The FMG 2022 Thanksgiving Menu & Guide – A Vegetarian Feast
Welcome to Thanksgiving, peeps – FMG style!
Of all the fall and winter holidays, Thanksgiving surely takes the top podium spot. This year I managed to host a bustling Friendsgiving at my house, and J and I will in the coming days have our own little celebration with whatever menu I come up with. As far as Thanksgiving itself goes, I always spend it with my mom, a tradition I will cherish with every passing year.
Whether you’re a crowd of one, two, or twenty, the FMG guide has something for you in its swath. This year I’ve created a fully vegetarian menu, from which you can pick and choose however many dishes you want and need for the occasion. We have sweet and savory breakfasts, appetizers, a beautiful lasagna and an extra special veggie meatball skillet, potatoes both mashed and crisped, colorful salads, the softest pumpkin brioche rolls, three festive pitcher-friendly cocktails, and of course, a end to the night with a cookie pie and cozy spiced cupcakes.
Because I myself am pescatarian, I wanted to experiment with a meatless Thanksgiving for anyone who tires of the traditional turkey or, like me, who simply doesn’t eat it. Both mains are luscious and filling and you might not even miss the bird (or pig, if you usually do ham) after a plateful of either. Plus, if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving anyway, this might anyway provide inspiration for upcoming gatherings or family dinners.
So, grab your forks, knives, and wine glasses. I’ll feed all you fuckers.
The FMG 2022 Thanksgiving Menu – A Vegetarian Feast
Breakfast
Always love a good starter in the morning so people don’t grow hangry during the Macy’s parade. Both a sweet and a savory option cater to any taste that might be in your house that day.
Baked Pumpkin Pie Crunch French Toast
Another option: Cider Pumpkin Pancakes
Herby Mushroom and Swiss Croissant Breakfast Bake
Appetizers
Have the snacks ready when guests arrive for all-day nibbling.
Everything Caesar Seasoned Crackers
Spicy Roasted Garlic Sage White Bean Dip
Mains
Whether you’re vegetarian or not, a meatless alternative to turkey is great for those who might not be so fond of the bird. I mean, no one’s fond of the bird, but I digress.
Sage Parmesan Chickpea Meatballs with White Wine Gravy
Sides
The sides steal the show, let’s be real.
Crispy Cheddar Ranch Potato Stacks
Pumpkin Sage Butter Brioche Dinner Rolls
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Apple Salad with Spiced Maple Walnuts
Or…Harvest Fig and Kale Crunch Salad with Tahini Cider Dressing (tip: swap out the figs for roasted butternut squash, pears, or apples! I’m using apples.)
Mushroom Alfredo Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
Kale Apple and Sage Croissant Stuffing
Stovetop Herb Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Candied Pecan Brussels Sprouts with Honey Mustard
Dessert
A pie is always traditional, but keep an additional non-pie treat to expand your guests’ palates. Or, as I suggest here, a cookie pie…
Gooey Pumpkin Butter Cookie Pie
Another option: Chai Bourbon Pumpkin Pie
Chai Cupcakes with Bourbon Espresso Frosting
Drinks
Sangrias are the best pitcher cocktails for a gathering. Both of these can be made en masse for sippin’.
Spiced Pumpkin Latte for breakfast/midday caffeine kick
Spiced Maple Rosemary Bourbon Fizz
Weekly Schedule
Splitting tasks up day-by-day helps prevent you from accumulating too much stress on a single day.
Sunday:
1. Make grocery lists
2. Finalize the guest list
3. Set the table, make guest placards if you choose to do so.
4. Make the Caesar crackers
Monday
1. Grocery shop (go in person, delivery, pickup, etc.)
2. Buy wine and alcohol (*Tip: I always buy an extra few bottles of wine just in case!)
3. Prepare the stuffing and chill
4. Prepare the rolls and chill
Tuesday
1. Bake and decorate the chai cupcakes
2. Prepare the lasagna, chill
3. Prepare the spaghetti squash, chill
4. Roast the brussels sprouts and pecans, chill
5. Make the mashed potatoes, chill
6. Prep the apple brie tarts, chill
Wednesday
1. Prepare the French toast, chill
2. Prepare the sangria, chill
3. Prepare the martini pitcher, chill
4. Prepare the white bean dip, chill
5. Put together the potato stacks, chill
6. Prepare the pumpkin lattes, chill
7. Prep the mushroom croissant bake, chill
8. Last minute grocery shopping and cleaning
Thursday
Morning…
1. Bake off the French toast
2. Bake off the mushroom swiss casserole
3. Make the pancakes
4. Warm up the spiced pumpkin lattes
Afternoon…
1. Assemble the cheeseboard
2. Set out the white bean dip and crackers
3. Bake the brie tarts
4. Set out all the snacks
5. Assemble the salad. This can chill in the fridge for up to 3 hours beforehand.
Dinner prep…
1. Bake the rolls
2. Bake the stuffing
3. Bake the lasagna
4. Warm the brussels sprouts and candied pecans
5. Bake the crispy potato stacks
6. Mix up the pumpkin butter cookie pie
7. Warm the mashed potatoes
8. Cook the meatballs and gravy
During dinner…
1. Bake the pumpkin cookie pie
2. Set out the cupcakes
3. Pop open another bottle of wine because fuck it, it’s Thanksgiving
After dinner…
1. Ensure guests have reliable rides home or to their lodging (Uber, Lyft, a sober DD, etc.)
2. Assign dish duty to some unlucky fellows.
3. Run the vacuum and wipe down the counters/tables
4. Take a few minutes to unwind and decompress. Hot shower, face mask, an extra glass of wine in a quiet place, etc. I like to throw a bath robe in the drier to warm it up and feel extra cozy.
Ten Tips for a Slam-Banging Thanksgiving
1. Make a playlist.
I’m maybe an oddball in my music choices, but I love some good jazz or instrumental music – not big on trap or booty-popping for Thanksgiving, but you know, do you. Whatever you choose, prep it ahead of time and have the tunes singing away as guests arrive. Always helps to ask your attendees what they like, too, so you can put that jazz next to the booty-popping in perfect harmony.
2. Set the table.
A pretty tablescape feels welcoming to a large group. At the very least, a couple candles and a vase of flowers create a warm ambience.
3. Delegate tasks to family members.
Scribble up a checklist and enlist your housemates for help. Someone can help clean, another can prep the table, still another run out for last minute groceries. Assign folks to post-dinner tasks as well: dishes, drying dishes, taking out trash, bundling leftovers, helping drunk comrades find safe rides home. You needn’t do it all alone if you can help it!
4. Grocery shop early.
Stores shelves tend to wipe out pretty early, not to mention the crowds get way worse (and crankier) the closer to Thanksgiving we get. I recommend making your list(s) and running out on Monday for the bulk of the items you’ll need. Or, make a delivery order – tip your drivers well, folks, they’re probably working extra hard to deliver your shit in a timely manner.
5. Make an oven schedule.
Check your recipes and see what can be thrown into the oven at the same temperature. I find it handy to print all the recipes I plan to make and put them in a binder or folder in the order they can be made. If you still have a bit of time after everything is cooked off, switch the oven to a very low heat setting, cover the dishes with foil, and place them inside to stay warm.
6. Do some self-care the days leading up.
If you feel frantic and extra anxious, take some time Wednesday to unwind before bed, or whenever you have a moment to squeeze away from the madness. The holidays in general can bring some unwelcome tension, so checking in with yourself is quite important to keep aligned. Take a bath, read, go for a walk, do a face mask, order takeout – whatever makes you feel grounded. And, if you see a therapist, perhaps try to make an appointment early in the week to let go of any pent-up steam and figure out appropriate strategies for stress management.
7. Have games available.
Board games, video games, word games – set them out for guests to enjoy while they nibble on snacks and mill around the house. I love a mean round of Mario Party or any sort of card game.
8. Light candles for ambience.
They needn’t be scented, since the house is going to smell wonderful with everything cooking and baking, but set out some pillar or taper candles (I love terracotta, rust, or dark green ones for fall vibeage) to create cozy lighting. Just make sure they’re out of the reach of small kids or pets, or drunkards who’ve sipped way too much sangria.
9. Encourage guests to bring tupperware.
If leftovers are in the forecast, ask your guests to provide containers to bring foods home. I don’t think anyone is too mad about post-Thanksgiving grub for a couple days, and this takes a big load off your own fridge.
10. Clean as you go.
I try to load as many dirty dishes as possible when I’ve finished using them, and for some this can help reduce the overwhelming nature of post-holiday cleanup. Don’t let mid-cooking dishes interrupt your family and friend time, but if you can pop a handful of forks in the dishwasher before checking on the lasagna, feel free.
Kitchen/Dining Inspiration
White Champagne flatware, Taper holders, White wine cooler, Dinner plates, Pumpkin placecard holders, Taper candles, Embroidered Napkins , Vases, Etched wine glasses, Gold serving plate, Covered casserole dish, Coffee mugs
Hope you found benefit in this year’s guide! If you make any of the recipes from the 2022 FMG Thanksgiving Menu, leave a rating and comment with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
