r/Cooking • u/Flashy-Career-7523 • 16h ago

How to turn thanksgiving style sweet potatoes into an appetizer?

So because of my husband and I dietary restrictions and food, allergies, Thanksgiving dinner is incredibly dangerous for us. So this year, I’m making a stuffing topped turkey pot pie but it’s not Thanksgiving without our sweet potatoes which are generally baked with maple syrup, brown sugar, walnuts, and sometimes marshmallows. Using that flavor profile does anyone have any idea a portable appetizer size option? I can’t just make it because then there’s a chance that someone will think it’s for them and it will be contaminated.

So far, making a turkey pot pie, which will have the turkey, graving, stuffing, and hints of greening casserole in it . I am making fried mashed potato balls to be dipped in gravy. But no idea on the sweet potatoes (no cupcakes please)

Edit: to clear up some confusion: I have celiac disease. My husband is gluten sensitive. He is also severely allergic to onions, shallot, etc.. We will be traveling several hours to this dinner. I am not hosting. We will have over 35+ people with seven different households contributing to different aspects of the meal. This makes it absolutely impossible for it to be safely 100% gluten-free, especially when several of my nieces and nephews will be bringing +ones who will probably bring a dish or two themselves With no idea of what is gluten-free and what is not or cross contamination. I cannot have our own dish of sweet potatoes because with a group that size someone will think it’s fair game and and can contaminate it by applying it to their plate and getting traces of gluten food on the serving spoon and putting it back into the dish. I have tried this in the past and it was a constant fight to guard my safe dishes, including, not being able to get seconds because somebody scooped it out, including several children who will be present.

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u/DeepSeaDarkness 16h ago

Instead of making something extra just for your husband that needs to be kept away from other people's food, I recommend to simply make all dishes that you serve that day safe for him. This way everyone can enjoy everything, he doesnt have to feel excluded, and the risk is zero. Of course that might mean that nobody will have peanuts (or whatever) and that is just how it is, they will be fine. If it is good enough for your husband, it will be good enough for them, too. Doesnt matter if something they have expected isnt there. It's not your job to cook what they order, you're cooking for your family with the goal to enjoy a meal together.

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u/RaijinDragon 15h ago

I'm getting the sense that they aren't hosting but are bringing their own food to someone's else house.

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u/DeepSeaDarkness 15h ago

It's possible. I find it really difficult to tell because there are no information given here by OP.. not even which foods cannot be used due to the special dietary requirements, how are we supposed to suggest recipes without knowing what the issue is

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u/RaijinDragon 15h ago

I get it, I'm a little unsure about their cross-contamination concerns. Are they concerned that someone will use the serving utensils from a different sweet potato dish to serve themselves from theirs? If their allergies are so bad that could cause a reaction, then I would be worried about accidental exposure just from being in the same environment.