Friendsgiving... A time to give thanks.

Remember when you were a kid, and the holidays were filled with such joy and amazement? As you get older, you realize that the holidays are just a time to deal with annoying family members, long lines at Target and stress. This year, we decided to get back into the spirit of the holiday with Friendsgiving, a time for friends to gather together for a little food, a little wine and of course, Ohio State football (Go Buckeyes!)
We had the traditional Thanksgiving fare, a 20 lb turkey rubbed with assorted spices, heavy on the rosemary, stuffing, smashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, assorted vegetables and salad. For desert, we served pumpkin and apple pies with homemade whipped cream.
The night was a resounding success, as the girls retired to watch Magic Mike and the boys started a bon fire with the contents of our recycling bin. The Buckeyes even won!

Our Favorite Recipes to Try:
Classic Stuffing Recipe – Courtesy of the Food Network:
Melt 1 stick butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups each diced onions and celery and 1 tablespoon each minced sage and thyme; add salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Add 3 cups turkey or chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Beat 2 eggs with 1/4 cup chopped parsley in a large bowl; add 16 cups cubed stale white bread,then pour in the vegetable-broth mixture and toss. Transfer to a buttered baking dish and dot with butter. Cover and bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees F; uncover and bake until golden, 30 more minutes.

Smashed Potatoes –Courtesy of the Pioneer Woman (I slightly modified it based on our needs)

Begin by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make, and cook them until they’re fork-tender. Generously drizzle olive oil on a sheet pan. When the potatoes are tender, place them on the cookie sheet. Take your potato masher and gently press down on the potato until it slightly mashes. Then, brush the tops rather generously with olive oil. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and rosemary over the smashed potatoes. Bake at 450 degrees for 25 minutes.
Have a great day!
- J