More Thanksy Ideas

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• 1 (10 ounce) package of frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (14 ounce) can of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup vegan sour cream
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
• 3/4 cup vegan parmesan + more to sprinkle on top
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375.
2. Drain all the excess water out of the thawed spinach and place in a large bowl with the vegan sour cream, artichoke hearts, and garlic. Stir to combine.
3. Add vegan cream cheese, 3/4 cup vegan parmesan, and pepper. Stir again until all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
4. Transfer the dip into an 8" cast iron skillet or similar sized baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes until light brown and bubbling slightly underneath.
5. Turn oven to broil and broil for 2-3 minutes to get the top a slightly darker brown. Remove from oven and serve immediately with a toasted baguette or crackers.

Serving and Storing: Serve it warm with fresh baguette, crackers, or vegetables. Store leftover spinach dip in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It can be eaten cold or gently warmed up in the oven or microwave.

Make in Advance: You can prepare the dip the night before. Before baking it, cover it and place it in the refrigerator. Pull it out to bake the next day.

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Orange Amaretto Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 3 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur
• 2 tablespoons grated orange rind
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

1. Rinse cranberries and add to a large saucepan.
2. Add sugar, orange juice, orange rind and water.
3. Bring to low boil for 3-4 minutes. Lower heat to a simmer. The key here is to cook down the cranberries.
4. Add amaretto and continue to simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened.

Cranberry sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

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Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

• 6 cups cubed sweet potatoes, about 3 large potatoes
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk, I used soy
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp vegan butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt

Pecan Topping

• 3/4 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp vegan butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large saucepan, bring 8 cups of water to a boil. While water is heating up, peel and chop the sweet potatoes into 1/2" inch cubes. Place in boiling water and boil for about 10 minutes until potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.
3. Drain the water from the cooked sweet potatoes and let cool 10 minutes. Mash potatoes with a masher or large fork. Add the remaining sweet potato ingredients and blend together with an immersion blender or a wooden spoon. Transfer to a 2-quart casserole dish and spread evenly.
4. To make the pecan topping, place pecans, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Once pecans have broken into uniform pieces, add the melted butter while the motor still running. Pulse a few more times until the crust is fully hydrated. The pecan topping should stick together when pressed between your fingers. If it is too dry, add one additional tablespoon of melted butter.
5. Spread the pecan topping evenly over the sweet potato puree and bake for 20-30 minutes until topping is golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool 10 minutes before serving.