sans turkey

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photo :: property of this website.

were i aware of my camera's whereabouts, i would have taken a few autumnal photos for you. los angeles in autumn is quite beautiful. as it is i had to rely on a google search for today's photo. i must say, that am happy i could not find the camera - just look at that wonderful old photo!

today my mind is filled with thoughts of food: what i am cooking, what i have gotten already, & what i have yet to buy. honestly, i do not know how people with large families manage. it is just we four, & i am having daydreams of chucking it all, & ordering pizza.

this year i am not attempting a fancy protein dish; instead i bought a quorn roast. earlier this year i discovered that if you thaw the roast, slice it into rounds, marinade it, then roast it, it is much more flavorful & moist. that is the plan for thanksgiving. want to see my menu?

* turk'y roast - with mushroom gravy

* green bean casserole - using fresh haricot vert, instead of canned, & a homemade soup base. i have always caramelized the onions myself for the casserole, but this year bought trader joe's can of fried onions instead. i am pretending it's to be retro, but honestly, i just haven't the time to cook everything from scratch.

* the brussels sprouts dish that i chatted about here.

* my mom's double-layer pie. ok it is actually libby's, but i don't recall the people at libby's ever making it for me, so i'm giving the kudos to my mother. i do alter the recipe a bit: milk, instead of evaporated & condensed, only one box of pudding mix, & i bake a regular pie crust. i do not like graham crusts. ew.

* sweet potatoes, roasted with olive oil, & red onions.

* stuffing. oh my one-&-only reader, i. love. stuffing. to the usual ingredients i add: 3 diced zucchini, a bag of diced mushrooms, tons of garlic, & chopped spinach - all sauteed until fully cooked. i also omit the butter, & add a can of cream of celery soup (or mushroom). i find that veggie broth is too tangy/salty, so use water as the liquid.

ok, now i am hungry.

tell me, what are you making this year? i promise to give you full credit, if i steal your menu :)

~peace.