Thanksgiving Grocery List and Tips

This post is so not sexy, but it will help me next year.  I'm all about planning (sometimes).  This year was rough... I have been working so much and haven't had time to think about cooking / food at all.  I'll relay the events of our Thanksgiving later.  I didn't even get a single picture!  It was fun to hang with the fam!  So glad my niece could come!

Store List
5 tubs of tofu
3 baguettes for stuffing (buy a couple of days before and let get stale)
celery a BIG bunch--you'll use it in the stuffing b/c you always want more than you get
Cheesecloth

Make sure you have:
Onion Powder
Garlic
Salt
Pepper
A little thyme
Don't use sage in the turkey or dressing--we learned that Nick likes everything if there's no sage in it.

Asparagus (added 2023)

Cucumbers (think about green salad)

Brussels sprouts 3 bags

Portobello Mushrooms -- we got 8 this year (oh, Nick doesn't like these)
Carrots for carrot salad
Potatoes (8)

Gluten Free Baguette (for my niece)
Quinoa
Vegan cheese and olives -- great appetizer (Maybe Kira will do a post about vegan cheese in the future)

Planning notes
Do the turkey first (press tofu, let drip in the colander overnight (with cheesecloth), but NEW way to make the "turkey" now)
Turkey in the oven 1.5 hours?
Cut up the baguettes for dressing first thing in the morning or even the night before
onion, celery, apple, cranberries, broth (little balsamic, little maple syrup) dressing on stove 20 minutes, can prep anytime--even day before. In oven  45 minutes?
Cut up the Brussel Sprouts -- in the oven 40 - 60 minutes
Prep the potatoes and boil 20-30 minutes -- mix 10? 
Portobello prep and in oven 20-30 minutes?

Make Carrot Salad ahead of time (day before?)
Pumpkins cook a day ahead of time 2 is a good amount (should make 4 pies)--OH!  I made pumpkin pie from PUMPKINS!  Not Cans!  Super easy and Yummy!  I will post about that!

New recipe in November

Where has this year gone???

I'm getting more writing done at work, but not here.  I guess I only have so much writing in me at any given point.

I found this recipe and I knew I needed to modify it! It sounded so yummy, but I always substitute some other non-dairy milk for coconut milk, usually cashew milk and indeed, that's what I did here.  I also changed out the lentils for garbanzo beans. I used frozen veggies because I didn't have fresh and didn't feel like a store run. And I didn't have the kind of curry that she had so I googled to see what all went into it and improvised. 

I mostly measured my spices... Or at least I did at first.  If I added more, I'm not sure how much so I put a range on those spices that I increased as I was cooking.

Oh She Glows called this a Butternut and Cauliflower Curry. That's a pretty good description.  We'll stick with that.  It's a winner!  New dinner!

Super easy dinner.  I threw everything into the pot and cooked it for 45-ish minutes. 
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups water, 1/2 cup cashews, blended into cashew milk
1 can (28-ounces) diced tomatoes, with juices
1 bag frozen cauliflower
1 -2 carrots 
1 bag frozen butternut squash
1 can (29-ounces) garbanzo beans
1-2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 -2 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/4-1/2 teaspoon coriander
1-3 teaspoons chili powder
juice of 1/2 lemon

2 cups frozen broccoli (put in after everything cooks for 15 -20 minutes) -- this could be kale if you prefer.

Look, a bad picture.  I'll get a better one at some point.  Serve with sourdough bread, rice, quinoa, or just eat!