Thanksgiving is a lovely time to catch up with extended family, and to think about everything that you are grateful for. It’s a time for sharing a meal with your loved ones, sharing great stories and memories from the past year, sharing great laughs, and preparing maybe, for Black Friday shopping, and when the evening is over, we spring into Christmas Mode. This whole Holiday Season is a time for giving, for Joy, for good food shared and being grateful for all of our blessings. It is a special time for my family as we’re reunited with my father’s side of the family that we don’t see very often, and most years, my father, who lives 14 hours away. Last year, due to the pandemic, we hadn’t seen anyone, so this year is particularly special. Thanksgiving morning, we watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade at home and get ready, arrive at our cousin’s home to hear football is playing on the television. We all catch up on all of our lives, help prepare the meal, usually involving loads of laughter, then settle down to eat. In the evening, along with dessert, traditional Christmas movies are being watched. We also pull out the circulars for the Black Friday sales & begin “the hunt” for the perfect deals & some years, if there are bargains, set out after a short nap, and shop throughout the night. My husband & I don’t shop in the stores anymore on that Friday after, like some members of the family, as my children have grown & have specific wants that you can’t find easily in stores. We do some online shopping on occasion, but we shop from late September- on anyway. But the excitement of this holiday weekend is wonderful!

Friday, I have another Thanksgiving celebration with my immediate family & my father again, when he’s in town (sadly he won’t be joining us again this year) and after dessert, karaoke & more holiday movies, we begin decorating for Christmas (most years, we’re continuing decorating as I usually start the week of Thanksgiving, and truth be told, I’ve already started). We celebrate another dinner here, as we like our own leftovers & have different foods served.

On Saturday morning, we pick out our Christmas tree at a local tree farm. That evening, we decorate the tree & you guessed it, more holiday movies and shopping online! Sometimes, we’re still decorating the house too! It’s a busy & fun weekend!

🎄

Every year, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, my daughter arrives at our home early early morning & we begin the long day of preparing for what we’re bringing to my cousin’s home & for our feast on Friday! We get the holiday music going (and some movies during our breaks) and have a blast cooking and baking together!! My son will be joining us more this year as well. So excited for this day!! It’s a very long day of preparation, but so much fun & well worth the prep time!!
Thanksgiving Menu this year:🥧

(This Menu is for Friday, that is our mostly plant-based, and gluten free menu, however we do serve a turkey as well. Nice to have our own leftovers)

Fresh Fruit, with or without sorbet, to start

Turkey with homemade gravy

Tofurkey Roast with gravy

Gluten Free Biscuits and regular crescent rolls for our non g-free folks

Homemade applesauce

Broccoli & “cheese” casserole (The cheese is made with Nutritional yeast, a roux & shredded vegan cheddar cheese with a gluten free cracker and grass fed butter topping)

Whipped Potatoes ( G-Free & dairy free bake)

Roasted Green beans

Homemade Gluten Free Stuffing

Roasted Butternut Squash with brown sugar substitute and sea salt

Gluten Free, Dairy Free Sweet Potato Casserole

Ambrosia ( made with dairy sour cream, my husband loves this! I’m not a fan, but I make it for him every year)(you can use dairy free sour cream)

Homemade Cranberry Relish

dill spears/ green & black olives

Desserts:

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie

Apple Pie

2 Chocolate Pies (A secret family recipe that goes back at least seven generations) (I will be making it gluten free & dairy free)(It is not a chocolate cream pie, it’s a family tradition. Sorry, I can’t give out the recipe, it is a secret family recipe)

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Beverages:

Mulled Cider

Almond Nog

Mixed drinks (cocktails-usually Cape codders & Amaretto Sours)

Chocolate Pecan Pie Recipe:

A Gluten Free Crust (from an earlier recipe post or you can buy a pre-made one)

Filling:

1/2 cup real maple syrup

1/2 cup raw organic honey

1/2 cup Swerve granular sugar substitute

1/4 cup grass fed butter, melted

1 tsp. real vanilla extract

3 eggs

1 cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Topping:

2 Tbspn. reserved Enjoy Life semi- sweet chocolate chips

10 pecan halves

Dairy free whipped cream, optional

1. Make your crust or set aside a bought pre-made one. One crust, there’s no top crust.
2. Heat oven to 325°F. In large bowl, combine maple syrup & honey, sugar substitute, butter, vanilla & eggs. Beat well. Reserve 2 Tbspns chocolate chips for topping. Stir in remaining chocolate chips and 1 1/2 cups of pecans. spread evenly in pie pan.
3. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 55-65 minutes or until deep golden brown and filling is set. Cool Completely. (I usually do the 65 minutes time, but every oven is different)
4. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Melt 2 Tbspns reserved chocolate chips in small saucepan over low heat. Dip each of 10 pecan halves into chocolate. Place on paper-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate 15-20 minutes or until chocolate is set.
5. Garnish pie with whipped cream and chocolate dipped nuts. Store in refrigerator.

Enjoy This delicious pie, with a cup of coffee or tea, relish in all of your hard work from preparing for your special meal & have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Looking for some recipes for Thanksgiving and Christmas? My cookbook is available on Amazon in soft cover and ebook format.