What am I making for Thanksgiving this year?

Every year since before I can remember, my Mom always made the dressing (some call it stuffing) for our Thanksgiving meal. She would make a dish of "regular" and a dish of oyster dressing. Since Mom is gone now, I've taken over many of her traditions. Now we all know how I feel about bottom feeders, but nonetheless, everyone is expecting me to bring oyster dressing. I also love to roast butternut squash and beets in the oven, toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, cardamom, and maybe a dash of freshly ground nutmeg...yum! This side dish is easy, delicious and brings the beautiful colors of fall to your table. I've also discovered a very quick and easy bread to share this Thanksgiving. There's no yeast, so no rising times and you only knead the dough for 1 minute. Oatmeal molasses bread will complement any part of your Thanksgiving meal; I'll include the recipe below. Finally, for dessert: there will be plenty of Pumpkin pies and other delicious treats, but I don't know that I've ever seen anyone in my family come to Thanksgiving with homemade truffles. So I think I'll try some pumpkin truffles this year.

Whatever wonderful food you decide to share this Thanksgiving, I hope you'll take the time to make it with your own hands and avoid the temptation to buy something pre-packaged and already made. Convenient, yes. Nourishing, not so much.

Oatmeal Molasses Bread

2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup regular oats
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
2 tblsp. coconut oil (you'll probably have to melt it in the oven or on the stove top)
2 3/4 cup organic all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (organic if you can)
2 tblsp. organic sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder (alluminum free)
1 cup organic raisins
1 tblsp. yellow cornmeal (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine flours, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist; stir in raisins. Stir with a wooden spoon until dough pulls together in a shaggy mass. Let rest 2 minutes. Turn half of dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 1 minute with floured hands; shape dought into a 6-inch round loaf. Place on baking sheet dusted with cornmeal. Repeat with remaining dough. Make 3 diagonal cuts 1/4 inch deep across top of each loaf. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temp. to 375 and bake an additional 15 minutes or until botton of each loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Yield: 2 loaves, 12 servings per loaf.

Pumpkin Truffles

8 1/2 oz. dark chocolate
1/4 cup heaving cream
2 tblsp. - 1/4 cup pumpkin

Using double broiler or a bowl over a pot of simmering water, melt chocolate in cream. Stir in pumpkin and cool in fridge 1 hour. Let sit at room temp. 2 hours. Shape and roll in cocoa or chopped pecans, almonds, or whatever nut you like.