maple roasted squash rounds with rosemary

In all seriousness, it is crunch time.

It’s like the end of the semester and you have three finals the next day. Some of you might have no problem with that, but others of you might be freaking out at the thought because you have no less than opened up your textbook except to tell your mom on the phone that you were studying — all because you can’t tell a lie. So what do you do? You get a trenti mochaccinno with three extra shots of espresso, and you head to the library, hoping to God they are open for 24 hours.

Thankfully I was the former rather than the latter — about 75% of the time.

But for real, get your pots and pans out, get to the store before they run out of your favorite ingredients — it’s about to get a little crazy.

And I’m totally joking. It’s not crunch time yet. Thanksgiving is still ten days away.

I thought I would freak you out a little bit though because now at least it’s on your mind and you know exactly what would happen to you if you were to be one of those last minute party planning people. However, now that you have been warned, I know that will never happen to you.

You’re welcome.

So what is everyone making for Thanksgiving this year? Or.. maybe you’re one of those lucky people that get to just show up and eat all sorts of delicious food that someone else slaved over a hot stove and oven for you for at least eight hours. I hope you at least say thank you. If you don’t, I might have to come hunt you down and pull your ear until you spit those words out. We use manners around here, folks.

Maybe you’re one of those people who have to host your family, and you’re not really looking forward to Great Aunt Agatha coming over and criticizing your sweet potato casserole for the fourteenth year in a row. That’s a tough life, and I’m not one to fully support drugging others, but I bet she would like her gin and tonic a little bit on the heavy side this year. She’ll be sleeping in a pile of those sweet potatoes before she can even say a word.

You’re welcome.

If you’re not looking forward to making Thanksgiving dinner, I’m so sorry. And if you’d like, I’ll come over and make it for you. Really — I will! I love making Thanksgiving food. Mainly because I get to taste test at least ten bites per dish — it’s a rule in my kitchen. I won’t even make you pay me in dollars. Instead, you can feel free to pay me in hanging up my laundry. Because if I am one hundred percent honest with you, I spent about thirty minutes hanging up clean clothes because they have all been sitting on the guest room bed for at least the last three rounds of laundry duty. I thought I needed to go out shopping — nope! All I needed to do was make a trip to Charlie’s bedroom.

I’m one of those lucky folks that get to bring a side dish to Thanksgiving.

Oh.. and veganize and make everything gluten free for my mom and me. No. Big. Deal.

In fact, this will be my third year doing this, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The thought of not having stuffing, mashed potatoes, or broccoli casserole is absolutely devastating. So I put on my big girl pants and beg my aunt to help me. Works like a charm every time.

But for my side dish I am bringing to the Husband’s family’s Thanksgiving, I thought I would give it a test run — you know, because I don’t want to have another apple crisp fail again.

No failure this time around.

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You’ll get another Thanksgiving reminder in T-7 days. I’ll let the panic ensue then.

You’re welcome.

Tagged as: acorn squash, gluten free, maple syrup, recipe, thanksgiving, thanksgiving side dish, vegan