Personally, I find it impossible to think of the words “Thanksgiving” and “friends” without thinking of the Thanksgiving episode of Friends featuring Brad Pitt. It's one of my all-time favorites! (Side note: WHY haven't I rewatched that series on Netflix yet?!)
On a related topic, each year my husband and his best friends from college get together to celebrate Thanksgiving “Part Deux,†aka a Friends Thanksgiving Potluck (sadly, Brad Pitt has yet to join us). Anywhere from 20-30 people typically attend, which makes the food options plentiful! Over the years the menu has been refined to reflect the foods that people enjoy the most, provide enough options so that everyone is able to contribute something and to also offer a range of options for those who may or may not be culinary challenged.
If you are hosting or attending your own Friends Thanksgiving potluck this year, here are some of our favorite dishes that you may want to consider:
Appetizers
If people will be hanging out for awhile prior to dinner, having some appetizers to tide people over is a necessity! Apps like cheese and crackers, deviled eggs, a shrimp platter, chips and guacamole, and pigs in a blanket will help keep guests from getting too hungry as they wait for dinner to be served.
1 or 2 Turkeys
The same family has hosted our Friends Thanksgiving every year and as the number of attendees has risen (due to the addition of new friends, spouses, and children) so have the number of turkeys. The past five years or so they have had one traditionally roasted turkey and one deep fried turkey, though the cooking method is completely optional.
Mashed Potatoes
It is not possible to have enough mashed potatoes on the potluck table, as it is one of the quintessential Thanksgiving foods!
Gravy
What would those mashed potatoes be without gravy? The person in charge of the turkey could make homemade gravy using juice from the turkey, but if more is needed (and it usually is), someone on the potluck list can be in charge of picking up a few jars from the grocery store.
Cheesy Potato Casserole
While two types of potatoes aren't necessary, cheesy potato casserole has become a serious fan favorite at our annual gathering.
Sweet Potato Casserole
I know that not everyone is going to agree with me here, but my absolute favorite Thanksgiving food is sweet potato casserole… the more marshmallows the better!
Glazed Carrots
Really, any vegetable would work, and since this has typically been my contribution in the past I usually went with glazed carrots because A. they're tasty and B. they can be made in a crock pot so they take minimal preparation and no extra space on the stove top.
Salad
Thanksgiving can be pretty gluttonous, so we try to add some fresh greens by way of a salad. Typically, however, our greens are covered in fruit, goat cheese, walnuts, and a fruity dressing.
Rolls
Whether they are brown ‘n serve or something fresh from the bakery, rolls are a necessity to mop up any extra gravy on your plate!
Cranberry Sauce
Along with the carrots, my husband and I typically provide the cranberry sauce for our Friends Thanksgiving. While we used to purchase canned cranberry sauce, homemade cranberry sauce couldn't be easier to make and it tastes 100 percent better.
Stuffing
At our Friends Thanksgiving potluck, we typically have two different types of stuffing available. One is provided by the host and is cooked inside the roasted turkey. The other is usually Stove Top or something comparable that is brought by one of the guests. Both tend to be devoured with equal gusto!
Pie
There is no such thing as too much pie on Thanksgiving! Every year our group of friends tends to have pumpkin pie, pecan pie, apple pie, and raspberry pie. One year we even had mincemeat pie! Despite the quantity of pies available, there is rarely any pie leftover!
More Dessert
Since desserts often double up as appetizers during football games and before dinner, it is not uncommon to have people sign up to bring platters of cookies and other treats.
Wine and Beer
There are two ways to handle alcoholic beverages at Thanksgiving. Everyone could be asked to bring a bottle or two along at smaller gatherings, but at larger dinners where there may be more people than there are potluck items, then beer and wine can be brought by those with nothing else to bring.
Since we travel in from out of town, we typically bring wine with us. While I admit that in our younger days we were big fans of two buck chuck from Trader Joe's, we've since upgraded and the past couple of years I've brought bottles that I received in my monthly wine subscription from Winc (formerly Club W).
Food Storage Containers
Though this isn't a traditional potluck item, no matter how many people there are or how much food is brought to a Thanksgiving potluck there is always going to be leftovers. Instead of sticking the host with everything that remains, having people bring plastic food storage containers and freezer bags, will ensure that guests can evenly distribute the leftovers and enjoy the remains of the dinner the next day.
Planning the menu for a Thanksgiving potluck is the fun part, but keeping it all organized can be tough! One easy way to keep a Friends Thanksgiving potluck organized, especially if all of the guests will not be seeing one another before the dinner, is to send out a potluck sign-up sheet using Google Docs. This way, everyone will be able to update the spreadsheet with what they will be bringing in real time, thus eliminating any duplicates or confusion!