Half Baked Harvest has lots of fun signature cocktails on their website, I have been perusing for Thanksgiving.

LoveBeef Daube Provencal serve with green salad, and bread, noodles noodles, or mash.

Thank you local! Looking now! The Beef Daube Provencal looks great and easy!

I don't use a recipe but this time of year, I like meatballs on polenta served with green beans tossed with garlic, butter and parmesan. It's easy to prep and pull together. Add a salad, wine and candles and you have a rustic elegant meal for a small group.

This recipe is very similar to the one in my head..

The Ultimate Meatballs al Forno with Creamy Polenta Recipe | Tyler Florence | Food Network

Sounds great, funky!

Another idea is pulled pork, cornbread, slaw. Pulled pork is easy in a slowcooker.

I’m having people in next week, I’m making chicken pot pie(store bought crust), salad, and homemade apple sauce. We’ll have some kind of cookie or quick breadfor dessert.

I'm sure everyone's heard of/or made Ham and Potato Casserole. I used to make it years ago with one of the cream of soups.

Tonight DH decided to make the casserole his way. It was delicious, and a bit different than the classic H&P casserole. He goes through the pantry and uses whatever.

This was baked in a glass 9 x 13 pan for 1 1/2 hours or until done, at 375 degrees, covered with foil. Using the large and deep Reynold's disposable pans would be better because you can double the recipe and no cleanup. Don't spray Pam in it.

There isn't any measurement on the following.

Finely chopped Onion.

Finely chopped Green Pepper

Finely chopped canned mushrooms, drained

I can of Corn, drained.

Put the above in a dry saute pan & cook until soft. I believe he drained the juices because it would have been runny.

Chop 4 or 5 Russet potatoes in medium size chunks, and put in a large bowl.

Add 1/2 can of Cream of Potato Soup.

Add the sauteed veggies and mix well.

Cover with foil and bake. I ate a small serving when it came out of the oven and I couldn't believe how good it was. Then he decided to sprinkle grated cheddar on top and bake uncovered until a little crisp on top. Cheese wasn't needed at all but I know it will still be tasty.

He probably sprinkled pepper in there but didn't use salt.

Interesting Oakley! I've actually never had it. Thanks!

local, I LOVE chicken pot pie!

How about making and then freezing (to transport) a big pot of French Onion Soup, and bring along a few baugettes of French bread and a few bags of premade Caesar salad? A couple bottles of wine and a nice chocolate dessert and you’d have a delicious and easy Fall dinner for a chilly evening.

** And, more relaxing time for you ladies to enjoy yourselves as well!

Lynn, that is a great idea! I also like the Posole recommendation you posted on the other thread. Thank you!

Hopefully some trout? We caught some amazing trout in the White River in AR.

Do you enjoy cooking or want something easy?

Texanjana, yes and trout too!

Mtn, pretty easy and quick to put together for this trip.

Taco Bar with grilled skirt steak and fish.

Pasta with grilled meats, fish, vegetables. could make skewers

So Prime Rib one night. I would have pushed back. Suggest they just do as always but enough for all of you? What do you all usually eat then add what's needed for the gals to think it's a complete meal. I might offer to make cookies but would not jump on being the cook/clean up crew. Lots and lots of grilling as I don't grill and very simple salads/bread. Frozen lasagna, ANYTHING to not spend the entire time in the kitchen which is what this 'invite' sounds like.

Grilled pork chops and so many options for sides...I'd make haluski (hah LOOSH key) : sautéd cabbage and onions and mixed with boiled egg noodles...I add caraway seeds for more flavor. But there are so many things that would go with pork chops. I enjoy baked beans with pork. I find oven roasted veggies very quick and easy and expandable for a large crowd...they can be things like broccoli and cauliflower or you can do root vegetables like rutabaga, winter squash and onions. I especially like this one: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/butternut-squash-fennel-and-apple

Or make a large tray like a lasagne or ziti ahead of time and just bake it before serving.

Stews or chili are good in a crock pot ahead of time too.

For holiday dinners, I put a boneless pork roast in the crock pot...so easy and perfect for the fall. https://farmbellrecipes.com/cranberry-pork-roast/

And of course a ham in the oven is quick and easy too.

Ollie, I think a taco bar has the best ratio of satisfying to easy, but Bumble beat me to it

Thank you ALL! I have gotten some great ideas and not only for the cabin trip this weekend, but for some Fall entertaining we do in our outdoor kitchen area this time of year!

If you don’t mind using the crockpot, this recipe for Cider Braised Short Ribs and Caramelized Onions is delicious. Serve with noodles (we like linguine) or rice, with a green salad.

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/wprm_print/112402

kswl, sounds delish! Really! Thanks!

I love the crock pot ideas too, easy and carefree.

Ollie, I posted this on another thread — I guarantee everyone will love it. It’s a great and filling side for a crowd. Goes well with grilled meats, soups/stews, etc.

Cornbread Casserole

2 boxes Jiffy or Martha White yellow cornbread mix

1 sm onion, diced

1 bell pepper, diced

1 can whole corn, drained

1 can cream corn

1 cp melted butter

1 8oz ’lite’ sour cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 can chopped green chilis

Combine all in mixing bowl, bake in greased 9x13 dish at 350 for 50 min to 1 hour, until top is golden brown.

You could make it ahead, then just reheat, if you want. But it’s really fast and easy to assemble if you make it fresh. Good leftovers, too (if any is left!).

@jinx Explain this cornbread casserole to me please. Is it like cornbread that you cut into squares, or is it like a pudding?

You could make Jinx's cornbread casserole and a big pot of soup or chowder, or even chili. We are partial to chicken corn chowder, yum! You could even make more than one kind of soup/chili/chowder and maybe a big tossed salad. You could divide up - each wife doing a dish, one doing the cornbread, one doing salad and the others doing a different soup.

Maddie, it’s sort of firm, sort of soft. Not quite pudding consistency, but does have to be eaten with a spoon or fork. It is cut into squares.

And now I‘m really craving it. :D

I’ve only heard it called spoonbread for obvious reasons! It is a beloved staple in southern cooking.

I love spoonbread, too, I make it in place of regular cornbread sometimes.

The casserole has veggies added, so is really nice for a bit heartier side dish. I’ve been making it over 30 yrs, and it’s my most requested recipe share. :)

As far as drinks, since you've gotten lots of food help, my go-to is always Bobby Flay's sangria or a winter sangria using pomegranite juice. I also enjoy Ina Garten's pitcher of margaritas, and apple pie moonshine is fun and super easy to make way ahead of time (can be consumed as is or my preference is to add a splash of diet ginger ale to cut the sweetness). There are tons of recipes for that online. I just made some yesterday to serve at the holidays. A quart jar of the moonshine is also a fun gift. Edited to add we are also enjoying a cheater paloma using tequila and Fevertree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit.

Some also call it corn pudding.

Yes on Sangria! Those sound great. I like white sangria and honey sangria, too.

My new favorite seasonal martini is from a restaurant we visited:

Pear Cobbler Martini

House infused pear vodka, honeysuckle liqueur, apple juice, lemon juice, house made simple. Dehydrated pear garnish.

I don’t care for overly sweet or super dry drinks, this one is just right.

Sheet pan dinners are pretty easy and very customizable.

If you want to cook something different, Japanese curry chicken (or beef) is easy to make. Target sells S&B Golden Curry paste for $3.19 each. I always add apples to it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0aTW_Fc13w

Hmm, i like curry so I looked; it's funny to call a recipe easy when the ingredients includes already peeled, already chopped, carrots and potatoes!

DO you like the paste? Do you use it for other things? Ive not seen it.

Lol. I like the paste, only use it for curry chicken (beef). Just bought some from Target online, it should be delivered today. I like to cook curry chicken, beef stew during the cold weather. I am not good at cooking, only know two tricks for stews, I could add in curry paste or Italian seasoning. :-)

We had friends over at our lake house a couple weeks ago and I made this white chicken chili (it's more soupy, so I added more beans) and beer bread.

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/creamy-white-chicken-chili/

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/5-ingredient-beer-bread/