Thanksgiving Dinner

This year, like many years, we are staying home and foregoing traveling.  It's not that we don't like seeing the family, we'll see them at Christmas, and that's plenty for me.  I'm just not a big family get together person.  I know that is most people's favorite part of the holidays, but not me.  I would rather celebrate with close friends and family and avoid the uncomfortable time with extended family.  Because, let's face it, J and I are the city dwellers that venture in the country.  We're the only ones that don't live within a 5 mile radius of the rest of the family (on J's side, my side is all over the place).  We are city folks and proud of it.  We don't know who or what everyone else is talking about, and frankly, don't care.  I know that sounds harsh and I'm sure you're judging us right now, but that's just how we feel.  We're the odd men out, we're the ones that don't fit in.  And I personally would love to avoid the headache I get every time we visit.  It's just too much for me and usually too much for J.

Run turkey, run!

This year we have an excuse to stay home.  We invited a friend, that's won't get to go home this year, to spend the day with us.  So I have been planning our Thanksgiving dinner (last year we had take out Chinese, yum).  I don't do traditional Thanksgiving dinner, I grew up in the restaurant industry, so we were normally working.  We had a turkey some years, but not that often.  Go ahead and judge me some more, I don't like most traditional Thanksgiving foods.  Turkey, it's always dry and bland.  Pumkin pie, I'd rather eat vomit (no I'm serious, I hate pumpkin pie).  Stuffing, yuk.  Green bean casserole, this is the only thing worse then pumpkin pie.  So the only thing normally I like are mashed potatoes and wine.  Like I said, go ahead and judge, I don't care.  

Also, since J's a vegetarian, okay, he's a pescatarian, a main meal of turkey is not an option.  So what are we going to have?  Well if you've made it this far, I'll tell you.  I'm going to try a bunch of recipes I found on Pinterest as well as some of our favorites.

Better Homes and Garden

First I'm going to make my own mashed potato recipe and then I'm going to top it with this amazing Shiitake mushroom gravy.  I mean, who wouldn't love this?  This looks so great.

Kalyn's Kitchen

Then I'm going to make these great green beans with mushrooms.  I found this recipe at Kalyn's Kitchen blog, and we love it.  This is the correct to way to eat green beans, not covered in creamy soup and fried onions from a can.

Babble

I'm also going to be making these again.  I made them last year and they were amazing.  They are sweet potatoes with chimichurri.  They are an amazing way to enjoy sweet potatoes.

Health Magazine

Then for our main course I'm going to be making salmon.  I think I might make this great teriyaki salmon.  It's one of our favorite ways of enjoying salmon.  The store also has crab on sale, so I might get some of that as well.  I'll see what we feel like closer to Thursday.

So, it's not a a traditional meal, but it still has traditional items, except for the turkey and stuffing.  It's just my spin on things.

What is everyone else having for Thanksgiving?  Do you do the whole traditional thing or do you think outside the box?

You can find any of the recipes I'll be trying on my Pinterest food board or just click on the pictures (or links below) to go straight to the recipe.

Side store - the first time I volunteered to make Thanksgiving dinner, I was in high school.  I opted out of the turkey as well and made garlic roasted duck.  I just can't stick to tradition.