I want to hear about all the lovely Holiday feasts being made.

[emmajane67]

I don't do Thanksgiving but lets rally the troops and have our own tofu ghetto version of the 'I'm cooking up a a few dead birds with dumplings a gravey' threads.

I made Tofurky last Christmas but I'm going home this year and they don't sell such delights in the country I'm from. Plus It'll be summer so big roasts seem a bit crass.

Last year was GREAT though with tofurky and cranberry dumplings, roast veges of every kind, salad, fresh buttered beans, gravey, tofurky jerky wishsticks and loads of other stuff I'm sure, but can't remember off the top of my head!

So, lets her your best vege/vegan holiday feasts.

[Coventina]

1. I'm not vegan, and I have to attend the inlaw's "traditional" dinner

So my contribution is a broccoli & gorgonzola casserole.

I don't go hungry at the family dinner, I have my casserole, my MIL's dinner rolls (I swear she puts crack in them, they are so good!), mashed potatoes (yum!), tossed salad, homemade cranberry sauce, and apple pie.

I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!

[Beaverhausen]

3. Did you post that 'broccoli and gorgonzola' recipe anywhere?

If not, can you post it here? That sounds awesome.

I will probably be doing the usual Tofurkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry, and my sweet potato casserole which is always a big hit. and of course, the pie!

[Coventina]

4. Here 'tis!

You can prepare the casserole through step 3 up to 1 day ahead; cover and chill. Uncover and continue with step 4.

3 pounds broccoli
1/4 cup butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 packages (3 oz. each) cream cheese, cut into chunks
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola or other blue cheese
1 cup bread crumbs

1. In a 5 to 6 quart pan over high heat, bring about 3 quarts water to a boil. Rinse broccoli and trim off and discard tough stem ends; if skin on stalks is tough, peel stalks. Cut broccoli into 1 inch pieces. Add to boiling water and cook just until barely tender when pierced, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.

2. Rinse and dry pan. Add 1/4 cup butter to pan and melt over medium heat. Stir in flour until smoothly blended; cook until bubbly, about 1 minute. Add milk and stir over medium-high heat until mixture is boiling and thickened, about 3 minutes. Add cream cheese and gorgonzola; whisk until smoothly blended. Stir in broccoli. Pour into a shallow 2&1/2 or 3 quart casserole dish.

3. In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle evenly over broccoli mixture.

4. Bake in a 350 degree regular or convection oven until casserole is hot in the center and crumbs are golden, 20 to 30 minutes.

[Beaverhausen]

5. YUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMY!!!!

Thanks so much.

I have a boyfriend with a broken ankle, and trying to get him as much calcium as possible. This should help tremendously! :hi:

[Coventina]

6. It is pretty good. But don't give it to a blind person!

The story behind that is that last year, my grandmother was feeling under the weather & didn't go to the T-day dinner.

My MIL made her a care package of all the dishes that were served.

I later asked my grandmother (who is blind now due to macular degeneration) how she liked the meal.

She said, "Everything was delicious, except one of the stuffings I had to throw out because it had gone bad."

Me: One of the stuffings?

GM: Yes, there were two different kinds of stuffing, but one of them smelled rancid.

Me: Hmmmm.....there was only one kind of stuffing......(thinking).....
Er, Grandma, how did you like my broccoli casserole?

GM: I didn't get any broccoli casserole.

Me: Well, I know that Pat put some in there for you.....that stuff you threw out......could it have been gorgonzola cheese & broccoli you were smelling?

GM: OHHHHH!!!!! Oh honey, I'm so sorry!!!! I threw out your casserole!

********************

I hope this anecdote doesn't put you off trying the casserole, though.

:hi:

[Beaverhausen]

7. LOL!! That reminds me of the time I threw out...

...some really expensive blue cheese that a roommate had in the fridge. It stuck to high heaven so I tossed it - I just assumed it was bad. The roommate was mad - "It's supposed to smell like that."

I mean, really it stunk. Now I know better.

Thanks again for the recipe. I read it to my boyfriend over the phone and he got very excited!

[CrispyQ]

12. Years ago when we moved my husband threw out my sourdough starter.

:cry: :cry: :cry:

It was years old & had such wonderful flavor, although I can see how someone who didn't know what it was might think it was something that had gone bad.


Gorgonzola was my last beast to tame.
Vegan cheese has come a long way, but I doubt they will ever come up with a decent replacement for gorgonzola.

[LeftyMom]

2. I think I'll be making my usual lentil loaf and gravy, mashed potatoes, yams, green bean casserole,

stuffing, pie, etc. And I get to share! :D

[ThomCat]

10. I'm making your recipes too!

With homemade Apple Rye stuffing. :9

[NMMNG]

8. I'll be at work

So for the clients I'll be preparing the traditional dead bird with all of the trimmings. I have my little stuffed Tofurkey for myself though, and will be heating that up at the same time. While they're eating their dead bird I'll be enjoying my Tofurkey, vegan stuffing, veggies, mashed potatoes and other treats.

[Robeson]

9. I usually do the Quorn roast, along with various vegetables....

...And some Silk Egg Nog...

Then, sit back with a 6-pack, and watch some football! :-)

[DemBones DemBones]

11. This is what I posted in the Lounge for the DUer who's going

to be feeding a couple of vegans and someone who can't eat soy.

You can adapt your own dressing recipe for vegans.

My husband and I are vegetarians but our grown daughter is vegan. When I make dressing for just Mr. Bones and myself, I make cornbread and use it with homemade bread (crumbling up both, of course), add chopped celery and onion, plenty of sage, plenty of pecans, and moisten it with Vanilla Silk. Just analyze the way YOU make dressing and leave out any eggs, dairy or soy products. It helps if you use nuts since they're a protein source but if you don't like stuffing with nuts, get protein elsewhere. Here's how I adapt my dressing further when vegan daughter's home. She won't eat stuffing made with cornbread because of eggs in the cornbread, so I'll have to make eggless cornbread (if I can find a recipe)or use egg substitute in the cornbread or I'll do what my mom always did and just toss cornmeal with bread crumbs.

Since you have to eliminate soy, that leaves out Vanilla Silk, but you can use vegetable broth, which will add flavor, too.

Other ideas: roast sweet potatoes -- you wash, peel, and cut up sweet potatoes, dry them on towels, toss them with some rosemary (preferably fresh) and olive oil to coat, cook at 325 or 350 until the potatoes are done. You can do the same thing with regular potatoes if you prefer.

We usually have steamed fresh broccoli on holidays but I have also made broccoli salad -- raw broccoli, sweet onion rings, walnuts, orange sections if you have the time for sectioning oranges -- or canned Mandarin oranges would probably work well-- and toss with oli and vinegar dressing -- Newman's Best is good

There is a vegan margarine that my daughter uses but I can't think of the name. I'll use it in making my homemade rolls, and we'll have cranberry sauce. It's the same meal we used to have as meat eaters, minus the turkey and the mashed potatoes, though we might have those with vegan margarine and soy milk instead of roast sweet potatoes. I don't know if we'll bother to do a roast Tofurkey; the "kids" just got here tonight and I haven't polled them as to preferences. Last year we just got sliced Tofurkey so we could enjoy "turkey" and dressing sandwiches the next day or two. ;-)

[CrispyQ]

13. I made a traditional dinner this year,

lentil loaf, mashed spuds, gravy, broccoli & cranberry relish. But it didn't hit the spot like it has in the past. :shrug:

Next year, I'm doing vegan pizza. A little less work & it always hits the spot. Pizza & pumpkin pie. Yep! :9