These are all wonderful ideas and recipes. Mascarpone makes everything better, doesn't it. I love the butternut lasagna, too. And the stuffings. I will save the eggplant recipe for another occasion. I adore couscous.

My crepe pan caught my attention this morning so I am toying with the idea of a savory crepe dish. Crepes filled with butternut and ricotta. I also found a vegan recipe for chickpea crepes filled with butternut, shallots, and brussels sprouts. Crepes can be made ahead and frozen easily. What do you vegetarians think about savory crepes?

Since I have time I will attempt some vegetable stock of my own. Like Lars, I am a fan of Star mushroom cubes even if they are a bit salty.

E

I may sound cruel, but any vegetariens, or vegans are
not invited to my house for Thanksgiving.
There will be turkey and mashed potatoes, with gravey,
and some sort of veggie.
Anyone that doesn't like the menu can pound salt.
Period.

So if a family member of yours went vegetarian, you wouldn't invite them to Thanksgiving? That seems pretty cruel to me.

I sure am thankful my family and friends think that I am more important than food. I never make menu demands but I definitely appreciate the minor adjustments that they make (substitution of broth types) that allows me to eat dinner. But even if I couldn't eat, I would still go because my family means more to me than being able to eat the stuffing.

Lbpod, that isn't a nice thing to say!

My SIL is allergic to turkey but loves the sides including my stuffing and turnip puff. I usually make the mashed potatoes that can be made ahead and have sour cream and cream cheese in it.

Why do statements like this always arise when vegetarianism is mentioned? Is it because we're always sneaking into your house at night and flushing your bacon down the toilet?

I welcome the opportunity to expand my cooking skills and knowledge.

E

Thanks for posting the recipe again, Ruthanna! I would like to mention that when I made that recipe, it only filled up an 9x9" pan (I used Corningware). I've made the recipe several times because I liked it so much, but I always use the smaller pan.

Lars

A good friend has been vegetarian for about 15 years, so I'm pretty used to making vegetarian dishes. (BTW, if a person does eat fish they are not vegetarian. There is another phrase for that, but I don't recall it.)

I often substitute pecans for walnuts as I don't seem to care for the flavors of walnuts as much.

This is a T&T recipe for vegetarian stuffing which has a lot of flavor. It can be prepared a day or two ahead. Though I have not done it, I think it would freeze well.

Apple Pecan Stuffing
Yield: 6 cups

butter or margarine
2/3 c diced onions
2/3 c diced celery
3 c diced day-old bread
3 c diced apples such as Granny Smith
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp sage
1/8 tsp marjoram
1/8 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp parsley flakes
1/c chopped pecans
1/2 c vegetarian bouillon or broth or apple juice/cider or water
1/2 c golden raisins, optional

Add onions & celery to bread cubes.
Melt 2 Tbsp butter in skillet. Stir in apples and cook until golden.
Add apples to bread mixture.
Stir in salt, pepper, sage, marjoram, thyme, parsley and pecans.
Add liquid & mix thoroughly.
Note: the stuffing is ready at this point, but I put it in a greased baking dish & bake it 30-45 minutes to add crispness.

Kathleen, I think that might be "pescatarian" or something similar, but I don't really know.

Amanda was a vegetarian for a couple of years and she loved Thanksgiving because she could eat the fresh homemade rolls, all the sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce she wanted and a couple of desserts.

The most important thing about Thanksgiving to me is having my friends and family with me, not what they eat while they are here. There are always "food issues" arising. Amanda has diverticulitis, she can't eat seeds, nuts, corn. Mother is allergic to lemons. My brother is lactose intolerant and my daughter in law is celiac and can't have gluten. My brother in law is diabetic. Somehow we manage to feed them all anyway.

Annie

Last year I made baked, stuffed Acorn squash rings for the vegetarians (and anyone else that wanted some). My niece and her BF (now her fiance!) both seemed to like it very much. I think the stuffing was couscous? Anyhoo, it wasn't hard to make and added to their plate along with the side dishes and the tofurkey (yuck) my sister brought for them.

I might make something with stuffing for the veg. couple this year. I know my mom uses turkey broth and the giblets in her excellent, must-have cornbread and sage stuffing.

Teresa

Kathleen, thank you for the stuffing recipe, it sounds delicious. I am very fond of pecans. I rarely use them in my cooking as the price has been so high for a few years and I have a great source for new crop walnuts every year. Pecans will be a nice way to differentiate the two stuffings.

E

Yeah, I was quite harsh sounding. I guess it's because
I have never known any of these people. I would
NEVER, on this earth, go to someone's home and expect
them to make special foods for me because of my beliefs,
(I would rather starve.)
If there were a medical reason for it, I would bend over
backwards, though. I never heard the term 'vegan' until
just a couple of years ago. I had to read up on it, and
came to the conclusion that if it were not for vitamin
and protein supplements, it would not be a healthy lifestyle. But, I must relinquish to one of my higher
standards: "To each his own", (but leave me out of it).
signed; An Old Poop.

That Apple-Pecan Stuffing looks great - I might use that in the stuffed squash this year.

I found my acorn stuffed squash recipe - I did use vegetable broth, not the chicken broth.

Mediterranean-style Stuffed Acorn Squash

Serves 4

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup raisins
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth (or veg. broth)
1 cup uncooked couscous

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Arrange squash halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, or until tender. Dissolve the sugar in the melted butter. Brush squash with the butter mixture, and keep squash warm while preparing the stuffing.

3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, celery, and carrots, and cook 5 minutes. Mix in the garbanzo beans and raisins. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper, and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.

4. Pour the chicken broth into the skillet, and mix in the couscous. Cover skillet, and turn off heat. Allow couscous to absorb liquid for 5 minutes. Stuff squash halves with the skillet mixture to serve.

note: I cut rings of the squash to provide more servings

Source: AllRecipes.com

"...came to the conclusion that if it were not for vitamin
and protein supplements, it would not be a healthy lifestyle."

Just thought this might be a good place to make a comment in case others are reading but not posting and think that because some choose to not eat animal products their diets are somehow difficient in protein. This is just not true. As just one example and without turning this post into a white paper....eating corn and beans together at a meal equals a complete protein. There are many other possibilities.

/tricia

Well, there are two concerns at play here. One is the issue of making things ahead. The other is the issue of accomodating a vegetarian. This leads to several different approaches. I am all about doing whatever is easiest. I no longer sweat Thanksgiving, just cook whatever I think will make a good easy family meal. Last year we had stuffed pork loin and roasted potatoes of various colors, various root and other vegetables, with coleslaw and a chopped salad with pickled beets, feta and sunflower seeds as a topping and grilled asparagus, homeade bread for my dad on the side, pumpkin cheesecake for dessert, made everyone in my family fairly happy. But I digress. As a mostly vegetarian, health conscious person and someone who has to watch her weight, I have to admit I don't like Thanksgiving dinner! Stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, rolls and pumpkin pie for dessert. Starch, starch and more starch!! No wonder everyone is in a diabetic haze after dinner, I think the turkey is the least of the problem! So I would not add macaronni and cheese to that equation, nor lasagne, even though I love both. If you want to do a make ahead special dish for the vegetarian though, lasagne fits the bill. I love butternut lasagne, but my recipe has tomato sauce and spinach in it too. I find that helps me with the overly starchy theme of butternut lasagne. I posted a link to my recipe below, which comes from Cooking Light Magazine. Oh, and BTW we don't make our own "smoky marinara sauce" we just use whatever jarred sauce we happen to have on hand and like. Sub smoked mozzarella or provolone or throw some chopped fake sausage into the filling if you want the smoky flavor part. Adding fake sausage to the filling also ups the protein to starch ratio.

Oh, and I wouldn't fuss with homeade vegetable stock. I've never made any that I liked. I use "Better Than Bouillon" brand when I need a strong flavored stock, and Rapunzel brand or whatever kind of powdered stuff I can find when I need something bland. For Thanksgiving I'd recommend the hearty stuff!

As for stuffing, I searched and searched last year for one without sage and something that was relatively healthy. I made and loved the one below from Bobby Flay. I actually used turkey sausage for the chorizo, but you can find fake chorizo or fake italian sausage to use which would be fine. I like the mix of feta, wild rice and bread, it has a slightly larger protein to starch ratio than standard stuffing and a pleasant texture. The fussy eaters in my family liked this and it also baked up nice and moist, something I can't say for most of my attempts at Thanksgiving stuffing.

Wild Rice and Goat Cheese Dressing
Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay
Ingredients
2 cups wild rice
6 cups water
3/4 pound Spanish-style chorizo, diced (Oh for Heaven's sake this is over the top. Just use whatever fake sausage or meat crumble stuff you can find in the grocery. Of course spicy is good, but if you can't find spicy, just add some additional spices to the dressing. We love Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb spice.)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the dish
1 cup Spanish onion, diced (Yellow or red would be fine here)
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 (day-old) loaf country-style bread, cubed (use whole wheat if possible)
2 to 4 cups homemade chicken stock (use vegetable stock, I like "Better Than Bouillon.")
12 ounces goat cheese (or low fat feta. This is a lot, so feel free to use less to your taste, I did.)
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Combine the rice, water and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large saucepan, bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the grains open all the way, about 1 hour, 15 minutes to 1 hour, 30 minutes. The rice should be very cooked (not even the slightest chewy). Drain well, place in a large bowl and set aside.
Heat the butter in a large high-sided saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo, onions, carrots and celery and cook until soft. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the onion mixture, bread, goat cheese, parsley and 2 cups of the chicken stock to the rice. Mix to combine. The mixture should be quite wet; add more stock, if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the mixture to a large buttered baking dish and bake, uncovered, until heated through and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Another option is to make stuffed acorn squash, especially good if you make the squash ahead. Or some other type of squash. I can't hardly get good acorn squash anymore at the grocery store. They sell beautiful delicata sometimes.

Here's my vegetarian gravy recipe. I like it better than a mushroomy one. I little of that "unami" flavor goes a long way with me and it seems to overpower Thanksgiving, which is why I like this gravy.

Red Wine Gravy (this isn't for everyone, they will either love it or hate it, so have a standard option too!)
2 TBLSP olive oil
1 med. onion
1 med. carrot
1 small stalk celery
2 TBLSP flour
2 med. ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup veg. stock or water
Salt and freshly gound pepper

Heat oil and saute veggies, although using all or some of those veggies other than onions is optional. Add flour and cook until it is browned and looses the raw taste. Add chopped tomatoes or can use canned ones. Add liquids. Bring to a boil, then simmer until thick.

And honestly, call me crazy but as a vegetarain I would LOVE some baked beans or bean salad to counter all the wheat and potato and rice starches. I have a good three bean salad and also a good blackeyed peas salad that is a riff on hoppin' john that would make innocuous if very non-traditional sides for a Thanksgiving meal. But I would not sweat it and make it unless the person is a strict vegetarian. I just go with the flow which is what most vegetarians wouuld like to do. Most don't need or want special dishes made for them but some appreciate being able to bring their own dish if they have particular concerns about some of the foods (like if they are vegans or if they are gluten intolerant, have diabetes, whatever). I know one thing, most mature vegetarians do not want their food choices to be an issue during this time of year, anymore than someone with heart disease or diabetes or gluten intolerance or whatever does. Some vegetarians can be rude by making it an issue, but the pendulum swings both ways.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cooking Light Butternut Squash Lasagne.

Teresa, that looks tasty and interesting. I will add it to the suggestion list. I am hoping to provide something that serves up some protein to these pale little girls. ;)

I will reference our gathering last year which was our first get together in my friend's new home in Hollywood. Prior to her move we gathered at her home here several years in a row. My two women friends were very newly single when we began having Thanksgiving together. Our children have all known each other since they were very small. We are in the process of creating new traditions that are inclusive, accommodating, and loving.

With six of the eight children between we three moms being in the vicinity of Southern California for school, it made sense for us to meet in Hollywood. I am the more experienced (or at least the most interested) cook among us so I took charge of the menu and a lot of the cooking. My friend who hosted us all invited her childhood friends and their daughters (the vegetarians) to join us. Daniel was the only young man in the bunch. He was a very good sport. Frankly, he looked pretty pleased to me.

If you scroll down to the bottom of the link, I posted about our gathering last year. I don't know if the same people will be present or not. One mom has a new job as a flight attendant and her schedule suddenly changes. One of the daughters is planning to move to Hawaii soon. And there may be new friends who are included. It will all be fine.

E

Here is a link that might be useful: Thanksgiving 2011

I don't expect others to accommodate me, and in most cases I wouldn't want to. The vegan/vegetarian diets are so far from what is mainstream that I've found most meat eaters don't have a clue how to prepare vegetables, much less a vegetable based dish. An "I made something special for you" can be a pretty scary thing- and usually means me politely choking down gray veggies and declaring them the best I ever had. The people on this forum, however, seem to know their stuff and probably cook me under the table any day. But for the most part, I eat beforehand or bring my own food, and dread and avoid at all costs having to answer the question, "so what made you become vegetarian?" ANYWAYS, Mmmmm apple pecan stuffing.

My long winded post was added before I read Laurie's post. I prefer to stay away from ersatz meat products so I wouldn't sub, just omit. I do like the idea of wild rice. I want contrasting stuffings. I love feta.

I am leaning toward the butternut lasagna with ricotta but I want a bechamel vs a tomato sauce. Tomato sauce and turkey have never worked for me. I also really like the idea of the spinach ricotta crepes or butternut ricotta crepes. I can do both of these ahead to a great degree. I will be transporting food to the location unless I decide to go down a few days early.

I try to avoid sodium so I stay away from the "Better Than" products though I agree, they do a decent job. I want to try my hand at some vegetable stock and I have time.

Your gravy sounds good. What's not to love with red wine in it! It might be just the thing as one very vocal participant makes a big deal about hating mushrooms. I'll make it ahead and test it. I have some tasty juice from the tomatoes I used to make salsa. I saved the tomato goo, strained the seeds and cooked it down to a concentrate. I think I will use that instead of the chopped tomatoes in the gravy.

I'm not a bean eater but adding some kind of bean dish should be easy enough. Or lentils.

E

If you look at the plates in front of the young people, you'll see they were all well filled.

I just want to offer a vegetarian stuffing, I will make two anyway, a vegetarian gravy, which can be made ahead along with the other gravy. And vegetarian entree/side dish that will have general appeal.

Not everything will appeal to everyone and that is not my goal. And that's okay as long as everyone finds something to like.

I also encourage anyone to bring a personal family favorite if it isn't Thanksgiving for them without it. So one friend makes a raspberry jello molded dish. I politely take a small portion. :)

E

Man oh man, if someone made me butternut lasagne or butternut crepes for Thanksgiving or any other day, I would be OVER THE MOON! I love all things squash! Crepes apparently are good candidates for freezing. You should post the recipe Eileen, I would like to try and make them for a special dinner. Actually I might be able to improvise, since I'll bet butternut crepes have similar ingredients to butternut squash lasagne. My most recent attempt at formed dough (pumpkin ravioli) was a dismal failure. I served them, such as they were (kinda like "ravioli deconstructed") with a browned butter/fresh sage sauce. Oddly, the prolific sage growing in my garden does not seem to have much taste. And come to think of it, I have some sage pesto languishing in my freezer that might make a good add-in to some butternut crepes. Crepes are dead easy to make, even for this dough challenged girl.

This recipe intrigued me:

Candle 79 Chickpea Crepes (page 130)

1 cup soymilk
1/2 cup chickpea flour
2 tablespoons potato starch (book calls for arrowroot powder)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried chives (or fresh if you have them around)
makes 5 crepes

Filling

3 shallots
6 gigantic Brussels sprouts
1 cup roasted butternut squash
S and P

Lemon Garlic Aioli

1 heaping tablespoon Veganaise
The juice of 1/2 of a lemon
Garlic powder
Chives
S and P

Slice the shallots and saute in olive oil. Let them cook on medium flame and prepare the rest of the meal. Slice the bottom off of the Brussels sprouts and then shred them by slicing them thinly across. When the shallots are soft and translucent, add the Brussels sprouts. When they start looking bright green, add the squash so it can heat up. Season with salt and pepper.

Make the aioli by mixing all of the ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Combine all of the ingredients for the crepes in a blender. Brush a non-stick skillet with olive oil and heat it up. Pour the batter into a 1/4 cup measure cup and pour onto the hot pan. Quickly lift the pan off of the heat and tip it around to spread out the batter. Return to the heat and cook until the edges become brown. Using a spatula, flip the crepe over and cook for about 1 minute. Do the same for all of the batter.

Lay the crepe on a plate, fill with the filling, top with the aioli, and enjoy!

And this looks amazing. Substituting vegetable stock of course:

Pasticciata di Zucca e Crespelle

Description
This dish is a seven-layer wonder of crepes, roasted butternut squash, goat cheese, ricotta, and bechamel. "This last baked 'pasta' is unique because it uses crepes instead of pasta to build the layers," says chef Dan Swinney.

Serves 6

20-30 Crepes (recipe follows)
2 butternut squash (3 lb.)
1 tbsp. butter, softened
1⁄2 cup melted butter
12 oz. ricotta cheese
12 oz. goat cheese
2-3 large eggs, beaten
3 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 qt. bechamel sauce
Sage Butter (recipe follows)

Crepes:

2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup water
1⁄2 cup club soda
1⁄4 tsp. salt
2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. butter, melted
Oil, for frying

Sage Butter:

4 oz. unsalted butter, cut up 8 fresh sage leaves
12 oz. chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Methods/Steps

1. Prepare crepes up to 24 hours in advance.

2. Peel and seed squash; cut into long slices about 1⁄4-in. thick. Brush a sheet pan with melted butter and lay squash slices on top; season and brush with more melted butter.

3. Roast squash in a 375 F. oven until tender and beginning to caramelize, about 20-30 min.; cool. Roughly mash squash pulp; drain overnight.

4. Drain ricotta in strainer overnight in the refrigerator.

5. To assemble: Prepare bechamel sauce. Combine ricotta, goat cheese, and eggs. Stir in 1 cup grated Parmigiano -Reggiano; season with salt and pepper and mix well.

6. Grease sides of 9x13-in. non-metal baking dish with softened butter. Arrange crepes, side by side, slightly overlapping, to cover sides of baking dish and overhang by 2 in. Cover bottom of dish with more crepes in one layer.

7. Preheat oven to 400 F. Reserve 1 cup bechamel and 1 cup Parmigiano for topping. Spread about 1⁄3 cup remaining bechamel over bottom layer of crepes; top with some squash and sprinkle with 1⁄4 cup Parmigiano. Continue layering crepes, 1⁄3 cup bechamel, half the ricotta-goat cheese mixture, and 1⁄4 cup Parmigiano. Build two more layers identical to first two. Fold overhanging crepes over top layer; press lightly. Cover remaining filling with crepes. Top with reserved bechamel and Parmigiano.

8. Cover loosely with foil; prick foil so steam can escape. Bake pasticciata 30 min; remove foil and bake 20-30 min. longer, until browned. Let stand 15-30 min. Cut in squares and drizzle with sage butter.
Crepes:

Whisk eggs until blended. Add milk, water, club soda, and salt; stir to blend. Sift flour into liquid; stir until smooth. Stir in the melted butter. Pour into oiled crepe pan and cook.

Sage Butter:
Heat butter in a 12-in. saute pan. Add sage leaves and saute 2-3 min. Add stock and cook until sauce is emulsified and reduced by 1/3. Season.

There's a big, big difference between expecting someone to change their menu and being appreciative when they are willing to make adjustments or ask about preferences. I would never expect a customized menu unless I was paying for it. Nor would I turn down an invitation to someone's home, no matter the menu. It won't kill me to miss a meal! And I would absolutely rather not eat than to make my hostess uncomfortable. If they didn't know i'm a vegetarian and I can't eat anything, I don't say a word. I usually let them know though and it's not because I expect a special meal but rather because in their spot, I would definitely want to know if one of my guests had any dietary restrictions.

My problem is when people assume it's just a picky eating thing. I have not knowingly eaten meat since I was 16. It's an ethical and moral issue for me. I couldn't eat an animal any more than I could murder a person. Those are my beliefs - I don't expect anyone else to share them, and most don't and that's okay. But to suggest it's just picky eating since there's no medical reason behind it is insulting. I have had to deal with all sorts of things because of my beliefs, from well-intentioned people grilling me about my choices to people secretly adding meat products to my food and saying I'll never know the difference. I've had to sit out catered lunches at work and turn down invitations to certain restaurants. I have to usually bring my own meals everywhere. And I'm okay with it because it's MY belief and I don't expect anyone to accommodate me. But in no way is it the same as waking up one day and deciding you don't like chicken nuggets and demanding no chicken nuggets ever be in your presence and no one ever serve chicken nuggets ever.

It's such a part of my moral beliefs that I compare it to people who avoid certain foods because of their religion. To me, it's exactly the same. It's a belief that goes far beyond a singular dinner menu.

And, lb, if you'd ever like to compare diets with me, I'd be happy to see whose is the healthiest. :) I don't supplement except for Vitamin D because I don't like too much sun, and my blood work is always perfect. I'd argue my diet is healthier than the vast majority of people.

Sorry for the misdirection of this thread but it's hard to SOB things like this. I do so appreciate everyone in this thread who is willing to accommodate everyone, no matter their reasons.

Oh, and Barnmom, I've never actually had a savory crepe! Just dessert ones but I'd love to try one. I would be thrilled if someone made me vegetarian crepes!

Thank you all for your comments on the apple-pecan stuffing. I found it in the Los Angeles Times food section maybe 10 years ago & make it at times when not having a vegetarian over for a meal. :) It's very flavorful & easy to make.

Annie, you are right: "pescatarian, occasionally used to describe those who abstain from eating all meat and animal flesh with the exception of fish." http://vegetarian.about.com/
Thanks for that - I could not think of it.

Kathleen

In my many years of cooking for friends, from one to over a hundred, I have never been "lectured" by a vegetarian. I have never been told "I am a vegetarian" and I don't remember ever it was a topic of conversation why vegetartian is healthier or not healthy.

Many times, I have people bring some of their own food to my parties.

The fact that I don't have a habit of cooking with cream, butter or fat makes it easier, and I enjoy vegetables a lot.

dcarch

Kathleen,
What if I made a butternut squash gratin and put the Apple-Pecan stuffing on top? Any opinions on this combination?

Teresa

Teresa, that sounds delicious to me.

I sent off my initial email. The flight attendant may have to work as I suspected so I doubt her girls would come if she did not. The hostess is not a cook to speak of and is a hardcore carnivore. She was baffled at the vegetarian suggestions having not noticed the two vegetarians last year. They were very quiet about it. I only knew because I was told by my children. I have not heard from the mom of the vegetarians.

I'll post back.

In the meantime this blog has a nice list of Thanksgiving vegetarian recipes. There is also a link to seasonal vegan recipes. I am eyeing the yeast raised cornbread to make for my stuffing.

Here is a link that might be useful: 101cookbooks.com

Thanks for posting those recipes Barnmom, and everyone else too. Lots of GREAT recipes here for me, for many meals other than just Thanksgiving!

I'm not a big fake meat fan either Eileen, but I do sometimes add it to some dishes for the flavoring. Not sure what you could sub in the dressing for chorizo though, you'd need something chewy and very spicy. One option might be some chile spiced nuts. Not something super burn your mouth hot but something "picante." I used spicy italian turkey sausage because chorizo was unnecessarily expensive and fatty IMHO, but you definately need something to give it a spicy kick and balance the feta. I once made a different wild rice stuffing that called for a cheese sauce and it was just too rich and cloying for my taste. Smoked almonds might also work. Maybe smoked almonds and a healthy dash of some picante italian or cajun seasonings.

Teresa, what a great idea to combine the squash with the apple dressing. Yum.

Barnmom, you sure have some great vegetarian ideas now. I'm copying & pasting some of them. :)

Let us know how it all goes.
Kathleen

I am a vegetarian. I cook Thanksgiving at my home for family. I have Christmas at son and DIL house. I enjoy my meal, eating everything except the turkey and ham. Their is always plenty to fill up on with veggies, rolls, dessert. I would never expect someone to cook special for me. I always come away stuffed, and very happy.

I never cook something special for my family and friends because they expect it, I do it because I love them and cooking for them is a way that I show how important they are to me.

Plus, I really like to cook and I like to experiment and try new things, so I often get a chance to "expand my food horizons". If I close my mind to an entire type of food, or region or country or religion, etc., just think of all the good food I'd be missing out on. As Carol/Dishesdone taught me, Happy Everything to Everybody. That includes vegetarians, vegans, lactose and gluten intolerant people and those who just don't like Jello. Oh, shoot. That's me!

I also don't think two dressings is all that unusual. My family likes that moist onion/celery/sage/white bread stuffing, it's got to cook inside the turkey and has to be so moist it's almost gloppy. Elery likes cornbread stuffing, it's what he's grown up on. Much drier and not cooked inside the bird, and it as completely foreign to my family. This year I want to try oysters in the stuffing, like Seagrass explained to me last year. I know there are several who won't like the idea of that at all, including my Mother, who refuses to eat oysters.

Teresa, the combo of squash and dressing sounds delicious to me too.

Annie

I cook for the others in the same spirit as Annie. I also enjoy the process.

As for oysters in the stuffing, my grandmother loved them but rarely made oyster stuffing. I think the rest of us were less impressed. I was small.

I appreciate everyone's help moving me past the casserole dish of mac and cheese. Though, in all honesty, this group probably would have thought it was fine. It was suggested by one person to me that I ask the vegetarians to bring their own food which I would never do. I do know a long time vegan with whom I have dined who simply brings his own food wherever he goes.

I still haven't heard from the vegetarians. Perhaps they won't be attending after all.

Eileen

I was also going to post a butternut squash lasagne recipe. Very good, and quite "thanksgiving-like!" I would also make sure the green salad is very hearty and no meat.

When my father was vegetarian I included roasted root vegetables and a mushroom strudel at one of our thanksgivings. Both were a big hit with the harnivors and herbivores!

Moosewood Cookbook Mushroom Strudel
Ingredients:
1 lb mushrooms, sliced or chopped
1 cup (8 oz) cream cheese or cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream and/or yogurt
1 tsp salt
lots of black pepper
1 tsp dill
1 cup good breadcrumbs
2 scallions, finely minced (whites & greens)
1/4 cup (packed) minced parsley
3 Tbsp lemon juice
10-15 sheets filo pastry
3-4 Tbsp butter or olive oil, or a mix
Optional poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 375'F

Place the mushrooms in a saucepan, and cook them over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Drain them, squeezing out excess liquid, and transfer them to a medium-sized bowl. (You can save the liquid for a great soup stock.) Add cream cheese, cut into small pieces, or cottage cheese to the hot mushrooms. Mix well. Stir in the next 8 ingredients.

To Assemble: Place one sheet of filo on a clean, dry countertop. Brush the top with melted butter or very lightly with oil, then add another sheet. Brush with oil, then add another. Continue until you have a pile of 5 sheets (don't brush the last sheet with butter). Add a fourth to a half of the filling (depending on the size of the filo sheets), fold in the sides, and gently roll until you have a neat little log. brush the top with more oil, then carefully lift the pastry and place it of the baking tray. Repeat this procedure until all the filling is used, and place the logs next to the first one on the tray. Sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired.

Bake 25-30 minutes, until golden and crisp. Cut with a serrated knife. Serve hot.

(and just for grins, here's the butternut squash recipe I've used)
Butternut Squash Lasagna
From epicurious.com

For squash filling
1 large onion, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 cup hazelnuts (4 oz), toasted, loose skins rubbed off with a kitchen towel, and coarsely chopped

For sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups milk
1 bay leaf (not California)
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

For assembling lasagne
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, coarsely grated (2 cups)
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (3 oz)
12 (7- by 3 1/2-inch) sheets no-boil lasagne (1/2 lb
preparation

Make filling:
Cook onion in butter in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes. Add squash, garlic, salt, and white pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is just tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley, sage, and nuts. Cool filling.

Make sauce while squash cooks:
Cook garlic in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, 1 minute. Whisk in flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add milk in a stream, whisking. Add bay leaf and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 10 minutes. Whisk in salt and white pepper and remove from heat. Discard bay leaf. (Cover surface of sauce with wax paper if not using immediately.)

Assemble lasagne:
Preheat oven to 425�F.
Toss cheeses together. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a buttered 13- by 9- by 2-inch glass baking dish (or other shallow 3-quart baking dish) and cover with 3 pasta sheets, leaving spaces between sheets. Spread with 2/3 cup sauce and one third of filling, then sprinkle with a heaping 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layering 2 more times, beginning with pasta sheets and ending with cheese. Top with remaining 3 pasta sheets, remaining sauce, and remaining cheese.
Tightly cover baking dish with buttered foil and bake lasagne in middle of oven 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until golden and bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let lasagne stand 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Cooks' note:
Filling and sauce can be made 1 day ahead and kept separately, covered and chilled. Bring to room temperature before assembling.
Makes 6 servings

Forgot to mention, the butternut lasagne recipe above has a bechamel, not a tomato sauce, and was VERY YUMMY. Jface>

When I was a vegetarian I met some who didn't eat anything dairy so no mac and cheese. I use to make a nut loaf. It was very good and we didn't miss the turkey. You can use creamy tofu or non-dairy cheese and egg subtitutes if they don't eat those. It can be made ahead of time and even frozen.
Clare

Vegetarian Nut Loaf
Adapted from Martha Stewart

Serves about 8

What You Need
9 inch loaf pan
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1/2 cup cashews
1 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
3 ounces shiitake mushrooms
3 ounces baby bella mushrooms
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
4 large eggs
12 ounces Swiss cheese, grated
1 cup cottage cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

What To Do

1 If you don't have leftover cooked rice on hand, cook the brown rice according to the package instructions (we combined 1 cup short grain brown rice with 2 cups water, brought to a boil, and simmered for 50 minutes).

2 Preheat the oven to 375F.

3 Place 1 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup cashews on a baking sheet and toast for about 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow to cool.

4 Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and mince the 3 cloves garlic. Clean and finely chop the mushrooms. Finely chop the 2 tablespoons fresh parsley. When the nuts have cooled, finely chop them with a knife or in a food processor.

5 In a saute pan, heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon marjoram, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon sage. Cook about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are golden. Transfer to a large bowl.

6 In a small bowl, lightly beat together 4 eggs.

7 In the large bowl, combine the onion and mushroom mixture with the toasted walnuts and cashews, parsley, 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 cup cottage cheese, 12 ounces Swiss cheese, beaten eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.

8 Butter a 9 inch loaf pan, line bottom with parchment paper, and butter it again. Pour the mixture from the large bowl into the pan.

9 Bake 1 hour until golden brown. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then invert loaf and remove from pan. Serve warm.

I've used the epicurious recipe I linked to make vegetarian stock for special dishes for veggie friends. It is delicious! It is kind of a pain, but well worth it for a special occasion IMO. It is AWESOME as a base for vegetarian tortilla soup.

Here is a link that might be useful: Roasted Vegetable Stock

mabeling, that recipe looks really good! I don't eat much meat, and haven't been happy with boxed veggie stock. I'm going to try this one!

Beachlily, I think you'll love it. I've subbed baby portabello mushrooms when I can't find the others, BTW.

I thought I'd pipe in, too, since I have been vegetarian for 15 years and always host Thanksgiving. I can only speak for myself, but I would rather not have pasta dishes at a holiday. when you're vegetarian, sometimes that's your only choice at restaurants and it gets old fast. For Thanksgiving, I always serve Baked acorn squash stuffed with wild rice, cranberries and walnuts. I have added hickory baked tofu for myself and my daughters too, who are vegetarian but totally unnecessary and it will appeal to everyone w/o the tofu. The recipe came from Diane Morgan's "Thanksgiving" cookbook. Here's the recipe link
http://dianemorgancooks.com/recipes/acorn-squash-stuffed-with-wild-rice-cranberries-walnuts-and-hickory-baked-tofu/

For the record, I am happily married to a carnivore and he also cooks a turkey for all the meat-eaters. Our table is well represented with veg. stuffing and sausage stuffing, veg gravy and giblet gravy as well as an assortment of 8-10 vegetables as well as the two in the fridge that I always seem to forget to put out.

aekekk, we must be related. I ALWAYS forget the sweet potatoes which are in the oven, or something that's being reheated in the microwave, often both things. It's tradition!

Annie

The recipes are wonderful and I appreciate the feedback from vegetarians.

I am curious about the bias against California bay leaves. I have lots. They volunteer in my flower beds. I live in California.

Eileen

I could become a vegetarian if I had baked acorn squash
available 24/7....YUMMMMM.
Next to chocolate ice cream, there is no better food
on this planet.

Since the Thanksgiving is looming I thought I'd bring this thread back up. There are so many good recipes here.

It appears I will do nearly all of the cooking there and not do much prep here. I will take a few things with me but not much as I will travel by train. Last year I went by car with a friend and loaded up her trunk with a lot of things. So I will arrive there on Monday night and will shop and have the kitchen to myself on Tuesday. I will have help on Wednesday and Thursday.

So now to decide on the final menu. The butternut lasagna sounded really good to my hostess. So that may be decided.

Eileen

Today I made a delicious vegetarian mushroom gravy. I will stash it in the freezer for Thanksgiving Day.

Eileen

Ah yes, it's coming up and I haven't made a single plan. Not that I need to, it'll be the same as it has been every year, so I've done it for 30 years or so without fail, I think I could do it semi-conscious!

Well, at least I get to play around with the desserts, as long as I have pumpkin pie.

Annie

Today I received an invitation to have dinner at a friend's house where I wouldn't have to do anything but show up with wine or something. Boy, was that tempting!

Eileen

I found some tasty vegan low sodium vegetable bouillon cubes in the natural foods section of my local grocery store. I think they are pretty darn good. I also bought some Kitchen Basics unsalted vegetable stock. It was a very pretty color but the flavor was murky. I think the cubes I bought are much better.

Kitchen Basics is the brand I usually purchase for chicken stock if I don't have any of my own on hand.

These cubes will be handy as I can toss them in my suitcase in case I need them.

Eileen

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.organic-gourmet.com/

I think I have decided on the vegetarian entree. I love the sound of Linda's butternut squash lasagna but I have all of this pumpkin puree so I went looking for a pumpkin lasagna. This one also includes Swiss chard. I'm thinking I might skip the green beans every pushes around on their plate because stuffing and mashed potatoes are more appealing. I'll add more chard to the dish as one review mentions it could use more. I will also add some rosemary as that sounds like a tasty addition.

Pumpkin Lasagna with Ricotta and Swiss Chard

1 pound lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for tossing
1 onion, finely chopped
2 pounds Swiss chard, stems discarded and leaves chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 15-ounce cans pumpkin puree
1/4 cup heavy cream
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of cayenne pepper
4 cups fresh ricotta (32ounces)
2 large eggs, beaten
2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (about 6 ounces)
2 cups shredded imported Fontina cheese (about 8 ounces)

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the
lasagna noodles until just starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Drain well and
transfer the noodles to a baking sheet. Toss the noodles with olive oil to
prevent them from sticking together.

2. In a large skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion and
cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 7 minutes. Add the Swiss
chard and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until wilted and no
more liquid remains, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until
fragrant, about 1 minute. Season the chard with salt and pepper. Transfer to a
plate and let cool slightly.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the pumpkin puree, heavy cream, nutmeg
and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. In another bowl, mix the ricotta
with the eggs, 1 1/2 cups of the Parmigiano, 1 cup of the fontina and 1 1/2
teaspoons of salt.

4. In a well-buttered, 9x13 inch ceramic baking dish, spoon 1/2 cup of the
pumpkin mixture in an even layer. Arrange 3 or 4 lasagna noodles in the dish,
overlapping them slightly. Spread half of the remaining pumpkin mixture
over the noodles in an even layer. Top with half of the Swiss chard and
another layer of noodles. Cover with half of the ricotta mixture. Repeat the
layering with lasagna noodles, pumpkin, Swiss chard, another layer of noodles
and finish with the ricotta mixture.

5. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, until heated
through and slightly firm. Remove from the oven and uncover. Preheat the
broiler. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmigiano and 1 cup of fontina on
top of the lasagna and broil about 4 inches from the heat until golden brown
and crisp on top, about 4 minutes. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes, then cut
into squares and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The unbaked lasagna can be refrigerated overnight. Let
return to room temperature before baking.

Here is a link that might be useful: www.foodandwine.com

I can tell you that we had squash ricotta cheese spinach pasta last weekend for dinner (with all those tastes, to some degree) and it was fab!! (Of course I added some crumbled bacon, so I dunno, I would definately think about seeking out one of the smoked cheeses, they really are great with the squashes.) I also made the recipe Bizzo posted for a dinner party and it was superb!! The only difference was I used up a bit of smoked mozzarella, which is why I am so gungho on these cheeses. But totally not necessary, over the top foodie stuff, they are great on their own. I'm just amazed that my local Weis carries a whole bunch of smoked cheese varieties. Prior to that I had only seen the mozzarella. It matters little since I have to stay away from cheese most of the time and can't afford the high end types. But for an occasional splurge it can be fun. Fontina is another cheese I love but hardly ever get to enjoy!

I like the idea of some smoked cheese. Thanks!

E