And so it begins.
The next round of cookbook editing is going down in my living room. This round is called the “first pass” and it marks the first time that I’ve done any editing on paper. It’s kinda nice to be off a computer screen for a bit, however spending half my life on a keyboard has not improved my penmanship one bit! Oh boy, I feel like I need to re-train my hand how to write…
It felt a bit like Christmas morning when this huge package arrived in the mail this week…for some reason, I felt so nervous to open it!
I love seeing the book in its actual size – a gorgeous 8×10” trim (I fought hard for this large trim size!) with 100 of my most-loved photographs and recipes.
Line by line, I’m going through the entire book with a fine tooth comb marking any last minute edits in red ink. Hopefully by page 300 I can still see straight! Maybe an IV of caffeine would help?
Thank you again for supporting me throughout this journey. I never thought I’d be here, that is for sure.
As many of you know, it’s also Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. Big work assignments love to fall around holidays, don’t they? I had high hopes of sharing a couple Thanksgiving recipes for you this week, but I’m afraid they are not quite ready to share. I did a trial of this stew yesterday and was hoping to finalize the recipe this morning after a second trial, but I haven’t nailed the gravy broth yet. The first trial was too bland and the second one, well, let’s just say I overcompensated a bit. I guess you know what I’ll be eating for the next week. It will just have to wait a bit longer. In the meantime, I’ve put together a round-up of some of my favourite Thanksgiving recipes from my archives and from some of my favourite blogs! As always, no turkey is required to enjoy one helluva good holiday meal.
To my fellow Canadians, I wish you all a lovely Thanksgiving!
Appetizers:
Spiced Red Lentil, Kale, and Tomato Soup
Roasted Yellow Beet Salad with Warm Maple Mustard Dressing from Post Punk Kitchen
Holiday Salad with Cranberry Apple Orange Vinaigrette
Main Course:
Glazed Lentil Walnut Apple Loaf
Herb and “Cheese” Drop Biscuits
Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout, and bread Stuffing with Apples via Gena Hamshaw on Food 52
Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Pecan Almond Parmesan
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Rosemary and Garlic
Cranberry Apricot and Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf
Quinoa and Red Lentil Cutlets from Fat Free Vegan
Itty Bitty Pumpkin Garlic Knots
Dessert:
Pumpkin Pie with Gluten-Free Pecan Crust
Appleberry Pie with Olive Oil Crust from Post Punk Kitchen
Pumpkin Gingerbread with Spiced Buttercream
Gift Ideas:
Homemade Pumpkin Butter From Scratch (or from a can)
Slow Cooker Naked Apple Butter
Smoothie
Creamy Butternut Date Smoothie for Two
Baked Doughnuts for Everyone Giveaway Winner!
Last but not least, the winner of the Baked Doughnuts for Everyone giveaway goes to #519 – Christine H. Her favourite doughnut flavour is “Double chocolate with sprinkles!”
Congrats Christine! I will shoot you an email to collect your info. Thanks again to Ashley for this generous giveaway. :)
For the record, growing up my favourite flavour of doughnut was always Maple Glazed or Sour Cream Glazed (from Tim Hortons, of course). I think I will have to recreate one some day…
Thank you for all of these amazing recipe ideas. Happy Thanksgiving!
Yay, I’m so happy that you made a post like this way in advance before Thanksgiving (in the US, anyways)! As dorky as it sounds I was sitting in bed the other night (couldn’t fall asleep) thinking about what vegan dishes I could make to bring to this year’s family gathering. Now, I have a bunch to choose from and a lot of time to gather up the ingredients :) I look forward to that stew recipe once you have perfected it.
As for your cookbook, hurray! I’m so excited just looking at those few pages — it looks beautiful.
Congratulations! Your creativity is an inspiration and I can’t wait to get the book!
Thank you guys for your lovely words!
This is an awesome list. I’m having my first vegetarian Thanksgiving this year so I’ll be sure to make some of these. Thank you thank you Angela!!
Can I just say, even simply watching from the sidelines, it is so neat to see the cookbook coming together. I’ve been following you for a few years now and have always been so impressed with your photos, ability to explain preparation, and just warmth you bring to this space. Can’t wait for the book, and cheers on this amazing journey, indeed. :)
I love the peek at your cookbook! Those photos look amazing (and obviously the recipes will be delicious). Can’t wait until it’s released! :)
So exciting! The pages look great already, I can’t wait to see them between the covers of a book. Congrats on making it this far, you’re almost there! :)
I would have given my right arm to do my first pass on PAPER. To truly see what it would all look like, oh how nice! But yes about the penmanship thing – mine has gotten horrible since I rarely use pens/pencils anymore!
Congrats, Angela. You are almost there!!!
Good luck with all the proofing! It’s something I would love to do one day..write a cookbook I mean. The proofing is an unavoidable hidden beneath the taste testing task! The photography looks truly beautiful.
Happy Thanksgiving! Looking forward to your book! You are such a constant source of inspiration and great food photography!
I wonder who’s more excited about the cookbook- your readers or you?! Thrilled for you Angela. Editing is draining but think of the wonderful result!
Happy thanksgiving, thank you for sharing all these recipes.
Haha Emma, I think we just might be!! It’s going to be such a marvellous cookbook. Congrats Angela :) You definitely deserve a printed book after creating this awesome blog that is so beloved the world over!!
Thanks for all the recipes! I am really excited about your cookbook and good luck on all the editing!
I had an epic fail with pumpkin soup last night in the kitchen so at 1030pm I frantically made another batch of your trail mix cookies to reaffirm my faith in my abilities. My husband was very happy since those are really the only cookies he will eat! Thanks so much :)
Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you get to enjoy some time off. xx
Congrats for the book, it sounds exciting! And thanks for the recipes! Have you also considered preparing an e-book? Happy thanksgiving!
Just wanted to say that you are an inspiration and I cannot wait to get your new cookbook when it comes out!! Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Pecan Almond Parmesan is made every other week in our house and it will definitely be served this Thanksgiving weekend!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
-from a dedicated fan living in Toronto :)
Ironically, I’m sitting here eating a block of thawed-out re-heated glazed lentil apple walnut loaf while I read this! On my way to an NHL hockey game down here in North Carolina in a few minutes and needed a quick bite. Still tasty, even out of the freezer :)
Ahhh Ange I’m so excited for you!! Congratulations for everything up until now, and I know that it won’t be long before your book is the biggest hit on Amazon! I can’t wait to see the final version, gorgeous photos and all! I hope you have at least a little bit of time to relax this weekend. PS. Your vegan Thanksgiving feast will always be my favourite! :)
Congratulations on your cookbook. I cannot wait to see it in the stores. I think I gained 5 lbs just looking at your wonderful Thanksgiving food pictures.
I literally made a super-weird, unattractive “guuuuuh” noise when I saw the pumpkin gingerbead photo. It looks. So. Amazing.
Huge congrats on the progress of the book :) The photos in the sneak peeks are beautiful!