Thanksgiving feast

I drove 2.5 hours west for thanksgiving with my family. I did nothing but eat and sleep for two whole days. We had a delicious Thanksgiving feast, most of it was prepared by my mom. Her homemade dressing is one of my favorite things. She makes homemade cornbread then mixes in green peppers, onions, thyme, sage & other spices to make the dressing. Delicious.

Our thanksgiving menu:
Turkey - Dad manages the smoking of the turkey. Dressing - Mom makes homemade cornbread, and uses this for the dressing. Cranberry relish - New recipe my mom made. A blend of cranberries, an orange & sugar. Green beans - Haricot verts sauteed with onion, garlic & olive oil. Sweet potato souffle - Loads of butter, brown sugar, marshmallows and pecans. Squash casserole - cheese, squash, bread crumbs. A favorite among my siblings. Coleslaw - My grandmother's famous vinegar based coleslaw. Great for any occasion. Cauliflower & broccoli salad - Veggies with a light vinegariette. Rice with pine nuts, cranberries & chickpeas - recipe below. I wanted to make a hearty, protein packed dish since I don't eat turkey. Pumpkin pie - A twist on the traditional. This pie is served cold with a graham cracker crust & cool whip layer. Chocolate cake with ginger - Made by a friend.

Rice with pine nuts, cranberries & chickpeas
3 tbsps olive oil
1 onion, diced
Bunch of cilantro, minced
1 tbsp of dried dill
1 tbsp of Jamican allspice
Cranberries, about 1/4 cup
Pine nuts, about 1/4 cup
1 cup of basmati rice
2 1/4 cup of water
Juice of one lemon
1 can cooked chickpeas, rinsed & drained

Heat the olive oil in a wide, deep saucepan. Saute the onion until it begins to become translucent. Throw in the pine nuts, cilantro, dill, allspice, cranberries, rice for one minute.
Add the water and lemon juice. Cover and cook for 20 - 30 minutes. Then add the chickpeas.

Inspired by a recipe in Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.