Happy Thanksgiving to all my fellow Americans! ðŸ‡ºðŸ‡¸


 Living abroad has it's beautiful moments, but missing Thanksgiving is certainly not one of them. My mom is an amazing cook and a great hostess who threw really elaborate gatherings when I was growing up, so naturally I feel quite homesick around this time of year!

Between being homesick and being a self-proclaimed F.A.B. (festive ass bitch) I have taken it upon myself every year I've lived abroad to celebrate Thanksgiving in some way.  My first celebration consisted of having a frozen turkey dinner alone in my living room, but luckily my Thanksgivings have evolved into much less lonely affairs over the years. My new tradition is to host a PROPER Friendsgiving with my fellow homesick American friends! 


This year there was 10 of us total, and as you can see by my photos my crew does notttt mess around with Turkey Day. 


Appetizers: 

Artichoke Dip
Raspberry Cream Cheese Dip
Truffle Chips 


Mains: 

Roasted Turkey with Gravy
Stuffing 
Green Bean Casserole
Garlic Mash
Potato Grain
Mac & Cheese
Brussels Sprout and Bacon Salad


Sides: 

Creamed Corn
Glazed Carrots 
Sweet Potatoes 
Roasted Brussels Sprouts


Accoutrements: 

Crispy Shallots
Zested Sugared Cranberries 
Cranberry Jam
Bread Rolls 
Mini Corn Muffins
Herbed Butter 
Honey Butter 

Dessert: 

Apple Tart 
Vanilla Ice Cream 
Homemade Cookie Assortment 



We have most of the classics in there, with a few non-traditional items thrown in to keep things interesting!




The best part? Almost every single thing was homemade (including the bread rolls!)

My group always has a Google Doc for our gatherings where everyone writes down what they're bringing so we keep organized. It might sound a little OTT but it is a crackin' way to make sure everything is taken care of for a big group gathering, I highly recommend trying it out! 

For drinks, we set up a bar on my kitchen counter. I made frozen cranberry skewers to stir the drinks and keep them cold, and my friend Lucy zested some oranges and threw in fresh cranberries as a garnish.  I made chilled apple cider and we mixed it with prosecco, whiskey, even rum to create festive cocktails! 



The best day, with the best food & the best people.

Now that I have shared the details on our spread, please enjoy this family photo where my cat looks like he is being eaten by a dinosaur: