Thanksgiving Dinner

This is one of my two favorite big meals I love to plan for (the other is the annual summer party). This year it was a smaller crowd (10) so I thought I'd try a few fancier things.

The meal came mostly from Gourmet and Bon Appetit. although I changed a few things here and there.

• Roast Turkey with Black Truffle Butter and White Wine Gravy (The truffles I brought back from Italy


• Wild Mushroom, Spinach and Turkey Sausage Stuffing


• Citrus Glazed Carrots


• Scalloped Yukon Gold and Yam Gratin with Fresh Herbs


• Green beans with Pickled Onion Relish


• Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Oil and Fried Sage


• Wild Mushroom Bundles


• Homemade Cranberry Sauce (and from the can-the only non homemade good)


• Seckel Pear Tart with Poire William Cream


• Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Sour cream topping

Thanksgiving Day Desserts.

Pumpkin Cheese Cake with Marshmellow Topping. From Bon Appetit with minor modifications

Seckel Pear Tart with Poire William Cream: From Gourmet with a few modifications.

Wendy's Mostly Vegan Baby Shower

So the challenge. Make a fun vegan menu that everyone, even meat eaters, likes. I decided it could not be standard vegan food (although there was some hummus served). I bought a big fancy plated meal book with menus from many well known chefs.... Beautiful book-NOT very practical for 20 people. However I got some ideas and made a few things of my own as well.

Menu (I have forgotten some of the menu already, proving the need to start writing things down)

• Crispy Tempura Tofu
• Vegetable Carousel. Really pretty before it was cut into... Advise making these in individual servings in the future.
• Melon and Tomato Skewers
• Artichoke heart bruchetta
• Sun dried Tomato & Goat Cheese on French Bread (not vegan)
  
• Vegan Chocolate Cake
• Pears poached in white wine w/vanilla "ice cream" and chocolate soup

No pics of the food or the baby shower. Found my camera sitting unused after the party.