This is one of "my" dishes (I typically did the sprouts, the mashed potatos, and various pies), which gives me an excuse to pull out the Cuisinart. Daughter #2 was amazed at the magic way the brussel sprouts turned into shreds, and insisted on feeding them in the machine one at a time (as opposed to the 5-6 the feed tube will hold). In an unexpected change, The Wife is taking over the mashed potato duties, and snubbing the Kitchen Aid for a hand mixer ... I don't know how I feel about this, as this was pretty much the one time a year I could justify pulling out the big mixer!
This is the first Thanksgiving we're doing without my Mom ... last year we just couldn't get out act together for Thanksgiving at all, and ended up having dinner out at one of the many places down here which do a "traditional special" on Thanksgiving. I assume that because of this The Wife is introducing a few dishes from her childhood that would never have gotten my Mom's approval, including the classic green bean casserole and some scary green jello concoction. To counter-balance these menu incursions, The Wife is wearing one of my Mom's "casual entertaining" mu-mu sort of things (which she saved several of when we were clearing out my Mom's place). I guess tradition has all sorts of forms.
We're on our own this year again, and that looks like it's going to be the case for the forseeable future, unless some of The Wife's nephews end up relocating out here. Last year we were "supposed to" have gone down to Disney World with my brother's family and some of their friends, but with the start of the new business, we just couldn't get away, and I don't see us going to Boston or them coming to Chicago ever.
Anyway ... the above recipe is highly recommended ... even folks who hate brussel sprouts love this stuff ... it's my fave, even beyond stuffing!