Did your Thanksgiving plans fall through, or maybe unexpected visitors arrived, or perhaps you were "elected" to plan an alternative to turkey, and now you need to plan a meal? Whatever the reason, if you haven't planned the meal, we have a Spanish menu for you that will serve 6 – and it doesn't involve defrosting a turkey! You probably have your kitchen stocked with many of the necessary ingredients for these dishes, and the rest can be easily purchased at your local supermarket.

If you do not need to prepare the entire dinner, but have been asked to bring a soup, salad or dessert, pick one of our Spanish menu recommendations below.

First Course

It's November and probably cold wherever you are in the northern hemisphere. So, how about a soup to warm you up?

• Spanish Toasted Soup Recipe - Sopa Tostada de Castilla-La Mancha: Sautéed onions and garlic swim in hot chicken broth, and a piece of crispy toast topped with melted cheese floats on the onions. Just what you need on a cold day. This easy soup recipe takes about 30 minutes to prepare!
• Creamy Spanish Shrimp Soup Recipe - Crema de Gambas con Mejillones: This easy soup is light and creamy, combining both fresh shrimp and mussels with dry Spanish sherry, paprika, whole milk and cream. It's ready in about 25 minutes.

Main Course

Choose between chicken and pork for a delicious and original main course.

• Pork Loin Stuffed with Figs - Lomo de Cerdo Relleno de Higos: This dish is not complicated to make, but it is a very attractive and tasty dish. Make a simple bread and fig stuffing and roast the pork loin.

• Spiced Chicken with Pears– Pollo con Peras: Pieces of chicken are roasted with onions, carrots, cinnamon and a bit of thyme. Then make a "picada" made of roasted ground almonds, bread crumbs and garlic. It's all combined together with pears halves and raisins, creating a spiced chicken with a special flavor combination that is intriguing and absolutely mouth-watering.

Side Dish

• Spanish Mixed Green Salad – Ensalada Mixta: In Spain, a green salad is almost always on the table at mealtime. This salad usually includes a mix of ingredients that Americans may find surprising, such as olives, tuna and white asparagus, as well as tomatoes and onions – just include what you like. Easy to prepare, it is as tasty as it is attractive.

Dessert - Postre

• Easy Coffee Flan - Flan de Cafe: This easy flan recipe is a variation on the classic Spanish vanilla custard called "flan" in Spanish. Espresso coffee gives this flan a wonderfully rich flavor, making it a perfect dessert to enjoy with a glass of after-dinner liqueur.
• Easy Asturian Cheese Cake Recipe - Quesada Asturiana: This traditional cheese cake recipe is made with fresh goat cheese, for which ricotta cheese may be substituted. Quick and easy to prepare in a single bowl, this cheese cake is baked for approximately 30 minutes. Decorate with fresh fruit, making it a perfect dessert to enjoy with a glass of after-dinner liqueur.

Drinks

• Cava, Spanish Sparkling Wine: Spain produces many fine sparkling wines, called cava after the cellars in which the wine is produced. These Spanish wines are made in the “méthode champenoise” or “Champagne method,” which is the same method that is used to make Champagne. Spanish sparkling wine is a good value, and is popular, so it is easily available in markets around the world. Cava will add a festive note to your dinner.