A Potluck Friendsgiving

This post was sponsored by Del Monte®. All thoughts and opinions are my own. As my friends and I reach our late twenties, our get-togethers are getting a little less rowdy and a bit more focused on spending quality time together. We are all starting our professional careers and are constantly busy, which makes it hard to keep updated on each others lives.

One of my favorite traditions that has started within the last few years is getting all of my friends together for a Friendsgiving feast. There is nothing better that gathering around a table full of good food and flowing wine with your best friends!

I find the easiest and most cost effective way to host a Friendsgiving dinner is to let each person bring a different dish. We are all still very budget-conscious and like to keep things quick and simple, which is why using Del Monte® canned vegetables to create delicious Holiday meals is an absolute no-brainer.

For this year’s LMP Friendsgiving, we served up a variety of simple and delicious dishes. I made turkey sandwiches with cranberry sauce & brie.

Maggie tossed up a colorful spinach salad with cranberries, walnuts, goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.

Natalie hit it out of the park with some homemade baked green bean fries, which she made using Del Monte® Whole Green Beans , with a sour cream & scallion dip. These fries were crispy & light, and we all remarked on how much we loved trying green beans in a new way!

Seri made a mashed potato, pumpkin and marshmallow casserole, topped with walnuts and drizzled with honey.

Natalie picked up a can of the Del Monte® Whole Green Beans at her local Walmart, and used other ingredients that she already had in her pantry to come up with this original recipe. Here is what she did:

Baked Green Bean Fries with Sour Cream & Scallion Dip

For the Fries: - 1⁄2 cup of Italian style Breadcrumbs - 3 tablespoons of grated parmesan - 2 eggs - can of Del Monte® Whole Green Beans - salt & pepper to taste - olive oil (for pan)

For the Dip: - 2 tablespoons of spicy brown mustard - Handful of chopped scallions - 4 tablespoons of sour cream - 1 tablespoon of lemon juice - salt & pepper to taste - *refrigerate for 30 minutes prior to serving*

1) Preheat oven to 400F 2) Drain liquid from can of green beans 3) Pat dry using a paper towel (this is important to get crispy fries!) 4) Place green beans into scrambled egg bowl (in small batches) 5) Place green beans in dry breadcrumb mixture (in small batches) 6) Place green beans individually on baking plan that has been greased with olive oil 7) Let bake for 20 minutes or until crispy

Maggie and Natalie set our Friendsgiving table beautifully, using indian corn, fresh greenery, and our DIY Studded Pumpkins. For the tableware, they chose plates and cutlery in fall colors, with gold accents set on a maroon tablecloth.

After we each helped ourselves to the delicious food served, we poured some prosecco garnished with fresh cranberries, clinked glasses and enjoyed a beautiful meal together.

Our Friendsgiving was absolutely perfect, and so easy thanks to Del Monte® and Walmart. Now, when you shop at Walmart for all of your Friendsgiving needs, you can save 50 cents when you purchase any Del Monte® product. You can get more info on how to claim your Ibotta rebate here valid 11/3-11/8.

From all of us at LMP, we wish you a Happy Friendsgiving!