4th Annual 7-Course Italian Feast for Thanksgiving 2017

the family

This is our 4th Annual 7-Course Italian Feast for Thanksgiving and this year it is my 57th birthday. My grandmother is now 99 and our tradition will be honoring her once again, hopefully for years to come.
We again will have vegan, whole food , plant based options when necessary, as well as, the traditional meat based dishes.





Course 1 - Anitpasto platter served with a Pinot Gris wine

meat based antipasto platter (thanks Pat)

For our vegans, a vegetable antipasto platter, we omitted all oil but 1 TBS of olive oil. 

Course 2 - Salad served with a Chardonnay

(Thanks Jyl)

Course 3 - Soup served with a White Zinfandel

Potato Leek Soup served applegate Sunday bacon and garden fresh scallions sliced to top the soup

Course 4 - Rice and Quinoa Pasta and tomato sauce (we used our homemade sauce from our garden tomatoes) served with a Cabernet Sauvignon wine

Course 5 - zucchini manicotti and braciole served with a Sangiovese wine

Herb Ricotta cheese
1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup macadamia nuts, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup pinenuts
1 peeled summer squash (zucchini or yellow)
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
1 clove garlic
2 TBS nutritional yeast
1 probiotic capsule
1 cup filtered water
Directions: combine everything in a high speed blender and process until smooth. Place in a glass container leaving on the counter overnight. Refrigerate until ready to use.

The braciole was stuffed with the Herb Ricotta and gluten free bread crumbs.

Course 6 - fruit and cheese served with a Petit Manseng wine (thanks Judi and Bill)

We made a Fig and Apricot with cashew based marscapone cheese

and cheese with a cranberry relish were served (thanks Pat)

Course 7 - Dessert served with coffee, hot spiced cider, and herbal teas

Apple Persimmon Pie (from my upcoming cookbook, Got Nuts)

and White Chocolate RaspberryTort 

Hot Spiced Cider
ingredients:
4 cups apple cider
3 cups orange juice
3/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 cinnamon sticks
3 whole cloves

Directions: heat in a slow cooker for several hours.

with Jyl