That looks so lovely!  I cooked the dinner for the first time ever this year!  It was me and my boyfriend and my parents at thier house.  My mom, my boyfreind and I are all vegan ( to varying degrees) and my dad is pretty close to a carnivore.  But he joined in and helped cook and seemed to love the food.  I made a big Seitan roast with chesnut/wild rice stuff) and gravy and mashed potatoes and roasted fall veggies, etc. and 2 pies!  (an apple and a pumpkin).  Even I was suprised at how good the food was, since it was a first time for nearly every dish.  I hope this becomes a tradition that more people join every year. There's something really special about a cruelty-free thanksgiving. 

Sounds like you had a wonderful time! thanks for sharing! I made a veg dinner! though some dairy was involved. I made wild mushroom tamales, as well as a cheese and potato tamales. but used vegan marshmallows on the sweet potatoes! (Dandies marshmallows!) I had my friend come over and she really enjoyed the dinner ~ I wish I could have all my family over for a vegan meal! some day maybe!  and there is something really special about a Turkey Free thanksgiving! yea for everyone on this!

If I do "coat, hat, and drink duty" can I go to your house next year!??  I promise I won't drink too much!  :) lol Totally Kidding..... I would not look forward to the stairs!

BUT, my story is very different and I really wish I had a Vegan Thanksgiving..... I will share that I told my dad  that I was bringing my own stuffing, vegetarian style.....he looked at me like I was crazy!  I DID it anyway and proudly sat it next to my plate to prove that I was NOT going to budge off of my vegitarian diet!  

I AM Thankfull  that I am becoming more and more vegetarian thanks to you Alicia!!   It's my starting point anyhow.  Sometimes, I do flirt the opposite way, and eat a meat, pending on circumstances or company.......truth is, it REALLY does not feel good in my digestive system and I can tell that my body doesn't really enjoy it anymore!   So, it's not really even a choice, it's a fact that not eating meats really is the best for me.

My family is still adjusting to it, as they all eat meat. Of course, even with Christmas holiday coming up my dad, again, fixing up a roast....  I said, "Well, I'm bringing something for myself!"   Maybe a nice warm soup!

Thank YOU Alicia for making something good come out of this year!!  Wishing you and your family all the best during the holiday season :)

~Monique

Thank you for posting about your day.  Everyone looks so happy!  I am thrilled that your Dad was able to manage your stairs and be a part of your day!!  With older parents and the fact that we have stairs to get into and inside our house, I understand how thrilled you were to have him IN your home!

We had a Blessed Thanksgiving as well.  My husband is a fireman and works on Thanksgiving.  We hauled our feast to the station and fed his firefighter too!  His family couldn't join us but he is a part of our family so he wasn't alone either!

Totally off-topic but I LOVE your dining table and chairs.  WHERE did you find them?!  My husband, daughter and I live in the mountains near Yosemite and LOVE the old lodge/cabin look.  I have been looking for a BIG dining table for years now and just haven't found one that I truly love and am willing to pay for!  [Boy tables can get expensive!]  Always on the hunt for websites or catalogs that have interesting furniture.

Anyway, thank you again for sharing a part of your life with us!!

A Blessed Christmas to you and your family.

Thank you for all your posts.  I always feel very inspired with each one. I suppose I'm one of those flirts you speak of. 

Actually I try to be vegan as best I can right now. Not eating meat is not an issue at all for me...It's the dairy.  I never really thought of myself as someone who like dairy.  I've never like milk unless it was in cereal and even then I always like soy better.  The problem is milk and cheese are in everything. I've been trying to make all our meals myself but that doesn't always happen. We have 4 year old twins and I'm trying to incorporate what I'm learning into their diet as well.  It's been hard to find all the right ingredients where I live.  I found vegan mayo and sour cream at a grocery store an hour away from me but forget being able to find those cool ingredients you find at Asian markets.  I'm still trying to fine yeast and wheat gluetn to try seitan.  I live in kind of a rural area and if Wal Mart doesn't sell we don't have it. I've been looking online and I may have to order some of those things this way. 

So most days I do eat a vegan diet. I've been eating alot of raw veggeis and wraps, beans, and rice.  I just made awesome vegan gingerbreadmen with cream cheese icing from Alicia Simpson.  My mom bought that cookbook because at she thought it was you!  So I'm still trying...and trying not to flirt so much.  Can we rally for a vegan cooking show please? 

I cant have more than 12 grams of sugar at a time....alot of the natural sugars have a lot more...what can I do??

it was very small, but family all around us..

very de-lish food

We are thankful to have you to help us along the way Alicia! You're so pretty xxxx