Thanksgiving, Chez Nous

That's right: we're finally hosting Thanksgiving dinner. I'll be making dinner for 8 or 9, from soup to nuts. We're talking appetizers, soup, Turkey, all the sides, sauces, and fix-ins, and of course, pies galore. According to her family tradition, D gets a whole pumpkin pie designated for her. Not one to flout these family customs, I'll be following suit. One pumpkin pie for D, a couple more for the rest of us. Oh, and pecan, cranberry apple, and maybe something else, too. We'll see.

For now, here's my menu. It's pretty traditional, with some nips and tucks to suit our style (low-key) and our needs (no dairy). Some of you out there must be Tday veterans; I'd love your feedback -- what am I missing?

I'll add recipes and tips as I start the actual cooking, which probably won't happen until this weekend. Stay tuned, and please, pretty please: if you're also making Thanksgiving, share your menus in the comments!

Thanksgiving Menu

note: some of these recipes are NDP standbys. Several come from the wonderful community of cooks on Food52, and I imagine these are just a few of the Tday-friendly recipes on that site. I'll add links as I settle on recipes for the other dishes, so again -- stay tuned. Aperitif: Sour Cherry Liqueur Oven-Roasted Olives Pickles, Pickles, Pickles Tomato Soup with chive coulis OR curried carrot soup (haven't decided yet) Turkey with citrus and thyme, probably adapting this recipe Stuffed squash with quinoa, pears, and cranberries Green beans with horseradish-mustard vinaigrette Brussels sprouts Mrs. Wheelbarrow's challah stuffing (vegetarian) Forgotten sweet potatoes with maple syrup, adapting this recipe Cranberry sauce or chutney (if you have a great recipe, send it over!) Onion confit Butternut butter Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie Pecan Tartlets Apple Cranberry Pie, or adapted from this recipe