12 Unique Dishes to Bring to a Friendsgiving

I’d never admit this to my family, but Friendsgiving totally trumps Thanksgiving.

Aside from the inherent lack of inevitable family drama and awkwardness, the great thing about Friendsgiving is the creative freedom it allows you to apply to the traditional Thanksgiving menu. (And, in my case, the fact that you’re not afraid to really let loose and party.) Instead of feeling restricted to the well-known old standards—delicious though they may be—this preamble-to-the-main-event dinner party is the perfect occasion to test out some more adventurous spins on Turkey Day’s greatest hits. Here are 12 of our favorite ideas right now.

Roasted Garlic, Sage, & Pumpkin Hummus

Thyme And Toast

Cocktail hour grazing  just got a little bit more interesting thanks to this sweet-savory pumpkin and roasted garlic hummus. Try not to binge and spoil your appetite. Get the recipe.

Pumpkin Pie-Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Shutterstock

Turns out pumpkin pie spice does have a life beyond lattes. Here, the allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg blend seasons pepitas to create a super meta fall-themed snack. Get our Pumpkin Pie-Spiced Pumpkin Seeds recipe.

Brussels Sprouts with Kimchi and Bacon

Chowhound

Looking to breathe new life into the been-there-done-that Brussels sprouts and bacon combo? A sauce of puréed kimchi gives this side dish a bold, tangy, spicy edge that will make it a standout on the table. Get our Brussels Sprouts with Kimchi and Bacon recipe.

Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Panko

Chowhound

The mini marshmallows in a classic sweet potato casserole are cute, but maybe you’re better off saving them for the hot cocoa. Instead of going for a sweet on sweet profile, this Japanese tempura-inspired rendition goes umami and texture-heavy with a mirin, ginger, and soy sauce-glaze and panko breadcrumb topping. Get our Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Crispy Panko recipe.

Healthy Root Vegetable Gratin with Buttery Walnuts

Chowhound

Everyone knows this a loose dress, stretchy pants kind of dinner party, but if you want to make one healthy dish concession, this a good way to go. By layering thin slices of richly flavored root vegetables (think sweet potato, celery root, and rutabaga), you can basically ditch the usual cheese and heavy cream overdose without feeling like you’re sacrificing deliciousness. Get our Healthy Root Vegetable Gratin with Buttery Walnuts recipe.

Pimento Cheese Green Bean Casserole

The Pioneer Woman

To hell with nostalgia, kick cans to the curb and treat your friends (and yourself) to this fresh ingredient-driven version. Best of all, in this southernized spin on the classic, rich, oozy pimento cheese replaces the the drab (sorry, mom) traditional cream of mushroom soup sauce. Get the recipe.

Stuffing Muffins with Apple and Pancetta

A Spicy Perspective

Sure, there are plenty of unique ingredients you could introduce to spruce up your stuffing routine for your Friendsgiving: oysters, prunes and apples, brown bread and chestnuts, you name it. But if you really want everyone at the part talking about your stuffing, there’s no better way than to bust out a platter of these oh-so-Instagrammably-precious apple and pancetta stuffing muffins. (And if you want, save aside some of the mix to make a batch of appetizer-friendly stuffed mushrooms). Get the recipe.

Acorn Squash Mashed Potato Boats

Spices In My DNA

If you’re really looking to go off-the-beaten-path with your Friendsgiving dinner menu, dare to replace the beloved, classic mashed potatoes with this creative take on a twice baked potato. Get the recipe.

Stuffing Biscuits

Simple Healthy Kitchen

As much as we love a good, buttery Parker House roll, when it comes to this meal, anything with “stuffing” in the name gets priority on the table. Seasoned on top with a blend of onion powder, ground sage, thyme, and celery seed, these dense cheddar biscuits do a damn fine job of impersonating the flavor profile of everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving side dish. Try to save couple for next day leftovers, because clearly these destined for sandwich glory. Get the recipe.

Bourbon Cream Turkey Gravy

Chowhound

Roasting the neck and giblets helps crank up the volume on the turkey flavor in this rich, creamy, you-want-it-on-everything gravy. Also, bourbon. Get our Bourbon Cream Turkey Gravy recipe.

Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies

Chowhound

Take a detour from the traditional pumpkin pie route with these cream cheese frosting-stuffed cookie sandwiches. Get our Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies recipe.

Apple Pie Bites

The Blond Cook

If you’re crunched for time, this shortcut, finger food-friendly version of the classic dessert features slices of crisp green apple, chopped pecans, and apple pie spice wrapped in a wedge of buttery puff pastry. Get the recipe.

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Make These Throwback ‘Stranger Things’ Foods Just in Time for Premiere

When Stranger Things premiered last summer, it became an immediate phenomenon. The first season, set in 1983 in the Midwestern town of Hawkins, Indiana, followed a group of precocious youngsters in search of their missing friend amidst a slew of supernatural occurrences. In a lot of ways it worked as an homage to so many classic horror and adventure films of the past 30 years. Sly nods to ET, Alien, and The Goonies are all on display, unleashing a floodgate of nostalgia from viewers young and old.

But Stranger Things doesn’t just pay tribute to ’80s sci-fi (and eerie synth-rock). It treats every aspect of the time period with equal reverence, including the food. With season two premiering this Friday, we revisited some of the series’ culinary highlights and what they mean, not just to the show, but to the culture at large:

• • Coca-Cola:  Way before the brand was scandalized by the introduction of “New Coke” in 1985, Stranger Things portrays a simpler time when there was a clear winner in the cola wars. Even the can that Eleven crushes with her telekinetic superpowers features the old-school design.

• • Eggos: Frozen waffles are a staple for families on the go. The speedy breakfast is probably the most prominently featured food in the entire series as Eleven hoards an entire supermarket freezer full of them.

• • Meatloaf and Casseroles:  These comfort food classics and dinnertime mainstays are seen on dining room tables throughout the series. Most notably, Karen bakes a casserole for  a distraught Joyce will she attempts to find her son Will. While we’re never told exactly what kind of layered dish it is, we’re betting it’s tuna noodle, the grossest of them all.

What food fads will make an appearance in season two? (Wine coolers, anyone?) Guess we’ll just have to tune in on Friday to find out!

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Pecan Pie or Pumpkin Pie: Which One Wins Thanksgiving?

“Well, I definitely want to make a pecan pie,” my sister-in-law declared.

My mom, my sister-in-law, and I were discussing which desserts to serve after Thanksgiving dinner. My mom and I had been confident in our assumption that pumpkin pie was a given, and so we were taken aback by sister-in-law’s statement.

Pecan pie? My mom and I looked at each other. “Sure, I mean, we’re a pretty small group this year; I don’t know if we’ll eat two whole pies, but, okay, we can do that…” I reasoned, more to convince myself. Why would we need pecan pie when we would have pumpkin? Why would we serve some other pie alongside the shining star of Thanksgiving pies?

We bought the ingredients for both pies, though I was suspicious of the dark corn syrup; pumpkin pie used familiar ingredients, and now pecan pie was bringing corn syrup into the equation! Both pies were baked, and after dinner I had a small slice of each. Well, it turns out (and it’s probably not a surprise for most people) that pecan pie is incredible! It was so good! It had creamy, it had crunchy; it was sweet, it was a little savory. It was so much better than I expected!

My sister-in-law’s family is from the South, and her family tradition was to always have pecan pie at Thanksgiving. My tradition was to always have pumpkin pie. So which pie is the superior Thanksgiving pie?

Round 1: Personal Traditions – Tie!

It’s subjective! We’ll have to call this round a tie—I shouldn’t let my own personal leanings decide which pie wins Thanksgiving. There are all kinds of traditions out there, and so I shouldn’t deem my own to be best, solely because it’s familiar. For example, my friend from Mississippi thinks sweet potato pie is the Thanksgiving pie. Even though that sounds like a crazy bunch of nonsense to me, I respect her tradition, and truly, I wouldn’t turn down a slice of sweet potato pie any other day. If you are so inclined to include a third pie in your own personal Thanksgiving bake-off, try our Sweet Potato Pie recipe.

Round 2: Here First – Pumpkin Pie

Back to our two contenders: pumpkin and pecan. Even if we discount the portions of pumpkin pie history which refer to boiling pumpkin in milk, filling pie crust with pumpkin and apple, or using a hollowed out pumpkin instead of a crust, it looks like pumpkin pie in its closer-to-modern form came about in the 1700s. The history of pecan pie reveals that its existence began later, in the 1800s at earliest. Unless we’re playing by ‘first is the worst’ rules (rules by which I refuse to abide!) pumpkin pie wins this round.

Round 3: Dessert-ier – Pecan Pie

It’s good to eat healthfully, and it’s important to be aware of the nutritional value of the foods you consume. It’s just, I don’t think Thanksgiving is about all that. Maybe it should be—more power to you if you create a healthy Thanksgiving dinner menu, or if you exercise even minimal portion control. If so, you’re amazing! But for my ruling of which pie is the dessert-ier option, I’m going to have to go with big, bad pecan pie weighing in at 503 calories and 27 grams of fat per slice. Pumpkin pie comes in at a paltry 316 calories and 14 grams of fat—it’s nearly a vegetable! And if you are going to give into sweet temptation, you might as well try our Chocolate Pecan Pie recipe, which adds irresistible elements of bourbon and chocolate.

The Tie-Breaker: Charlie Brown – Pumpkin Pie

In A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, when that blockhead botched his friends’ Thanksgiving dinner (what else is new?), which pie does Peppermint Patty lament missing? That’s right, pumpkin pie! This is the quintessential Thanksgiving pie, at least according to Charlie Brown’s social circle—not a peep about pecan. And so, pumpkin pie wins this one. Try our Perfect Pumpkin Pie recipe to avoid a misstep like Charlie Brown’s.

Using these standard pie-judging categories, we have come out with pumpkin pie as the winning pie of Thanksgiving. No hard feelings, though, pecan pie—you’re a stellar, stand-up pie, and anybody would be lucky to have a slice of you at the conclusion of their Thanksgiving dinner. And (now hear me out) maybe the best way to reconcile this feud would be to marry these two stars, and bake this Pecan Streusel Pumpkin Pie for your guests. That way everybody wins! Or, let’s be real, more likely nobody wins, since we can all be pretty stubborn about our favorite traditions. So, I take it back: pumpkin pie it shall be!

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Stop Slurping: Invest In a Noise-Canceling Fork

We all know certain things can enhance our enjoyment of food: setting, company, soundtrack, …slurping? In Japan, robustly slurping noodles is considered not only appropriate, but the best way to appreciate their savor. There are those, however, who don’t appreciate the sound. Solution? Noise-canceling fork, of course!

You may be tempted to double-check your calendar to make sure it’s not somehow already April 1 again, but rest assured, this appears to be a legitimate product, for sale on the Nissin website (they’re also the makers of Cup Noodles).

Nissin

According to their promotional video, the noise-canceling fork is connected to one’s smartphone (naturally), and works by triggering a louder, presumably less-annoying sound to play when slurping is detected—so the noodle noise is covered up, not magically muted. While there may eventually be a range of options to choose from, the default slurp-masking sound is sort of like an ocean wave building and crashing into a space-age hyper-speed transporter. Interesting, for sure. But is hearing that a dozen times in a row really less grating than enduring sloppy slurping?

If you think the answer is obviously yes, and you feel like you need an Otohiko, they’re for sale for roughly $130.00 USD. But production will only begin once 5,000 orders have been placed. Get in on the ground floor and be part of a new movement! Or, you know, if you’re in a place where loud eating sounds are considered rude, just be a little more aware of your surroundings and dining companions, or suck it up and go eat lunch alone.

From the other side of things, there are many of us who would probably love to press these forks into the hands of loud chewers everywhere, but presumably they only work for noodle slurping at present. And what might the potential crunch-canceling sound like anyway? Maybe something like this, but replace the book stamping with food chomping. And while we’re on the topic of future food-noise-canceling innovation, how about a slurp-suppressing straw for the people who seem physically incapable of sipping their Starbucks silently? Or quieter gum that can’t be cracked (like a whip right to the eardrums)?

If you have a touch of misophonia, it’s probably too much to hope for that people will simply change their habits, much less exhibit common courtesy. So if it’s other people’s supping sounds that drive you crazy, you can always stick to the tried and true: noise-canceling headphones.

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Speculoos Brownie Cake + First Look at Baker’s Royale Cookbook

I have been a long-time follower of Naomi Robinson’s blog, Baker’s Royale. It was her lush and textured photography style that initially drew me in, but it’s been her delicious, homemade desserts that keep me coming back.

Her new book, also titled Baker’s Royale, is full of beautifully shot, approachable recipes – 75 of them!

Continue reading "Speculoos Brownie Cake + First Look at Baker’s Royale Cookbook" »

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Send in the Clowns to Burger King for Free Whoppers

Clowns have always been creepy. But between It and the latest season of American Horror Story, 2017 has reached peak bozo mania. Leave it to Burger King to capitalize on this hysteria with its latest stunt. On Halloween the chain will give away free Whoppers to any one dressed up in full clown regalia.

The promotion is also a not-so-subtle dig at their biggest competitor. What better way to troll Ronald McDonald himself then by luring away his sinister ilk from the siren call of the golden arches and welcoming them at BK, instead?

“We don’t usually talk about clowns,” said Alex Macedo, President, North America, at Burger King. “But for this Halloween, come dressed as a clown to eat like a king.”

This isn’t the first Halloween-related jab at Mickey D’s either. Last October, a Burger King franchise in Queens, NY was decked out in whites sheets and proclaimed to be the ghost of McDonalds.

They’ve even created a 90-second digital ad for the event which they’re touting as #ScaryClownNight. With its eerie music and multiple Pennywise-in-trainings, it’s almost as menacing as the entirety of It. Watch it below, if you dare:

Unfortunately the giveaway is only taking place at five locations and is open to the first 500 customers between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. So residents of Miami, Salt Lake City, Austin, Burbank, and Framingham, MA beware. You may see an influx of red-nosed freaks in your neighborhood. Depending on your hunger and your fear, rush to (or totally avoid) the following Burger King addresses:

• 259 Cochituate Rd, Framingham, Massachusetts
• 1101 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, Florida
• 545 N Victory Blvd, Burbank, California
• 3001 Montopolis Drive, Austin, Texas
• 3975 W 4700 S, Salt Lake City, Utah

Oh, and the offer isn’t eligible for drive-thru customers either, so leave your clown cars at home! And if you’re looking for dessert, this Texas doughnut shop will have clowns personally deliver you baked goods. Because 2017 can’t get much scarier.

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Chocolate Frosted Flakes

Kellogg's let fans weigh-in at nearly every step of the development process to create new Chocolate Frosted Flakes.

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Darigold Heat N’ Serve Hot Cocoa

Darigold’s new hot cocoa makes for an indulgent seasonal beverage

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Hershey Debuts New Innovations

Earlier this year, the company released Reese’s Crunchy Cookie Cup, a variation of the iconic peanut butter cup stuffed with chocolate cookie bits for a sensorial experience that adds a crunchy bite to complement the combination of chocolate and peanut butter.

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Reichel Foods PRO2snax

Fresh fruit is the fastest growing snack in the US and half of consumers are making an effort to consume more protein.

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Dorot’s Flash-Frozen Flavor Cubes

Word about Dorot’s little nuggets of preservative-free garlic, ginger, dill, basil, parsley, chili, and cilantro is quickly spreading through the food community.

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