What to Make, Buy or Bring for This Year’s Friendsgiving Dinner

If you are hosting, chances are you’re in charge of the turkey—which also means it’s your job to stress over whether or not it will be dry. Well, lucky for you, this is a cause we really believe in, so we created a slow-cooker version that makes dry meat all but impossible. That’s because it doesn’t require basting, rotating or creating fort-like tinfoil tents. You (and your oven) will thank us later.

We’ll give you a moment to wrap your head around this delicious creation. These impressive skillet nachos can be served as an appetizer or side dish. Roasted sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts are combined with creamy Brie, white cheddar cheese and some dollops of cranberry sauce. Your guests will love this dish and it takes only 40 minutes from start to finish.

Our favorite holiday trick? Convenient desserts amplified by easy-to-find ingredients. That’s right, you can leave the baking to the pros but take all the credit. We recommend starting with a clean (and delicious) canvas like Sara Lee Classic Cheesecake, which pairs well with almost any sort of topping. Try using seasonal ingredients like gooseberries (see above), cranberries or pomegranates to bring out the flavors of the holiday. See? A crowd-pleasing dessert without the hassle (or dirty baking sheets).

We love an old-fashioned charcuterie board, but in an effort to truly wow everyone at the table, put together a fruicuterie board. There’s zero cooking involved and the only prep you’ll need to do is buy the fruit and cheese, peel and dice accordingly and assemble everything together on a tray. It’s that simple and it will leave a lasting impression. 

OK, so here’s what to make when you’re invited to dinner and not hosting. You’ll want a recipe that’s easy to prepare and even easier to transport. Enter stuffing muffins. It’s everyone’s favorite side dish but in cute little individual portions. You should go ahead and make a double batch because we guarantee everyone will want seconds.

People have a lot of thoughts when it comes to cranberry sauce: They like it. They don’t like it. They prefer canned over homemade. They only want a little taste. They pour it over everything. If you’re attending dinner at a friend’s home, bring this five-ingredient red-wine cranberry sauce. Because whether you eat it or not, this is one food that cannot be missing from the table. This version takes just 20 minutes to make and has the addition of not only red wine but also fresh cinnamon and orange zest. In short: It’s real good.