T-Minus 16 days until Turkey Day... eek!

I just realized we are only 2 weeks away from Thanksgiving… and Kevin and I haven't decided how where we are going to spend each holiday this year yet.

If we decide to do Thanksgiving with my family this year, I'll be forced to share my new found vegetarianism with my ENTIRE family. Our thanksgiving celebration is huge… my grandparents each had 5 children when they married (before I was born).. resulting in my 33 cousins. My favorite cousin, whom I've been best friends my entire life with is a vegetarian.. but since we haven't talked in 6 months (*tear), I most likely won't have that support by my side. The rest of my family is filled with carnivores.. and not just your average meat eating American, but Italian, meat loving, hunting fanatics. I'm not worried that I will want to eat turkey, but I'm nervous about the potential criticism that I'll be facing... ugh.

The decision I've made is only about me, it only affects me (and technically Kevin, but he doesn't care at all!), and therefore it should only be my business, right? Other people just don't seem to understand that… and feel the need to interject their opinion about my every move. Here's the deal: the decision has been made and there is no turning back, so back off. And yes, yet again, I'm getting enough protein people!

My plan this year is to create a DELICIOUS meat-free dish to take and share. My family socializes around good food and good wine, so a nice dish, a nice bottle of wine, and then hopefully they won't ask too many questions. In fact, maybe they will be understanding and even be curious about this change in my life?

I found some delicious thanksgiving family feast style recipes in Martha Stewart's Living magazine and also in Real Simple this month.. but I'm always open to others :)