pumpkin pie | Make Myself at Home

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, and if you’re like me you’re probably trying to figure out what you’re making for dinner. A year ago at this time I was scrambling to figure out how I could keep a traditional and delicious Thanksgiving with a newborn and without dairy or soy. And you know what? I pulled it off! Some of these are so good that they’re finding their way onto our table again this year, even without dietary restrictions (except for my 1-year-old).

If you’ve got a dinner guest with dietary restrictions, or if you’re facing some yourself this year, here’s my dairy-free (and, of course, other-allergen-free) menu from last year. All photos are courtesy of the original blogs.

First off, here’s my secret to the most flavorful turkey every year, regardless of how you prepare it: Williams-Sonoma dry brine. All you do is rub it on the turkey Wednesday night, keep it covered overnight in the fridge, then rinse off the brine just before you prep it for cooking. It adds the flavor and tenderness of a brine without the mess or time, and has never ever failed me. It’s dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, clean, and paleo. Just make sure you reduce the salt in your recipe.

We had a small gathering last year, so a turkey breast was just the right size for us, and this Slow Cooker Turkey with No-Fuss Gravy from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe made it easy, delicious, and kept my oven clear for the sides since I was the only one cooking. And the gravy? Easily the easiest and tastiest I’ve ever made in my life. Because of the saltiness of the dry brine, I didn’t add any salt and used the no-salt-added chicken broth. I made it dairy-free by using Earth Balance buttery stick instead of the butter; you could easily make this gluten-free with rice flour or another fine-grain gluten-free flour, or make it clean with whole-wheat pastry flour. We’re expecting a crowd at this year’s dinner; this is so good I’m seriously considering making this turkey breast in addition to the whole turkey in the oven, if I can get home from my Turkey Trot in time.

My family’s generations-old super-secret stuffing recipe is…. doctored Pepperidge Farm stuffing. (Shhhhh.) But the soy additives weren’t going to work last year, so I was going to have to make it from scratch. I used this America’s Test Kitchen Easy Stuffing Recipe, with a Whole Foods bakery dairy- and soy-free sandwich bread and Earth Balance buttery stick. Now, I’m going to be honest: Earth Balance does not brown like butter does. But it was delicious nonetheless.

I made my mashed potatoes smoother with a bit of Earth Balance, some chicken broth, and a touch of unsweetened almond milk. I don’t have a recipe for that; I just kind of added and tasted until the taste and texture was right. And anyway, with that slow cooker gravy, who cares what the potatoes tasted like on their own?!

Now these sweet potatoes are definitely staying on my table for years to come. Saweet! Potato Casserole with a Crunchy Nut Crumble from Oh She Glows is vegan (and thus dairy-free), gluten-free, soy-free, clean, and so incredibly delicious that I was actually a little disappointed that everyone else liked it so much because I seriously could’ve eaten the whole pan on my own. Now, just in case you think I’m exaggerating, my husband doesn’t like sweet potatoes, and he’s instantly suspicious of anything with a “healthy” buzzword like “vegan” or “paleo”–and he asked for seconds. If I had a double oven, I’d be making two of these this year. Now, if I remember right, I increased the amount of maple in the crumble, but I don’t recall by how much. Just taste and adjust as needed.

Finally, the pumpkin pie. I’ve posted a milkless pumpkin pie of my Grandmother’s, but–no offense to her–I could never get the texture quite the way I liked it. This Dairy-Free Soy-Free Pumpkin Pie keeps the silky texture we’re used to, but amps up the flavor with the sweetness of coconut milk and a touch more spice than you see on the back of the Libby’s can. Sorry Grandmother–this is my new go-to pumpkin pie. I made the crust from my previously posted pumpkin pie recipe using canola oil to keep it soy-free; there are lots of great gluten-free crust recipes out there if that’s what you need. Top it with So Delicious CoCoWhip topping and you’ll be in Heaven. (I challenge you not to eat the CocoWhip with a spoon after your company has left…)