Yes, they are. 
I am actually excited about Thanksgiving - in years past I’ve had to prepare a multitude of dishes to keep everyone happy - this year it’s just the three of us. We’re having herb roasted turkey with brioche, mushroom and bacon dressing. I cheated and ordered that from Chefd - I’ve had remarkably good success with them. Roasted brussel sprouts, roasted rainbow carrots, mashed potatoes, gravy and some cranberry chutney. No green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallow. I’m making a peanut butter pie. Leftovers (the best part) will be turned into sandwiches and turkey tetrazzini. I feel a lot more relaxed knowing that I have a much smaller crowd to please! I’m also doing the Turkey Trot run in the morning - couldn’t do it previously because I was too busy with meal prep!
Roasted rainbow carrots sound interesting! Carrots of different colors?
So far, our menu is designed to not bring up any memories of fiancé’s late wife for his kids. So we are not making the traditional sides they always had (which he did the first year and they wouldn’t eat it). I am hoping in the future they will be able to enjoy these foods again.
@Torveaux and others with vegan guests, here is a truly delicious recipe suitable for vegans. Now, believe me, I am firmly in the bring on the butter and cream camp, especially when it comes to Thanksgiving, but even I love this. It is usually the ONLY item on my table that doesn’t have at least a stick of butter in it.
5 large sweet potatoes, baked and peeled
1/2 cup orange juice (A little extra may come in handy)
2 TBS grated orange rind
Grated rind of 1/2 a lemon
1 heaping tsp grated FRESH ginger (do not use ground!)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp FRESH grated nutmeg
Salt to taste
Optional: 1/4 cup or so chopped almonds for topping (I don’t use them)
Put all ingredients except the nuts in a food processor, puree. Add a little more orange juice if you wish. Spoon into baking dish, sprinkle on nuts if using them. At this point the dish may be covered and refrigerated.
Bake at 350F for 25 minutes, uncovered.
@Classof2015 , they actually refused to eat traditional family dishes prepared for them by their loving father??? I predict that this year they will complain that the sides are NOT what they are accustomed to…
@Consolation – believe me, he had tears in his eyes when he told me. But their mother passed away very suddenly and the first Thanksgiving was very hard on them, so I can understand. Yes, I’m not holding my breath for any acclaim of our dinner (or even their attendance). Just hoping for a nice meal with my fiancé.
Thanks for the vegan info on honey, @BunsenBurner, and for the recipe, @Consolation. If I’d know sooner, I could have tweaked my soups, but they both have chicken stock, so, no good on so many levels! He’ll make do…my S asked me (actually told me), not to do anything special. Hard for me, but I’ll do my best to comply.
Kid has landed on the US soil! It should be a happy thanksgiving here!
Latest agony: GF has had a death in the family and will be flying to Europe tomorrow.
We are all deciding who goes where. The feeding of a tempermental cat has become an issue…
Sorry to hear that, @consolation. 
Condolences to your son’s GF. Brings home the importance of the holiday and being thankful for what we have.
@consolation – so sorry for her loss – and at such a time of year when you just want to be with family.
@BunsenBurner --yay! Glad kiddo is back home (or nearby).
So sorry for her loss, Consolation.
Haven’t heard from S2 this morning, which should be a good thing. Last year, he called to tell me he’d missed his train. That will forever be one of our Thanksgiving stories.
^ I just said a little prayer that D will make her train this afternoon. She missed one earlier this year for an important event and we had to scramble - definitely don’t want a repeat.
I just finished making pumpkin, apple, and key lime pies, and chocolate chip cheesecakes. I’d rather bake than cook any day.
We are hosting 16 tomorrow, for the 20th year. The first dish to be empty is always the hash brown casserole. The last thing to linger as leftovers and get tossed from the fridge is always the turkey.
Two kids home, one to go. First time together since May. Have a great time with family and friends, everyone!
@Consolation, Condolences to your son’s gf.
I just started making my cranberry sauce. Smells so good.
And S just called - he left work early and is on his way. He hoping he’ll beat most of the worse traffic on the Pike.
S2’s train arrived 40 minutes late, but at least he was on it. He’s home and proceeding to eat anything he can get his hands on.
Sorry to hear of a loss on this day.
We had our Thanksgiving at JerryWorld today and it turned out to be so awesome. The Thanksgiving meal delivered to our suite was DELICIOUS. The game was exciting and went our way. Our family and friends all had a great time. So fun. Would be great to do it again some time. I loved not having to cook. My recently widowed Dad so appreciated being surrounded with love, good food, and exciting football. The stadium is really awesome.
It was one of our best Thanksgiving Days ever.
Nrdsb4 – that sounds like so much fun! But what is JerryWorld?
We had a lovely Thanksgiving. Just my oldest and youngest kids. Even though my kids are 24, 21, and 18, it’s the FIRST “normal” homecoming I’ve gotten to experience - a healthy kid coming home from college on holiday! She was thrilled to be here (she misses the dog, ha). When she walked in the door, she said, “It smells like home!” I told her that feeling will never go away, even when she’s 54 like her mother.
Now I’m taking her and her brother to a nearby town to see an old friend who I used to trade babysitting with. She’s had major foot surgery and can’t get out of the house, so we’re taking her lunch. DD balked a little, but I told her sometimes you have to do these things.
We had a lovely Thanksgiving meal. My daughter and her husband hosted. He smoked a turkey (delicious) and she made delicious drinks and cranberry sauce. We all brought sides and/or deserts (us, his mom and grandparents and one of their neighbors, and his dad and stepmom). Food was delicious, company was good, and I didn’t have to cook too much. Also solves their choice of who to go to. This is their 2nd year to do it and I rather hope it becomes an annual tradition. It seems to work out perfectly. (I do miss the leftovers though )
Our Thansgiving was perfect - everything we had was delicious. It was a very relaxing and chill day and I was really thankful we didn’t schlep to my family’s side in CT.
@Classof2015, “Jerry World” is what the locals call A T & T stadium. It was Jerry Jones’ project, and many people were disappointed he sold the naming rights and didn’t call it Cowboys stadium. The stadium is huge, and quite the spectacle, similar to Jerry Jones himself.