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This post is sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc but the content and opinions are my own.

Sausage Farro Stuffing – an updated holiday side dish made with ancient grains, butternut squash and kale. Since HOW you serve your guests is just as important as WHAT you serve them – read on for my best Friendsgiving Entertaining Tips too! [ultimate-recipe-jump]

The holidays are a magical time. Full of joyful memories and traditions. Which is comforting, but it can also leave you in a rut year after year. Especially when it comes to the food! That was me recently while planning our contribution to a neighborhood Friendsgiving celebration/block party. So I ditched all our family favorites in favor of something new, this Sausage Farro Stuffing. Which has already become a NEW favorite!

Sausage Farro Stuffing

Even though I call this dish Sausage Farro Stuffing, I guess technically it’s more of a dressing. You know people come to blows when debating those two terms. You might even consider it a warm salad. Regardless of the name, you are going to love its nutty richness. Cooking the farro with diced butternut squash and warm spices like ancho chile, cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg gives the dish a texture similar to risotto. The squash simply melts into creaminess!

I would LOVE for this to be a vegetarian dish, but my meat-eating husband stood his ground on this one. He’s willing to forgo our classic bread stuffing, but the substitute HAS to have Jimmy Dean® Sausage. And I agree, it is a timeless holiday recipe ingredient! We even grabbed extra for biscuits and green chile sausage gravy over the weekend.

Friendsgiving Entertaining Tips

Friendsgiving Tip #1 – Write a master list and shop in one place. Once upon a time I would run around to three or more stores to get food, beverages and decorations for a Friendsgiving celebration. Which totally stresses you out! Now I can get it all done in one trip to Sam’s Club. I start with the menu ingredients for each dish first. Then check to see if I need any special cookware or utensils to make each dish. Do I need extra serving utensils? Those all go on the list.

We are having my Sweet Chipotle Cornish Hens to go along with the Sausage Farro Stuffing so those landed at the top of my list. Tyson® Cornish Hens became a holiday favorite once the boys grew up and we mostly entertained with friends back in Arizona.

Not only are Cornish hens (a small breed of chicken) delicious little birds, they are so easy to make! Typically I like to spatchcock or butterfly the hens so they cook more evenly. Since this is the year of change I halved them instead. Two things I discovered – half a hen is a decent portion for one person. Halves are easier to eat in a non-traditional setting, i.e. sitting with friends around a fire pit instead of the dining room table!

Sweet Chipotle Cornish Hens

Orange Cherry Cornish Hens

Which brings me to Friendsgiving Entertaining Tip #2 – skip the traditional place setting and serve food family-style instead. Gathering with friends around a big platter of good food warms my heart. Snack boards and party platters have been my thing lately. Sheet pan meals are another casually festive option. We really prefer a minimalistic approach to entertaining at this stage of life. I pick two or three dishes that work in harmony with each other.

For example my Friendsgiving Entertaining Tip #3 is to keep things simple and use what you have. I like to have a teaser to kick off the meal. In this case I took the extra sweet chipotle glaze from the hens. And used it as a sauce with Hillshire Farm® Lit’l Smokies® Smoked Sausages. One sauce = two flavorful dishes – with a lot less stress too!

I hope you like my Sausage Farro Stuffing as much as we do. If you love this easy Friendsgiving recipe you can find more like it by checking out my Side Dish section! For recipe entertaining tips delivered to your inbox, subscribe to my newsletter, follow my photography journey on Instagram, and for generally inappropriate humor follow like me on Facebook!

[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Sausage Farro Stuffing – An updated holiday side dish made with ancient grains, butternut squash and kale. – breakfast sausage, sliced mushrooms, dried cranberries, thinly sliced leeks, diced butternut squash, paprika, ancho chile powder, cinnamon, fresh grated nutmeg, kosher salt, farro, chicken or vegetable stock, loosely packed roughly chopped kale, canola or vegetable oil (if needed), , Cook sausage in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until mostly browned. Break meat up with a spatula or wooden spoon.; Add mushrooms, leeks and dried cranberries to pot. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently. Use a slotted spoon to scoop mixture into a bowl, reserving fat in pot. Set sausage mixture aside.; In a medium bowl toss butternut squash with spices and salt. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pot if needed. Add squash and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly browned.; Mix in farro, cook 1-2 minutes. Stir in stock, scrape bits off bottom of pot. Bring to a boil and cover pot. Reduce heat to medium low, simmer 15-20 minutes until squash cooks down and farro is tender.; Stir in sausage mixture and kale. Cook 2-3 minutes until warmed through and kale is slightly wilted. Salt to taste. Serve warm.; ; – – Salads – Seasonal – Side Dish – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]

#ad - Sausage Farro Stuffing - an updated holiday side dish made with ancient grains, butternut squash and kale. Since HOW you serve your guests is just as important as WHAT you serve them - read on for my best Friendsgiving Entertaining Tips too! https://ooh.li/d8d3764 #HolidaysAtSamsClub This post is sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc but the content and opinions are my own.

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Cheese ravioli in brown butter, spinach pesto with plenty of Parmesan and toasted pepitas. Simple, delicious and in my belly! . . #pasta #realfood (at Thyme for Cocktails) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bow9qJDgiaj/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=15ggzc3mpvwoi

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyMeijerWin #CollectiveBias​ You can make the most of your time and homegating budget when you serve this ultimate Jalapeño Popper Snack Board that turns five simple ingredients into three different snacks for guests to enjoy. Get the recipe for my Sweet Chipotle Bacon Jalapeño Poppers plus tips for selecting the perfect jalapeno peppers! -[ultimate-recipe-jump]

Snack boards are a great way to mix things up when you entertain. For us they started as an easy way for me and Paul to enjoy snacks on the weekend. But they were the usual meat, cheese, and veggie type party platters. When that got old we graduated to more involved appetizers like this Steak Bruschetta Board. Since it works so well for two of us, I figured it would be a fun idea with friends. I love family-style dining because it really encourages people to talk while they eat.

Sweet Chipotle Bacon Jalapeño Poppers

When stocking up on homegating essentials at Meijer my list was very intentional! Select items like Eckrich® Smoked Sausage that could be repurposed into more than one tasty recipe. Plus I save a little money with my rewards. I love how the Meijer app suggests my favorites when they are on sale! Dr Pepper® makes a great meat marinade and right now you can get this mperks offer and save $1 on any two (2) Dr Pepper® 6pk 7.5oz cans or 8pk 12oz bottles. Offer valid through 10/27/18 or while supplies last.

My Arizona born and raised husband is a jalapeño popper aficionado. We have stuffed poppers with egg rolls and his favorite- Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf Stuffed Poppers. For this party platter I was making Sweet Chipotle Bacon Jalapeño Poppers! After that my biggest challenge was turning those same ingredients into other recipe ideas that made sense for my snack board. What else could I make with soda, smoked sausage, jalapeño peppers, bacon, and cream cheese?!

Know Your Jalapeño Peppers

Jalapeño peppers are at the heart of this party platter. You’ve got them stuffed, pickled, fresh sliced, and mixed into basically everything. Even the sweet chipotle glaze. Did you know chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, the ones we love in the little cans, are dried, smoked jalapeño peppers? They are soaked in a sweet, slightly vinegary red sauce, aka adobo sauce. The adobo sauce retains some smokey heat from the peppers, but it’s pretty mild. For more heat, mince the peppers and use them in your recipes.

Have you ever shied away from making jalapeño poppers because you were afraid of the heat level? While you will never really know how hot a pepper is until you taste it, there are a few things you can do to minimize their spiciness when making these Sweet Chipotle Bacon Jalapeño Poppers. First off look for larger, smooth peppers with few or no lines on them. Those flecks and cracks appear as a pepper ages. The more mature a pepper is, the spicier it will be. Bigger peppers hold more filling- enough said. The spiciness of any pepper or chile is strongest in the ribs or inner flesh, not the seeds. Remove as much of it as you can when cleaning out your peppers for a milder heat level. Carefully use a paring knife or spoon to scoop out the insides of the peppers. Capsaicin, the stuff that makes a pepper spicy, will get on your hands so wash well. Or wear gloves when handling them!

See if you can follow along!

Jalapeño Popper Snack Board

Diced pieces of rich, savory Eckrich Smoked Sausage goes in the popper filling. You can easily grill extra smoked sausage for sliders. While guests sip on the one of a kind flavor of Dr Pepper, you will turn that indulgent taste into a sweet chipotle glaze. Be sure to candy even more bacon with the glaze, and then serve extra for dipping. That candied bacon is perfect on sliders.

Mix diced jalapeño peppers into the extra popper filling (let’s face it- there’s ALWAYS extra filling) and make a hearty dip. Top dip with crumbled bacon. Bake alongside poppers, serve all of it warm with toasted buns and chips. Use elements like fresh and pickled jalapeño peppers and a simple coleslaw to balance rich, bold flavors!

Your guests get snack options while you save a little money and hassle in the kitchen. This Jalapeño Popper Snack Board is a homegating win for sure!

Enjoy~

Loriann

I hope you like my Sweet Chipotle Bacon Jalapeño Poppers as much as we do. If you love these delicious bite-sized recipes and want more ideas for homegating snack boards, you can find more like it by checking out my Game Day section! For recipe inspiration delivered to your inbox, subscribe to my newsletter, follow my photography journey on Instagram, and for generally inappropriate humor follow like me on Facebook!

 [wpurp-searchable-recipe]Sweet Chipotle Bacon Jalapeno Poppers – Sweet Chipotle Bacon Jalapeno Poppers with a filling made from cream cheese, grated pepper jack, and smoked sausage wrapped in bacon then brushed with a sweet chipotle glaze. – Dr Pepper, honey, garlic powder, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (adjust for desired heat level), bacon (divided), Eckrich smoked sausage, cream cheese (room temperature), Greek yogurt, shredded pepper jack cheese, jalapeno peppers (divided), , Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking tray with foil. Place a baking rack over tray, set aside.; In a medium saucepan mix together soda, honey, garlic, powder and chipotles. Bring to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until reduced by half.; Cut bacon strips in half. Reserve 18 pieces for jalapeno poppers.; Prepare smoked sausage according to package directions. Let cool slightly, dice and place in a large bowl. Add cream cheese and pepper jack cheese to bowl, mix to combine.; Cut peppers in half from stem to tip. Remove ribs and seeds. Fill each half pepper with cream cheese mixture and wrap in bacon. Place on baking rack. Repeat with remaining peppers.; Back for 20 minutes until crisp. Brush with glaze during last five minutes of cooking time. Let cool slightly before serving warm.; ; – Tip – Mix diced jalapeno peppers into leftover popper filling and bake for a creamy, gooey dip. Grill extra sausage and serve with toasted buns and coleslaw for sliders. Cook remaining bacon and brush with glaze. – Game Day – Grill Recipes – New Post – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]

You can make the most of your time and homegating budget when you serve this ultimate Jalapeño Popper Snack Board that turns five simple ingredients into three different snacks for guests to enjoy. Get the recipe for my Sweet Chipotle Bacon Jalapeño Poppers plus tips for selecting the perfect jalapeno peppers!  #MyMeijerWin #ad This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

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If Mother Nature isn’t going to get on board with autumn- I’m not going to either! So let’s eat all the late summer tomatoes we can. When temps cool off I’ll start living the pumpkin life! . . #fallweather #itstoohot (at Thyme for Cocktails) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoeuMCxArM6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=7poisbj8zrti

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Kevin likes his tea with milk and honey- sweet goofy boy is in the middle of everything today! . . #sundayvibes #relaxing #honey #sweetheart (at Thyme for Cocktails) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoFV4jUgplD/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=mm1qtuqwtrho

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Green Smoothie

Have you been feeling sluggish and needing a little pick me up? Start your day by sipping on this non-dairy Green Smoothie full of healthy fruits, greens, and plenty of vitamin C. #ReliefMadeEasy #ad

I received compensation from Bayer Consumer Health, makers of MiraLAX® to write this post. MiraLAX® is a laxative used to treat occasional constipation. All opinions are entirely my own. #ReliefMadeEasy #CollectiveBias

Have you been feeling sluggish and needing a little pick me up? Start your day by sipping on this non-dairy Green Smoothie full of healthy fruits, greens, and plenty of vitamin C. 

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Hearty breakfast goodies - because non-stop chilly rain after the crazy heat this week makes me crave comfort food. . Scooping up our fave breakfast burrito stuffs with leftover @condadotacos chips - sweet maple sausages, enchilada-style pinto beans, roasted poblanos + potatoes, fluffy scrambled eggs and sautéed spinach with plenty of red pepper + hot sauce! . . #breakfastideas #alldaybreakfast #rainydays https://www.instagram.com/p/BnedNfMA_Ey/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1hq93mxk042zg

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Raise your hand if you agree #tacosarelife 🙋🏼‍♀️ leftovers from our weekend steak bruschetta board = super quick tacos . That’s all 🙄 #tacotuesday #eatingallthefood (at Thyme for Cocktails)

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Dear Monday- wtf?! I’ll just be over here eating Blueberry Peach Slab Pie if anyone needs me. . Store bought pie crust b/c dough scares me 😳 but fresh fruit all the way!! Sweetened with @buzznbloom blueberry honey for a natural fruitiness. And lime juice instead of classic lemon for extra pizzazz. I like pizzazz. It’s pizzazzy. Brushed the whole pie with a honey lime glaze for extra extra pizzazziness! . . #pielover #blueberries #peaches #pizzazz (at Thyme for Cocktails)

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We are snacking on this Steak Bruschetta Board to round out a relaxing weekend with zero adulting. The last 2 weeks were full of business trips, summer colds (me 🤦🏼‍♀️) and the finale of my no-spend spree! Yes - I’m rationalizing my laziness! . I learned stuff during my no-spend spree. Make it work. With what you have. 👉🏻 No, you in fact do not NEED that new thing you want. Limiting your options can push your creativity. The occasional splurge IS self-care. . . #brunch #bruschetta #selfcare (at Thyme for Cocktails)

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Brown food is good! Sticky baby back ribs + bacon green chile roasted potato salad . I’m working on styling photos under pressure. Like my husband was ready to devour these ribs kinda pressure. I distracted him with candied bacon peanut butter cookies and ice cream. He likes to eat dessert first anyway! . I keep thinking a different color surface would make these plates pop. Something! Any suggestions?! . . #livingmybestlife #babybackribs #saturdayvibes (at Thyme for Cocktails)

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Making the most of what the late summer season has to offer! Pretty obsessed with ‘The Works’ flatbread crisps from @baked_in_brooklyn 💗 . Wednesday is my therapy day. Trauma + recovery sessions. And sometimes - like yesterday - a med check. Which is great because last week an imbalance lead to dehydration and put my butt in urgent care. Since then I’ve been extra gentle with myself. Really listening to what my body needs! Fluids + rest + real food! . . #mentalhealthawareness #ptsdrecovery #seasonalfood (at Thyme for Cocktails)

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Please send fresh produce! My no-spend spree doesn’t end until the weekend and the crisper drawers are almost barren. Even the frozen veggies are dwindling fast! Luckily I found half a bag of frozen peas + carrots to toss into this Stir-Fry Spaghetti for dinner. . Why pasta and not rice? Cooking rice is my kryptonite - every other Friday I grab 2 large orders of steamed rice from the our local take-out joint and stash them in the fridge. Perfect for fried rice and soups! Unless you are out of day(s)-old rice. That’s when you use the pasta you DO have instead! 🤦🏼‍♀️ . . #nospendspree #meatlessmonday #noproblem (at Thyme for Cocktails)

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Blackberry Limoncello Mini Rolls - I turned the last of our favorite rhubarb + blackberry + limoncello jam from @sweetthinggourmet into these divine almost cruffin-like beauties. . 🍋 Crispy on the outside. Soft on the inside. Slightly tart from the lemon glaze. Kinda like me! . My secret weapon for quick snacks like these - crescent rolls. In this case 2 cans of honey butter crescent rolls! . The trick to their crispy exterior is to butter the pan then sprinkle with sugar. Plus a light dusting of even more sugar on top! . . #sweettreats #easybaking #sugarrush

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Is fried rice Friday a thing? It really feels like it should be a thing. Best go-to for cleaning out the fridge. No veggie will be left out. Even cold cuts aren’t safe! 😯 . serve family-style for forced conversation with your loved ones . . #fridayeats #friedricefriday #friedrice #familystyle (at Thyme for Cocktails)

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We see stories in our feed every day telling us the key to success is sharing our authentic selves. But being really heartfelt is hard! . tbh I’ve been struggling with social media for months now because what the real me is going through just doesn’t match up with the online me. I began blogging because of my love for locally sourced food. To share a passion for local resources and the people who are committed to bettering our communities. . While I still really, really want to inspire people to seek out and support the small businesses that make our world a wonderfully unique place. It has taken a back seat to a much bigger part of my life. . For years I've experienced the debilitating anxiety, depression, and insomnia associated with PTSD. I just didn’t know it! April 6th I woke up and knew the path I was on would end me. I was ruining my marriage through excessive drinking and impulsive behavior. Working freelance was a complete struggle. And I knew I wasn’t able to emotionally support my loved ones. . Since then weekly trauma and recovery therapy sessions have taught me I am not alone in my mental health journey. It’s intense. It’s painful. But it’s helping. Slowly but surely it’s helping. Mental illness is so difficult for us to talk about. And it shouldn’t be. That stigma is part of why I resisted professional help for so long. I take comfort in knowing I am not alone in my battle. If you are also struggling please know YOU ARE NOT ALONE! . #livingmybestlife #ptsdrecovery #traumatherapy #abusesurvivor (at Thyme for Cocktails)

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These Chicken Parmesan Meatball Subs were pretty easy to throw together for a quick meal. All with ingredients already in my kitchen! Found a few packets of frozen herbs in the back of the freezer which solved my basil problem. So far the no-spend spree has been pretty easy. But I’m sure that will change in a few days once the novelty wears off! 🙉 . . Chicken Parmesan Meatballs . 1 pound ground chicken 1 large egg 1/3+ cup seasoned breadcrumbs, plus more for coating meatballs 2 tbsp milk or heavy cream or half + half 1 tbsp fresh or frozen minced basil 2 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp kosher salt Fresh parsley for garnish . Mix everything together in a bowl. Form meatballs, then roll in breadcrumbs to coat. Sear in a lightly oiled skillet. Once seared on all sides simmer meatballs in 1 can bruschetta tomatoes, 1 tbsp spoon dried Italian seasonings, and 1/2 cup water or chicken stock. Salt sauce to taste. Top with copious amounts of mozzarella cheese. . #meatballs #chickenparmesan #dinnerideas (at Thyme for Cocktails)