Friendsgiving (Or Thanksgiving) Recipe Ideas to Share

Whether you celebrate friendsgiving, thanksgiving or both, Kentucky farmwife Catherine S. Pond's reflections and original recipes will get you into the holiday spirit!

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite adult holiday, free from the commercialism of Christmas or the flurry of gift buying and wrapping. It’s also towards the end of autumn, my most beloved season. 

Our celebrations have changed throughout the years: from large gatherings of family and friends back in our “Currier & Ives” New Hampshire home setting — complete with special heirloom crystal and china inherited from both of our families, such as old Indus servers with their brown patterning, polished silver and pressed linens. 

Our museum-like house (now still mostly in boxes in Kentucky) was warmed by the people around us and the scent of meal preparations in our spacious kitchen. 

A plump and savory turkey with special stuffing, butternut squash my husband and I had prepared together earlier in the fall, apple and cranberry sauces , and grape jam I’d made with the kids, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls and gravy, pies and other offerings—a literal “groaning board” of plenty and goodness. Friends filled in the edges with their contributions to the feast.

Since we moved to Kentucky seventeen years ago this month, we’ve downsized by necessity. Here we have no proper dining room, so Thanksgivings are simple, even casual, and, in warmer weather, often served on the porch. 

We’ve had only a few larger family gatherings and a few “Friendsgiving's” as well — each memorable in their own special ways. 

Thanksgiving is reflective of that: paring down to the very meat and bones of our remaining — and now growing — family, whoever is here or near; faith in something greater than ourselves; good local food; the shelter of our farm; and dear friends! 

Each year we gather together in whatever assemblage we can and are thankful for what we have, and for each other.

To me, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to justify baking — and carb-laden treats! 

In the following sections, I'll share two of my favorite baking recipes for pie dough and rolls along with a simple yet decadent turkey noodle casserole perfect for Friendsgiving celebrations or Thanksgiving leftovers.

Two Tried and True Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving Baking Recipes

Here are two tried and true baking recipes, both from special friends along the way, that I have now folded into our friendsgiving or thanksgiving celebrations. 

To aid a busy prep time, the dough for the pie and rolls can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to a few days (the pie dough can also be frozen and ready to roll once thawed). 

You can also make the rolls after Thanksgiving with some of your leftover mashed potatoes!

Another fun way to celebrate the holiday is to host a Friendsgiving potluck on the weekend for leftovers and have everyone bring a dish. 

This tasty turkey casserole I conjured a few years ago is the perfect main dish for such a gathering.

Rosemary's Never-Fail Pie crust

My friend Rosemary is an amazing cook and baker. Before we moved to Kentucky, she held a pie dough workshop for me and a few other friends.

This pie dough is absolutely foolproof and delicious and can be used for sweet or savory pies.

I should add that I used to be afflicted with pie-crust-a-phobia (there must be a scientific term for this). Mine would tear or rip and I usually ended up just cutting and pasting and pushing the crust into a pie pan and hoping for the best.

Before this recipe, the thought of making pie dough and rolling it out had brought near fits and fevers. The addition of an egg and apple cider vinegar to this dough helps make it pliant and smooth —the use of a food processor results in an even easier and workable dough.

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1½  cups cold fat—I use 8 oz. unsalted butter and 1/2 c. Crisco® (or any preferred combination: you can also use lard)
• 1/2 cup ice water
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Procedure:

1. Use a pastry cutter if blending by hand. If using a food processor, blend the dry ingredients, add the butter (cubed) and pulse a few times. 
2. Add the shortening and pulse again until all the fat is cut in. 
3. Dump in a large bowl.
4. Blend the liquid ingredients well and begin to add to the flour/fat mix, fluffing it up with a fork. This is generally the right amount of liquid but sometimes it needs a little less or a little more. In that case, just add drizzles of ice water.
5. Dump onto a countertop and press quickly with the heel of your hand. Flip the edges over the middle and press again to bring the dough together. 
6. Divide into 4 equal pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and chill.
7. Makes two 2-crust pies or 4 bottom crusts: delicious with apple, rhubarb and pumpkin!

NOTE: If using dough with a savory pie filling, you can omit the sugar.

anna's easy refrigerator rolls

My Old Order Mennonite friend Anna has been a great friend of mine since we moved to Kentucky. She has published two cookbooks of her family recipes and, as she was one of eleven children, there are many recipes to share!

These rolls are everything you want in a dinner roll: soft, pillowy, flavorful and can be made in any size. You can even use the dough to make hamburger or cinnamon rolls.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs 
• ⅔ cup shortening (or vegetable oil, which Anna prefers)
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1 cup mashed potatoes (instant may be used)
• ½ cup warm water
• 1 cup milk, scalded
• 1 package dry yeast
• 6 to 6 ½ cups high gluten flour or a good bread flour
  

Procedure:

1. Beat eggs until frothy.
2. Add sugar, shortening (or oil), salt, mashed potatoes, scalded milk and water.
3. Add yeast to flour and then add enough flour to make a soft dough that can be kneaded.
4. Knead dough until smooth and elastic.
5. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn over to bring the greased surface to the top.
6. Cover and let rise until doubled in a warm part of your kitchen.
7. Shape dough into rolls of any size and let rise until doubled.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.

NOTE: This dough can be refrigerated for 1-3 days. When ready to bake, shape rolls and allow to rise for about 2 hours before baking.

Turkey Noodle Casserole à la Catherine

I love tuna noodle casserole made with chunk white tuna, and you can readily substitute chicken or turkey (especially if your husband grouses about tuna noodle casserole from some awful childhood memory — so this is what I came up with as an alternative).

You can also substitute crabmeat, langostinos (mini-lobsters found in many frozen seafood sections) or shrimp. This is arguably like turkey tetrazzini and I suppose if you substituted spaghetti that it would be. 

Ingredients:

• Leftover turkey chunks (about 4-6 cups, or more: mostly white meat)
• 1 bag of frozen broccoli bits
• 8 tablespoons butter (1 stick)
• 2 shallots, minced (or small onion)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 package sliced mushrooms (I like Baby Bellas)
• ¾ cup flour
• 2-4 cups whole milk and/or half-and-half
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 cups plain breadcrumbs (from a can or toasted homemade)
• Salt and pepper to taste (I also add paprika and dried chervil or parsley)
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 16-ounces very wide egg noodles (I like Mrs. Millers®)

Procedure:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Boil water and cook noodles according to package directions.
3. Drain noodles and set aside, tossed in a bit of butter.
4. Steam broccoli until bright green and fork tender, and set aside.
5. Start a roux/white sauce by melting 6 Tbsps. butter. Add the chopped small onion or shallot, minced garlic and sliced mushrooms to the roux. 
6. Saute for a few minutes until tender; then add flour until blended with a whisk —stir quickly. 
7. To the roux, slowly add milk/half-and-half and whisk gently until thickened (you must watch this part carefully).
8. Add more liquid if too thick: you want a white sauce that is like a good gravy in consistency.
9. Add salt and pepper and other seasonings to taste — you can also add a few tablespoons of chicken stock base (preferably without MSG).
10. Take off the heat once the mixture has thickened nicely and is not too runny.
11. Stir in chopped turkey, chopped fresh parsley, sour cream and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese.
12. In a large bowl, gently toss noodles with white sauce and turkey mixture and add broccoli.
13. Pour into a large greased 2-quart casserole dish or a 9x13 glass baking dish.
14. In a small saucepan, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and toss with 2 cups of breadcrumbs to coat.
15. Add in the remaining ½ cup of cheese to the crumb mixture. 
16. Sprinkle equally on top of the casserole. Dot with more butter if desired!
17. Bake for 30 minutes or until slightly browned and bubbly.

NOTE: To counteract all of that rich casserole-y goodness, serve with a simple tossed salad and a glass of dry white wine

Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family—and dear friends—from our farm to yours!