Thanksgiving Recipes

Since Thursday is Thanksgiving, here are more six more recipes for your Thanksgiving dinner table, including Holiday Seitan Roast and Easy Cranberry Sauce. Enjoy!

SHEET-PAN SWEET POTATO, PECAN AND PUMPKIN PIE

This is from Jocelyn Delk Adams on the Today website. It begins, "This is a fun recipe that will please everyone, even the pickiest people, on holidays! You can have three different flavors of pie all in one, so everyone is satisfied.

"Swap option: You can use canned sweet potato and canned pumpkin. Also puff pastry is a fun sub for refrigerated pie dough."

Prep Time: 60 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 16

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/sheet-pan-sweet-potato-pecan-pumpkin-pie-recipe-t200661.

Ingredients

Crust

2 boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)

1 egg plus 1 teaspoon water, whisked together

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 large egg, room temperature

Pecan Pie Filling

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch kosher salt

2 cups pecans, roasted and roughly chopped

Sweet Potato Filling

2/3 cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 sweet potato, fully cooked and mashed

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup evaporated milk

Preparation

For the crusts:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15- by 21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust.

Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

For the pumpkin pie filling:

Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and the egg in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and set aside.

For the pecan pie filling:

Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans, cover and set aside.

For the sweet potato pie filling:

Using a handheld mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, then carefully mix in the egg and vanilla. Once combined, add mashed sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. As the mixture begins to smooth out, gradually pour in the evaporated milk. Mix until fully incorporated, cover and set aside.

To assemble:

Remove the prepared baking sheet with dough from the refrigerator. Using a fork, poke the pie crust about a dozen times, going all around the dough (except for the crust).

Using a large spatula, carefully scoop, spread and smooth each filling onto the crust. On the left side, start with the sweet potato and allow it to only take up 1/3 of the pan. Next, scoop out the pumpkin pie filling on the opposite right side leaving just the center open then add the pecan filling to the center (because there is a bit more liquid in the pecan mixture, it will spread a bit, do your best to control it by quickly scooping, spreading and smoothing).

Finally, decorate the outside pie dough that is hanging over and brush the outside of the pie crust with your egg wash.

Bake until all pies are set and the crust is golden-brown and crisp, about 50-60 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to completely cool, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Tightly cover the top with nonstick aluminum foil (or plastic wrap) and transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.

Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Slice, serve and enjoy!

HOLIDAY SEITAN ROAST

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Yes, you can carve a roast this Thanksgiving! Our seitan roast pairs well with all the tasty trimmings of the holiday–and makes great leftover sandwiches, too." Makes 8 servings.

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/holiday-seitan-roast/.

Ingredients

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 recipe Homemade Seitan or 1 lb. seitan, divided into 2 pieces

2 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

8 oz. baby carrots (1 1/4 cups)

3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)

1 large parsnip, chopped (4 oz.)

12 oz. small purple potatoes, halved

2 cups pearl onions, peeled and halved if large

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine salt, pepper, and paprika in small bowl. Rub over seitan pieces.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seitan, and brown 6 minutes, turning to cook all sides. Remove seitan from pan, and set aside.

Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to pan, sprinkle with flour, and reduce heat to medium. Cook 3 minutes, or until smooth roux forms. Add wine, then tomato paste, broth, tamari, thyme, and rosemary; cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.

Transfer seitan to roasting pan. Surround with carrots, celery, parsnip, potatoes, and onions. Pour sauce over top. Cover with foil, and roast 35 to 45 minutes. Remove foil, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more. Thinly slice seitan, and serve with vegetables and sauce.

HOMEMADE SEITAN

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Seitan is essentially a dough made with vital wheat gluten, a high-protein wheat flour, and liquid. The dough can be rinsed or poached to become a chewy meat substitute that can be added to many different dishes. We’ve added light seasonings to this recipe so that it will work in any dish, but feel free to play around with flavors and shapes. This tried-and-true favorite can be used in any recipe calling for seitan." Servings: 1

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/homemade-seitan/.

Ingredients

2 cups vital wheat gluten

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

2 tsp. garlic powder

5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

Preparation

Combine wheat gluten, yeast, and garlic powder in large bowl. Stir in 1 cup broth and soy sauce until dough forms, adding more broth if necessary. Knead dough in bowl with spoon 3 minutes, or until elastic. Shape into 2 loaves.

Place loaves in large saucepan, and add remaining 4 cups broth, onion, garlic, and enough water to cover seitan. Cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 45 minutes, or until seitan is firm. Remove from heat, and cool in broth.

VERY MERRY CRAN-APPLE PIE

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, "Casual pies with fold-up edges say bring on the flavor and who needs a pie pan or fancy pie edges?!"

Ingredients

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

3 cups thinly sliced cooking apples

2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

Directions

In medium bowl, cut shortening into 1 cup flour and the salt, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until crumbly. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and toss with fork until dough forms. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Heat oven to 425ºF. Shape dough into flattened round on floured surface. Roll dough into 13-inch circle. Place on ungreased large cookie sheet.

Mix brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, the apples and cranberries. Mound mixture on center of dough up to 3 inches of edge. Dot with margarine. Fold edge of dough over apples.

Bake pie 20 minutes. Cover center with 5-inch square of foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until crust is light golden brown.

EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE

This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”

To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.

Ingredients

12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

2 Tbs. Water or orange juice

Directions

Set aside 1/2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

Sides - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with holiday side dishes. Check out the yummy side dishes to go with the holiday meal (or any meal, for that matter), including Ultimate Stuffed Acorn Squash and Chestnut-and-Apple Stuffing. Enjoy!

ONION SUPREME

My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.

Ingredients

2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin

3 - 4 yellow onions, sliced thin

4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin

20 small white onions

1 stick butter or margarine

1 1/2 C half & half

2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

Directions

Melt butter over low heat and sauté leeks, scallions, garlic, and yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet and pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS SKEWERS WITH LEMON-THYME DIPPING SAUCE

This was in the November 2013 issue of Vegetarian Times (page 36). It begins, "Roasting Brussels sprouts produces a tender, juicy interior encapsulated by a crispy, caramelized exterior. Hemp oil lends a nutritious element to the light sauce, but you could substitute olive oil or walnut oil." Makes 8 servings Great for the holiday table.

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/roasted-brussels-sprouts-skewers-with-lemon-thyme-dipping-sauce-recipe/.

Ingredients

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 Tbs. pure maple syrup

1 Tbs. hemp oil

2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, whole (if small and tender), or finely chopped

32 Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (about 2 lb.)

2 Tbs. safflower oil, or other high-heat oil

Preparation

Preheat oven to 500°F. Whisk together lemon juice, maple syrup, hemp oil, and thyme in small bowl. Set aside.

Toss Brussels sprouts with safflower oil on large, rimmed baking sheet, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Add 1 Tbs. water to pan, and arrange Brussels sprouts cut side down. Cover tightly with foil. Roast 10 minutes, remove foil, then roast 10 to 15 minutes more, or until Brussels sprouts are heavily browned. Toss with 2 Tbs. dipping sauce, and let rest until cool enough to handle but still warm.

Thread 4 Brussels sprout halves onto each skewer, and arrange on platter. Serve warm, with remaining dipping sauce on side.

ULTIMATE STUFFED ACORN SQUASH

This comes from Vegetarian Times (November 2013, page 53), and begins, "The Native American “three sisters”—corn, beans, and squash—come together in these individual holiday entrées stuffed with corn pudding and black beans." Makes 8 servings. Great for holiday meals

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/ultimate-stuffed-acorn-squash/.

Ingredients

3 Tbs. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.), divided

4 acorn squash, halved and seeded

1/2 tsp. ancho chile powder, plus more for sprinkling squash

1/2 tsp. ground coriander, plus more for sprinkling squash

3 cups fresh or frozen organic corn kernels, divided

2/3 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, optional

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

2 large eggs

4 Tbs. melted butter or olive oil

3 oz. soft goat cheese or low-fat cream cheese (1/3 cup)

3 oz. grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese (3/4 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops, optional

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large poblano chile or 1 small red bell pepper, diced (1 cup)

8 green onions, white and green parts thinly sliced (1 cup), plus more for sprinkling tops

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine oil and 2 tsp. minced garlic in small bowl. Brush squash halves with garlic oil, and sprinkle lightly with ancho chile powder and coriander. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and place on large baking sheet.

Pulse 2 cups corn kernels in food processor until finely chopped and milky. Set aside.

Whisk 1/2 tsp. each coriander and ancho chile powder into cornmeal, along with sugar, baking soda, salt, and cayenne (if using) in medium bowl. Set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk and eggs in separate bowl. Whisk in butter, then puréed corn, remaining 1 cup corn kernels, goat cheese, Cheddar, and remaining 2 tsp. garlic. Fold in cornmeal mixture with spatula, then fold in black beans, poblano chile, and green onions.

Divide filling among squash halves. Sprinkle each squash with extra Cheddar (if using).

Bake squash halves 30 to 45 minutes, or until squash are tender and filling is set. Sprinkle with green onions. Squash can be prepared 24 hours ahead, then reheated 20 minutes at 325°F.

BASIC ROLLS

This was from Fr. Dominic Garramone (aka The Bread Monk). I first ran across his show, Breaking Bread with Fr. Dominic, years ago on PBS. The show has since left television (at least, as far as I can tell), but you can still check out his recipes and books on his website (above).

This recipe makes about 30 rolls.

Ingredients

1 package FLEISCHMANN's Active Dry Yeast

1/4 cup warm water

2 cups whole milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 eggs, beaten

5 to 5 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour, divided

Directions

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in small bowl; stir to dissolve. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy.

Heat milk in a saucepan until lukewarm; do not boil. Add butter, sugar and milk; mix well.

Combine milk mixture, yeast mixture and eggs in large bowl of electric mixer fitted with dough hook. Add 2 cups of the flour; mix with dough hook until blended. Add 2 cups flour and mix until blended. Add 1 cup flour and mix on medium speed 2 minutes.

Remove dough from mixing bowl and place on a floured surface. Knead, adding as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as needed to form a smooth, elastic dough. Place dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled.

Punch down dough. Knead 2 minutes to work out air bubbles. Let dough rest 10 minutes. Shape dough into desired rolls. (For shape variations, visit Tips & Techniques.) Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise about 30 minutes, or until doubled.

When dough is nearly finished rising, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake rolls 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

CHESTNUT-AND-APPLE STUFFING

This was in the November/December 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 86. It begins, "You can assemble the ingredients for this holiday stuffing up to two days ahead to save time (and stress!) on the big day. Look for peeled and roasted chestnuts in glass jars and foil packets." Makes 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/chestnut-and-apple-stuffing/.

Ingredients

10 slices whole-wheat bread, cubed

10 slices hearty white bread, cubed

1 14-oz. tube soy "sausage" crumbled

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 large white onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

5 ribs celery, sliced (1 1/2 cups)

4 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

2 tart apples, peeled and diced

1 cup peeled and ready-to-eat roasted chestnuts, halved

1/4 cup chopped fresh sage

1 1/2 cups no-chicken broth

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°F. Spread bread cubes in roasting pan, and bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until toasted.

Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add soy sausage, and cook 5 minutes, or until browned. Toss sausage with bread cubes in bowl.

Heat oil in same skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 7 minutes more. Stir in apples, chestnuts, and sage. Cover, and cook 5 minutes, or until apples are crisp-tender. Add to bread mixture. Stuffing can be prepared up to this point, sealed in a food storage bag, and refrigerated up to 2 days.

Increase oven heat to 350°F. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Toss stuffing mixture with broth, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Cover with foil, and bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more, or until top is browned and crisp.

EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE

This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”

To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.

Ingredients

12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

2 Tbs. Water or orange juice

Directions

Set aside 1/2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.

Christmas Food

Since tomorrow is Christmas, here are more six more recipes for your Christmas dinner table, including Holiday Seitan Roast and Easy Cranberry Sauce. Enjoy!

SHEET-PAN SWEET POTATO, PECAN AND PUMPKIN PIE

This is from Jocelyn Delk Adams on the Today website. It begins, "This is a fun recipe that will please everyone, even the pickiest people, on holidays! You can have three different flavors of pie all in one, so everyone is satisfied.

"Swap option: You can use canned sweet potato and canned pumpkin. Also puff pastry is a fun sub for refrigerated pie dough."

Prep Time: 60 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 16

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/sheet-pan-sweet-potato-pecan-pumpkin-pie-recipe-t200661.

Ingredients

Crust

2 boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)

1 egg plus 1 teaspoon water, whisked together

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 large egg, room temperature

Pecan Pie Filling

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch kosher salt

2 cups pecans, roasted and roughly chopped

Sweet Potato Filling

2/3 cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 sweet potato, fully cooked and mashed

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup evaporated milk

Preparation

For the crusts:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15- by 21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust.

Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

For the pumpkin pie filling:

Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and the egg in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and set aside.

For the pecan pie filling:

Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans, cover and set aside.

For the sweet potato pie filling:

Using a handheld mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, then carefully mix in the egg and vanilla. Once combined, add mashed sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. As the mixture begins to smooth out, gradually pour in the evaporated milk. Mix until fully incorporated, cover and set aside.

To assemble:

Remove the prepared baking sheet with dough from the refrigerator. Using a fork, poke the pie crust about a dozen times, going all around the dough (except for the crust).

Using a large spatula, carefully scoop, spread and smooth each filling onto the crust. On the left side, start with the sweet potato and allow it to only take up 1/3 of the pan. Next, scoop out the pumpkin pie filling on the opposite right side leaving just the center open then add the pecan filling to the center (because there is a bit more liquid in the pecan mixture, it will spread a bit, do your best to control it by quickly scooping, spreading and smoothing).

Finally, decorate the outside pie dough that is hanging over and brush the outside of the pie crust with your egg wash.

Bake until all pies are set and the crust is golden-brown and crisp, about 50-60 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to completely cool, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Tightly cover the top with nonstick aluminum foil (or plastic wrap) and transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.

Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Slice, serve and enjoy!

HOLIDAY SEITAN ROAST

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Yes, you can carve a roast this Thanksgiving! Our seitan roast pairs well with all the tasty trimmings of the holiday–and makes great leftover sandwiches, too." Makes 8 servings.

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/holiday-seitan-roast/.

Ingredients

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 recipe Homemade Seitan or 1 lb. seitan, divided into 2 pieces

2 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

8 oz. baby carrots (1 1/4 cups)

3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)

1 large parsnip, chopped (4 oz.)

12 oz. small purple potatoes, halved

2 cups pearl onions, peeled and halved if large

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine salt, pepper, and paprika in small bowl. Rub over seitan pieces.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seitan, and brown 6 minutes, turning to cook all sides. Remove seitan from pan, and set aside.

Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to pan, sprinkle with flour, and reduce heat to medium. Cook 3 minutes, or until smooth roux forms. Add wine, then tomato paste, broth, tamari, thyme, and rosemary; cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.

Transfer seitan to roasting pan. Surround with carrots, celery, parsnip, potatoes, and onions. Pour sauce over top. Cover with foil, and roast 35 to 45 minutes. Remove foil, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more. Thinly slice seitan, and serve with vegetables and sauce.

HOMEMADE SEITAN

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Seitan is essentially a dough made with vital wheat gluten, a high-protein wheat flour, and liquid. The dough can be rinsed or poached to become a chewy meat substitute that can be added to many different dishes. We’ve added light seasonings to this recipe so that it will work in any dish, but feel free to play around with flavors and shapes. This tried-and-true favorite can be used in any recipe calling for seitan." Servings: 1

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/homemade-seitan/.

Ingredients

2 cups vital wheat gluten

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

2 tsp. garlic powder

5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

Preparation

Combine wheat gluten, yeast, and garlic powder in large bowl. Stir in 1 cup broth and soy sauce until dough forms, adding more broth if necessary. Knead dough in bowl with spoon 3 minutes, or until elastic. Shape into 2 loaves.

Place loaves in large saucepan, and add remaining 4 cups broth, onion, garlic, and enough water to cover seitan. Cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 45 minutes, or until seitan is firm. Remove from heat, and cool in broth.

VERY MERRY CRAN-APPLE PIE

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, "Casual pies with fold-up edges say bring on the flavor and who needs a pie pan or fancy pie edges?!"

Ingredients

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

3 cups thinly sliced cooking apples

2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

Directions

In medium bowl, cut shortening into 1 cup flour and the salt, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until crumbly. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and toss with fork until dough forms. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Heat oven to 425ºF. Shape dough into flattened round on floured surface. Roll dough into 13-inch circle. Place on ungreased large cookie sheet.

Mix brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, the apples and cranberries. Mound mixture on center of dough up to 3 inches of edge. Dot with margarine. Fold edge of dough over apples.

Bake pie 20 minutes. Cover center with 5-inch square of foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until crust is light golden brown.

EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE

This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”

To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.

Ingredients

12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

2 Tbs. Water or orange juice

Directions

Set aside 1/2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

Thanksgiving Recipes - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Since Thanksgiving is this Thursday, today's double post are a few more Thanksgiving recipes to add to your holiday line-up. Of course, these can be enjoyed any time, including Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables and Holiday Bread Cornucopia. Enjoy!

Note: Since Thanksgiving is Thursday, I'll be taking Thursday off. However, I will attempt to post a double-blog on Wednesday, then be back on Friday. Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful.

THANKSGIVING POT PIE

This is from the November 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Working toward her master's in social work, Adrianne Dickson, who won first place in VT's 2009 Reader Recipe Contest for this recipe, still finds time to read cookbooks for fun. 'I first developed this recipe while living in Montana after my boyfriend told me he loved pot pie,' she explains. 'I started making the crust in a bag when we were working as raft guides and didn't have any place to roll out a crust.'" Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Note: The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of red wine. If you're like me and don't normally have wine (or any alcohol) around the house, no problem. I tend to use water in place of it. So don't let the red wine keep you from trying this recipe if you don't have it around; simply use water. Of course, someone's liable to think, "You can't do that!" Yes, I can, and so can you.

Ingredients

Filling

2 medium potatoes, diced (2 cups)

2 large carrots, sliced (1 cup)

3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. San-J Tamari Soy Sauce, divided

1/2 tsp. granulated garlic, divided

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, divided

2 cups sliced button mushrooms

1 large onion, diced (2 cups)

1 cup chopped broccoli florets

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 cup plain soymilk

3 Tbs. red wine

1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage

1 tsp. hoisin sauce

1/2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce

Crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp. chopped fresh sage

Directions

To make Filling:

Cook potatoes and carrots in large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and set aside.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and cook 5 minutes, or until tofu begins to brown. Stir in 2 Tbs. tamari, 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, and cook until all liquid has evaporated.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and cook 2 minutes. Add onion, broccoli, and garlic, and sauté 6 to 7 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.

Push veggies to side of Dutch oven. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to bottom of pot. Stir flour into oil with fork to make roux; stir until smooth. Stir roux into vegetables.

Stir broth into vegetables. Once gravy is smooth, add tofu, potatoes, carrots, soymilk, remaining 1/4 cup tamari, and wine. Stir gently, then add thyme, sage, hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and remaining 1/8 tsp. cayenne. Remove from heat, and set aside, or transfer vegetables to large casserole dish.

To make Crust:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix together flour, salt, and shortening with fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in up to 4 Tbs. cold water, if necessary, for dough to stick together. Gently knead rosemary and sage into dough, and shape dough into ball. Place dough ball in plastic bag, and push out from center of ball to shape dough to size of Dutch oven or casserole dish. Remove dough from bag, and lay over vegetable filling in Dutch oven or casserole dish. Poke holes in dough to allow steam to escape. Bake 45 minutes, or until Crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 394; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: less than 1 mg; Sodium: 978 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE

This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”

To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.

Ingredients

12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

2 Tbs. Water or orange juice

Directions

Set aside 1/2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.

CARROT CORNBREAD

This comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65. The Chef is Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Modern Love in Omaha, Nebraska, and the recipe begins, “'This cornbread is the essence of autumn in Nebraska, with a warm orange hue that shines a little brighter at the Thanksgiving table than your average cornbread. It’s perfect for sopping up gravy and sauces,' says Moskowitz. Carrot purée keeps a simple cornbread recipe moist and gives it a gorgeous color." And what do I say about this recipe, which serves 12? Yum!

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/carrot-cornbread/

Ingredients

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted

1 1/4 cups cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

Steam carrots in steamer 15 minutes, or until very tender. Transfer to food processor, and purée until smooth. Cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Stir together almond milk and cider vinegar in measuring cup. Set aside to curdle.

Whisk 1 cup carrot purée with maple syrup in large bowl. Whisk in coconut oil, then almond milk mixture.

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in separate bowl. Fold cornmeal mixture into carrot mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden and firm to touch. Cool. Cut into 12 squares, and serve.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 170; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 220 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 9 g; Vegan

HOLIDAY BREAD CORNUCOPIA

Both this and the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables can be found on page 54 of the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times. This one begins, "This cornucopia is easy to make using poster board and foil, and the result looks like a centerpiece created by a professional baker. Fill it with hot roasted vegetables, or use it as a bread basket for your holiday feast. The cornucopia can be made a day ahead." Serves 12

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/holiday-bread-cornucopia/.

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar

2 0.25-oz. pkg. dry yeast

6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (2 lb.), plus more for flouring work surface

1 Tbs. plus 1 pinch salt, divided

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more to coat bowl

1 large egg

1/2 cup melted butter, optional

Directions

Dissolve sugar in 2 cups warm water. Stir yeast into sugar-water mixture, and let stand 5 minutes.

Pulse flour and 1 Tbs. salt in bowl of food processor, or combine in stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add yeast mixture and oil, and process 1 minute, or beat with mixer 3 to 5 minutes, or until dough forms smooth, sticky ball that hits against sides of food processor or mixing bowl.

Rub large bowl with oil, place dough in bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour in warm place. Punch down dough, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, and have small glass of water ready. Halve poster board so you have one 20- x 15-inch piece; shape poster board into cone, and tape to hold. Trim open edge of cone so it stands flat on baking sheet. (Trimmed cone should be 7 inches wide at mouth and 15 inches long.) Smoothly cover outside of cone with foil, turning edges in, as necessary. Fill cone with crumpled parchment paper or foil to keep cone from collapsing. Stand cone on prepared baking sheet, and coat foil with cooking spray.

Roll out one-third of dough to 20- x 6-inch rectangle. (Keep remaining dough in refrigerator so it won’t get too soft.) Cut dough into four 20- x 11/2-inch strips. Wrap 1 dough strip around wide base of cone on baking sheet, wetting ends, and pressing ends together to seal so you have a ring of dough. Wet end of second dough strip, press end onto first strip, and wrap around cone, overlapping first dough strip by one-third to one-half of strip width. Wet end, and press to hold in place. Continue wrapping third and fourth dough strips around cone, working your way up to narrow end. Repeat with remaining dough until cone is completely wrapped in overlapping strips of dough. When finished, braid three strips of dough, and wrap around base (wide end of cone). Lay cone on its side on prepared baking sheet, best-looking side up.

Beat egg with 1 Tbs. water and remaining pinch of salt in small bowl. Brush egg wash all over cornucopia.

Bake cornucopia 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove cornucopia from oven. Carefully remove crumpled parchment paper from inside of cone, then gently pull cone away from sides of cornucopia with tongs, and remove. Return cornucopia to oven, and bake 20 minutes more, or until inside of cornucopia is dry and beginning to brown. Brush hot cornucopia with melted butter, if using. Cool.

nutritional information Per Per serving: Calories: 338; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 53 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 584 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: less than 1 g

FORK-AND-KNIFE ROASTED VEGETABLES

This recipe begins, "Winter squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts make a colorful roasted vegetable assortment that’s enhanced with a little sweetness and spice. (The food stylist used colorful cauliflower varieties and heirloom squash for even richer hues.) Spoon the vegetables into the Holiday Bread Cornucopia or pile on a platter, and serve with the Essence-of-Thanksgiving Gravy." Serves 8

Ingredients

2 small acorn squash, 1 small kabocha, or 1 red kuri squash (skin left on), cut into 3-inch wedges (3 lb.)

1 small head cauliflower, separated into large florets (1 lb.)

24 cremini or button mushrooms (12 oz.)

8 oz. Brussels sprouts, halved

2 small onions, cut into quarters, stem ends left intact

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

4 tsp. honey

2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. spicy seasoning mix, such as barbecue rub or Cajun seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.

Toss together squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and onions with 1/4 cup oil. Spread on prepared baking sheets, and roast 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown. Flip vegetables with tongs, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more.

Stir together remaining 1/4 cup oil, honey, vinegar, and garlic.

Remove baking sheets from oven. Flip vegetables, and daub with honey mixture, sprinkle with seasoning mix, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Return vegetables to oven, and roast 5 minutes. Flip vegetables once more, daub with honey mixture, and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Roast 5 minutes more, or until glistening and browned.

nutritional information Per Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 229; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 100 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free

ESSENCE-0F-THANKSGIVING GRAVY

This also comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 56. It begins, "This savory sauce tastes like Thanksgiving because the long simmer time concentrates the classic fall flavors of onions, celery, mushrooms, and fragrant herbs. The gravy is thinner than most so that it can easily be drizzled over the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables." Makes 3 cups.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/essence-of-thanksgiving-gravy/.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 large onions, quartered and sliced (4 cups)

1/2 bunch celery, coarsely chopped (4 cups)

1 lb. mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white wine, optional

4 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs marjoram

2 sprigs rosemary

Directions

Heat butter and oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and mushrooms, and season with salt, if desired. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 10 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Uncover, add garlic, and cook 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft and most of liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.

Stir in flour, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until flour begins to brown. Stir in wine (if using), and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add 5 cups water, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Strain gravy through fine-mesh sieve. Rewarm, if necessary.

nutritional information Per Per 1/4 cup: Calories: 53; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 16 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 1 g

Christmas Recipes

Here are more Christmas recipes to put on your dinner table on Friday, including Holiday Seitan Roast and Easy Cranberry Sauce. Enjoy!

SHEET-PAN SWEET POTATO, PECAN AND PUMPKIN PIE

This is from Jocelyn Delk Adams on the Today website. It begins, "This is a fun recipe that will please everyone, even the pickiest people, on holidays! You can have three different flavors of pie all in one, so everyone is satisfied.

"Swap option: You can use canned sweet potato and canned pumpkin. Also puff pastry is a fun sub for refrigerated pie dough."

Prep Time: 60 minutes; Cook Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 16

To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/sheet-pan-sweet-potato-pecan-pumpkin-pie-recipe-t200661.

Ingredients

Crust

2 boxes refrigerated rolled pie crust (4 crusts total)

1 egg plus 1 teaspoon water, whisked together

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 large egg, room temperature

Pecan Pie Filling

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

4 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch kosher salt

2 cups pecans, roasted and roughly chopped

Sweet Potato Filling

2/3 cup granulated sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 large egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 2/3 sweet potato, fully cooked and mashed

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup evaporated milk

Preparation

For the crusts:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Unroll 3 of the pie crusts on a lightly floured work surface. Stack them on top of each other. Roll out the thick, layered dough to a 15- by 21-inch rectangle. Press into a rimmed baking sheet so that the crust comes up the sides and hangs over slightly. This will be the bottom crust.

Chill until ready to use, at least 30 minutes.

For the pumpkin pie filling:

Whisk together the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, salt, pumpkin pie spice and the egg in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and set aside.

For the pecan pie filling:

Whisk together the brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fold in the pecans, cover and set aside.

For the sweet potato pie filling:

Using a handheld mixer, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy, then carefully mix in the egg and vanilla. Once combined, add mashed sweet potato, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. As the mixture begins to smooth out, gradually pour in the evaporated milk. Mix until fully incorporated, cover and set aside.

To assemble:

Remove the prepared baking sheet with dough from the refrigerator. Using a fork, poke the pie crust about a dozen times, going all around the dough (except for the crust).

Using a large spatula, carefully scoop, spread and smooth each filling onto the crust. On the left side, start with the sweet potato and allow it to only take up 1/3 of the pan. Next, scoop out the pumpkin pie filling on the opposite right side leaving just the center open then add the pecan filling to the center (because there is a bit more liquid in the pecan mixture, it will spread a bit, do your best to control it by quickly scooping, spreading and smoothing).

Finally, decorate the outside pie dough that is hanging over and brush the outside of the pie crust with your egg wash.

Bake until all pies are set and the crust is golden-brown and crisp, about 50-60 minutes.

Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to completely cool, about 1-1 1/2 hours. Tightly cover the top with nonstick aluminum foil (or plastic wrap) and transfer to the refrigerator to set for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.

Allow the pie to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving. Slice, serve and enjoy!

HOLIDAY SEITAN ROAST

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Yes, you can carve a roast this Thanksgiving! Our seitan roast pairs well with all the tasty trimmings of the holiday–and makes great leftover sandwiches, too." Makes 8 servings.

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/holiday-seitan-roast/.

Ingredients

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1 recipe Homemade Seitan or 1 lb. seitan, divided into 2 pieces

2 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

2 tsp. tamari or soy sauce

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

1/4 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

8 oz. baby carrots (1 1/4 cups)

3 stalks celery, chopped (1 cup)

1 large parsnip, chopped (4 oz.)

12 oz. small purple potatoes, halved

2 cups pearl onions, peeled and halved if large

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine salt, pepper, and paprika in small bowl. Rub over seitan pieces.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add seitan, and brown 6 minutes, turning to cook all sides. Remove seitan from pan, and set aside.

Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to pan, sprinkle with flour, and reduce heat to medium. Cook 3 minutes, or until smooth roux forms. Add wine, then tomato paste, broth, tamari, thyme, and rosemary; cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until sauce begins to thicken.

Transfer seitan to roasting pan. Surround with carrots, celery, parsnip, potatoes, and onions. Pour sauce over top. Cover with foil, and roast 35 to 45 minutes. Remove foil, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more. Thinly slice seitan, and serve with vegetables and sauce.

HOMEMADE SEITAN

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Seitan is essentially a dough made with vital wheat gluten, a high-protein wheat flour, and liquid. The dough can be rinsed or poached to become a chewy meat substitute that can be added to many different dishes. We’ve added light seasonings to this recipe so that it will work in any dish, but feel free to play around with flavors and shapes. This tried-and-true favorite can be used in any recipe calling for seitan." Servings: 1

To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/homemade-seitan/.

Ingredients

2 cups vital wheat gluten

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

2 tsp. garlic powder

5 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 small onion, diced

1 clove garlic, crushed

Preparation

Combine wheat gluten, yeast, and garlic powder in large bowl. Stir in 1 cup broth and soy sauce until dough forms, adding more broth if necessary. Knead dough in bowl with spoon 3 minutes, or until elastic. Shape into 2 loaves.

Place loaves in large saucepan, and add remaining 4 cups broth, onion, garlic, and enough water to cover seitan. Cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 to 45 minutes, or until seitan is firm. Remove from heat, and cool in broth.

VERY MERRY CRAN-APPLE PIE

This comes from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, and begins, "Casual pies with fold-up edges say bring on the flavor and who needs a pie pan or fancy pie edges?!"

Ingredients

1/3 cup shortening

1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

3 cups thinly sliced cooking apples

2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) cranberries

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

Directions

In medium bowl, cut shortening into 1 cup flour and the salt, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until crumbly. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and toss with fork until dough forms. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Heat oven to 425ºF. Shape dough into flattened round on floured surface. Roll dough into 13-inch circle. Place on ungreased large cookie sheet.

Mix brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, the apples and cranberries. Mound mixture on center of dough up to 3 inches of edge. Dot with margarine. Fold edge of dough over apples.

Bake pie 20 minutes. Cover center with 5-inch square of foil to prevent overbrowning. Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until crust is light golden brown.

EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE

This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”

To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.

Ingredients

12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

2 Tbs. Water or orange juice

Directions

Set aside 1/2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.

SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list.

Ingredients

4 medium Sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 lb)

1/4 cup Packed brown sugar

1/4 cup Butter

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1 Can (8 oz) crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon Packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Water

1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground nutmeg

1 1/2 cups Miniature marshmallows

1/4 cup Chopped pecans

Directions

Wash sweet potatoes. Prick each 2 or 3 times with fork to allow steam to escape. Arrange in oven at least 1 inch apart. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until fork-tender, 8 to 10 mins. Cover & let stand 5 minutes.

Peel and slice potatoes. Place in 2-quart casserole. Add 1/4 cup butter and the salt. Mash until no lumps remain. Mix in pineapple. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 2 minutes. Stir and set aside.

Place 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, the water, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) until butter is melted, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring after half the time. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Top sweet potato mixture with marshmallows. Microwave at HIGH (100 % until the marshmallows are melted and potatoes are heated through, 2 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with pecans.

Thanksgiving Recipes - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Since Thanksgiving is this Thursday, today's double post are a few more Thanksgiving recipes to add to your holiday line-up. Of course, these can be enjoyed any time, including Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables and Holiday Bread Cornucopia. Enjoy!

Note: Since Thanksgiving is Thursday, I'll be taking Thursday off. However, I will attempt to post a double-blog on Wednesday, then be back on Friday. Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful.

THANKSGIVING POT PIE

This is from the November 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Working toward her master's in social work, Adrianne Dickson, who won first place in VT's 2009 Reader Recipe Contest for this recipe, still finds time to read cookbooks for fun. 'I first developed this recipe while living in Montana after my boyfriend told me he loved pot pie,' she explains. 'I started making the crust in a bag when we were working as raft guides and didn't have any place to roll out a crust.'" Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Note: The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of red wine. If you're like me and don't normally have wine (or any alcohol) around the house, no problem. I tend to use water in place of it. So don't let the red wine keep you from trying this recipe if you don't have it around; simply use water. Of course, someone's liable to think, "You can't do that!" Yes, I can, and so can you.

Ingredients

Filling

2 medium potatoes, diced (2 cups)

2 large carrots, sliced (1 cup)

3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. San-J Tamari Soy Sauce, divided

1/2 tsp. granulated garlic, divided

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, divided

2 cups sliced button mushrooms

1 large onion, diced (2 cups)

1 cup chopped broccoli florets

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 cup plain soymilk

3 Tbs. red wine

1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage

1 tsp. hoisin sauce

1/2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce

Crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp. chopped fresh sage

Directions

To make Filling:

Cook potatoes and carrots in large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and set aside.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and cook 5 minutes, or until tofu begins to brown. Stir in 2 Tbs. tamari, 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, and cook until all liquid has evaporated.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and cook 2 minutes. Add onion, broccoli, and garlic, and sauté 6 to 7 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.

Push veggies to side of Dutch oven. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to bottom of pot. Stir flour into oil with fork to make roux; stir until smooth. Stir roux into vegetables.

Stir broth into vegetables. Once gravy is smooth, add tofu, potatoes, carrots, soymilk, remaining 1/4 cup tamari, and wine. Stir gently, then add thyme, sage, hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and remaining 1/8 tsp. cayenne. Remove from heat, and set aside, or transfer vegetables to large casserole dish.

To make Crust:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix together flour, salt, and shortening with fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in up to 4 Tbs. cold water, if necessary, for dough to stick together. Gently knead rosemary and sage into dough, and shape dough into ball. Place dough ball in plastic bag, and push out from center of ball to shape dough to size of Dutch oven or casserole dish. Remove dough from bag, and lay over vegetable filling in Dutch oven or casserole dish. Poke holes in dough to allow steam to escape. Bake 45 minutes, or until Crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 394; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: less than 1 mg; Sodium: 978 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE

This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”

To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.

Ingredients

12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

2 Tbs. Water or orange juice

Directions

Set aside 1/2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.

CARROT CORNBREAD

This comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65. The Chef is Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Modern Love in Omaha, Nebraska, and the recipe begins, “'This cornbread is the essence of autumn in Nebraska, with a warm orange hue that shines a little brighter at the Thanksgiving table than your average cornbread. It’s perfect for sopping up gravy and sauces,' says Moskowitz. Carrot purée keeps a simple cornbread recipe moist and gives it a gorgeous color." And what do I say about this recipe, which serves 12? Yum!

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/carrot-cornbread/

Ingredients

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted

1 1/4 cups cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

Steam carrots in steamer 15 minutes, or until very tender. Transfer to food processor, and purée until smooth. Cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Stir together almond milk and cider vinegar in measuring cup. Set aside to curdle.

Whisk 1 cup carrot purée with maple syrup in large bowl. Whisk in coconut oil, then almond milk mixture.

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in separate bowl. Fold cornmeal mixture into carrot mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden and firm to touch. Cool. Cut into 12 squares, and serve.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 170; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 220 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 9 g; Vegan

HOLIDAY BREAD CORNUCOPIA

Both this and the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables can be found on page 54 of the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times. This one begins, "This cornucopia is easy to make using poster board and foil, and the result looks like a centerpiece created by a professional baker. Fill it with hot roasted vegetables, or use it as a bread basket for your holiday feast. The cornucopia can be made a day ahead." Serves 12

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/holiday-bread-cornucopia/.

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar

2 0.25-oz. pkg. dry yeast

6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (2 lb.), plus more for flouring work surface

1 Tbs. plus 1 pinch salt, divided

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more to coat bowl

1 large egg

1/2 cup melted butter, optional

Directions

Dissolve sugar in 2 cups warm water. Stir yeast into sugar-water mixture, and let stand 5 minutes.

Pulse flour and 1 Tbs. salt in bowl of food processor, or combine in stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add yeast mixture and oil, and process 1 minute, or beat with mixer 3 to 5 minutes, or until dough forms smooth, sticky ball that hits against sides of food processor or mixing bowl.

Rub large bowl with oil, place dough in bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour in warm place. Punch down dough, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, and have small glass of water ready. Halve poster board so you have one 20- x 15-inch piece; shape poster board into cone, and tape to hold. Trim open edge of cone so it stands flat on baking sheet. (Trimmed cone should be 7 inches wide at mouth and 15 inches long.) Smoothly cover outside of cone with foil, turning edges in, as necessary. Fill cone with crumpled parchment paper or foil to keep cone from collapsing. Stand cone on prepared baking sheet, and coat foil with cooking spray.

Roll out one-third of dough to 20- x 6-inch rectangle. (Keep remaining dough in refrigerator so it won’t get too soft.) Cut dough into four 20- x 11/2-inch strips. Wrap 1 dough strip around wide base of cone on baking sheet, wetting ends, and pressing ends together to seal so you have a ring of dough. Wet end of second dough strip, press end onto first strip, and wrap around cone, overlapping first dough strip by one-third to one-half of strip width. Wet end, and press to hold in place. Continue wrapping third and fourth dough strips around cone, working your way up to narrow end. Repeat with remaining dough until cone is completely wrapped in overlapping strips of dough. When finished, braid three strips of dough, and wrap around base (wide end of cone). Lay cone on its side on prepared baking sheet, best-looking side up.

Beat egg with 1 Tbs. water and remaining pinch of salt in small bowl. Brush egg wash all over cornucopia.

Bake cornucopia 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove cornucopia from oven. Carefully remove crumpled parchment paper from inside of cone, then gently pull cone away from sides of cornucopia with tongs, and remove. Return cornucopia to oven, and bake 20 minutes more, or until inside of cornucopia is dry and beginning to brown. Brush hot cornucopia with melted butter, if using. Cool.

nutritional information Per Per serving: Calories: 338; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 53 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 584 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: less than 1 g

FORK-AND-KNIFE ROASTED VEGETABLES

This recipe begins, "Winter squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts make a colorful roasted vegetable assortment that’s enhanced with a little sweetness and spice. (The food stylist used colorful cauliflower varieties and heirloom squash for even richer hues.) Spoon the vegetables into the Holiday Bread Cornucopia or pile on a platter, and serve with the Essence-of-Thanksgiving Gravy." Serves 8

Ingredients

2 small acorn squash, 1 small kabocha, or 1 red kuri squash (skin left on), cut into 3-inch wedges (3 lb.)

1 small head cauliflower, separated into large florets (1 lb.)

24 cremini or button mushrooms (12 oz.)

8 oz. Brussels sprouts, halved

2 small onions, cut into quarters, stem ends left intact

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

4 tsp. honey

2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. spicy seasoning mix, such as barbecue rub or Cajun seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.

Toss together squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and onions with 1/4 cup oil. Spread on prepared baking sheets, and roast 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown. Flip vegetables with tongs, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more.

Stir together remaining 1/4 cup oil, honey, vinegar, and garlic.

Remove baking sheets from oven. Flip vegetables, and daub with honey mixture, sprinkle with seasoning mix, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Return vegetables to oven, and roast 5 minutes. Flip vegetables once more, daub with honey mixture, and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Roast 5 minutes more, or until glistening and browned.

nutritional information Per Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 229; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 100 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free

ESSENCE-0F-THANKSGIVING GRAVY

This also comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 56. It begins, "This savory sauce tastes like Thanksgiving because the long simmer time concentrates the classic fall flavors of onions, celery, mushrooms, and fragrant herbs. The gravy is thinner than most so that it can easily be drizzled over the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables." Makes 3 cups.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/essence-of-thanksgiving-gravy/.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 large onions, quartered and sliced (4 cups)

1/2 bunch celery, coarsely chopped (4 cups)

1 lb. mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white wine, optional

4 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs marjoram

2 sprigs rosemary

Directions

Heat butter and oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and mushrooms, and season with salt, if desired. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 10 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Uncover, add garlic, and cook 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft and most of liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.

Stir in flour, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until flour begins to brown. Stir in wine (if using), and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add 5 cups water, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Strain gravy through fine-mesh sieve. Rewarm, if necessary.

nutritional information Per Per 1/4 cup: Calories: 53; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 16 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 1 g

Thanksgiving Recipes - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Since Thanksgiving is this Thursday, today's double post are a few more Thanksgiving recipes to add to your holiday line-up. Of course, these can be enjoyed any time, including Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables and Holiday Bread Cornucopia. Enjoy!

Note: Since Thanksgiving is Thursday, I'll be taking Thursday off. However, I will attempt to post a double-blog on Wednesday, then be back on Friday. Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful.

THANKSGIVING POT PIE

This is from the November 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Working toward her master's in social work, Adrianne Dickson, who won first place in VT's 2009 Reader Recipe Contest for this recipe, still finds time to read cookbooks for fun. 'I first developed this recipe while living in Montana after my boyfriend told me he loved pot pie,' she explains. 'I started making the crust in a bag when we were working as raft guides and didn't have any place to roll out a crust.'" Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Note: The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of red wine. If you're like me and don't normally have wine (or any alcohol) around the house, no problem. I tend to use water in place of it. So don't let the red wine keep you from trying this recipe if you don't have it around; simply use water. Of course, someone's liable to think, "You can't do that!" Yes, I can, and so can you.

Filling

2 medium potatoes, diced (2 cups)

2 large carrots, sliced (1 cup)

3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. San-J Tamari Soy Sauce, divided

1/2 tsp. granulated garlic, divided

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, divided

2 cups sliced button mushrooms

1 large onion, diced (2 cups)

1 cup chopped broccoli florets

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 cup plain soymilk

3 Tbs. red wine

1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage

1 tsp. hoisin sauce

1/2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce

Crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp. chopped fresh sage

To make Filling:

Cook potatoes and carrots in large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and set aside.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and cook 5 minutes, or until tofu begins to brown. Stir in 2 Tbs. tamari, 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, and cook until all liquid has evaporated.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and cook 2 minutes. Add onion, broccoli, and garlic, and sauté 6 to 7 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.

Push veggies to side of Dutch oven. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to bottom of pot. Stir flour into oil with fork to make roux; stir until smooth. Stir roux into vegetables.

Stir broth into vegetables. Once gravy is smooth, add tofu, potatoes, carrots, soymilk, remaining 1/4 cup tamari, and wine. Stir gently, then add thyme, sage, hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and remaining 1/8 tsp. cayenne. Remove from heat, and set aside, or transfer vegetables to large casserole dish.

To make Crust:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix together flour, salt, and shortening with fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in up to 4 Tbs. cold water, if necessary, for dough to stick together. Gently knead rosemary and sage into dough, and shape dough into ball. Place dough ball in plastic bag, and push out from center of ball to shape dough to size of Dutch oven or casserole dish. Remove dough from bag, and lay over vegetable filling in Dutch oven or casserole dish. Poke holes in dough to allow steam to escape. Bake 45 minutes, or until Crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 394; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: less than 1 mg; Sodium: 978 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE

This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”

To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.

12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

2 Tbs. Water or orange juice

Set aside 1/ 2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.

CARROT CORNBREAD

This comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65. The Chef is Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Modern Love in Omaha, Nebraska, and the recipe begins, “'This cornbread is the essence of autumn in Nebraska, with a warm orange hue that shines a little brighter at the Thanksgiving table than your average cornbread. It’s perfect for sopping up gravy and sauces,' says Moskowitz. Carrot purée keeps a simple cornbread recipe moist and gives it a gorgeous color." And what do I say about this recipe, which serves 12? Yum!

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/carrot-cornbread/

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted

1 1/4 cups cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

Steam carrots in steamer 15 minutes, or until very tender. Transfer to food processor, and purée until smooth. Cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Stir together almond milk and cider vinegar in measuring cup. Set aside to curdle.

Whisk 1 cup carrot purée with maple syrup in large bowl. Whisk in coconut oil, then almond milk mixture.

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in separate bowl. Fold cornmeal mixture into carrot mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden and firm to touch. Cool. Cut into 12 squares, and serve.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 170; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 220 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 9 g; Vegan

HOLIDAY BREAD CORNUCOPIA

Both this and the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables can be found on page 54 of the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times. This one begins, "This cornucopia is easy to make using poster board and foil, and the result looks like a centerpiece created by a professional baker. Fill it with hot roasted vegetables, or use it as a bread basket for your holiday feast. The cornucopia can be made a day ahead." Serves 12

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/holiday-bread-cornucopia/.

1/4 cup sugar

2 0.25-oz. pkg. dry yeast

6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (2 lb.), plus more for flouring work surface

1 Tbs. plus 1 pinch salt, divided

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more to coat bowl

1 large egg

1/2 cup melted butter, optional

Dissolve sugar in 2 cups warm water. Stir yeast into sugar-water mixture, and let stand 5 minutes.

Pulse flour and 1 Tbs. salt in bowl of food processor, or combine in stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add yeast mixture and oil, and process 1 minute, or beat with mixer 3 to 5 minutes, or until dough forms smooth, sticky ball that hits against sides of food processor or mixing bowl.

Rub large bowl with oil, place dough in bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour in warm place. Punch down dough, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, and have small glass of water ready. Halve poster board so you have one 20- x 15-inch piece; shape poster board into cone, and tape to hold. Trim open edge of cone so it stands flat on baking sheet. (Trimmed cone should be 7 inches wide at mouth and 15 inches long.) Smoothly cover outside of cone with foil, turning edges in, as necessary. Fill cone with crumpled parchment paper or foil to keep cone from collapsing. Stand cone on prepared baking sheet, and coat foil with cooking spray.

Roll out one-third of dough to 20- x 6-inch rectangle. (Keep remaining dough in refrigerator so it won’t get too soft.) Cut dough into four 20- x 11/2-inch strips. Wrap 1 dough strip around wide base of cone on baking sheet, wetting ends, and pressing ends together to seal so you have a ring of dough. Wet end of second dough strip, press end onto first strip, and wrap around cone, overlapping first dough strip by one-third to one-half of strip width. Wet end, and press to hold in place. Continue wrapping third and fourth dough strips around cone, working your way up to narrow end. Repeat with remaining dough until cone is completely wrapped in overlapping strips of dough. When finished, braid three strips of dough, and wrap around base (wide end of cone). Lay cone on its side on prepared baking sheet, best-looking side up.

Beat egg with 1 Tbs. water and remaining pinch of salt in small bowl. Brush egg wash all over cornucopia.

Bake cornucopia 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove cornucopia from oven. Carefully remove crumpled parchment paper from inside of cone, then gently pull cone away from sides of cornucopia with tongs, and remove. Return cornucopia to oven, and bake 20 minutes more, or until inside of cornucopia is dry and beginning to brown. Brush hot cornucopia with melted butter, if using. Cool.

nutritional information Per Per serving: Calories: 338; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 53 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 584 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: less than 1 g

FORK-AND-KNIFE ROASTED VEGETABLES

This recipe begins, "Winter squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts make a colorful roasted vegetable assortment that’s enhanced with a little sweetness and spice. (The food stylist used colorful cauliflower varieties and heirloom squash for even richer hues.) Spoon the vegetables into the Holiday Bread Cornucopia or pile on a platter, and serve with the Essence-of-Thanksgiving Gravy." Serves 8

2 small acorn squash, 1 small kabocha, or 1 red kuri squash (skin left on), cut into 3-inch wedges (3 lb.)

1 small head cauliflower, separated into large florets (1 lb.)

24 cremini or button mushrooms (12 oz.)

8 oz. Brussels sprouts, halved

2 small onions, cut into quarters, stem ends left intact

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

4 tsp. honey

2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. spicy seasoning mix, such as barbecue rub or Cajun seasoning

Preheat oven to 350°F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.

Toss together squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and onions with 1/4 cup oil. Spread on prepared baking sheets, and roast 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown. Flip vegetables with tongs, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more.

Stir together remaining 1/4 cup oil, honey, vinegar, and garlic.

Remove baking sheets from oven. Flip vegetables, and daub with honey mixture, sprinkle with seasoning mix, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Return vegetables to oven, and roast 5 minutes. Flip vegetables once more, daub with honey mixture, and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Roast 5 minutes more, or until glistening and browned.

nutritional information Per Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 229; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 100 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free

ESSENCE-0F-THANKSGIVING GRAVY

This also comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 56. It begins, "This savory sauce tastes like Thanksgiving because the long simmer time concentrates the classic fall flavors of onions, celery, mushrooms, and fragrant herbs. The gravy is thinner than most so that it can easily be drizzled over the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables." Makes 3 cups.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/essence-of-thanksgiving-gravy/.

2 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 large onions, quartered and sliced (4 cups)

1/2 bunch celery, coarsely chopped (4 cups)

1 lb. mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white wine, optional

4 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs marjoram

2 sprigs rosemary

Heat butter and oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and mushrooms, and season with salt, if desired. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 10 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Uncover, add garlic, and cook 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft and most of liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.

Stir in flour, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until flour begins to brown. Stir in wine (if using), and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add 5 cups water, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Strain gravy through fine-mesh sieve. Rewarm, if necessary.

nutritional information Per Per 1/4 cup: Calories: 53; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 16 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 1 g

Double-Post Tuesday - Thanksgiving Recipes

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Since Thanksgiving is this Thursday, today's double post are a few more Thanksgiving recipes to add to your holiday line-up. Of course, these can be enjoyed any time, including Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables and Holiday Bread Cornucopia. Enjoy!

Note: Since Thanksgiving is Thursday, I'll be taking Thursday off. However, I will attempt to post a double-blog on Wednesday, then be back on Friday. Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful.

THANKSGIVING POT PIE

This is from the November 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Working toward her master's in social work, Adrianne Dickson, who won first place in VT's 2009 Reader Recipe Contest for this recipe, still finds time to read cookbooks for fun. 'I first developed this recipe while living in Montana after my boyfriend told me he loved pot pie,' she explains. 'I started making the crust in a bag when we were working as raft guides and didn't have any place to roll out a crust.'" Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Note: The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of red wine. If you're like me and don't normally have wine (or any alcohol) around the house, no problem. I tend to use water in place of it. So don't let the red wine keep you from trying this recipe if you don't have it around; simply use water. Of course, someone's liable to think, "You can't do that!" Yes, I can, and so can you.

Filling

2 medium potatoes, diced (2 cups)

2 large carrots, sliced (1 cup)

3 Tbs. olive oil, divided

1 16-oz. pkg. firm tofu, drained and cut into cubes

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. San-J Tamari Soy Sauce, divided

1/2 tsp. granulated garlic, divided

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, divided

2 cups sliced button mushrooms

1 large onion, diced (2 cups)

1 cup chopped broccoli florets

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 cup plain soymilk

3 Tbs. red wine

1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme

1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage

1 tsp. hoisin sauce

1/2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce

Crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated vegetable shortening

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp. chopped fresh sage

To make Filling:

Cook potatoes and carrots in large pot of boiling salted water 10 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and set aside.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu, and cook 5 minutes, or until tofu begins to brown. Stir in 2 Tbs. tamari, 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, and cook until all liquid has evaporated.

Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushrooms, and cook 2 minutes. Add onion, broccoli, and garlic, and sauté 6 to 7 minutes, or until onions begin to soften.

Push veggies to side of Dutch oven. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to bottom of pot. Stir flour into oil with fork to make roux; stir until smooth. Stir roux into vegetables.

Stir broth into vegetables. Once gravy is smooth, add tofu, potatoes, carrots, soymilk, remaining 1/4 cup tamari, and wine. Stir gently, then add thyme, sage, hoisin sauce, Worcestershire sauce, remaining 1/4 tsp. granulated garlic, and remaining 1/8 tsp. cayenne. Remove from heat, and set aside, or transfer vegetables to large casserole dish.

To make Crust:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix together flour, salt, and shortening with fork or pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in up to 4 Tbs. cold water, if necessary, for dough to stick together. Gently knead rosemary and sage into dough, and shape dough into ball. Place dough ball in plastic bag, and push out from center of ball to shape dough to size of Dutch oven or casserole dish. Remove dough from bag, and lay over vegetable filling in Dutch oven or casserole dish. Poke holes in dough to allow steam to escape. Bake 45 minutes, or until Crust is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

nutritional information Per Slice: Calories: 394; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 22 g; Saturated Fat: 6 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: less than 1 mg; Sodium: 978 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan

EASY CRANBERRY SAUCE

This comes from One Green Planet's newsletter. The recipe states, “My Easy Cranberry Sauce is not very sweet. It has a tangy tartness and makes a beautiful side dish for your holiday table.”

To view this and other cranberry recipes, click here.

12 oz. Bag of fresh or frozen cranberries, with 1/2 cup set aside

1 cup sugar

zest of 1 orange

2 Tbs. Water or orange juice

Set aside 1/ 2 cup cranberries in a bowl. Put the rest of the cranberries into a saucepan. Add sugar, orange zest and water or orange juice and cook over low heat. Stir until sugar dissolves and cranberries soften, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and cook until cranberries burst, about another 10 minutes. Reduce heat back to low and add in the cranberries you set aside. Add more sugar if you want, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool (you can refrigerate it if you like your cranberry sauce cold) before serving.

CARROT CORNBREAD

This comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 65. The Chef is Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Modern Love in Omaha, Nebraska, and the recipe begins, “'This cornbread is the essence of autumn in Nebraska, with a warm orange hue that shines a little brighter at the Thanksgiving table than your average cornbread. It’s perfect for sopping up gravy and sauces,' says Moskowitz. Carrot purée keeps a simple cornbread recipe moist and gives it a gorgeous color." And what do I say about this recipe, which serves 12? Yum!

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/carrot-cornbread/

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup refined coconut oil, melted

1 1/4 cups cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. salt

Steam carrots in steamer 15 minutes, or until very tender. Transfer to food processor, and purée until smooth. Cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Stir together almond milk and cider vinegar in measuring cup. Set aside to curdle.

Whisk 1 cup carrot purée with maple syrup in large bowl. Whisk in coconut oil, then almond milk mixture.

Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in separate bowl. Fold cornmeal mixture into carrot mixture. Spread in prepared pan, and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is golden and firm to touch. Cool. Cut into 12 squares, and serve.

nutritional information Per Per slice: Calories: 170; Protein: 2 g; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 220 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 9 g; Vegan

HOLIDAY BREAD CORNUCOPIA

Both this and the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables can be found on page 54 of the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times. This one begins, "This cornucopia is easy to make using poster board and foil, and the result looks like a centerpiece created by a professional baker. Fill it with hot roasted vegetables, or use it as a bread basket for your holiday feast. The cornucopia can be made a day ahead." Serves 12

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/holiday-bread-cornucopia/.

1/4 cup sugar

2 0.25-oz. pkg. dry yeast

6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (2 lb.), plus more for flouring work surface

1 Tbs. plus 1 pinch salt, divided

1/2 cup olive oil, plus more to coat bowl

1 large egg

1/2 cup melted butter, optional

Dissolve sugar in 2 cups warm water. Stir yeast into sugar-water mixture, and let stand 5 minutes.

Pulse flour and 1 Tbs. salt in bowl of food processor, or combine in stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add yeast mixture and oil, and process 1 minute, or beat with mixer 3 to 5 minutes, or until dough forms smooth, sticky ball that hits against sides of food processor or mixing bowl.

Rub large bowl with oil, place dough in bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour in warm place. Punch down dough, cover bowl with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper, and have small glass of water ready. Halve poster board so you have one 20- x 15-inch piece; shape poster board into cone, and tape to hold. Trim open edge of cone so it stands flat on baking sheet. (Trimmed cone should be 7 inches wide at mouth and 15 inches long.) Smoothly cover outside of cone with foil, turning edges in, as necessary. Fill cone with crumpled parchment paper or foil to keep cone from collapsing. Stand cone on prepared baking sheet, and coat foil with cooking spray.

Roll out one-third of dough to 20- x 6-inch rectangle. (Keep remaining dough in refrigerator so it won’t get too soft.) Cut dough into four 20- x 11/2-inch strips. Wrap 1 dough strip around wide base of cone on baking sheet, wetting ends, and pressing ends together to seal so you have a ring of dough. Wet end of second dough strip, press end onto first strip, and wrap around cone, overlapping first dough strip by one-third to one-half of strip width. Wet end, and press to hold in place. Continue wrapping third and fourth dough strips around cone, working your way up to narrow end. Repeat with remaining dough until cone is completely wrapped in overlapping strips of dough. When finished, braid three strips of dough, and wrap around base (wide end of cone). Lay cone on its side on prepared baking sheet, best-looking side up.

Beat egg with 1 Tbs. water and remaining pinch of salt in small bowl. Brush egg wash all over cornucopia.

Bake cornucopia 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden brown. Remove cornucopia from oven. Carefully remove crumpled parchment paper from inside of cone, then gently pull cone away from sides of cornucopia with tongs, and remove. Return cornucopia to oven, and bake 20 minutes more, or until inside of cornucopia is dry and beginning to brown. Brush hot cornucopia with melted butter, if using. Cool.

nutritional information Per Per serving: Calories: 338; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 53 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 584 mg; Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: less than 1 g

FORK-AND-KNIFE ROASTED VEGETABLES

This recipe begins, "Winter squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, and Brussels sprouts make a colorful roasted vegetable assortment that’s enhanced with a little sweetness and spice. (The food stylist used colorful cauliflower varieties and heirloom squash for even richer hues.) Spoon the vegetables into the Holiday Bread Cornucopia or pile on a platter, and serve with the Essence-of-Thanksgiving Gravy." Serves 8

2 small acorn squash, 1 small kabocha, or 1 red kuri squash (skin left on), cut into 3-inch wedges (3 lb.)

1 small head cauliflower, separated into large florets (1 lb.)

24 cremini or button mushrooms (12 oz.)

8 oz. Brussels sprouts, halved

2 small onions, cut into quarters, stem ends left intact

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

4 tsp. honey

2 tsp. white balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 tsp. spicy seasoning mix, such as barbecue rub or Cajun seasoning

Preheat oven to 350°F; line two baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray.

Toss together squash, cauliflower, mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, and onions with 1/4 cup oil. Spread on prepared baking sheets, and roast 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables begin to brown. Flip vegetables with tongs, and roast 10 to 15 minutes more.

Stir together remaining 1/4 cup oil, honey, vinegar, and garlic.

Remove baking sheets from oven. Flip vegetables, and daub with honey mixture, sprinkle with seasoning mix, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Return vegetables to oven, and roast 5 minutes. Flip vegetables once more, daub with honey mixture, and sprinkle with seasoning mix. Roast 5 minutes more, or until glistening and browned.

nutritional information Per Per 1 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 229; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 14 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 100 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 6 g; Gluten-Free

ESSENCE-0F-THANKSGIVING GRAVY

This also comes from the November 2015 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 56. It begins, "This savory sauce tastes like Thanksgiving because the long simmer time concentrates the classic fall flavors of onions, celery, mushrooms, and fragrant herbs. The gravy is thinner than most so that it can easily be drizzled over the Fork-and-Knife Roasted Vegetables." Makes 3 cups.

To view this online, go to http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/essence-of-thanksgiving-gravy/.

2 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 large onions, quartered and sliced (4 cups)

1/2 bunch celery, coarsely chopped (4 cups)

1 lb. mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white wine, optional

4 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs marjoram

2 sprigs rosemary

Heat butter and oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, celery, and mushrooms, and season with salt, if desired. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 10 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Uncover, add garlic, and cook 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft and most of liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally.

Stir in flour, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until flour begins to brown. Stir in wine (if using), and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add 5 cups water, thyme, marjoram, and rosemary. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Strain gravy through fine-mesh sieve. Rewarm, if necessary.

nutritional information Per Per 1/4 cup: Calories: 53; Protein: 1 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 6 g; Cholesterol: 5 mg; Sodium: 16 mg; Fiber: less than 1 g; Sugar: 1 g