area Technical College in Madison, Wisc.

If you’re looking at attending a college next semester or year, take a look at the activities students participate in around the holidays, and you’ll get a good idea of how students support their own or help others in need in the community.

And if you are a current student, tell us what your school community is doing to give back this holiday season.

-Lori Johnston

As Thanksgiving approaches, the distractions increase, with thoughts of turkey, shopping, and family time taking you away from studying, writing papers, and finishing end-of-the-semester college projects.

With these top tips, you can enjoy your holiday traditions (yum, pumpkin pie) and finish up the semester strong.

1. Get real (but not about Santa)
Family get-togethers, holiday shopping, holiday cooking, office parties, your child’s school events, and more are all filling your calendar in Thanksgiving and December. Acknowledge that the holidays will bring challenges to your regular college schedule. As officials with Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, N.J., say: It’s a mistake to ignore this and treat the holiday season just like the rest of the year.

2. Schedule your holidays
Just like timing the components of a holiday meal, designate days and hours for studying/coursework, holiday commitments, and family time.

For example, complete a homework assignment before you head out for Black Friday shopping, so you can enjoy the madness along with other deal seekers.

Establishing a balanced schedule will keep you from having to finish a key assignment or study for a final at the last minute, says Mary M. Herster, director of continuing education at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, Penn.

Chose which holiday parties you will attend based upon school deadlines, so that you have enough time to study and have fun, says Richard Shadick, director of the counseling center and an associate adjunct professor of psychology at Pace University in New York.

3. Prioritize your assignments/studying.
Being organized can maximize your time and increase efficiency, Herster says.

4. Set realistic goals
This may be the year that you hand off certain Thanksgiving dishes or holiday parties to someone else. Explain your school obligations to your family, and if they are aware of your time pressures, they are more likely to be understanding, says Jorie Scholnik, an assistant professor at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Fla. Adult students often feel like they are unable to give anything their “all,” but if you set reasonable expectations about school, home and work, you will feel less stressed, Shadick says.

5. Use down time for studying
Bring your class materials, and turn waiting for a flight or traveling to your destination into a productive period. Or while you’re waiting for a delicious dessert to come out of the oven, dig into reading or a class assignment, or post a response on a discussion board.

6. Bond with other students in your family.
If family members you are hosting or visiting include other college students, offer to study with them, Scholnik says. Officials at Thomas Edison State College have a fun recommendation: Get your kids involved in your education by having them prepare note cards for your exams or quizzing you on the information.

7. Don’t overindulge.
Enjoy that (one) cup of eggnog, as Shadick points out that drinking too much, overeating, or staying up later than normal makes it difficult to study effectively,

8. Be thankful for help.
If you feel overloaded, consider going to your school’s counseling center to talk to a professional about your holiday and school-related stress.

With a little bit of planning and preparation (just like getting ready for guests), you can actually enjoy the holidays and earn that break you’ll get in December!

-Lori Johnston

Take a look at the college degree held by Ginni Rometty, who will take over as IBM’s first-ever female CEO and president on Jan. 2, 2012, and you’ll see someone who committed in college to a career in technology. She earned her bachelor’s of science degree with high honors in computer science and electrical engineering from Northwestern University.

Technology is a job sector where more women are needed, and Rometty’s promotion reflects that companies are seeking female leaders with technical experience.

If you’re interested in working in the technology industry, don’t be intimidated by pursuing fields such as computer science while browsing college websites and course catalogs. While the technology field needs people in all types of roles, from human resources to public relations, leaders like Rometty reveal that focusing on science and technology from the onset can be rewarding.

But females are discouraged from technical education pursuits, Caroline Simard, vice president of research at the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology, recently told the New York Times. She said:

“Research shows that the majority of people have an implicit bias that associates science and technology with gender, so from a very young age, girls are not encouraged to pursue these careers. Women like Ginni Rometty are a powerful antidote against the stereotype.”

While IBM is a top global company, there are small- and mid-sized technology firms in your own town that need leaders, and by focusing on a technical education in computer science, software engineering, or other tech fields, you could position yourself to take on a leadership role and further help break the glass ceiling.

-Lori Johnston