Contributions to Family Thanksgiving Dinner

Our Contributions to our 2025 family Thanksgiving dinner.
– Maple Pecan Pie
– Cranberry Relish
– Tapenade with Baguette
– Roasted garlic, acorn squash, and mushroom rice with fresh herbs
– Wine – Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah

The Best Vegan Maple Pecan Pie (Holiday Magic Without the Eggs!) – by Nataly from her blog, Fork and Roots – she said, “The best vegan pie moments are when my kitchen smells like maple and toasted pecans, and everyone’s gathered around the table in complete silence, savoring every bite.”

Cranberry Relish

Ingredients

– 1 package of fresh Cranberries
– 1 medium Orange, peeled
– 1 medium Apple
– 1 cup+ Sugar
– 1 tsp Cinnamon
– 1/4 cup chopped Pecans
– 1 -2 tsp rum (optional)

Instructions

• Wash and pick out bad cranberries
• Place in food processor and pulse until all cranberries are broken up
• Cut up orange and apple into small pieces
• Place cranberries, apples and oranges into bowl
• Add sugar, cinnamon and pecans
• Stir and taste every 30 minutes for 4 hours. Add more sugar if needed after 2 hours.
• Refrigerate

Tapenade with Baguette

Ingredients

– 1 cup Kalamata Olives (from olive bar)
– 2 Tbsp Capers
– 1-3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) to desired consistency
– 1 -2 medium Garlic cloves – blanch whole for 30 to 90 seconds.
– 1 Tbsp lemon juice
– 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
– 2-3 Tbsp fresh parsley
– 1.5+ tsp fresh oregano leaves
– Pepper to taste

Instructions

• Check for/remove any olive pits.
• Chop capers and finely mince blanched garlic.
• Add all ingredients to food processor. Pulse until you reach desired consistency. It can be smooth. We prefer our tapenade a little chunky, with no whole olives remaining.
• Scrape down sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
• The salty olives and capers, lemon juice, and vinegar help keep the tapenade fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• After processing, let it sit at room temperature for at least 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, before refrigerating.
• Serve on 1/2-inch fresh baguette slices.
• For parties or holiday gatherings, double this recipe.
• Feel free to experiment with the recipe: drizzle in extra olive oil if you enjoy more richness, tone down the pepper if you prefer less heat, or tweak the vinegar amount to match your desired level of acidity.

Other Recipes

The following recipes highlight a group of food bloggers, passionate cooks, culinary explorers, and visual storytellers who share recipes, techniques, and food culture online. Each recipe begins with the classic tapenade base, then adds extra ingredients that showcase the blogger’s personal, creative spin on the spread. By mixing in unexpected flavors and textures, they craft truly unique tapenades.

– Vegan Olive Tapenade – by Jolinda Hackett at The Spruce Eats
– Olive Tapenade – by Alison Andrews at https://lovingitvegan.com/
– Best Vegan Olive Tapenade Recipe – by Chef Denise at Chef Denice
– Olive Tapenade Without Anchovies – by Prajakta Sukhatme at https://profusioncurry.com/

Tapenade History

The Origins and Legacy of Tapenade: A Dive into Its Rich Heritage

Unveiling the Origins of Olive Tapenade: A Journey Through Time and Taste