Menu for a Winter Party with Grown-ups and Kids

We had my son's three best friends and their families over for dinner tonight. It was a pretty-healthy comfort food night to suit both 10-year-old palates and those of an assortment of parents, some of whom are vegetarian. Here's what we served:

spiced hot apple cider (plus wine for the big kids)

cut veggies (red pepper strips, carrots, celery, fennel, radishes) and pita chips with guacamole

Thomas Keller's tomato soup (click for recipe)

Mini gruyere grilled cheese sandwiches

Roast turkey (I used the basic recipe from Sam Sifton's book Thanksgiving: How to Cook it Well, which I reviewed recently for People.) apples, onion, rosemary, sage and celery in the cavity. Butter on the outside.

truffle-cream mashed potatoes

tangerines

salted fudge brownies, from Kate Krader, one of my pals at Food & Wine, where she is the restaurant editor. These are so good I made sure to send guests home with the leftovers so as not to keep half a pan in the house.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

p.s. After your end-of-year splurges, get "Smart Chefs Stay Slim" in paperback starting 12/31.

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