Thanksgiving Menu (vegetarian)

Today I'll share with you our usual go-to holiday menu and recipes.  I shared these on my Life at Rossmont blog a couple years ago.

Bread Dressing/stuffing with FriChik

Prepare a package of stuffing (we use Pepperidge Farms) on the stove top, following package directions. Chop up 1 or 2 cans of Worthington FriChick, and mix into stuffing. Serve. Often we put dried cranberries in this, as well.

Special K Roast

1 stick margarine
½ cup nuts (walnuts are my favorite to use), chopped fine
2 lbs. Cottage cheese
2 large onions
5 eggs
½ large box Special K
½ cup milk
3 pkgs. George Washington golden broth (or bouillon cubes)
½ teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar

Dissolve honey, garlic, salt, and broth in ½ cup milk and add last.  Mix well and bake 40-50 minutes at 350 degrees.  Bake in a fairly thin layer.
(thank you, Mom)

Harvest Nut Roast

1 ½ cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoon oil (olive is best)
2 ½ c finely chopped celery
¾ cup chopped walnuts
¾ cup ground pecans, or pecan meal   
1 ½ teaspoon salt
2 cup soy milk (plain Silk is good)
1 ¼ teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon sage or 1 ¼ teaspoon thyme
3 cup whole grain bread crumbs

Saute onions in water and oil until clear.  Put in bowl and add remaining ingredients, omitting bread crumbs.  Stir together well.  Fold in bread crumbs.  Pour into greased 8” x 8” baking dish.  Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.  To prevent over browning on top, may need to cover with foil near end of baking time.  Delicious with gravy.
(adapted from Country Life cookbook)

Country Style Gravy

2 cup water
1/2 cup cashew raw pieces
1 Tablespoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoon Braggs liquid aminos (unfermented soy sauce)
1 Tablespoon Brewer’s yeast flakes
1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Place all ingredients in blender, and blend on high 2-3 minutes, until creamy. Pour into saucepan and cook on medium-high until thick, stirring constantly. Can be served over entrée roasts or loaves, potatoes, or biscuits.
Yield: 2 ½ cups
(adapted from Country Life cookbook)

Mashed Potatoes and gravy OR

Sweet Potato Souffle

3 cups sweet potatoes, baked and mashed
3 eggs, well beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter
Mix together well and place in 9x13" pan.

Topping:
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 stick butter
Mix topping together until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of potato mixture
and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until whole top is
bubbly. Let stand 5 min. before serving.

Lima Beans with Sour Cream

1 pkg frozen lima beans
2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 8-oz can mushrooms (optional)
1 Tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1-2 cups sour cream
2 teaspoon chopped parsley
    
Cook beans with 1 teaspoon salt until tender.  Saute onions in butter
until golden.  Add flour and paprika, stirring until smooth.  Return
to heat and cook until bubbling.  Add drained beans, mushrooms,
remaining salt and sour cream.  Heat gently, do not boil.  Before
serving sprinkle top with chopped parsley. (This recipe comes from a friend of mine in Montana)

Greenbean Casserole (prepared as found on the can of French Fried Onions)
Relish tray (carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, olives, pickles)
Cranberry sauce
Dinner rolls
Cranberry Bread (from the back of the book, Cranberry Thanksgiving)

Dessert:
Pecan Pie
Pumpkin Pie

Chocolate Meringue Pie

1 (9 inch) prepared pie crust (the kids and I like graham cracker crumb crust; hubby prefers flour crust)
3/4 cup white sugar
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons flour
1 pinch salt
2 eggs, separated
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup white sugar (we use less)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C)
2. Prepare chocolate custard: In a large saucepan or double boiler, combine 3/4 cup sugar, cocoa powder, flour, and salt. Mix well, then stir in the egg yolks and milk. Whisk until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches the consistency of pudding.
3. Stir vanilla and butter or margarine into custard. Pour mixture into prepared pie shell.
4. Prepare meringue: In a medium bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. It's best if they are room temperature. Gradually add the scant 1/4 cup sugar, continuing to beat until whites form stiff peaks. Spread meringue over chocolate custard, covering completely. (It's best if the custard has cooled quite a bit)
5. Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes, until meringue is golden brown. Chill before serving.

We won't be serving everything on this menu. We pick and choose from it. Maybe you'll find something you might want to try. (By the way, these are great additions to the Christmas menu, as well! And some of them even show up on our Sabbath dinner table.)

Happy Thanksgiving!