<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Thanks to all who responded.  I was overwhelmed at the number of
responses.  Here is the summary of all responses.  I have not done any
research to verify the allergen status of the foods mentioned in here.
Thanks again.  

Sara

1.	Carol Fenster's cookbooks have great substitutions for many
allergies.  Looking at those may give you some ideas.  I use salsa as a
veggie dip.  There are lots of types out there so you don't have to go
with something spicy.

2.	Our family is casein free and gluten free.  I use the Tofutti
brand sour cream and cream cheese to make dips.   Guacamole and salsa
w/chips

3.	Sounds like hummus would be a good choice.  If your family
members are like mine, they won't taste it with the name "hummus".  Call
it bean dip, and maybe they will try it.  Good stuffed into celery or on
some of the gf crackers.  I have attached my family's hummus recipe.
Even little kids like it.

Hummus   Barfield Style       Feb. 2003

About 2 cups (1 can) gf garbanzo beans
½ cup tahini (sesame paste)
¼ cup sesame oil, or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
salt and pepper to taste
1 heaping tab. ground cumin
juice of 1 large or 1 ½ med. Lemons
¼ cup parsley leaves
1/3 cup water, or as needed

Place garlic in food processor and mince.  Then add everything else
except the water.  Grind it until it is paste.  Add water slowly as
needed, to make a smooth spread.  (I usually add all the water.)

Serve with cut vegetables, rice crackers, or any other gf dippers of
your choice.

4.	You could use hummus as a dip for veggies, and Bi-Aglut
crackers.

5.	Actually, veggies and dip work very nicely with these
restrictions - you just have to rethink your definition of the dip
(base). Use hummus for a dip (made from chickpeas), or use the following
to replace 1 pint of sour cream in your standard dip mixes:

2 cups cooked cannellini (white kidney beans)
2 T olive oil
2 T fresh lemon juice or allowed vinegar

Whirl it all in a food processor until smooth, then treat it like 
sour cream in your dip recipes. Happy Eating!

6.	Look for what YOU like and you can no doubt come up with a GF
alternative. We use Mary's Gone Crackers with some spread: hummus,
liverwurst (surprisingly popular!), smoked oysters, smoked salmon. Using
beans as a "carrier" for spreads (as in hummus) works really well and is
very tasty, as well as healthy. There are many brands of sausage that
are GFCF: slices on crackers are an easy appetizer (and there are many
brands of GF crackers: Mary's Gone Crackers are carried at many grocery
stores though and they are very popular with everyone).

As for dips: you can make a really nice dip using mayo and a little
coconut milk, with mashed fresh garlic and Italian seasoning and salt,
for veggies. Or just plain ranch dressing: many brands are GF.  I also
make Thai style dips, which are typically based on some combination of
sesame oil, rice vinegar, fresh garlic, hot sauce, and fish sauce or
Braggs.

7.	If you can do corn, tortilla chips with bean dip and salsa are
very popular. I don't eat corn much myself, but I serve this for the
"crowd". if you like veggies and dip for an appetizer, try tahini dip.
Tahini is made from ground sesame seeds, available in health food and
natural food stores and in many supermarkets (look either in the
international food or the health food section of the supermarket). To
make a dip, add lemon juice, crushed garlic (if you like garlic), and
then incorporate water until it reaches a good dip consistency. Season
with salt and pepper according to your taste. It makes a delicious, easy
dip and I think it meets your dietary requirements.

8.	Have you tried hummas?  It's very tasty w/fresh veggies.  Good
luck.  Better yet, skip the appetizers and leave more room for turkey &
the trimmings!! Just don't cook a Butterball--it's injected w/wheat.

9.	appetizers:  olives, sweet baby pickles, sliced oranges drizzled
with olive oil.
 
menu items: Thanksgiving is actually pretty easy if you have control of
the menu and cooking:  turkey, stuffing (see below), mashed potatoes
(use broth instead of butter and milk), yams (steamed, tossed with brown
sugar and seasonings). For gravy use drippings instead of butter and
corn starch instead of flour.  Instead of pumpkin pie, can you find a
recipe for pumpkin bars?   Homemade cranberry sauce is easy: I cook
cranberries in orange and apple juices with cut up pieces of apple and
pears, add sugar to taste.  There is also usually a recipe for making
cranberry sauce on packages of cranberries that you can find at your
local supermarket.  I make it a day in advance and chill it.
 
For my stuffing: The day before I make GF corn bread (my recipe uses
dairy, so I won't give it to you), then cut it into chunks and toss with
sautéed -- in olive oil -- celery, onion, carrots, and GF chicken broth
and bake for a family-pleasing stuffing.
 
On the Food Network today, Emeril made a thanksgiving feast with foods
like the original pilgrims made.  He had a wonderful dish of beans and
corn that might be ok for you.  He also had a dessert of apples and
other fruits (I don't recall which) that were cooked in apple cider with
a couple of cinnamon sticks.  He then baked it with a topping -- he used
bread crumbs and butter -- I'm sure you could use GF crumbs and dairy
free margarine.  The recipes are probably on the Food Network website.

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