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My pot of tea in the morning. Can't live without it. Breakfast is my favorite comfort meal, sausage, eggs over easy, fried potatoes, toast with a glass of cold milk. Of course not often!! Potatoes in any way, shape or form. Lastly, spaghetti with my homemade sauce that I've been making since age 13.

Since it's just me and my boyfriend, we're having new york strip steaks & mashed potatoes. I have some brussel sprouts I might roast but that would be just for myself.

My only nod to the occasion is dinner rolls. You know those ones that are usually only available around holidays that come slightly raw and you have to bake them? I grew up loving those.

Also, I have a problem with the naked gluttony that surrounds the day. It's disgusting to me that in this day and age with food so plentiful that we actually have the gall to set aside a day to eat even more. I just think it's grown irrelevant and that's why, when I do celebrate it, I try to focus on giving thanks for things other than mass quantities of food. Little things like friends and family and good health and whatnot. And this is from someone who is overweight and loves to eat.

As a young adult I grew to dislike Thanksgiving to the point that had it been disontinued, I wouldn't have given a damn. It was mainly because my father's family (whom I always spend it with) would never allow anyone to tamper with their precious meal that apparently has been eaten in precisely the same way since Moses declared it to be.

I made homemade rolls and was told they prefer storebought. I made sweet potato pie and was told it was just the same as pumpkin (which they make) so why did I bother (Totally not the same). And on and on and on.

It took about fifteen years, but I now make the rolls, the cranberry sauce, bring whatever desserts I see fit, along with a cocktail for before, and I have been trusted to make the family recipe for stuffing.

@PoorOldMama-Flying squirrels??? Why on earth were there flying squirrels? I'm laughing and intrigued over that one!

The older I get the harder I find it to enjoy Thanksgiving - my relatives are less perfect when seen through adult eyes than they were when I was a kid. Having the right expectations seems to help - we're not perfect, idyllic, or even always nice. If we can manage to respect each other's differences for the day, I'll call it a success. I'm optimistic that we can do this.

Now Christmas I outright dread - love the holiday itself, but am terrified of spending it with my family. Have solved the issue this year by bugging out to spend it with my in-laws, who are blessedly wonderful people.

Stuffed mushrooms are easy, but they tend to be better warm than at room temp, in my opinion. Here are two versions I make that are super easy, but I would heat them up before serving... They do include some cheese on top that you can certainly omit.

But I was also thinking the hummus route... you can do it straight or add some roasted/grilled eggplant too to make it really special.

Or you can do antipasto with tuna... I make it with soy tuna to make it vegetarian, but the recipe works with the real thing, as that's how I actually learned how to make it. Serve it over crackers or toasted bagguettes...

My condolences @dhorst. Grandma moments are precious. Have some pleasure in recalling the good memories.

Take care of yourself, but trust the resilience of your body. If you don't feel like eating. Don't force it. Your body will let you know.

@Cary--thanks for your kind thoughts and words. They are truly appreciated.

Last night we had macaroni and cheese with diced turkey ham, some corn, a salad for me, and some homemade rolls. It was good, but I ate too much.
About an hour after dinner I found out my grandmother (94) had just passed. I've been nauseous ever since.
The guys had burgers tonight and are going to an SU basketball game. I'm going to spend some quiet time remembering "Grandma moments," and maybe have some soup. Not much appetite. The holidays are going to be different this year.

@pjracz10: It's not fancy or impressive (I know I could be shunned for some of the ingredients), but with limited groceries/kitchen utensils, it works just fine. Prepare one box of cook and serve chocolate pudding as directed (I use a little less milk); once it comes to a boil, stir in a healthy dollop of peanut butter. Pour into a prepared graham cracker crust and let set in the fridge (I also like it semi-frozen). Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream (or, *gasp!* cool whip).

Monday night is usually what I call "meatless Mondays" or vegetarian dinner, so last night I had a stir-fry of bok choy, dried mushrooms (rehydrated), sliced mushrooms, and onions with the soaking water of the dried mushrooms and finally left-over canned chicken gravy. This was actually very good on white rice.
Jerome, the resident Cocker (English), probably does not agree, his pre-decessor and great-uncle Teemu always looked rather peeved at Vegetarian dinner.
Tonight it is the left over red-cooked pork shoulder that all good Chinese cooks should have in the refrigerator and/or the freezer! I am ashamed to say I did the shoulder for the first time recently but promise that I will make it again and again in the future.

Roasted, esp. Ina's version, seems to have won the day here. But the last couple of times I made brussels sprouts it was from a recipe (and I can't remember where I got it) that directed that they be run through the slicing disc of a Cuisinart so they are basically shredded. Sauteed with half olive oil and half butter, some shallots, and then lots of chestnuts, those sprouts were FABulous, and even better than roasting IMHO.

My favorite Pho restaurant in Montreal is actually called... Pho Bang New York :-)