You surely don't need me to remind you of all that we have collectively and individually endured over the past many months.

That said, as the holidays commence, I know many of us are weighing our options for gathering with those we love as the pandemic surges all over the country.

... And this decision may take more conscientious forethought than ever before.

Before Colorado announced the level-red restrictions just this week, Jason and I sat down to revisit our Thanksgiving plans. We had planned on hosting a small group of extended family and a couple of friends.

Somewhere between the harsh reality of the pandemic, our perfect Thanksgiving fantasy and a few tears we landed on canceling.

Likewise, this may have been the hardest pandemic plan for me to let go of to date!

Though we are paring down our menu for just our intimate family, I thought I would still share our original menu (and recipes) with you!

Regardless of how your plans evolve, I hope you land on savoring the good things in your life and the cherishing those you love near and far.

Roasted Rainbow Beet Salad

Pretty, tasty and perfectly balanced with the sweet pungent colorful beets, salty toasted seeds, and sour and sweet balsamic vinegar. Everyone in my family requested that I make these again!

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Farmers market Green bean casserole

I grew up with this oldie at every Thanksgiving –– as I am sure many of you did. This is a yummy from scratch version with a sprinkle of crispy onions on top.

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Crispy balsamic roasted Brussels

This is the ultimate side for my dreamy Thanksgiving menu. Choose how crispy you like them and saddle up to pamper your palate.

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Grandma Bonnie’s {Dairy FREE} Mashers

Jason’s side of the family is from a small town in South Dakota. They all revere grandma Bonnie’s mashers as gospel! Bonnie (Jason’s mom) kindly sent me the recipe and I added a dairy free option for you if you prefer.

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Pomegranate And baby greens salad with ACV dressing

Pomegranates are an easy way to spruce up a salad. Try this easy ACV dressing, top with goat cheese (or your favorite variation) and toasted seeds.

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Gluten-free Peasant loaf stuffing

Don’t worry, I would not skip the stuffing! If you need a good gluten-free option, try this tasty recipe made with Kim&Jakes gluten-free peasant loaf for a delightful twist.

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pasture-raised Turkey confit

I tried this out last year for the first time, when we had 25 people over, a full house. This turkey recipe was a huge hit and I will never go back…brine included in the recipe.

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grateful cranberry sauce

This naturally sweetened zesty version of traditional cranberry sauce highlights the health benefits of cranberries without all of the added sugar.

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wild mushroom miso gravy

I have been making wild mushroom miso gravy for years. It is one of my signature recipes. I hope you love this as much as I do.

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Horn of the moon pumkin pie {with coconut cream}

A friend of mine gave me The Horn Of The Moon cookbook when I first moved to Boulder in 1995. I still go back to this recipe that I have shifted and tweaked over the years. Trust me on this one!