“Friends Thanksgiving ” a Great Way to Kickoff the Holidays

The Food Adventures Crew has an idea that we have been using for some time. Like many of you, we like to entertain. Hungry Jax, Chef House, The King and The Big Ragu like to to cook as well. These needs and desires give us an excuse for an annual event that we like to call “Friends Thanksgiving.” It is just what it sounds like, it is a sit down Thanksgiving dinner, with your friends, instead of family. Never done one before?

HERE’S THE SKINNY on why you should make Friends Thanksgiving an annual tradition.

FIVE REASONS TO GET YOUR BUDDIES TOGETHER FOR A FRIENDS THANKSGIVING:

1) USE YOUR PALS AS GUINEA PIGS TO TRY OUT NEW RECIPES: There is no better way to find out if something works (or doesn’t). Test the new recipes out on your friends and learn what needs to be tweaked or scrapped altogether. Your friends are honest, they will give feedback on your dish or dishes. If they don’t want to hurt your feelings, you can tell if your dish was an epic fail based on how much of it was eaten. Push your culinary limits, have fun, experiment a little. Make “Friends Thanksgiving” a true Food Adventure!

A Beautiful, Grilled “Friends Thanksgiving” Turkey

2) PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Make this be your minor league training event. Hold your Friends Thanksgiving a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving. That way when you host your family event, you will be tuned up for a stellar performance. Let’s face it, if something goes wrong at Friends Thanksgiving, it is better that it happened at your “practice run.” The warm up will make you look like a pro to your family when the “real” Thanksgiving day holiday arrives.

3) SHOWCASE YOUR HOME: The event is a good chance to showcase your home, or have friends over who have not seen your place. Maybe you have updated remodeling you are proud of, or new kitchen table. Friends Thanksgiving also gives you a chance to do your best Martha Stewart imitation when it comes to decorating. Again, have fun, these are your best pals on Earth. Running to restaurant Food Adventures, most of us rarely eat at home with our friends. This goes against that, for a more intimate, warm and inviting atmosphere.

Click to Enlarge this Cajun Shrimp plate with Fresh Mozarella and Tomatoes

4) LEARN NEW RECIPES FROM YOUR FRIENDS: Since everyone is bringing dish or two, you will probably make a couple of worthwhile discoveries. Maybe it is a sweet potato casserole that was “to die for.” Or maybe you learned a new technique for cooking a turkey, or a secret spice rub. IMPORTANT TIP: Make a Facebook event for your Friends Thanksgiving a month or 2 in advance. Have your guests “post” on the event wall, what dishes they will be bringing. This way you will not have duplicate dishes, and your friends won’t show up with all desserts or all salads.

5) AN EXCUSE TO VISIT WITH FRIENDS IN A FAMILY TYPE SETTING: Let’s face it, we all let time slip by and don’t visit with friends as much as we want to. Friends are an extension of our family, especially the close ones you would invite to “Friends Thanksgiving.” It is a great way to make memories, and in our circle, it is a well anticipated tradition. Actually, it is the “official kickoff” of the holiday season in our group, and we think you will experience the same excitement.

Speaking of excitement, we have a holiday treat for you. Each of our four Food Adventurers have compiled a recipe of one of their MUST EAT Holiday dishes to share with you. We are thankful for our local following of “fans” and readers. We are grateful for each and every one of you, and these recipes are small token of that thanks.

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— CHEF HOUSE’S CRANBERRY UPSIDE DOWN CAKE WITH HOT HONEY —

¾ cup brown sugar, packed

Chef House's Upside Down Cranberry Cake with hot honey

Cranberry Upside Down Cake with Chef House’s own Housemade Hot Honey Sauce

¾ cup butter, divided

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1 ¾ cups AP flour or equal parts brown rice flour and millet flour (for a gluten free cake)

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp kosher salt

½ tsp ground ginger

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground cloves

1 ½ cups sugar

3 eggs

1 Tbl orange zest

½ cup greek yogurt

¼ cup milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat 9 inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Melt brown sugar and ¼ cup of the butter, stirring continuously till thoroughly mixed and bubbly. Spread the cranberries over mixture.

In a medium bowl wisk together the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl with your mixer beat the remaining butter and white sugar till light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time thoroughly mixing each one. Add the orange zest.

Mix in half the dry ingredients then the greek yogurt. Mix in the last half of the dry ingredients then lastly the milk. Be careful not to over mix.

Pour batter over the cranberries and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges and pop out of pan. Drizzle with HouseMade Hot Honey!

— Happy Thanksgiving from CHEF HOUSE !

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HUNGRY JAX’S “MAKE AHEAD MASHED POTATOES FOR A CROWD”

Hungry Jax gives you her Recipe for “Mashed Potatoes for a Crowd”

You’ll need:

One head of roasted garlic

10lbs russet potatoes

2 8oz bricks of cream cheese

1 stick unsalted butter (divided)

4 cups milk (divided into 2 cups each)

salt and pepper to taste

To roast garlic:

Slice off the top of a head of garlic to expose cloves (create a flat top).

Drizzle olive oil on top and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Set into a small baking dish with about an inch of water in the bottom. Make a foil “stand” for the garlic to sit on so that it is not immersed into the water. Bake at 400 for 35 mins or until the cloves are soft. If the top cooks faster, cover with foil so that you do not burn the garlic. Allow to cool.

Peel, wash and cut the potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Divide them amongst two large pots to boil in (5lbs in each pot).

Cover with water and boil until tender (approx 20mins).

Drain potatoes and return to stove (heat off but place back onto the hot burner. This will allow the potatoes to “dry out” and not become too watery).

Add into each pot, one brick of the cream cheese, 1/2 stick of butter, 2 cups of milk, half the head of garlic (just pop the cloves out of the paper), and salt & pepper to taste.

With a hand blender, whip the potatoes until smooth. Add more milk if needed to get the right consistency. (I never said these were heart healthy!)

To keep warm, place in a crockpot on “warm” up to 4 hours prior to dinner! Stir occasionally!

You can prep the raw potatoes the night before and leave them in the fridge covered with water ready to biol the next day.

The garlic can be roasted ahead of time as well.

You can also go ahead and make these the day before and warm them in the crock pot that day!

Enjoy! Mangia! — from HUNGRY JAX

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THE BIG RAGU’S GARLIC ARTICHOKE CHEESE DIP with HOMEMADE MELBA TOASTS

1) Make the homemade melba toasts

Ragu’s Garlic Artichoke Cheese Dip & Homemade Melba Toasts

— Pour 1/2 cup of olive oil into a measuring cup and add 1 Tablespoon of minced garlic

— Get 2 loaves of Very Thin Slice Pepperidge Farm White Bread

— Cut each piece of bread into 4 equal cracker sized squares (you can slice up many at a time)

— Lay the ‘crackers’ on 2 cookie sheets. Brush them with olive oil and garlic mixture

— Bake at 225 degrees for 45 minutes – 1 1/2 hours depending on oven. Check every 15 minutes and when they are golden brown with slight brown marks on the bottom, they are done.

— Repeat steps until you have toasted all of the melba toasts – place toasts in large ziploc or tupperware container until serving

2) Make the Garlic Artichoke Cheese Dip (double the recipe for crowds over 12 people)

— In a bowl combine:

2 cups mayonaise

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

1 drained can of artichoke hearts (open the can and dice them even further)

2 Tablespoons Minced Garlic

2 Tablespoons Oregano Flakes

2 Tablespoons Basil Flakes

1 Tsp Black Pepper

Stir by hand thoroughly until the consistency is like mashed potatoes

Move the mixture into a bread pan or brownie pan

Cook 25 minutes on 350 degrees, uncovered

Take pan out, sprinkle a light layer of Shredded Romano Cheese on top of the mixture

Place back into oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Serve with the melba toasts – dip em or spread em, you cant lose.

I bet you will be addicted ! — from THE BIG RAGU

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THE KING’S APPLE BARS

Apple Bars

The King says “I’m a dessert freak, try my Apple Bars”

1 cup margarine

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 or 3 apples – diced(can be any type)

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and pour into cake pan (rectangular)

Add following on top of batter:

sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and chocolate chips over top

Bake in 350 degree oven for around 30 minutes. Check with toothpick if it comes out clean as ovens vary.

Hope it turns out for you ! — from THE KING