November is a time of giving thanks, which, for some reason, translates to eating like the apocalypse is approaching.  In keeping with that theme, I had a few close friends over to celebrate the season.  Try out this menu on your freeloaders guests and let the spirit of giving loosen their belt buckles.
 
Menu:

• Assorted Cheeses, Olives and Salumi
• Baked Brie in Phyllo Dough with Shitake Mushrooms
  
• Hickory-Bacon and Roasted-Corn Gougeres (epicurious.com)
  
• Carmelized Onions and Blue Cheese Puff Pastry Squares
• Andouille and Mussel Cajun Gumbo
• Sage and Honey Skillet Cornbread (epicurious.com)
• Apple Tart Tatin
• Pumpkin Mascarpone Bites with Marshmallow Meringues
  
  (Cooking credit: Rachel.  For these treats, she used the filling from the pumpkin pie recipe with the crust from the marshmallow meringue recipe.  Rachel baked the pumpkin pie in a 1″ thick layer in a rectangular cake pan.  After it cooled, she used a 1.5″ biscuit cutter to form the “bites”.  She baked the meringues separately at 350 for 15 minutes, and placed the cool meringues on top of the pumpkin rounds.)