Party Planner: Friendsgiving with Sunday Suppers

This year we partnered with Karen Mordechai, founder of the communal cooking center and blog Sunday Suppers, as she hosted a casual, spirited Friendsgiving celebration in her Brooklyn studio. Use these recipes from her new Sunday Suppers cookbook, along with our easy entertaining tips, to pull off the feast yourself.

 

 

Greet guests with a Pomegranate Mojito, a light, bright way to start the festivities. Pair with a spread of cheese, charcuterie and fruit for snacking.

 

At the table, savor turkey with white wine gravy — you can use regular butter as the recipe directs, or take it to another level with black truffle butter, as Karen does. Rustic garlic bread and fluffy mashed potatoes are perfect for soaking up the gravy.

 

On the side, serve the beautiful wild mushroom and brioche stuffing, full of sweet and earthy flavors, and buttered brussels leaves for something fresh and green. Karen’s tart cranberry-apple relish makes a rustic alternative to traditional cranberry sauce.

 

End the meal with a spiced pumpkin crème brûlée, served communally in a large baking pan — it makes a dramatic presentation.

 

 

 

• 3 days ahead: Make the cranberry-apple relish; refrigerate. Prepare the crème brûlée up to the point just before you broil the sugar, then cover and refrigerate.
• 1 to 2 days ahead: Cook the vegetables for the stuffing; refrigerate.
• Day of: Roast the turkey.
• Just before serving: Make the mashed potatoes. Finish and bake the stuffing. Make the garlic bread and the gravy. Make the buttered brussels leaves. Finish the crème brûlée. Mix the mojitos — cheers!

 

Set up a table for drinks and appetizers. Fill a pitcher with the cocktail, and chill wine bottles in an ice bucket (don’t forget the bubbly)! Arrange the cheese and charcuterie on platters alongside the drinks.

 

Friendsgiving isn’t meant to be fancy — it’s casual, communal and fun. Don’t be afraid to serve dishes right out of the pan you cook them in, as Karen did with the brussels sprout leaves and stuffing.

 

Keep your decor simple. Place a linen runner in a rich fall hue down the center of the table, along with candles in glass votives. Bring in natural colors and textures that feel inviting, with rustic wood boards for serving and branches of tiny apples to lend a pop of color.

 

A special place setting doesn’t have to be elaborate. We love a simple herb sprig, along with flatware tied in napkins with a string of twine.

 

If kids are part of your dinner, plan fun activities to keep them interested. Set up a kids’ table with art projects like drawing and making Thanksgiving-themed crafts.