Are you gathering with friends both near and far to celebrate “Friendsgiving”? Have you been enlisted to bring a side dish to this potluck style event? Have no fear! I’ve rounded up a list of dishes as unique as your friends.
The Festive One
For the festive friend, I’d recommend bringing some delicious appetizers to kick our meal off right. This Pumpkin Shaped Cheese Ball is as delightful as it is delicious and perfect for dipping chips, crackers or crudité! For a handheld app, our Hot Pepper Cranberry Spirals are a flaky and savory bite. Easy to assemble with puff pastry, cream cheese, and Hot Pepper Cranberry Jelly, you can make these ahead of time and bake them day-of.
The Traditionalist
Someone has to bring those classic Thanksgiving dishes to this get-together and what is more classic than mashed potatoes and stuffing? Put a twist on the expected mashed potatoes with our Manchego Mashed Potatoes. Featuring our Urban Accents Manchego and Roasted Garlic Veggie Roaster, these cheesy, garlic mashed potatoes are made extra creamy with buttermilk and cream cheese. Make them morning of the event and pack in a crock pot for easy transportation. For our stuffing, I’m recommending our Sausage Stuffing recipe. Seasoned with our Urban Accents Gourmet Gobbler Turkey Rub, this stuffing will perfectly accent the turkey.
The Veggie Lover
Who said eating your vegetables couldn’t be delicious? Spice up your vegetable sides with our Veggie Roasters. For a smoky, sweet bite, use our Smoky Brown Sugar Veggie Roaster. This blend of brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and thyme create a caramelized glaze over carrots which is sure to please. Our Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Veggie Roaster is perfect for bringing big, bold flavor to roasted broccoli. Just toss your veggies with oil, add our seasoning packets, and roast away!
The Bartender
Every party needs a festive cocktail, and I have two to share with you! Grab your favorite bourbon and whip up our Lemon Maple Hot Toddy. Made with our Lemon Drop Mixer, Wildflower Honey, and Maine Maple Syrup, this cocktail creates a warm, cozy glass perfect to garnish with a cinnamon stick. I would recommend bringing a crock pot and ladle to serve. For something sparkling, try out our Cranberry-Apple Smash. Add cranberry juice, cider, liquor and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake. Pour over ice into rocks glasses and top with club soda and fresh cranberries for garnish. Pro Tip: Scale up this recipe to fill a pitcher and create a self-serve station.
The Baker
I don’t know about you, but all my meals need to end on something sweet. Here we’ve combined the after-dinner coffee and dessert into one with our Espresso Pecan Pie. Made with our Espresso Martini Mixer, this pie is rich in espresso flavor that’s complemented by just a pinch of sea salt. This pie should be made the night before to provide time for proper cooling and set-up. For individual bites, try our Cinnamon Apple Cheesecakes in Puff Pastry recipe. Made in a mini muffin tin, these are perfect for a crowd! Pick your favorite cinnamon spiced apple jam (mine's Apple Cider Jam!) and bake up these tender, flaky treats. Serve warm, if you can!
The Busy-Bee
Okay, so you forgot about this get-together. With so much going on during the Holiday Season, it’s easy to let something slip through the cracks. That’s okay, there’s still time to order our Cranberry Favorites Collection and impress the host with the perfect compliment to the Thanksgiving turkey. With our zesty Cranberry Horseradish Sauce and our traditional New England Cranberry Relish, there’s something for everyone!
However you celebrate, wishing you a happy and healthy season full of good friends, good food, and good times.
