By Maureen Post Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Nov 21, 2008 at 1:14 PM

I've always split my Thanksgiving between the two sides of my family; spending the first half of the day with my mom's side and the second half with my dad's.

We've always started early; traveling to a relative's house where we cook, watch some football and have Thanksgiving dinner around 1 p.m.  Then, at around 3 p.m. my sisters and I hop back in the car and head back to Milwaukee to do it all over again.

Don't get me wrong, two Thanksgiving dinners in one day isn't all that bad. I don't even try to restrain myself at the first meal to save room for the second; all in all the day includes eating tons of turkey, mashed potatoes and sweet potato pie.

But this year, it's going to be different.

Because my cousins, aunts and uncles are either traveling away or not traveling home, we've been left without an extended family Thanksgiving on my mom's side this year.

So, to mix it up, we've decided to do something different. Instead of the normal Thanksgiving fare, I've decided to make Thanksgiving brunch. And after careful thought and consideration, here's a list of menu replacements to turn your holiday lunch into brunch.

What's your take on it? Would you give up your Thanksgiving lunch for brunch? Use the talkback feature to give us your suggestions.

Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes
foodchannel.com/recipes/1370-pecan-pumpkin-filled-pancakes

Turkey Sausage
wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=1188

Butternut Squash Breakfast Muffins
simpledailyrecipes.com/simple-butternut-squash-breakfast-muffins

Cranberry and Maple Baked Apples
wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=784

Peppery Brunch Potatoes
wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=2149

French Toast with Apples and Cranberries
wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=337

Cranberry Relish with Dried Cranberries
wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=1267

Maureen Post Special to OnMilwaukee.com

OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Maureen Post grew up in Wauwatosa. A lover of international and urban culture, Maureen received a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

After living on the east side of Madison for several years, Maureen returned to Milwaukee in 2006.

After a brief stint of travel, Maureen joined OnMilwaukee.com as the city’s oldest intern and has been hooked ever since. Combining her three key infatuations, Milwaukee’s great music, incredible food and inspiring art (and yes, in that order), Maureen’s job just about fits her perfectly.

Residing in Bay View, Maureen vehemently believes the city can become fresh and new with a simple move across town.