Hen23's Journal~Goodbye

[Henrietta23]

Okay, so while I've been writing about my average day, today I had a completely out of the ordinary day! I was our little church's alternate delegate to the annual convention for the Epsicopal Church of Connecticut. As luck would have it our delegate was in NY celebrating her 60th birthday watching Frank Langella in A Man for All Seasons, so I got to go. The passing of resolutions etc. was not very exciting but I enjoyed listening to the keynote speaker who was a woman from Uganda speaking about "God's People On Mission" which was theme for this year's conference. Interestingly she touched on the beauty of a simple life and was overall very inspiring. It was the kind of day that makes me want to change this answer:
86. Is the glass half empty or half full? overflowing!!!!
Came home feeling like I am coming down with a cold. Blech. Hope it's mild and quick. :/

 

[Henrietta23]

Went to JoAnn Fabrics because they have battery operated lights for jack-o-lanterns. DS has a costume/jack-o-lantern contest at his Cub Scout pack meeting tomorrow night and no flames are allowed! I also found micro suede fabric half price and picked a simple long skirt and a nice dark blue fabric with a subtle design on it to make a skirt for myself. Stopped at the farm stand on the way home. Next weekend is their last weekend. They didn't have much other than apples, which I still have plenty of, so I just got some local tomatoes and a butternut squash.
I need to start looking for a vegetarian main dish for Thanksgiving. Vegetarian Times has a mushroom cheese strudel on the cover but I'm not crazy about mushrooms so I'll see what else I can find.
I wish I had my new camera. We had recorder practice in the organ loft and from my seat I had the most beautiful view of a red maple through the top of the arched window. Hopefully it will still have some leaves on it next week!

 

[punkin]

Sorry, wish I could be of more help on the vegetarian dish. We don't have anything but omnivores in our family.

Our leaves are really starting to turn now. In the mountains, I would say the peak will be this weekend. Here, 10-14 days.

 

[ScottyG]

I need to start looking for a vegetarian main dish for Thanksgiving. Vegetarian Times has a mushroom cheese strudel on the cover but I'm not crazy about mushrooms so I'll see what else I can find.

How about something like twice-baked winter squash (or pumpkin)? I had something like that once and it was awesome. I don't have a recipe (but I bet you could find one). Basically, the squash was chopped in half the long way (to be pretty), baked until tender, then the flesh was scooped out leaving the shell intact. The squash was mashed up with some salt, sauteed onions, bread crumbs, sour cream, and whatever else (maybe some wild rice or nuts or something would be good?), then put back in the shells and baked until brown. Maybe it's more of a side dish, but it's such a dramatic presentation that it could look main-course-like. Anyway, the best part of thanksgiving is TOTALLY all the sides, anyway. Good luck!

On another note, you could just skip traditional thanksgiving food all together and make a tray of baked ziti or lasagna or something. Who doesn't like that?

 

[Henrietta23]

I need to start looking for a vegetarian main dish for Thanksgiving. Vegetarian Times has a mushroom cheese strudel on the cover but I'm not crazy about mushrooms so I'll see what else I can find.

How about something like twice-baked winter squash (or pumpkin)? I had something like that once and it was awesome. I don't have a recipe (but I bet you could find one). Basically, the squash was chopped in half the long way (to be pretty), baked until tender, then the flesh was scooped out leaving the shell intact. The squash was mashed up with some salt, sauteed onions, bread crumbs, sour cream, and whatever else (maybe some wild rice or nuts or something would be good?), then put back in the shells and baked until brown. Maybe it's more of a side dish, but it's such a dramatic presentation that it could look main-course-like. Anyway, the best part of thanksgiving is TOTALLY all the sides, anyway. Good luck!

On another note, you could just skip traditional thanksgiving food all together and make a tray of baked ziti or lasagna or something. Who doesn't like that?

Well, I'm the only one who won't be drooling over the turkey so it just needs to be one dish that doesn't feel like a side dish to me. Silly, I know! Two years ago I made vegetarian pot pies in small pumpkins that came out great. I could do those again. I like the stuffed squash or pumpkin idea too though. I know I'll find something eventually.

 

[Beekissed]

My mom makes a great vegetarian lasagna....I could ask her for the recipe.

 

[Henrietta23]

Thanks! I forgot to add to my response to Scotty-I totally agree! Side dishes rule. I've never been a big fan of turkey or chicken for that matter. I'm a carboholic!

 

[FarmerChick]

do vegetarians eat cheese? I thought that was off the list? heck I don't know....I eat tons of chickens..HA HA

do you eat tofu also? maybe some kind of main dish for you including that?

 

[Beekissed]

My folks don't do any animal byproducts, so they use tofu in their lasagna. The tofu cheeses are really good, BTW!

 

[2dream]

Even though we are not vegetarians we still eat a lot of no meat meals. And Scottys mention of baked squash is great with rice added. I use brown rice. Slice the squash (any kind, acorn, yellow, zuks, whatever) in half, bake until tender, scrape out the center and mix in onions, butter, mushrooms (or not), bell peppers, anything you have handy and the cooked rice. Sometimes we melt cheese if we have it sometimes we don't. If we are in the mood for meat we will brown hamburger and mix that in for those of you who like meat with everymeal. It is a meal all by itself.
During the summer we also fix this on the grill so we don't have to light the oven. Oh, I bet stuffing mix would be great mixed in as well.

And yea for the side dishes at Thanksgiving and Christmas.