I just did my first Holiday Blog makeover – go check it out on Design Chicky!
One week til Turkey day!
November 19, 2008 By
I have to say that Thanksgiving is probably my favorite meal of the entire year. Who can argue with turkey, cranberry sauce, sweet AND mashed potatoes? Not I, that’s for sure. It’s my favorite meal to cook as well – it’s so hands on, and I get into my little zone, with Christmas music on my ipod, and my favorite apron, I am a happy girl indeed.
This is my menu so far. I make little improvements each year, and try to make one new recipe each year. This year I am going to try Pioneer Woman’s Mashed Potatoes, since her Sweet Potatoes were such a hit last year(although I omitted the pecans, they were still dang tasty!):
Turkey (using my top secret marinade)
Stuffing with cranberries and apples (basic Mrs Cubbison’s)
Pioneer Woman’s Mashed Potatoes
Pioneer Woman’s Sweet Potatoes
Green Bean Casserole (Campbell’s recipe, but I add 1/4 C parmesan cheese to the soup mixture, and about 1T to the topping)
Cranberry Sauce (and lots of it)
Apricot Jello Salad (recipe below!)
My Great Grandmother’s Fruit Salad (recipe below!)
Pumpkin Pie (made by my Father in Law)
Apple Pie (made by my husband)
…and believe it or not, store bought wheat rolls – I don’t know what it is about those things, but I can never make rolls as yummy as those. And I have made plenty of rock hard rolls to show for it. I can make bread, cupcakes, cakes, but the roll eludes me…
Apricot Jello Salad (family recipe from my Husband’s side)
- 2 small boxes Apricot Jello (Orange can be substituted)
- 1 can apricots
- 2 packages Dream Whip
Dissolve the Jello in half the water called for on the package. Let set for about 30 minutes, then puree the apricots and prepare one package of the dream whip (cool whip can be substituted – use 1 1/2 C for the jello mixture). Fold into the jello until incorporated. Pour into a 9×13 pyrex dish, and allow to set one hour. Prepare remaining Dream Whip (or cool whip) and spread over Jello. Cover with plastic wrap. Let set another couple of hours or overnight.
Great Grandma’s Fruit Salad
This has been made for Holidays on my Dad’s side of the family for as long as I can remember. It’s similar to ambrosia, but uses sour cream instead of whipped cream.
- 1 small can crushed pineapple
- 1 can mandarin Oranges
- 1 C sweetened Coconut
- 2 C Mini Marshmallows
- 1 C sour cream
Drain fruits, fold all ingredients together, let chill. That’s it!
I would love to hear about your Thanksgiving meals – do you go traditional all the way, or get brave?
There’s no getting around it
November 18, 2008 By
This weeks weigh-in: – 1 lb!!
Total weight loss: 11 lbs
(yeah, I gained a bit back over the last couple of weeks, but I am trying to get back on track)
If I am going to keep losing weight, I am going to have to ditch my soda habit. I did ok for awhile, especially when we had lemons on our tree and I could just add fresh lemon to my water. I make fresh iced tea, and I forget about it. It seems that juices are just as bad (sugar-wise) as soda, and I have never been much of a milk drinker (unless it has ice in it, and I am eating a brownie, which, let’s face it, negates any good that comes from drinking the milk to begin with).
I figure if I do it a little at a time, just like I have been doing with food and exercise, it will make it easier to change. I am so far from where I started, and the good part is, if I go back on my good habits, I feel BLAH. So this month, my good habit is to drink more water (whoopee!! 
)
Another thing I am excited to try is these funny little sprinkles you put on your food. It’s called Sensa, and while I can’t describe exactly how it works, I can give you an idea. Sensa uses all natural ingredients to fool your sense of smell and taste (and then your brain) into feeling full. You can check out the exact details at the Sensa website, and while I have only been trying it for a few days, I definitely notice a difference in the amount of food it takes to make me feel full. They are sending me a 6 month trial, so for better or for worse, I will let you know how it works!
Any of my chickys out there trying to lose weight, or have any tips for those of us that are??
