“I am hosting a nouveau Thanksgiving party this year – aka a mingling cocktail party instead of the traditional seated, formal dinner,” shares celebrity event planner, Hamptonite, and founder of EVENTSTYLE, Mark Addison. “I’m calling it a Friendsgiving. It takes some of the pressure off being the host, and makes it more interactive and fun for all my guests. Who wants to manage all the boiling pots on the stove and dishes in the oven….not me! I have everything timed perfectly so that I will be able to enjoy an afternoon in the country with all my favorite friends. Cheers!”

Take some kitchen cues from this entertaining guru by following the delicious details on what Addison will be serving this season….and for more information, and recipes please go to: www.eventstyle.com

Cocktails inspired by the season:

Baked Apple Pie Martini
Stewed Cranberry Punch
Pumpkin Spice Martini
Mini Thanksgiving Bites

Starters [pictured below]: 

Stilton Cheese Balls
Winter Squash Soup Shots
Individual Endive Pear Salad

Main Courses: 

Sweet Potato Cakes with Cranberry Relish
Potato Cups with Green Bean Casserole
Mini Bird Pies

 

Desserts: 

Pumpkin Cheesecakes
Mocha Pot de Creme
Cherry Pop Pies

 

PSSST! We convinced Mark  to share some of his secret recipes with KDHamptons readers:

Stilton Cheese Balls

Ingredients:

– 2 lbs Green Seedless Grapes (washed and separated)
- 2 lbs Stilton (Blue Cheese) *
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 3 cups of shelled and chopped pistachio nuts

Method:

1. Pick and wash grapes, drying completely.  
2. Combine the Stilton cheese and cream cheese until smooth.  
3. To make cheese balls, evenly coated each grape with the cheese mixture, then roll in pistachio nuts to completely cover.  
4. Chill in refrigerator until cheese has hardened. Serve slightly chilled.
*if you don’t like Stilton, replace it with goat cheese and try coating fresh or dried fig quarters and roll in chopped dried cranberries or dried cherries.

 

 

Potato Cups Filled with Green Bean Casserole, 
Serving Size: 24

Ingredients:

– 12 red potatoes and new potatoes (6 of each)
– 10.75 oz of cream of mushroom soup
– 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
– ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
– 2 cups cooked, diced green beans
– fried onions

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place potatoes in microwave and cook on high for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half. Cut small slice from round ends of each potato (this lets them sit upright on a plate).
3. Hold potatoes with clean kitchen towel and scoop out centers into medium bowl using a melon baller.
4. Stir soup, Worcestershire sauce, pepper, and green beans.
5. Fill potato cups with green bean mixture and bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until hot.
6.Top with onions and bake for 5 more minutes.

Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

– 16 oz. fat-free cream cheese — softened
- 1 1/2 c granulated sugar
- 1 c pumpkin
- 4 egg whites — whipped
- 4 tsp. cinnamon
- 4 tsp. vanilla
- 2 tsp allspice
- 8 oz graham crackers finely crushed
- 1 stick butter (melted)
– Whipped cream and toasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350, Prepare two 8″ spring form pans with cooking spray; set aside. 
2. Combine graham crackers and butter. Press graham cracker into bottom of prepared pans.  Bake for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to prepare filling, combine cream cheese, granulated sugar, pumpkin, egg whites, cinnamon, vanilla, and allspice;  blend until smooth. 
4. Divide evenly between pans and pour over baked crust. Bake for 30-40 min. or until slightly firm.  
5. Chill completely in refrigerator, release spring form pan, cut cheese cake into circles with circle cookie cutter. 
6. Garnish with whipped cream and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Mini Bird Pies, 
Serving Size: 24

Ingredients:

– 5 cups of diced roasted turkey
- 8 tablespoons turkey gravy from the can
- 4 cups prepared stuffing
- 4 sheets prepared pastry dough
- 4 cups of mashed potatoes
- 1 cup of grated cheddar cheese

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
2. Unfold the pastry sheets out on a floured cutting board. With a sharp knife cut the dough into squares (1/3 larger than the diameter of your mini muffin tin pan).
3. Press each square into a well-greased mini muffin tin pan.
4. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly browned.
5. In each muffin cup, place 1 tbs. of stuffing topped with 1 tbs of minced turkey, 2 tsp. gravy and 1 tbs. of mashed potato topping.
6. Bake Bird Pies 10-15 minutes, until golden. Let stand 5 minutes, then serve.

 

 

Pumpkin Spice Martini, Serving Size: 1

Ingredients:

– 2 oz Smirnoff Vanilla Vodka
- 2 oz non-fat Milk
- 1 tbs Pumpkin Pie Filling
- 1 oz Pumpkin Liqueur
- Garnish with pumpkin spice sugar rim*

Method:

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled 8 oz martini glass coated with pumpkin spice sugar rim mixture.
* Equal parts super fine sugar and ground cinnamon with a dash of pumpkin spice mixture for rim