Fall brings to mind pumpkin spice, chilly mornings and the kind of comfort that feels like family, even when family is the neighbors. On Oct. 23, the Brinser resident assistants (RAs) turned the Bowers Demo Kitchen into a family gathering, complete with a rogue hand mixer, an exploding can and residents eager to whip up a no-bake pumpkin cheesecake together.
The RAs discovered a recipe online that Amanda Mormon, a Student Wellness Advocacy Group (SWAG) member, described as “cool, fun and easy.” With how limited the dorm kitchens are, it was essential for them to consider recipes that are easy to make in a confined space.
Considering that most students are not swimming in money, it is also important to be conscientious of how much ingredients cost. Luckily, the RAs were able to find a recipe that was just right for their residents.
Anticipation for the cheesecake was high, and several attendees could not contain their excitement. One attendee, Amanda Horigan, was invited by SWAG member Mormon. Horigan stated that she was attracted to the event because, “She (her friend) was working on some of the recipe cards, I saw it, and I like pumpkin, I like cheesecake, it looks good!” It’s not hard to win somebody over when free food and good company are on the table.
One Brinser RA, Michael Ickes, explained that the purpose of events like these are to “teach our residents some cool recipes they can make in their dorm room.” He acknowledged the aforementioned limits of residential kitchens and his excitement at having a bigger workspace. “A lot of events in the past…we have to use the res hall kitchen. Our options are a lot more limited so this is definitely an improvement for us.” The Demo Kitchen helped to simplify the process, but that does not mean this recipe cannot be made anywhere. In fact, any resident should be able to replicate it with some basic preparation and some friends to share the work.
After everything came together, the only thing left to do was taste the cheesecake. It was amazing how “little time it took and how well it turned out,” Hunter Kirkbride said. However, he felt that there was also room for improvement. “It needs more spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, that kind of stuff. It could also do well with some extra sugar.” If you reproduce the recipe on your own, be sure to add your own custom blend of spices for extra deliciousness.
Mormon felt it was delicious but missing one key ingredient, “I’m a sugar girl, so I would’ve liked it to be a little bit more sweet, but that’s just my take.” She was not the only one, Brinser RA Madisyn Musselman, a junior _ major, agreed, “I think it was good…it has a good consistency. I am also a sugar girl, so, like Amanda, I would have probably added more brown sugar to the actual recipe.” Still, not a single crumb was left behind, sugar girls included.
Although the cheesecake was tasty, it is the effort that goes into these kinds of events that really makes them special. Musselman reminds residents, “Go to your RA’s events!” Worst case scenario, you get free food and a break from your dorm for a short while. Best case scenario, you make some new friends and lasting memories.
