How To Plan A Successful Friendsgiving Menu
The best thing about hosting a Friendsgiving potluck is that you're almost guaranteed to try something new.
Sometimes you can't make it home for Thanksgiving, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on the year's best meal. There's something special about sharing your grandmother's famous casserole with your closest friends—a tradition we all know and love as Friendsgiving. That said, when you're the host, it's important to plan or delegate dishes—otherwise, you may end up with three boxes of cookies and no vegetables. Here are our best tips for the biggest and best Friendsgiving meal ever.
Set Up A Signup List, And Be Specific
As the host, decide what you want to make first (this should include the turkey and gravy or main course of your choice for logistical reasons). Map out what dishes you want for the rest of the meal. Add those items to the sheet in the form of categories (for example, a potato dish or something fried) or specific items (candied yams or green bean casserole), and let friends sign up for what they want to bring. A nice balance might include one protein, one or two carbs (mashed potatoes and stuffing), a vegetable side, and a salad. For a really big group, you might double those categories. And of course, don't forget to include appetizers, drinks, and dessert, unless you are planning to provide those.
Take Note Of Food Allergies And Dietary Restrictions
Include a note with the RSVP or contact guests individually regarding special diets and allergies. Be considerate by offering dishes that will accommodate them, such as substantial vegetarian sides (we suggest vegetarian stuffing since it is usually the most filling dish after turkey) or serving nuts on the side of the salad if someone has an allergy. You may have a guest who needs gluten-free options, which could mean making our Gluten-Free Cornbread or simply leaving the bread crumbs off of some dishes. At a large potluck, it's helpful to add labels to dishes so your guests can identify which are vegetarian or contain allergens.
Supply Extra Snacks And Appetizers
We've all been there when the four-hour turkey takes six. Ask a couple of people to bring snacks or appetizers, and keep a couple of backup options (like chips or pretzels) on hand in case dinner gets delayed. Nothing is more stressful than a bunch of hungry guests waiting on you to serve them. If you are responsible for providing appetizers, stick to items that do not require preparation and can be replenished quickly, like cheese or veggies and dip.
Provide Drink And Dessert Variety
Provide (or have guests bring) an assortment of alcoholic beverages to accompany the meal. It's always a good idea to have both red and white wine and beer. Consider making a signature cocktail that guests can help themselves with if you're busy. And always provide alcohol-free options for those who don't want to partake. Good choices include warm apple cider or a variety of seltzers and sodas.
As for dessert, we like a couple of options in addition to pumpkin pie to suit all palates. Our rule of thumb is one fruity item, like sorbet or an apple crisp, and something chocolate, like chocolate-chip cookies. Besides, there's no such thing as too much dessert—just as long as you have all other areas of the menu covered.
Our Best Friendsgiving Recipes
Here are our recommendations for the best Friendsgiving foods for your gathering this year. Find a casserole, side dish, or dessert everyone will love.
Baked Brie With Pecans
Even if you are saving your appetite for the main event, it's always a good idea to have a few appetizers to greet guests or to offer to bring your host. This brie takes only 15 minutes to bake, which you can top with the prepared mixture of honey, spices, cherries, and chopped pecans. If you are hosting, try to do as much of the preparations before your guests arrive. If you are bringing this to a Friendsgiving, give the host appropriate notice to see if there is room in the oven.
Buffalo Chicken Pinwheels
No matter what time of year it is, Buffalo chicken is always a crowd-pleaser. This recipe is great because you can serve these pinwheels fresh and hot from the oven or at room temperature. Bring your host extra hot sauce and condiments for those who want their Buffalo chicken extra spicy.
Buttery Yeast Rolls
Homemade bread is a popular item to bring to any Friendsgiving gathering. Not only will everyone enjoy a freshly baked roll to accompany the Thanksgiving staples, but extra rolls will be great for the host who has an entire Thanksgiving meal of leftovers—which might not even be their only feast that year. Everyone loves a leftover turkey sandwich.
Thanksgiving Punch With Rum
Offering a holiday punch is one way to set a festive mood for your get-together. This beautifully-colored cranberry punch mixes honey, cinnamon, and ginger beer flavors with rum and juice for a proper cocktail that your guests will enjoy. Garnish with apple or citrus slices and serve with ice.
Cranberry-Jalape?o Cream Cheese Dip
Wow your friends with this seasonal dip that combines spicy, tangy, sweet, and creamy all into one bite. The cranberry-jalape?o salsa can be made two hours to up to a week ahead. When you're ready to serve, spread cream cheese on a platter, top with the salsa, and serve with Carr's Table Water Crackers or tortilla chips.
Mushroom-Stuffed Phyllo Cups
Serve these bite-sized mushroom cups as an appetizer or alongside your other side dishes. Have these cheese, herb, and garlic snacks ready with only five minutes of bake time. Frozen phyllo cups help make this an easy go-to recipe when hosting.
Savory Sweet Potato Casserole
Preparing side dishes is one of the best parts of a Thanksgiving meal, and variety is essential when cooking for a large crowd with differing eating habits. Create a savory version of the traditional marshmallow sweet potato casserole using a Parmesan-herb topping instead. Make this dish ahead of time and freeze it until your gathering.
Baked Mac And Cheese With Bacon
It wouldn't be a Friendsgiving meal without a mac-and-cheese side dish. Take this classic food up a notch by adding bacon and topping it with fresh breadcrumbs. This cheesy pasta is so indulgent that you'll want to make it for every gathering.
Mashed Potato Casserole
We found a mashed potato casserole you can prepare ahead and heat the day of your dinner. There's no longer a need to wait until the last minute to mash warm potatoes—this casserole takes care of your potato-dish needs with much less hassle. You can also make the breadcrumb topping before and add it before baking.
Herby Pecan-Cornbread Dressing
We're sure your guests will each have an opinion about the right way to make the dressing, but this herb and pecan cornbread version will be a hit with everyone. Plus, you can prepare the cornbread three days in advance, which is always a bonus when planning a large dinner party. Fill every bite with flavor when adding chopped onions, celery, pecans, and various herbs to this dish.
Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
Make this casserole up to three days ahead of your Friendsgiving gathering. Not only is it convenient, but this loaded casserole is another way to add vegetables to your Thanksgiving table. Mixing Cheddar and pepper Jack cheeses add distinct flavors to this cauliflower dish that you won't want to stop eating.
Classic Cranberry Salad
This recipe is a great vegetarian option, but even turkey lovers will want some of this salad on their plates. After bringing the cranberry, brown sugar, and orange juice mixture to a boil, allow it to get to room temperature, and then stir in the pears, pineapple, celery, and pecans. After these simple steps, the most challenging part is leaving enough time for it to chill in the refrigerator, preferably for at least four hours or overnight.
Oven-Roasted Root Vegetables With Spicy Pecan Topping
Give your casserole dish a break and bake these root vegetables with a sweet, spicy maple topping. This topping adds a kick to this vegetable dish without heavy cream or cheese weighing it down. Combine maple syrup with spices like chili powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper for a pecan mix you'll want to put on everything from vegetables to mac-and-cheese.
Tee's Corn Pudding
Corn pudding is another one of those classic Thanksgiving side dishes. Make this recipe ahead of time, which freezes perfectly, so you are ready for the big event. This rich corn pudding should be golden brown around the edges when it's finished baking.
Scalloped Oysters
Seafood isn't always people's first thought when discussing what to make for Thanksgiving. Luckily, we know this Scalloped Oysters recipe is what you should make this year. This oyster bake, made with mostly pantry staples, is a great addition to a Thanksgiving spread.
Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
It's always fun when you can use marshmallows and call it proper dinner food. This classic sweet potato casserole has pecans, cornflakes, and everyone's favorite marshmallows as toppings. Try alternating rows of cornflake mixture and marshmallows for a beautiful design.
Collard Greens With Garlic And Sippets
Another excellent option for vegetarian guests is these skillet collard greens with sliced garlic, which are perfect as a Thanksgiving side—or a side dish for any dinner. The torn sourdough bread pieces add a heartiness and a crispy texture. Finally, coat this classic Southern vegetable with red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Sheet Pan Butternut Squash Mac And Cheese
Butternut squash and mac-and-cheese are holiday staples. Take these two Thanksgiving dishes and combine them into one delicious side. Adding squash or pumpkin to the cheesy pasta, topped with breadcrumbs, will be your new favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving—or any night of the year.
Old-Fashioned Turkey Gravy
Make a gravy your guests want to pour on everything—turkey, mashed potatoes, and everything in between. This traditional gravy on takes 15 minutes to make, so it's a perfect recipe to try for a busy Friendsgiving meal. Plus, it only needs four ingredients to make a smooth and flavorful gravy.
Roasted Herb Turkey And Gravy
There's a lot of pressure to make the perfect turkey on Thanksgiving. Alleviate some stress by following the recipe for a perfectly seasoned dish that will give you turkey with crispy skin and juicy meat. Turkey gravy is made better by adding onions, carrots, and celery to the roasting pan.
Best Pecan Pie
Dessert is essential to any great Friendsgiving. Make this version of classic pecan pie ahead of time and freeze it until the day of your get-together. Light, flaky homemade crust captures the sugary, glazed pecans that fill this pie.
Dairy-Free Coconut-Pumpkin Pie
Make your dairy-free friends happy by serving this pumpkin pie made with coconut milk and oil. Similar to traditional pumpkin pie, seasonal spices pack this dessert. The coconut milk helps to create a smooth texture in this pie, which is not too sweet but still incredibly flavorful.
Pecan Cheesecake Pie
Add an autumn twist to this classic dessert. The pecan topping adds seasonal flavoring and a nutty crunch on top of the creamy cheesecake filling. Use refrigerated pie crust to help save time.
Bacon-Brussels Sprout-Green Bean Casserole
Impress your guests by combining two favorite sides in one delicious casserole. The Brussels sprouts may be unexpected, but you'll still savor the usual creamy, cheesy mushroom sauce and crispy onion topping. This dish can be assembled up to three days in advance and baked the day of your event.
Roasted Acorn Squash Salad With Sorghum-Tahini Vinaigrette
Forget the turkey—everyone will be raving about this salad throughout the night. Roasted acorn squash gets tossed with kale, lightly pickled shallots, thinly sliced apples, and a sweet vinaigrette. Dried cranberries and crunchy sesame seeds complete the cornucopia of flavors and textures.
Cranberry Brie Bites
This easy appetizer only takes 20 minutes to make, and it’s light enough so guests don’t fill up before the big feast. These festive mini phyllo shells hold sweet and tart cranberries, creamy brie, and crunchy pistachios all in one bite. Serve hot right out of the oven or add to a charcuterie board.
Bourbon Apple Cider Thyme Punch
This fall-inspired punch that celebrates one of the South’s favorite spirits—Kentucky bourbon—is the perfect way to welcome your guests. Serve in a pitcher or punch bowl so guests can help themselves, its autumnal golden hue makes a pretty presentation. Don’t use anything too rare or fancy, a basic bourbon will blend with the ingredients just fine.
Roasted Turkey Breast
Rob Culpepper; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Assistant Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
There’s no reason to skip the turkey for a smaller-scale Friendsgiving, a whole turkey breast roasts in about 1? hours and feeds six people. Season the bird ahead of time with a rub of brown sugar, Dijon mustard, lemon zest, and an herb butter. For a moist, flavor-packed turkey, we recommend a bone-in, skin-on turkey breast.
Slow Cooker Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole is a classic Southern side not to be missed, but make it easy during the busy holidays with this slow cooker version. Fresh mushrooms and water chestnuts provide texture while jarred Alfredo sauce replaces the usual canned soup for a flavor boost. To nod to our region even more, add toasted, chopped pecans, along with French fried onions, for the ultimate crunchy topping.
Roasted Carrots And Parsnips
This colorful side of seasonal vegetables is simply roasted and tossed with butter blended with fresh herbs. For more, color use rainbow carrots, and for variety, add sweet potatoes. Make and refrigerate the herb butter up to three days in advance to cut down on prep time.
Harvest Salad
Lighten up your Friendsgving menu with a salad packed with everyone’s favorite fall ingredients tossed in a tangy vinaigrette. Kabocha squash, Brussels sprouts, kale, and honeycrisp apples make an abundant and beautiful combination. To save time, make the dressing a couple of days ahead.
Cranberry Orange Sauce
Sweet-tart cranberry sauce compliments turkey while cutting the richness of mashed potatoes, gravy, and all those hearty Thanksgiving sides. This cranberry sauce gets a zippy twist from fresh ginger and orange. Even better, it can be made days ahead of time and only takes 25 minutes.
Cornmeal Popovers
Provide a light and airy option to your holiday breadbasket with these cornmeal popovers. Fine white cornmeal adds a Southern spin on this classic recipe, which uses pantry basics. To make these popovers pop, spoon the batter into a pre-heated and buttered muffin pan and immediately bake in a hot oven for 18 to 20 minutes.
The Easiest Mashed Potatoes You'll Ever Make
Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Mashed potatoes are a Friendsgiving must-have. For mashed potatoes that are fluffy and creamy, use a mix of russets and Yukon Gold potatoes. Even though they are delicious plain, this recipe includes ideas for customizing the flavor with buttermilk, garlic, or Parmesan cheese.
Oven-Roasted Asparagus
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Roasted asparagus is an effortless side that can be scaled up or down. The seasoning for the asparagus only requires a few common pantry staples. This recipe is as easy as trimming the ends of the asparagus, seasoning, popping in the oven for 8 minutes, and finishing with slivered almonds.
Shrimp On Seasoned Crackers With Pepper Jelly And Cream Cheese
These seasoned crackers with pan-fried shrimp, cream cheese, and pepper jelly comes from Adam Evans, chef at award-winning Birmingham restaurant Automatic Seafood and Oysters. Though these bite-sized snacks are light, they definitely deliver on flavor. This app can be prepared ahead of time and assembled right before guests arrive.
Mini Cinnamon-Apple Pies
David Malosh; Prop Styling: Robyn Glaser; Food Styling: Maggie Ruggiero
Mini desserts are a great way to allow guests to sample a variety of goodies. This mini cinnamon apple pie recipe includes a few prep time savers—refrigerated piecrust and no apple peeling required. We like Granny Smith apples for these pies, they have a sweet-tart flavor and won’t turn to mush from baking.
Mini Chocolate Chess Tarts
These easy mini tarts are a great way to include chocolate in your dessert menu. For a busy host short on time, this recipe uses refrigerated pie crusts and can be made up to three days in advance. Just before serving, top with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa.
Roasted Delicata Squash
Jessica Furniss
This simple, scalable recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, and vegan. Delicata squash has a nutty, mildly sweet flavor, and its skin is edible after it cooks, so there’s no need to peel it. Don’t forget to save the seeds for roasting later, they make a delicious, nutrient-packed snack.
Gluten-Free Cornbread Dressing
Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Micah Morton, Prop Stylist: Kathleen Varner
Whether gluten-free or not, this dressing can be enjoyed by all. Just like our favorite cornbread dressings, this one delivers a browned crust top with a custardy center. Classic Thanksgiving flavors from celery, garlic, onion, and fresh herbs complete this savory side, but feel free to customize with the addition of dried cranberries and nuts.
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Read the original article on Southern Living.