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Cooking your own Thanksgiving can be really rough your first time, so good luck! Make sure, by the way, that you wear some really comfortable shoes (not just socks or thin slippers!), because your feet will be killing you by the end of the day if you don't. You really don't need as many dishes as you would think. I would probably cut the appetizers down to two. If you really think you need more, you could have a simple cheese platter. You could even add some olives, nuts, or fruit to it. But remember, you don't want people to actually fill up on appetizers. It's not an appetizer party. You can make a bunch of extra gravy ahead of time if you get some turkey wings or chicken wings. Then if your bird doesn't end up producing enough for gravy, or the drippings burn or something, it doesn't matter. For keeping the mashed potatoes warm, you can hold them on the stovetop on low heat. To prevent a crust from forming, pour a thin layer of cream or drop a knob of butter on top. Then when you want to serve, mix it in. When I do roasted brussels sprouts, they go in with the turkey (my turkey gets roasted quickly at high heat because I pound it flat) toward the end of the turkey cooking time. I try to take into account how long the turkey will need to rest and time it accordingly. Good luck, and pare the menu down a bit more if you can.

Yeah, I make her cream cheese pie dough a lot, though it doesn't taste cheesy. Just a slight tang. Her crusts all also call for cider vinegar in addition to the water, so that contributes to the tanginess too, I think.

Last year I did some marshmallows (choc, vanilla, and strawberry from Nightscotsman's recipe), chocolate covered marshmallows, toffee bark, and salty caramels. The caramels aren't pictured here, but they were just plain squares. This year I'm definitely making the praline milk jam from Christine Ferber's book, Mes Confitures. That stuff is amazing! A bad pic of last year's stuff:

I would use olive oil if it were appropriate for the dish, but if you need it to taste like butter, that wouldn't work. And some margarines are about as good for you as vegetable oil, or even contain olive oil.

Hey, that's how I cook my Thanksgiving turkey! I didn't know it had such a great name. But I do the same thing with it: brine, take the back out and flatten, air dry in the fridge for a day, then roast at high heat. It goes fast, which I find helpful in a small one-oven kitchen.

I've wrapped a meatloaf in a spicy cheddar cheese crust, so sure, you could try it with pie. The recipe I used is in the Pie and Pastry Bible, and I'm pretty sure it used grated cheddar cheese in the dough.

You dont make samiches with it you eat it with a spoon, least I do. ← But the PB&J are touching each other in the jar! They should touch only when smooshed together manually. The jar must remain pure! I use margarine when cooking for people who don't eat dairy. It is hard to find one that tastes decent, and even then, I only use it for them. Oh, and there are some spice rubs where you want onion salt or garlic salt instead of the real thing. But other than for BBQ, I don't use it.

I had no idea pre-cooked bacon even existed! The idea of it is confusing to me. Unless you want the bacon cold, you have to cook it anyway, yes? The thing that I don't understand is who buys the jars of peanut butter and jelly that are combined in one jar in some sort of decorative stripe effect. The PB & J are touching and contaminating each other! Ew! I do buy the 3-packs of yeast, though. I don't use yeast enough to justify buying a jar, and I prefer my yeast fresh instead of dead. And I will sometimes get the canned Redi-whip because it can be easily stored in the fridge for several more days after using it once. I will make the real stuff for really nice desserts, but for a quick ice cream sundae, I will not be whipping my own cream.

Exactly, MaggieL. There are a lot of people for whom that is their approach to eating vegan. It's just not the same veganism we saw in the '70s. Even in that blog you linked to, the author explains that pretty well while in the middle of reviewing a dish at a restaurant she didn't care for: Cooking vegan can certainly be about making great food and doing everything you can to get great flavors out of the ingredients. Or, experimenting and playing around with things like making vegan twinkies. So, when this is the kind of vegan food you eat at a vegan restaurant (well, maybe not the twinkies, moreso the food you could make from one of the cookbooks I referenced or would get at a place like Millennium), I think the food should be great, whether you are a vegan or not.

But what is that seriously supposed to demonstrate in terms of cooking? Unless women only cook while ovulating, how would that affect anything? Even then, what would the outcome be? Would I add more garlic while ovulating because I really really like it and can smell it so much better then, or would I use less? And still, smell is only one part of cooking. It doesn't make you measure things differently than you normally would, so I don't see any actual affect.

Why wouldn't men and women have differing palates, when we're biologically different in so many other ways? Women definitely have a more acute sense of smell than men once a month, and may have a more acute sense of smell overall. I know that for me, this means that I smell and taste components that my husband is unable to detect. I have no idea how this affects my cooking, but it seems impossible that it wouldn't. Edit: When I say that I smell and taste things my husband can't detect, I definitely don't mean this is in any way superior. In fact, most of the time I'm smelling or tasting something I wish I couldn't. ← Because our sex organs don't have anything to do with our tastebuds as far as I can tell. Maybe some women have a more acute sense of smell at some times of the month, but certainly not all do. I've certainly never heard of that before. There is only a real difference between groups if the distinction between them is greater than the distinction within each individual group, and I sincerely doubt that's the case.

I would simply point out that the meals most people eat (vegan or not) are not always delicious. In my experience, most people are not excellent cooks, or at least not all the time. Putting something on the table that tastes just okay is a pretty common approach to cooking and is not unique to vegans. Poorly cooked animal products are not going to improve a dish. All that means to me is that non-vegans probably do not know, or regularly eat with, that many vegans. That may have something to do with the fact that there are many, many more non-vegan than vegan restaurants.

Have you looked at any vegan cookbooks lately or read any vegan food blogs? Vegan cooking may have looked like that at one time, but not anymore. There are people who eat ascetically, but that is not the direction things are going. Look at The Voluptuous Vegan for a decent example of what vegan food really looks like. And while you're on that page, scroll down to look at the rest of the books there. Vegan cupcakes is a great book. We use it all the time. Sinfully Vegan and the Mediterranean Vegan Cookbook also look pretty good. Or, Vegan Italiano. Look at the recipes in there and you'll see what it's pretty normal to eat as a vegan. In the last book, it's simple, rustic Italian food that most anyone would enjoy. Surely anyone who has been eating vegan for over 15 years is well aware of something as obvious as needing protein and vitamin B12. Why would it need to be a topic of discussion between vegans, of all people? And I am being honest when I'm telling you that is not what vegan meals necessarily look like. That's what people who are trying to lose weight eat. A vegan meal might include salad on the side, maybe, but to go along with the lasagna and polenta for dinner. Probably a sandwich or vegetarian sushi, or some cous cous for lunch. Or something else that is entirely normal but just isn't made with meat, butter, or cream. This isn't unusual or hedonistic fare for someone who eats vegan -- it's average everyday food.

Why would men and women have differing palates? To answer the question, no, I don't think I could tell the difference between something prepared by a man and something prepared by a woman. I'm not even sure what I would be looking for that would differentiate the food. I'm sure that the differences in food preparation styles within each group are just as great as the differences between groups.

I have no idea what could happen 20 years from now, but we're all in our mid-30s and married now, so we're getting kind of set in our ways. The only thing that probably won't change is that most of us will still be in university environments -- that's where you tend to stay when you get your doctorate. But anyway, my closest vegan friends grew up in small-town Illinois, in the '70s and '80s, when it wasn't exactly easy or convenient to be vegan. They have been the only vegans around before, so it wouldn't be tough to do it again. And it is getting easier and more convenient to eat vegan. Every town with a Trader Joe's has a supply of fake meats, for those who use it to supplement their vegan food or to make something that looks and tastes familiar. I think if you are going to go as far as eating vegan for the rest of your life, it really must go beyond health issues. And vegans are not the only ones who choose to eat certain things on the basis of their ethics. There are many ways to be healthy, and I don't know anyone who has kept up eating vegan for 10 or 15 years just because it's better for you. And I have honestly never heard anyone vegan talk about complete proteins as part of normal conversation. When we talk about food, we talk about new things we've tried that are delicious. When you're eating vegan, talking about making something even more healthy is kind of silly. Most of what you're eating is going to be pretty healthy, though not necessarily, given the abundance of vegan snack food items. No, I didn't go into detail about the chocolates, candies, and other desserts, the marshmallow topped squash casserole, the puff pastry appetizers, the "cheese log", etc., but there is a lot more served there than at my own Thanksgiving, where I do use meat, butter, and cream. And of course it doesn't represent everyday mainstream vegan cooking. It's Thanksgiving.

Interesting; I've had the opposite experience. The vegans I'm around want to enjoy rich, fulfilling food. They just don't want it to be at the expense of animals. There's nothing intrinsically ascetic about eating vegan any more than there's anything intrinsically ascetic about eating kosher. They're dietary laws that influence what precisely you can eat, but they don't determine what your food looks like. The latest vegan meal I made, for instance, had deep crust pizza followed by a sundae bar with chocolate and vanilla soy ice cream, vegan fudge sauce that I had made, strawberry sauce, vegan caramel sauce, whipped topping, and cookies. They took pictures of the food, and a major topic of conversation that night was how it really is possible to eat vegan without it all tasting and looking like health food, and how it's too bad a lot of people don't know this. I'll attend their annual vegan Thanksgiving again this year, which typically has stuffing, gravy, tofurkey, rolls, cranberry sauce, several pies, macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, and probably about 5 other dishes I'm forgetting. It's intentionally decadent. And lest anyone thinks they're really unusual, there will probably be about 20 people there, and about half will be vegan. Possibly, there is a difference between the health food granola vegans of the '70s and more "modern" vegans who really want to eat and aren't overly impressed with what has passed for vegan food in the past. The fact that vegan food is getting better and easier to find makes eating a lot more fun and easier than it has been before. We're all grad students, so we couldn't afford to eat at 3-star restaurants if we wanted to, but I know that if one were available, that's where we'd go when we graduate.

I love that stuff! I learned to make it in my 7th grade Home Economics class. The recipe was labeled "People Puppy Chow." The melting can all be done in the microwave, so it is a pretty decent candy for kids to make. It actually may be the only thing from that whole experience I'd consider making again. In contrast, the raw radish rosettes I had to whip out daily will simply have to remain a bizarre and bitter memory.

I think I've made two things out of the Millennium cookbook, and I doubt I'll make any more. Each recipe is so much work, I swear. Really exact and elaborate. But, the dishes are impressive. Personally, I think a book like that is something the vegan friend should get for herself and make stuff for all of you. The Voluptuous Vegan is a book I've found to be a bit more user-friendly.

My vegan friends don't drink beer either, but for them, it's just that they prefer mixed drinks. Actually, I did finally find a type of beer they like: framboise. They're not totally without hope. But anyway, if you can't convince her that beer is safe, maybe a nice cocktail would be a good choice. There are a lot of things you can make pretty easily without animal products. Pasta with tomato sauce, pasta with olive oil, garlic, and herbs, roasted vegetables on the side, and even garlic bread made with vegan margarine (not all margarine is vegan). Earth Balance brand tastes the best, and you can also use it in cooking. You could also do a roasted acorn squash, with a little of the vegan margarine and maybe a touch of brown sugar. Or a squash soup. We also do pizzas, and the vegans either forgo cheese in favor of other toppings (you could do some nice caramelized onions, a couple of sauces, some sauteed mushrooms) or they bring their own vegan cheese (vegetarian cheese is not necessarily vegan, so you have to be careful). Also, if you have a Trader Joe's around there, Soy Delicious ice cream is vegan, and their Jo Joe's cookies are also vegan.

I have a Zassenhaus manual grinder. Specifically, the closed hopper walnut style (currently $101.50 through Sweet Maria's). I went for that model because it is undoubtedly a great mill, easily adjustable from espresso powder to a very coarse grind, and compared to the electric ones, it was cheap. It does take a couple of minutes to grind though, but I just refused to pay something crazy to grind my beans properly. I would definitely recommend it to those who want the grind of an expensive model but don't want to pay the price and are willing to live with some inconvenience. Or to those who want freshly ground coffee during power outages and camping trips.

As for vegan food at non-vegan restaurants, I would honestly never assume that something that appears to be vegan from the menu description is prepared without any animal products added at all. An egg, a bit of cream, a little grated cheese, a touch of butter, or some chicken stock are all things you might not necessarily know upon sight or even taste that have been added. When going out with our vegan friends, they are always careful to ask if what they are ordering is indeed made without any animal products at all. I assume this is part of why there seems to be more and more vegan restaurants. There is a niche group of diners who want to dine well with the assurance that they can eat anything on the menu, no constraints or hassles. The sheer exuberance and joy with which my friends ponder the menu at Millennium and actually get to choose between many things, rather than one or two, really speaks to that.

I'm not vegan (or even vegetarian), but have been to several vegan restaurants and regularly have dinners with our vegan friends where all the food we prepare is vegan. So, I think I have a decent perspective on what can be done and what you should be able to expect. If this new place is the caliber of Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco, the food should be very good by any standards. But then again, it may be like Herbivore, which I have personally found unimpressive. There is no mistaking that food for anything but vegan. Actually, the vegan places that I've found the most successful taste-wise are small family-run Buddist vegan restaurants, like Andy Nguyen's. It may be the specialty products they use or maybe it's the long tradition of cooking that way, but wow, is it good. Even the fake meats and fake fish, which I would assume would be entirely unconvincing, are really good.

Is it expensive? ← Hehe, I'm reminded of a quote from Meet the Parents: Dina: I had-- I had no idea you could milk a cat. Greg: Oh, yeah, you can milk anything with nipples. Jack: I have nipples, Greg. Could you milk me?

I just made the frittata from America's Test Kitchen. The flavors worked pretty well. I'm not a big lover of asparagus, but it was good. Paraphrased, this is it: 12 eggs .5 lb asparagus (sliced on the bias, in bite-sized pieces) 4 oz ham (cubed) 1 shallot (minced) 4 oz gruyere cheese (cubed) 3 T half and half Salt and pepper Olive oil (for the pan) 1. Beat eggs with half and half, add salt and pepper, add cubed cheese 2. Saute asparagus in olive oil for about 3 mins, then add shallot and ham. Saute until shallot is soft. 3. Add egg mixture to pan. Use spatula to create large curds while on the burner. Then put the pan under the broiler for approx 3 minutes. Inside will still be wet. 4. Remove from oven and let rest off the heat for 5 mins before removing from pan to allow the eggs to finish cooking.

My local store sets out samples of a couple of their specialty cheeses daily, and I just tried the most pungent havarti with horseradish and fresh chives. Holy batman, that was crazy. I couldn't taste the chives, much less the cheese, through the exceedingly piquant horseradish. I like horseradish fine, but wow, was there ever a lot of it in there. Not a future purchase.