I was going to suggest a nut loaf, because it’s yummy and filling, however the enchiladas seem like and excellent idea as well. 
::mouth watering::
Personally, I wouldn’t choose anything that would cause you to skip the smashed potatoes. I gave up the turkey easily but I’ll give up smashed potatoes when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers.
That said, I’d go for the Veggie Loaf with the Shroom Gravy.
[homer]
Mmmm. Shroom Gravy.
[/homer]
Or the Portobello Shepherd’s Pie if you promise not to skip the smashed potatoes. Or at least smash some sweet potatoes with roasted garlic and roasted onions, all smashed together… mmmmm…
Oh, and um… what time did you say dinner would be served?
I’m a vegetarian’s worst nightmare. There ain’t NO way I’d go to a vegetarian Thanksgiving; no turkey takes all the fun out of the day for me. Plus I think all you veggies are goofy and am not afraid to say so.
That said, surprisingly enough I eat a whole bunch of veggy food. I adore tofu, and have made more than a few dishes using TVP. Tempeh was a staple in my freezer for a long time. I love veggy lasagne, even the stuff with squash in it.
Overall, if I were in the position of feeding some veggies and non-veggies, I’d agree with the posters who say NO FAKE MEAT. I, and many other carnivores, detest that stuff. It’s odd. It’s much better to go with something that’s REALLY supposed to be veggy - like veggy lasagne or cheese enchiladas - than some sort of frankenfood such as the Tofurkey thing that someone mentioned.
Stay away from walnut loaf; the words alone scare off most carnivores.
Personally, I like the idea of enchiladas. Who can find fault with cheese enchiladas?
Oh hell, I just reread your menu. Screw it all; just serve pumpkin pie and a good beer. LOTS of pumpkin pie. Then EVERYONE will be happy!
For the last few Thanksgivings, I’ve had stuffed acorn squash. I used a recipe that called for sausage, and used the fake sausage instead. I thought it was pretty good. There are lots of recipes for this out on the internet. It goes fine with mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams and the like.
I am thinking of going away from traditional and going with pasta this year, though. Lasagna is nice as has been already stated, but I also like tortellini (the frozen ones are okay).
And never, ever, no matter how much it whines, use it in a burrito. :eek:
As a very, very dedicated meat-eater, I wanted to note here that I could not tell the difference between Tofurkey and real turkey at the last Thanksgiving dinner I had, and I’m usually right on these veggie abominations. Turkey is a much easier meat to counterfeit, taste and texture-wise, than beef.
I personally would feel a quiet sadness at any Thanksgiving that didn’t have at least faux turkey – it’s important to my holiday gestalt and whatnot. That said, if you don’t feel confident that it will meet with general acceptance, go with the enchiladas.
–p
Wow, lots of response. I didn’t expect so many opinions!
Having talked it over with the mothers (mine and my husbands, both veteran veggie cooks with lots of experience in the making of the Transgiving meal) and the husband and my neighbor, I’m learning to the veggie loaf, with the stuffed eggplant as an additional side.
Absofrickenlutely. Plus, there are only four meat-eaters out of a party of twenty-three. It’d be a gigantic waste.
I’m also firmly opposed to Tofurky. The tofu in the stuffed peppers and the TVP in the stuffed eggplant are both so small (pulverized, really) that their presence is only identifiable if you know that they’re there. Tofurky is this great screaming lump of… blech. No, thanks.
rjk, there will definitely be yams. I realized that I had left them off of the menu only after I hit submit. Not made with brown sugar though. (And absolutely without marshmallows, the rotten teeth of satan.) I pan roast mine with red onions, they’re terrific.
fluiddruid - sounds like your stuffed acorn squash recipe is similar to my stuffed eggplant recipe. The TVP in that is the sausage variety meant to replace ground up piggy. :shudder:
Now, in response to the request:
Spicy Squash Soup
1 White Onion, peeled and diced
1 Red Onion, peeled and diced
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 1/2 lbs. Butternut Squash, pared, seeded and cubed
2 Delicious Apples, peeled, cored and diced
1 clove Garlic, crushed
1 quart Vegetable Broth
3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
For garnish: 1 Delicious Apple, peeled, cored and shredded
Heat a large soup pot on medium-high heat. Add the oil, when hot, add the onions and saute, stirring frequently, until tender. Add squash, apples and garlic and saute together for another five minutes to marry flavors.
Add the broth, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until squash is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and puree the squash and vegetables with an immersion blender. (Or process, in batches if necessary, in a standard blender or food processor.) When smooth, add the cream and increase heat to medium. Heat, stirring frequently, until piping hot. Serve immediately, garnished with shredded apple. Makes 8 servings.
Arugula and Red Pepper Rollups
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 8oz. jar of roasted red peppers (or 1/2 pound roasted fresh red peppers, peeled and seeded), finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 11" Lavash flatbreads
1 small bunch arugula, well-rinsed, dried and trimmed
Using a pastry brush, lightly moisten both sides of each flatbread with a very small amount of water.
Blend the cream cheese, red peppers, chives and garlic together. Spread one half of the mixture onto each of the flatbreads leaving about 1/2" around the edge of each bread. Cover the cream cheese with a single layer of arugula.
Using a dampened paper towel, roll each flatbread like a jelly roll. Wrap tightly with the dampened towel and plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. To serve, remove wrapping and, using a serrated knife, cut each roll into 1/2" slices.
Thanks, those sound wonderful!
Two quick questions, though: What are Lavash and what part of the store should they be in? Also, I’ve never made a jelly roll, but I’ve made cinnamon rolls. Is it pretty much the same process?
Lavash is Mediterranean flatbread, and if your regular grocery story has it it’d likely be in the bakery section. (I get it at a Middle Eastern market.) If you can’t find any, there’s a commercial flatbread out called Flatout that I’ve seen at your regular supermarkets (with the various rolls and buns and pita pockets around the deli counter) that would work just as well, though you’d have to play with the quantities of the fillings.
Yep, just the same. You’re just rolling it in on itself, then slicing it in the same fashion.
Ah, I see. Thanks!
Yah no kidding. If I’m not going to eat one, I’m sure as heck not gonna shove my hand in one and start hauling the dead body parts out. Yik! :eek:
TeaElle, your soup sounds delicious! I created a similar recipe, except instead of being “spicy,” it’s more “holiday-ish,” with nutmeg and cinnamon (and I use pears, instead of apples). I will have to give your version a try!
As for entree suggestions, how about some quiches? You could make several different kinds, to satisfy various taste and food preferences. They’re “heavy” enough to feel like a filling entree (as opposed to a side dish) and full of yummy protein. And I know you’re opposed to fake meats, but you could probably get away with using some kind of artificial bacon bits in a quiche lorraine without the usual offensiveness of meat substitutes. Mmmm, now I want to go home and make some soup and quiche for dinner!
I’ve made quiche with spinach and marinated tempeh, and it works pretty well. I cut the tempeh into long thin strips, marinate it in a mixture of brown sugar, tamari, and garlic, and then fry it up in olive oil, and put it in the quiche. My wife, who hates pseudomeat, likes this quiche a lot.
Daniel
Chiming in a bit late here–it looks like you’ve already made your choices. I was a vegetarian (lacto but no eggs) for about 5 years. My entree suggestion was Eggplant Parmesian; I don’t know what it is about eggplant, but I love it, and definitely don’t miss meat when eating an eggplant dish in place of a traditional meat one.
Thanks for posting those recipes too, TeaElle; they sound delicious! I’m finding as I age that I’m leaning more and more towards a veggie diet again–it’s like deja vu all over again sometimes, to quote Yogi Berra. 
At any rate, good luck with your Thanksgiving feast. That’s a lot of folks to cook for! I hope maybe others are bringing dishes?
Yes! Quiche would be good! You could make it in a rice shell, just cooked rice mixed with a beaten egg (and whatever seasonings), and pressed firmly into a pan. It’s even easier than pie crust, and looks impressive. (For a far more elaborate version, look here and scroll down past the lobster part.) I’d just go for assorted veggies in it, but you can use fake meat if you feel you must.
I totally understand why you’d want to avoid the Tofurky, but it really isn’t that bad. My best friend and I brought it to his mom’s for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago, just for us while everyone else ate real turkey. By the end of the meal, nearly everyone at the table had had a slice of the Tofurky and loved it, and these are some hard-core non-vegetarians. If you’re against faux meat products, that’s understandable, but please don’t assume it’s gross unless you’ve tried it.
I vote for the eggplant parmigiana. That is my absolute most favorite meal ever and if that was on the table, I’d be a happy girl on Thanksgiving. I bet a lot of the non-vegetarians would like it too, since it’s just so damn good when it’s made right.