Hi! Awesome ideas and I have already use few. Quick tip for people who are coordinating different types of helping - whether taking turns making meals or something else like helping a friend after surgery, or maybe taking turns checking on someone, or sitting with a pregnant friend on bedrest. If there are several people helping it can be bad to all show up on one day and then no one comes for several days. So my sister set up a simple Shutterfly account and there is a "volunteer" list by date. The siblings and I log on and sign up for the day we are bringing the meal and what we are planning to bring. It's been working great! My parents don't get overloaded with too many meals or leftovers, and we can see what the other siblings are bringing. And if there is an unclaimed date, someone jumps in and claims it. I've been trying to compete with my sister who is a real foodie. Now if my parents would just log on and write up their "reviews" we would have a total feedback loop!

I love Brussels sprouts, and just made some, sliced and sautéed with leeks in butter. Very yummy. I also like them just plain boiled with butter but I just can't manage to like them roasted, they never get done enough for me. I'm one of those odd people who don't want "crisp tender" vegetables. I want them raw or I want them cooked and nothing in the middle, LOL. Melissaki5, I have the same family members, I think, they won't eat a vegetable unless it's covered with cheese, butter or some kind of cream sauce. I won't touch that green bean casserole thing, but 75% of my family loves the stuff, go figure. I also love beets, any way you can cook them. Marinated, grated raw into salad, just boiled with salt, pepper and butter, Harvard Beets, you name it, I'll eat it if it has beets! Happy Thanksgiving, I'd make the Brussels sprouts! Annie

Can't tell ya how many times I've made this. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. KT'er shared this and ***are my recommentations Posted by Elle 53 In SI NY on Wed, Nov 24, 99 at 10:10 Ritz Cracker Stuffing 1 pound of Ritz crackers **3 sleeves 2 onions 12 oz fresh mushrooms 3 eggs 1 can Swansons chicken broth salt and pepper to taste ***add poultry seasoning to taste How to make: 1-saute onions and mushrooms in 1/3 cup of vegetable oil- let cool 2- crushed crackers in bowl add chicken broth and eggs mix well add cooled mushroom and onions mix well add salt and pepper add mixture to well oiled baking pan bake at 350 oven covered for 1 hour **I don't cover ---------------------------------------------------------- Made this two years ago for Thanksgiving Individual Pumpkin custard 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 2 large eggs 1 can (15 ounces) 100% Pure Pumpkin 1 can (12 fluid ounces) Evaporated Milk Directions PREHEAT oven to 300 F. MIX sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. If desired, cover and freeze filling for up to one month. When ready to bake, simply defrost, mix well and proceed with recipe. POUR into eight 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups. Place ramekins on baking sheet. I put it in the refrigerator, overnight, before baking the next day, just let it sit on the counter before baking ----------------------------------------------------- DELICIOUS!!!! Baked Sweet Potatoes with maple-jalapeno sour cream Rub oil and salt on 4 scrubbed, sweet potatoes and dried Place on rack and take 450 for 40-45 minuts or until soft (I wrap mine in foil) Topping Combine 1/2 c sour cream 1 Tbl maple syrup 2 tsp seeded and minced jalapeno ***I use canned minced green chiles, drained 1 tsp lime juice salt and tobasco to taste chill Serve potatoes with: maple-jalapeno sour cream bacon bits sliced scallions ---------------------------------------- BAKE for 45 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted in custard halfway between center and edge of ramekin comes out almost clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with dollop of light whipped cream, if desired.

@Fori - the traditional cream sauce doesn't include flour at all. You cook the cream down to thicken it, but we mainly eat meatballs without the gravy as does a huge majority of the country when doing it at home. I'm talking only of bringing the meatballs as those not eating Turkey also doesn't eat gravy or can't have the gravy which is likely part of why not eating the Turkey either because it is just very plain without. Many recipes of swedish meatballs uses bread crumbs, but others uses potato flour or potato fibers. I use potato fiber as it is more bloodsugar friendly. Not sure if that would ruffle feathers or not with ham as it could potentially be used as part of an appetizer, but being a type 1 diabetic and since all ham in the US appears to have sugar as part of ingredients it isn't my first choice so since I'm bringing it I'm being a bit selfish there. As to ruffling feathers with another non-traditional protein dish - yes that has happened.