Solo, vegetarian and thankful

It's Thanksgiving again and here I am, a solo vegetarian working at the state park on Thanksgiving Day. When I was a carnivore in or close to the big city, it was easy to add me to a friend's table. If I were going to be in San Francisco, my friend and the co-author of my convection oven cookbook, a brilliant and talented chef, would invite me to her home, and prepare both turkey and a veggie entree. I would sit with family and friends to give thanks and share the delicious meal. Or I would head to one of the shelters to help serve dinner to those in need.

I'm not in San Francisco and my co-workers all have nearby families or dinner plans. This year, I'll make a special dinner for myself and have leftovers for a couple of meals. Here is the menu:

Black olives, carrots and stuffed celery
Baked butternut squash half stuffed with quinoa
Baked cranberries with diced Granny Smith apples
Baked yams
Chunky mashed red potatoes with mushroom gravy
Sauteed fresh mushrooms and baby peas
Squash tart with whipped cream (the other half of the butternut squash mashed with nutmeg and cinnamon in a tart shell)
Double Dutch chocolate coffee with white chocolate mint creamer

The whipped cream keeps the meal from being vegan.

One year, I tried eating Tofurkey as an alternative and I only had one objection: it tasted fine, but I was still chewing it at Christmas. Then the company offered Tofurkey jerky and I said, "Why?" So this year, it's squash and all the trimmings.

I will be thankful for my many blessings and toast absent family and friends. I hope all who read this will have a wonderful day and enjoy the bounty.