My experience doesn't match msazadi's. I know vegetarians who are foodies. One is in my kitchen at the moment making cornbread. Two nights ago he made ravioli with a citrus sauce. For Thanksgiving, the meat eaters amongst us went to my DIL's sisters house for turkey lunch. In the evening we hosted a vegetarian Thanksgiving meal. My DS invited an fellow grad student and her room mate (both Indian and vegetarian). We wanted to make something they would like without doing Indian food. This Tunisian Chickpea Soup from Olive Trees and Honey went over well. Spicy enough to be familiar to them without attempting to be Indian. 1/4 c olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 1 small (~10 oz) celery root, peeled and chopped or 2 stalks celery chopped 2-4 cloves garlic minced ~ 10 c water 1 lb (2 1/3 c) dried soaked chick peas 2 bay leaves 1 tbsp cumin seeds or 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1 to 2 tbsp harissa or 1 tsp cayenne 1 tsp salt or 2 tsp kosher salt ground black pepper 1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro, mint or parsley 2 to 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice or 1 c plain yogurt 3 to 4 c french bread cubes or pita bread (optional) (I didn't) 3 to 4 c French bread cubes or pita bread In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic and saute until softened, ~ 10 min Add water, chick peas and bay leaves. Boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer until tender, ~ 1 1/2 hours Toast cumin seeds (if using) in a dry skillet until lightly browned - shake or stir - don't burn them. Grind. Add cumin, harissa or cayenne, salt and pepper to soup. Cover and simmer 15 min. Discard bay leaves. Coarsely mash the chick pease a bit with a wood spoon, potato masher or stick blender. Can be stored in fridge and reheated for serving. Add the cilantro and lemon juice and heat through before serving. If desired, add 1/2 cup bread pieces to each bowl and ladle soup over. Drizzle with olive oil. (We were having falafal and pita bread after plus I made cranberry walnut whole wheat bread so we didn't do bread in the soup bowls. I didn't drizzle the oil and it was fine.) Moroccan variation in case you have non-spicy types - omit cumin and harissa. After mashing the chick peas, add 2 lb stemmed chopped spinach or chard or frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry and the lemon juice, cover and simmer 2 to 4 min. Home made pita and falafel were great but not low effort. About half the falafel recipes used soaked and ground chick peas. The other half used soaked, cooked and mashed chick peas. I did a half batch each way - the ones using soaked and ground but not pre-cooked chick peas came out much better - very good flavor and texture. Sephardic Leek and Cheese Casserole also from Olive Trees and Honey - a very good book if you want to expand your vegetarian repertoire - is good and pretty easy. It reheats well so you could make it ahead. Too late for Jessy I'm afraid. 1/4 c olive oil 3 lb leeks ( 1 1/2 lb if you do the zucchini varient), white and light green parts only cut into thin lengthwise slices and washed 1 large onion chopped (optional - I've always used it) 1 c water 2 cups (~1 lb) grated zucchini 2 tsp salt or 4 tsp kosher salt 1 cup (5 oz) crumbled feta or 1 c (8 oz) farmer or pot or 1 c grated kefalotyri or Parmesan cheese or a combination (I've always done the feta) 1 c shreded kashkaval, Goueda, Muenster or Cheddar (did this the first time and thought it didn't add much - other times I've done just the feta) 5 large eggs, lightly beaten 2 tbsp olive oil ground black pepper to taste or 1/2 tsp cayenne 1/4 c chopped fresh dill or 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and oil a 9 " square or 8 by 11 inch baking dish or two 9-inch pie plates. In a large sauce pan (she must have really large sauce pans - I use a small soup pot), heat oil over medium heat. Saute leeks and onion until softened. Add water, zucchini if using, 1 1/2 tsp salt or 3 tsp kosher salt, cover and simmer until leeks are tender (about 15 min). Drain Combine cheeses, eggs, remaining salt, pepper and dill or nutmeg. Add leek mixture. Put in baking dish. Bake until set and golden brown, about 50 minutes. Variant - you can leave out the cheese msazadi and cook 2 lb peeled, diced russet potatoes with the leeks. Kind of mash it after the draining step. I usually still put in the feta or you can put in 1/2 c Parmesan cheese. Really fancy and a good side dish for the meat eaters would be a nice Biryani. I have made one with cashews and pistachios in the top layer of rice but it was more work. There are some simpler ones on line.

It's just food, food, food all day! For breakfast, we always have an egg and sausage casserole, a jazzed up hashbrown casserole, ham biscuits and garlic cheese grits (with jalapenos -- Yum!) Fruit will be something very simple like cantaloupe wedges or fresh pineapple. I may or may not get around to making muffins or French toast fingers since sweets aren't a high priority with my crew, particularly early in the day. As some leave to go to 'the other' family's house, and others wander in for the first time, we sort of gradually segue into the brunch phase. I'll add their favorite Cajun crab spread with toasted garlic rounds and a dip or two to the buffet. Once the biscuits are gone, we'll bake some rolls for the ham. I make a super-spicy mustard sauce that my children adore and an herb-flavored mayonnaise so everybody can put together mini-sandwiches. There's always some sort of seafood -- usually poached shrimp with cocktail sauce since it's so easy to do ahead -- and a couple of salads (broccoli and pasta are the faves). Oh, and Bloody Marys to help the cook forget how bad her feet are hurting at this point... By the time everybody who had to leave has returned and we've all worked up a little bit of an appetite again, it's usually 7:30 or so. Our dinner menu varies a little, but this year we'll have Boston Clam Chowder as a starter. (Gift from a dear friend who feels sooo sorry for her poor, deprived Southern pal who didn't grow up eating this. lol) Spinach salad with poppy seed dressing. Beef tenderloin, if I can afford it. If many extras are going to turn up, it will be prime rib instead. A green vegetable TBD, and a potato gratin. Dessert will be Italian cheesecake with a strawberry/Grand Marnier topping -- not that anybody will have room for it, but you have to have one, right?

A wild rice and chicken soup, to help use up leftovers. Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (Better Homes & Gardens) 2 14-1/2-ounce cans chicken broth 1 cup sliced carrot 1/2 cup sliced celery 1/3 cup wild rice, uncooked 1/3 cup sliced leek or green onion 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed 2 tablespoons margarine or butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 cup half-and-half or milk 1-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken 2 tablespoons dry sherry Thin carrot peel strips (optional) Snipped fresh thyme (optional) 1 Mix broth, carrot, celery, uncooked rice, leek or green onions, dried thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 50 or until rice is tender. 2 Meanwhile, melt margarine or butter; stir in flour. Stir in half-and-half or milk. Cook and stir until bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Slowly add half-and-half mixture to rice mixture, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken and sherry; heat through. If desired, garnish with carrot peel strips and fresh thyme. Makes 4 servings.

~*~Cookie Dough Truffles~*~ 1 C. soft butter 1-1/2 C. brown sugar, packed 2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp salt 2 C. all-purpose flour 1 T water 6 oz pkg. mini chocolate chips. Cream butter and sugar together. Add remaining ingredients and mix well by hand. Roll into bite size balls. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Store in a plastic ziploc bag in the freezer. Makes 4 dozen. Let stand at room temperature 5 minutes before eating. ~~~Raspberry Bars~~~ 2 1/4 c.flour 1c. sugar 1c.chopped pecans 1c. butter (softened) 1 egg 1 (10oz.) jar(3/4c) raspberry preserves Heat oven 350.In lrg. Mixer bowl combine all ingr. (except raspberry preserves) Beat at low speed until well mixed 2 to 3 min. Reserve 1 1/2 c. crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture on into greased 8-inch square pan: Spread with preserves to 1/2 inch of edge. Crumble reserved mixture over preserves. Bake for 40 to 50 min or until lightly browned. Cool completely :cut into bars. ~*~Peanut Butter Balls~*~ 2c. powdered sugar 2 TBSP. butter or marg.(room temp) 1 TBSP. Milk 2 tsp. granulated sugar ½ tsp.vanilla extract ½ c. creamy peanut butter 1c.(6oz) semi sweet chocolate chips 1TBSP. solid veg. shortening In a medium size bowl,mix powdered sugar,butter,milk,suar & vanilla with hand mixer until blended.Mix in peanut butter.Line a cookie sheet pan with wax paper.Roll heaping tsp. of filling into balls (3/4 inch) Refrigerate at least 2 hours.Melt choc. & shortening in a small sauce pan.Scrape into a small bowl.Spear peanut butter balls one at a time with a toothpick & dip into melted choc. Lift out & let excess choc. Drip off.Return to lined pan. Refrigerate 10 to 15 min. to firm.Remove balls from waxed paped.Keep covered in Refrigerator. ~~~Hello Dolly Bars~~~ 1/2 cup ( 1 stick ) butter or margarine 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs 1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk) 2 cups (12-ounce) semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut 1 cup chopped nuts Preheat oven to 350° degrees . In 13x9-inch baking pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter; pour Sweetened Condensed Milk evenly over crumbs. Top with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Chill if desired. Cut into bars . Store at room temperature. ~*~LEMON BARS~*~ Crust Ingredients: 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup Butter, softened Filling Ingredients: 2 eggs 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 3 tablespoons lemon juice Garnish Ingredients: Powdered sugar Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all crust ingredients in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press onto bottom of ungreased 8-inch square baking pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Meanwhile, combine all filling ingredients in small bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Pour filling over hot, partially baked crust. Continue baking for 18 to 20 minutes or until filling is set. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cool completely. Cut into bars. ~~~ Cherry Poppy Seed Twinks~~~ 1c. powdered sugar 1c. butter or marg.,softened 1tsp. Vanilla 1 egg 2c.flour 2TBSP. Poppy seed 1/2 tsp.salt 1/2c. cherry preserves Heat oven 300. In lrg. Mixer bowl, beat powdered sugar & butter until light & fluffy. Add vanilla & egg; blend well.Add flour,poppy seed & salt ; mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1-inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. With thumb make imprint in center of each cookie. Fill each center with 1/2 tsp. preserves. Bake for 20 to 25 min. or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Makes 30 cookies.