FOOD : Friendsgiving

And in the blink of an eye we went from cute sun dresses to down jackets! While I love sunshine and a good tan I also love me some no shaving and leggings! But with this cold weather comes one of my favorite holidays-Thanksgiving! I love that this holiday is all about food and family, but I personally look forward to it’s precursor, Friendsgiving. This is the perfect opportunity to test run a new recipe and to get drunk with people who won’t judge you!

So for this thanksgiving round up I turned to my favorite cooking and baking contributor Rachel to share some of her tried tested and true recipe. In lieu of any large scale plates, we decided to scale down and make these small chic appetizer portions that will be easy to pass and share! And let's face it, we want to reserve that precious fridge space for all our thanksgiving ingredients, leftovers and WINE!

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FOOL PROOF TURKEY MEATBALLS 

For our protein, it was only suiting that we do a turkey meatball. There's something so satisfying about a flavor packed meatball smothered in a delicious sauce especially with a side of red wine. For this particular recipe, we added a ton of fresh ingredients and herbs then served them atop a locally made Cranberry Apple Chutney from Beau Bien. This was a fun play on your traditional thanksgiving flavors without the hassle!

NIce buttery crunch on the outside, nice and moist on the inside!

TURKEY MEATBALLS 

PREP: 10 MIN. | COOK: 15 MIN. 

• 1 Pound, Ground Turkey 
• 1/2 Cup, White Onion 
• 1 Garlic Clove, Minced 
• 2 Eggs 
• 1/2 Cup, Plain Bread Crumbs 
• 1 Teaspoon Sage, Minced
• Salt and Pepper to taste 
• 3 Tablespoons of butter 
• Apply Cranberry Chutney or Cranberry Sauce of your choice

HOW TO:

1. Mix Turkey, onions, garlic, eggs, bread crumbs, sage, and salt and pepper into a bowl
2. Once mixed, create your meatballs. I suggest making them about the size of a ping pong ball. This ensures that it cooks all the way through while still maintaining moisture 
3. Over a medium to high heat, heat your skillet (I recommend using a cast iron) and drop in your butter. Once the butter has completely melted and it's come to a slight simmer in the pan, drop your meatballs in one at a time. Don't overcrowd the pan and make sure your meatballs aren't touching. This will help you control the heat of your pan, and cook the meatballs evenly. Let them cook for about 3-4 minutes or until browned before turning over. 
4. Repeat the previous step on the opposite side of the meatball. 
5. Once you've browned both sides, you can tent it  for about a minute with foil to ensure they're cooked all the way through. 
6. While the meatballs are finishing, put your chutney or sauce into a bowl and set aside. 
7. Throw finished meatballs into the sauce and coat evenly
8. Serve piled high in a bowl, or on a marble board like we did; the possibilities are endless!

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STUFFING PUDDING

Growing up my mom turned to the box stuffing when it came to putting together a thanksgiving spread. While i don't blame her since there's a million recipes for this dish and it's definitely a labor of love, I knew that when I did Thanksgiving in my own home one day I would put in the effort to make a homemade stuffing. Fast forward a few years later and I still haven't nailed down a homemade stuffing recipe, and it's instances like this I have to call in reinforcements.

Rachel my baking and cooking guru was nice enough to share her delicious go-to homemade stuffing recipe that's almost along the lines of a savory bread pudding. Filled with delicious sauteed onions and mushrooms, it's balanced with lemon zest, apples, and raisins to brighten up the dish and drive home those fall comfort flavors. 

STUFFING  PUDDING

PREP: 25 MIN | COOK: 40 MINUTES | YIELDS: (1) 9x13 Dish or (8) 6oz Ramekins

• 3 loaves bread (sourdough, brioche, challa); remove crusts and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups chicken stock (plus more if needed)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 lg orange (zest and juice)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 red onion, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 Tbsp garlic,minced
• 1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
• 1 medium apple, diced
• 2 portobello mushroom caps, diced
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 Tbsp black pepper

HOW TO:

1. Take your 3 loaves bread (sourdough, brioche, challa); remove crusts, cut into 1 inch cubes, and bake in a 250 degree F oven tossing/checking every 10 minutes until cubes are dry and just starting to brown. Put dried bread cubes in a large bowl
2. Whisk together eggs, chicken stock, heavy cream and orange juice and zest and pour over bread cubes
3. Saute garlic, onion, celery, mushrooms and apple in olive oil until tender then add to bread mixture
4. Stir in Craisins, salt, pepper and sage and mix to combine thoroughly
5. Transfer to 9x13 baking dish or ramekins then cover and refrigerate overnight
6. When ready to bake check consistency of mixture and add more chicken stock if it seems too dry. 
7. Preheat over to 375 degrees F; bake covered for 30 minutes; remove covering and bake an additional 15 minutes uncovered to allow top to brown/crisp up

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SWEET POTATOES 

Because nothing says Thanksgiving like sweet potatoes! This dish is not only easy, but an instant crowd pleaser for even the pickiest eaters. It also happens to be a great dessert alternative if you're like me and aren't into the whole baking thing but still want to do something homemade. 

Look at those potatoes glisten 

SWEET POTATOES

PREP: 30 MIN. | COOK: 1 HOUR | YIELDS: (1) 9x13 DISH

• 6 medium sweet potatoes (you want them to all be as similar in size and shape as possible and about 2 1/2"-3" in diameter at their fullest point)
• 1 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 Tbsp (1/2 cup) butter

HOW TO:

1. Parboil potatoes in the skins. Cool slightly, then peel. Cut into 3/4" slices and stack/layer/overlap in three rows in a greased 9x13 baking dish using slices from the middle of the potatoes first. *TIP: Put ends and any extra pieces in another pan or save for mashed sweet potatoes later.
2. To make the sauce combine syrup, sugar, salt and butter in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 
3. Once the sauce is boiling remove from heat and pour half to two thirds of the sauce over potatoes
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour.  Use the remaining sauce to baste the potatoes several times throughout the baking process. *TIP: If baking the ends and extra pieces in a second pan you will need to make more sauce.