This year, we wanted to go all out for our fall festivities. And what better way to do that than to bring in the experts? We called on our good friend and food festivities extraordinaire Erica Key, of the award-winning blog Eating with Erica, to show us how to plan one unforgettable Friendsgiving feast!

The fall season has finally made its debut, and I couldn’t be happier. It's time to bring out the comfy sweaters, cranberry- and pumpkin- flavored any and everything, and last, but certainly not least, all of the festive holiday gatherings.

*See more of Erica's awesome recipes on her blog, Eating with Erica!*

One of my favorite fall gatherings has to be Friendsgiving. Over the years, I have made Friendsgiving more of a traditional event for my social circle. Everyone looks forward to it and genuinely loves it. And to be honest, it’s one of my favorite events of the holiday season.

I don’t know about you, but I have no idea where I would be without my squad, and I am always looking for an excuse to show them how much I appreciate them.

If you are hosting Friendsgiving at your house this holiday, the Belle Isle Thankful Punch is going to be a hit. Belle Isle Moonshine is one of my latest obsessions. It's a premium, handcrafted spirit distilled from good times and 100% organic corn. Perfect combination for an epic punch, right? It is the perfect spirit for the punch because it's strong, yet smooth. A little goes a long way.

When I am entertaining, I love creating punch for a few reasons. First, there is minimal prep time. Most punch recipes are fool-proof and impossible to mess up. You don’t have to keep making batches of punch throughout the evening during your gathering. You can make two gallons, refrigerate, and have plenty just in case you run out.

This year I had a little time to play with recipes, so I decided to get creative with the cocktail containers. If you are limited on time, drinking glasses work great. If you have some time to be fancy and extra, like myself, these mini pumpkins are the perfect way to serve your cocktails. They are so simple to create, and they look great.

PUMPKIN CONTAINERS

What you'll need:

Mini Pumpkins (4)
Paring knife
Spoon
Kitchen roll

Preparation:

Draw a circle around the stem on the top where you want the lid to go.
Cut out the lid.
Use a spoon to clean out the inside of the pumpkin.
Wipe down inside & outside of pumpkins with some kitchen roll.

For my gathering, I paired delicious punch with very simple appetizers such as charcuterie, hummus, and a veggie tray. Traditionally, if you are having Friendsgiving at home, it's potluck style. This is the ideal setup to entertain guests while you are preparing your main course or waiting for others with their dishes. Your guests will ask you for this recipe. And since it's Friendsgiving, it's only right that you share it!

Enjoy!

- Erica Key,
EATING WITH ERICA

Thankful Punch

Preparation:

Chill Belle Isle and white grape juice overnight. When ready to serve, pour Belle Isle and white grape juice into your serving bowl. Add cranberries & orange slices. Top with ginger ale, serve, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 bottle Belle Isle Black Label
2 bottles white grape juice
2 bottles (750 mL) ginger ale
1 cup cranberries
3 sliced oranges

Flavored Ice: In a gelatin mold, ice ring, muffin tin, or bundt pan, add a blend of orange and cranberry juices and chill for an hour. Once slightly chilled, add thinly sliced fruits (oranges, blood oranges, lemons, limes, and/or cranberries), and freeze until solid. Once frozen, add to your punch!