A 12-COURSE, HEAT & EAT, VEGETARIAN THANKSGIVING MEAL

 

I love Thanksgiving!

 

I have been enjoying the annual food-laden feasts ever since my AIR INDIA plane landed in Chicago in September, 1966 – over 50-years ago.

 

For two years I was the guest of Chester P. Siess and his family – a Professor of Structural Engineering, and my advisor, at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana (a campus town 150-miles south of Chicago) -- where I was a graduate student.

 

I moved to New York City in 1968 where I met Sarah Puri, my late wife.

 

Sarah was a gourmet cook of Irish, Indian, American, and Chinese cuisines.

 

We used to entertain family and friends at the annual event – first when we lived in New York City and later in Cleveland, Ohio where we moved in 2001 to be close to her family.

 

After she passed away in 2014 – I ate with family or friends.

 

This year – I decided to make my own meal.

 

Being a vegetarian and not knowing how to cook even a simple dish from scratch – I am a heat & eat type of food consumer.

 

Most of the items I eat are available in cans or bottles or packets.

 

Where required I empty the contents in a plastic container and heat in a microwave oven for the required three to

four minutes.

 

On Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2019 – I prepared the following items. Only a few of them required

to be heated:

 

1. Sweet corn on the cob.

 

2. Sweet potato.

 

3. Salad – carrots, radishes, celery, sweet peppers, and cucumbers. I forgot to add the cherry tomatoes.

 

4. Fruit – fresh Fuji apples, fresh California grapes, and canned sliced peaches.

 

5. Nuts – almonds, walnuts, and raisins.

 

6. Soup – canned lentils with an addition of assorted spices and heated for 4-minutes.

 

7. Low fat cottage cheese and multigrain crackers.

 

8. A mix of canned organic chick peas and canned mushroom stems & pieces with an addition of assorted spices and heated for 4-minutes.

 

9. Multigrain veggie cheeseburger.

 

10. Banana and strawberry fruit yogurt.

 

11.California Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

12. Pecan pie.

 

While I was preparing the meal – I was supervised by Galena our golden retriever with a curly tail, and our

cats – Tess, Maddie, Kara, and Duffie – all along with Galena – rescued from outside. All our pets have Irish names -- a requirement set by Sarah. 

 

Being a senior citizen – I don’t have a big appetite – and so the cooked items will last for a couple of days.

 

The items were obtained from our local Marc's supermarket.

 

The preparation took 1.5 hours – and I enjoyed every minute of it.

 

I am truly grateful to the U.S. Food Industry for making this Thanksgiving meal possible.

 

Trust every one had a Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Enjoy the rest of the season.