PURGE!!!

No, not that kind of purging!

I'm talking about going through the kid's toys and donating some of the great ones that the kids have lost interest in. They'll be getting the latest robots and tech gadgets in a few weeks! Let them participate and please, just throw away those grubby or parts-missing toys! And while you're out shopping for the new ones, throw in one or two extras for toy donation centers. The kids feel really good about helping and it makes them better people!

While you're in their rooms, go through the clothes and donate those coats that don't fit, the jeans that are too short, and the warm sweaters that Miss Fancy Pants just doesn't enjoy anymore!

Then go to the kitchen pantry and dig deep! There are going to be lots more people in need of help this year and the cupboards are bare!


I clean mine out and then go to Aldi's and buy flour, sugar, oil, big boxes of cereal, oatmeal, peanut butter and jelly, cans of tuna, salmon, Spam, kidney beans, green beans, potatoes, peaches, pears, pineapple, and applesauce. Boxes of noodles, macaroni, and spaghetti are paired with spaghetti sauce and Velveeta.

I know bags of rice and beans are good purchases, but many people don't have the knowledge or the means to cook from scratch and canned soups and ready to eat things like canned ravioli are big hits with adults and kids alike!

And don't forget to donate a little cash to the pantries cause they need to help buy baby formula and diapers and the money comes in really handy!

Then...go give thanks for how well you have it and the fact that you have enough and some to share!

SLOWDOWN SATURDAY!

Well, all you Black Friday shoppers...did you get what you wanted yesterday?

I have friends who live for the excitement of the chase. I remember the horrible things people did to be first in line for the Cabbage Patch dolls back in the day...although nothing as awful as yesterday's Walmart incident! Even back then, I decided it just wasn't worth it and made facsimiles for my girls and dressed them in cheerleading outfits to match the schools they were attending at the time. They seemed happy with them and have not burdened me with tales of how their lives were ruined because they didn't get the REAL thing back then, so I guess it was probably the better choice.

We don't go near malls, but we did see a lot of activity at Walgreens when we stopped in for my favorite diet peach tea yesterday morning. I guess they had a one day only sale on 2 for 1 Christmas trees that had people going mad!

We have turkey leftovers now, thanks to a little more baking yesterday, so I'm looking forward to a great turkey sandwich for lunch. A popular tearoom nearby, the Bay Window for anyone local, has a sandwich they call the "Mary's Favorite" that is turkey on pumpernickel with a little cream cheese, sprouts, and cranberry sauce. My daughters love it! But I like the turkey with a little avocado, red onion, tomato, and romaine on the same pumpernickel.

Noelle...I've started a new pair of socks and I'm making myself do 5 rounds on the pair I'm trying to finish before I allow myself to work on the new pair! I WILL get that dreaded 2x2 cuff finished!!!

Granddaughter Audrey is spending the night with me Friday night so I'm DVRing a few Christmas movies for us to watch while we make the Apple cakes for the neighbors! Fun!

Have a great Saturday, everyone! And stay out of the extra calories until something comes along that deserves the splurge!

OH NOES!!!

I never thought I'd be saying this today after baking a 23 pound turkey yesterday, but...I'm baking a turkey today!

I thought we would have loads of leftover bird for a sandwich or two, a Turkey Manhattan for the husband, and maybe a few scraps to make a pot pie or two to throw in the freezer for a lazy Sunday afternoon sometime in the future, but there was nothing...nada!

So I found myself saying this morning that I was going to bake another one. Actually, I gave orders to the husband to just pick up a turkey breast while he was out having the oil changed in the car, but I know him! He will price compare and bring home a whole one...I would bet the last piece of pumpkin pie on it!

The turkey was exceptionally good and I will give all the credit to this:

I found this while shopping at Meijer's Supermarket before the Holiday and used it to season the turkey. I mixed about three tablespoons of it with a stick of butter and put that under the skin over the breast meat. I then oiled the whole outside with olive oil and used a generous amount of it along with salt and pepper to rub it all over. I then baked it in a bag made for roasting turkeys. It was the most flavorful and juicy turkey we've ever had! There goes my old stuffing under the skin routine!

So while everything is already out and I still have a couple of quarts of great stock made up, I'm going to do it all over again.

I didn't do too badly yesterday...a little spoon of each of my favorites and just a couple of bites of the dessert. There was a fabulous raw cauliflower salad that I just wanted to inhale, but since it has a lot of bacon and salad dressing on it, I even took it easy on that.

We won't do all the high calorie fixings with today's turkey. I'll probably bake a couple of sweet potatoes to eat along side with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a salad with some raw broccoli in it.

Saw this list of hints for handling Holiday meals without eating too much and thought it was really funny. From Charles Stuart Platkin:

-Be the Table Referee. Sit at the kids' table so you have to break up fights and cut up food -- you won't have time to eat.

-Lose Your Appetite. Sit next to your most ill-mannered relative and you will lose your appetite in a jiffy.

-Pay a Visit to Your Third Cousin. Of all the numerous holiday invites, choose the host who is the worst cook -- you will end up eating a lot less.

-Pick a Family Fight. Push everyone's buttons (you know what they are) and you will become so involved in the chaos, you will either forget to eat or lose your appetite completely.

-Put Yourself to Sleep. Eat a lot of turkey so the tryptophan will set in before dessert-time -- you'll be asleep on the couch instead of eating too much pie.

Have a great Friday!

GIVING THANKS!

We were entering a local restaurant when my husband decided he'd like a newspaper, but when he looked through his pocket for change, he found he was short so we went on in and sat down. There was a fella standing behind us at the paper box and as we drank our coffee, he walked over and handed us the first two sections of the paper! He later brought over a third one.

We gave him the usual "Thank yous!" and the "You didn't have to do that!" and before we left the restaurant, my husband went over and thanked him again.

We left smiling and feeling good. It doesn't take much to spread a little cheer as you go through your day. A smile...a greeting...taking the time to tell someone that they are doing a good job!

One of our favorite waitresses told us the other day that people are leaving smaller tips now that times are harder. We had just made the decision to begin leaving an extra dollar or two because we knew these hard working women were being hit as hard as everyone else and if we couldn't afford to leave the tip, then we would not eat out. We were glad that we had after talking to her. She has five children!

My younger daughter's husband doesn't drink coffee, but he makes a pot for her every morning and has it ready for her when she gets up...a simple way of showing gratitude for the things she does for him.

I had been looking unsuccessfully for the special edition of Newsweek that was put out to commemorate the election and finally given up...it had been a big seller and I had missed the boat! But my husband came in with one the other day. He had been checking the magazine section at the local drugstore every morning on his way to work and they had finally gotten a few in! He does that sort of thing! (I give him pedicures!)

Today is our national day of Thanksgiving. It is the time we gather with our family, share a meal, and verbalize the gratitude we feel for all our Blessings. It makes today special.

But how special would it be if we could extend that extra feeling of gratitude to the rest of the year? I'm going to give it my best effort. I don't want this good feeling to be limited to just one day a year...it is way too good!

RECIPES FOR HOMEMADE CHEESE AND CRACKERS

I wanted to share the recipes I had bookmarked for the cheese and crackers I mentioned yesterday. The wheat crackers are similar to Wheat Thins.

HOMEMADE BOURSIN CHEESE

8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chopped chives
pinch dried marjoram, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper

In large bowl, beat cream cheese. Add other ingredients, and beat until well blended. Refrigerate 12-24 hours.

HOMEMADE WHEAT CRACKERS

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter (at room temperature)
2/3 cup milk
Coarse salt (or other dried herbs and seasoning) for sprinkling

1. Combine the flours, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Cut in the butter and mix until it resembles corn meal.

2. Add milk slowly and mix just until you have a dough that will hold together. Divide the dough into 2 pieces for rolling.

3. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thickness. Sprinkle with coarse salt or herbs and roll over lightly with the rolling pin again. Cut the dough into 2×2 inch squares. Poke each square several times with a fork.

4. Transfer squares to an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 325 F for 20-25 minutes, until crackers are golden brown.

5. Cool and store in tin to keep crisp.

MORE RANDOM THOUGHTS

This seems to be my week for random thoughts, so to continue:

Do you use G-mail? Have you noticed their new themes? I used the desk for a few days and then switched to the tea house. How cute is it? It changes throughout the day and even has stars in the sky at night! Go to Settings and then Themes and give it a try!

One of my blogger friends was upset recently by a commenter who was treating her to a big dose of "tough love" over her eating plan. How do you feel about that? Is it something you would do? Have you done it? And has someone done it to you? If so, how did you feel about it?

I'm a little torn...sometimes, I guess it could be helpful but I have found that I usually respond better to positive feedback. Most of us feel bad enough about our weight loss histories and don't need snide remarks from "helpful" strangers lurking around weight loss blogs looking for an opening to strike.

I do remember groups of people on the WW online boards who banded together to offer each other "tough love", but they signed up for it and seemed to thrive on being hard on each other! Not my style.

What is my style? Well, how about handing out a little something, something from our kitchen to all of our immediate neighbors the first weekend of December every year?

I love treating everyone before they have all been inundated with too much sugar during the later stages of the Holidays. I think about what I'm going to fix all year and keep a little file of possibilities going. I had kinda decided to go with some homemade wheat crackers and a little tub of homemade boursin cheese for this year...but then I made this cake a few weeks ago and decided it was perfect! I'll make small loaves for the neighbors who are empty nesters like us and a bundt version for the neighbors to the north who have grown kids and grandkids in and out all day long.

Warning...this is not a low fat or sugar-free recipe and, in my judgement, it should not be altered. The balance of the oil and sugar is what gives it the excellent texture that makes it so good.

APPLE WALNUT CAKE
makes 1 bundt cake or two small loaves

1 1/4 cups oil
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups chopped granny smith apples
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 tsp baking soda

Mix the dry ingredients and then add them to everything else in a big bowl and stir everything together until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. I made my husband do this cause it was on the stiff side.
Grease and flour a bundt pan and pour the batter in.
Bake at 350 degrees. I check mine after an hour and usually add about 15 minutes to the baking time.

I just read a recommendation for how to not eat too much at those big family dinners that are coming up in the next few weeks: wear your skinny pants! If your tummy and waist are already feeling a little squeeze when you show up for dinner, you might be less likely to overindulge. But those pants with the stretch built in feel so good...don't they?

SECOND TRY!!!

Thanks to Hanlie who e-mailed me a copy of my lost entry she found on her reader, I am going to give this a second try. Thanks, Hanlie!!!

This was my first weekend following the end of the
2008 NASCAR season
and I was in full withdrawal mode.
No Smoke!

No Junior!

No Jimmie!

So I had to find other things to do with my time.
Breakfast is smart.
I enjoyed my morning breakfast so much
that I decided to have breakfast
again
for
supper!

One of my favorite Sunday shows is
Sunday Morning
with
Charles Osgood.
It was all about food this week.
Long's doughnut shop here in Indianapolis
made the show this week.
I always find it interesting
even when I swear I won't
after hearing the opening line-up.
And I enjoy it all the way to the closing
where they feature some nature video
and the sounds of geese or just the wind
blowing through grass.
And my favorite...
"I'll see you on the radio."

And I watched some shows that I had on DVR.
One of my current favorites is the current version
of Jane Marple on PBS.
Geraldine McEwan has turned out to be
one of my favorite Miss Marples.
She is just nosy enough and irritating enough to be believable.
I love the twinkle in her eye,
her hair that has definitely not been fussed over,
and her sensible dress...
neat, tidy, serviceable, and
just dowdy enough!
Makes me want to read all my
Miss Marples again.

And I rediscovered the Food Channel which I haven't
watched for a long, long time!
I discovered that Bobby is heavier and has a little less hair.
Paula seems to be careening along the edge!
Guy is just as wacky and has a cute little son who cooks with him at home.
Rachael and Giada are still a little hard to take.
Ina has built a barn...read million dollar addition to the estate...
and she is still surprised every time
Jeffrey comes home!
(I picture Jeffrey living with a full time mistress
somewhere in that college town he's always
running off to!)

I told my daughter that she could skip dessert Thursday
and just fix these
Pumpkin Mudslides

The ingredients:
A can of pumpkin pie filling...the pumpkin puree with the spices in it
Vodka
Bailey's Irish Cream
Milk
Ice
Whipped Cream
Cinnamon

Fill a blender with ice. Add 2 ounces each vodka and Bailey's, about 1/3 cup pumpkin pie filling, and milk to fill the blender. Blend well and pour into glasses, top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

And, finally I took the National Civics test I've been hearing so much about.
I scored 85% and was really proud of myself!
Wanna take it?

Click here.

OH PHOOEY!

I wrote the best blog entry ever...complete with lots of pictures and videos and links.
I had a recipe for a Thanksgiving drink too!
And then everything went KAPLOOEY and I just don't have the energy to try again right now, so trust me that you would have really enjoyed it!

I can leave you with my husband's favorite new joke:
Why is Santa Claus always jolly?
He knows where all the bad girls live!

Later!!!

SUNDAY FUNNIES!

1. Have you watched The Mentalist? This is Simon Baker and he's the reason you should!


2. This may be the reason the number of penguins is diminishing! Kinda reminds me of Thanksgiving afternoon. Food and football!


3. But beware too much Thanksgiving! Alka Seltzer, anyone?


4. A nap sometimes helps the digestive process!


5. OOPS!


6. Really???


7. Weren't they the cutest things? I wanna hold your hand!


8. These guys are practicing for Inauguration Day at the mall.


9. Those darn deer seem to just wait by the side of the road preparing to jump out just as you are passing by unaware! We had one dart in front of us two blocks from our house last week. I screamed, my husband quickly steered the car in the opposite direction, and we ended up just glancing his left rear with our front left. After we caught our breath and thanked goodness that no harm was done, we went on down the street and my husband commented that the deer had a nice rack on him. Two days later, our neighbors to the north were dressing a deer the son had shot in the field behind us. It boasted an 11 point rack and the skin on his left rear was scraped.

We are quite careful going along the stretch next to the open fields now. It wasn't the first time a deer had jumped in front of us. We had one run across the road in front of us after being in hiding behind a railroad bridge! You never know where one will be hiding!


10. Dawg!!!


11. And my favorite picture of the week!!! Love it!

IN PRAISE OF SMALL VICTORIES!

Hey! Just a little Saturday before Thanksgiving thought...

If you are dissatisfied with what you have already lost, try this...

!Lug a 24 pound turkey around a few aisles of the grocery store!!

How about a 5 pound bag of sugar???

A 1 pound can of pumpkin in each hand???

Be proud, brothers and sisters!!!

Every pound counts!!!

MY FAVORITE ROAST TURKEY RECIPE

I'm like a lot of other Grannys out there who cook a lot without actually following a written recipe which can make it hard when you want to pass the recipe on to someone else...but I try. My recipe for my Thanksgiving turkey is more of a method than a recipe, but it results in a pretty flavorful turkey.

I alluded to this recipe the other day when I was writing about traditional meals, so I thought I would pass it along in case you haven't come up with a recipe you're happy with.

First, I wash the thawed turkey inside and out with cold water and then let it drain on paper towel. This method requires placing a good layer of stuffing between the breast of the turkey and the skin that covers it. In order to do this, you have to loosen the skin over the breast. I do this by putting my hand between the two and forcing it forward and side to side until there is room to press the stuffing between the two.

You can use any stuffing that suits you. By the time the turkey is done, the skin is usually fairly crisp and the stuffing has bonded to it, so I don't count on this stuffing to eat with the bird. I do have one relative who skips the turkey and requests this crispy skin with stuffing attached as his meal of choice! Anyway...I think of this stuffing as being more for flavoring the meat than as a side dish.

My mixture goes like this:

2 cups celery, finely diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp butter
1 pkg cornbread stuffing mix
Chicken broth sufficient to moisten stuffing

Saute the celery and onion in a nonstick pan until soft. Add stuffing mix and 3 to 4 cups broth to moisten the stuffing. I prefer it more on the wet side.

Salt and pepper inside the turkey. If I'm not going to stuff the cavity with dressing, I place an onion, a couple of stalks of celery, and a couple of carrots in the turkey.

I then start pressing the stuffing mixture between the breast and the skin. I work as much of it in there as I can...the more the better. I then rub softened butter over the whole outside of the turkey and then salt and pepper everything. I roast my turkey in a baking bag and cook as directed until it is brown and reaches a minimum temperature of 165 degrees...I prefer mine closer to 170 to 175, but that's just me!

My big turkey is in the refrigerator in the garage doing the slow thaw for Thursday! I can almost smell it now!

SPEK-U-WHAT???

"There's a skinny girl living inside of me that's trying to get out, but I can usually shut her up with cookies."

I have that quote on a sign hanging in my kitchen. I saw it as I was passing through Hobby Lobby one day and knew I had to own it. So I bought it, hung it up, and smile at it every time it catches my eye. Funny thing though, my older daughter came in and saw it and said she had nearly bought it for me herself! Now, why would we both be thinking the same thing??? lol

This morning I am subverting skinny girl with a cup of my Eggnog tea and a single cookie, the 50 calorie, simply scrumptious, German Spekulatius that I bought at Aldi's and crave this time of year. If you haven't had one, they are full of the spices you love in foods this time of year...the cinnamon and nutmeg and who knows what others. They are thin and crisp and memorable. They are the type of cookie that you can enjoy even if you limit yourself to one at a time.

Part of setting limits is recognizing the foods that you have the ability to set limits on. I have a few indulgences that I can handle...this cookie being one of them.

But there are others that I know to just not have in the house. And they wouldn't be foods that you would suspect of being problems, but they are for me. I know I will not stop at one yeast doughnut, but I might expect to be able to limit myself on salmon patties! Nope!

Pumpkin pie is in my barely manageable list, but would you expect me to scarf down as many baked custards as my tummy will hold?

I am fine with a couple of fries but I won't stop eating popcorn until the container is empty!

We all have those food items that just make us crazy! And we have to learn to live with that knowledge. I prepare small amounts of the patties and custards so there won't be leftovers to tease me and I try to limit popcorn to single serving bags and an occasional splurge at a movie.

And when it comes to cookies...I'll stick with my spicy German!

And speaking of addictions...I ran across National Geographic's little dog puzzles and saved the page for the grandkids, but I can't stop playing with them!

MORE HOLIDAY TALK

I'm completely done with my Christmas shopping! I don't go to the malls so I order over the Internet. Fast, easy to compare prices and features, and I don't have to step a foot from the house. My daughter asked me how I found the great sites to order from and I had to give up my secret...I Googled: Top gifts for girls aged 8 to 12 or Top gifts for men. I found really great things that way.

Two of the grandsons are getting metal detectors! They are going to have the best time with them and, best of all, they will get outside and walk! My brother who has everything will get a DVD package of 100 of the greatest mystery movies. And one daughter who loves the Midsomer Mystery series as much as I do is getting a DVD package of the first five seasons...I hope I can get her to share them with me!!!

One son-in-law is a fisherman and asks for gift certificates to Bass Pro Shop every year. He combines them in January and gets to shop his own wish list at bargain prices. The second son-in-law is a golfer and sticks to the city courses to save money while he is working on his doctorate, so he gets a gift certificate for a few rounds at a great course he can't usually play.

I did have to get an elf to help me with my husband's gift. He has been talking for a long time about getting a banjo someday and I decided that this was the year it was going to happen. I don't know a thing about musical instruments, so I hired my guitar playing elf to search out a good deal for me. And I found a local who gives lessons! He is going to have so much fun sitting on the deck with his banjo!!!

I have everything stacked in the guest room and had to lock the door when all the grandkids showed up last Sunday. They were very curious and would have picked the lock if given the opportunity! Now I have to get into wrapping mode. I used to love it but just dread it anymore.

Now...after being quite certain yesterday that I don't want my traditional Thanksgiving dinner messed with, I do want to give you a recipe I found in my latest Cooking Light Magazine for Stuffed Turkey Rolls with Cranberry Glaze that I definitely plan to prepare in the near future.

It has all the ingredients I find so good in that traditional meal prepared with a little twist...great for any of those other 364 days of the year! And all for between 7 and 8 points per serving! I'm going to make up a double recipe and freeze some individual dinners for me to grab later.

STUFFED TURKEY ROLLS WITH CRANBERRY GLAZE
4 servings of 2 turkey rolls and 1/4 cup sauce each

1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 cup diced peeled apple
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup fat-free chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup dry seasoned stuffing mix
8 (2-ounce) turkey cutlets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Cooking spray
1 cup canned whole cranberry sauce
1/4 cup orange juice

Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple, onion, and garlic to pan; saute 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add broth and sage to pan; bring to a boil. Stir in stuffing mix. Remove from heat; set aside.

Place each turkey cutlet between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Spread 1/4 cup stuffing mixture evenly over each cutlet, leaving a 1/2 inch border around edges. Roll up jelly-roll fashion; secure each roll with wodden picks. Sprinkle rolls evenly with salt and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add rolls to pan; saute 3 minutes on each side. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes or until done.

Combine cranberry sauce and juice in a saucepan; bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Serve with the cutlets.

Calories 385, Fat 4.5 g, Carb 54.1 g, Fiber 2.7 g

IN PRAISE OF TRADITION

I may be showing my age again when I make this request: Keep the Thanksgiving meal traditional!

I'm into innovation in the kitchen 364 days of the year. Try a new sauce on the meat. Roast those vegetables that you've always steamed in the past. See if you like whole grains in that recipe.

But I really don't like it when I'm expecting turkey, gravy, stuffing, mashed and sweet potatoes, noodles, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie and I get a Rachel Ray version instead.

I've been known to experiment with brining the turkey and roasting it fast at a high temperature or slow in a cooler oven. I've tried oven bags, tenting with foil or roasting it breast down to keep it moist. But, I won't turn it Creole with Cajun seasonings...I want my sage!

I've put stuffing under the skin of the turkey to flavor the breast meat and keep it moist...this really works and my family loves it! I've stuffed it in the bird and baked individual servings in muffin pans, but the recipe stays the same. Stuffing is just too important. It's probably the reason my mother made three different stuffings for our Thanksgiving meal...you just had to please all the in-laws and their own family traditions!

I have made the marshmallow topped sweet potatoes, the potato casserole topped with a streusel topping, and even just baked in the skin, but sweet potatoes have to be on the menu.

And cranberry sauce has gone from the smooth stuff from a can to the whole berry stuff from a can to our current favorite, the cranberry relish from Kroger's deli! Delicious! And I think even the people who don't eat it would be disappointed if it weren't on the table!

Homemade noodles have to be there to nestle next to the mashed potatoes. And the green bean casserole with canned onions on top! (I saw a recipe for making these from scratch in one of my magazines, down to making white sauce and adding fresh mushrooms, and my question was...Why??? The open the can recipe is so good!)

Yeast rolls have to be there to balance out the other starches! We're happy with Bob Evan's frozen, thawed, set to rise in just the right time, and baked to come out of the oven just as everyone is ready to go to the table!

Once those items are on the menu, any additional side is welcome. We don't discriminate against new recipes as long as the tried and true are there alongside them.

And, finally, I just want to cry when I expect a homemade pumpkin pie and I find a pumpkin roll or pumpkin bar instead. They are lovely desserts! But not on Thanksgiving day!

And it is one of the meals each year that I eat without a single thought toward my weight. I eat a spoon of everything except the stuffing...gotta have two of those! lol...and then carry on the next day like it never happened!

Thanksgiving is the day that we most celebrate tradition in our country. It is the day when you expect to be with family, have an abundant amount of food on the table, and know that you can be gone for ten years and return to the same noodles that your Aunt has always contributed to the meal. There is a sense of security in that knowledge. And that is something to be thankful for!

I want to know: What is your traditional Thanksgiving meal?

I WISH I WERE A DIY GAL!

I hate, hate, hate having workers of any kind in my house! I will let things go way past the time they should have been fixed just because I know I will have to invite some stranger into my home to have it repaired.

We had the roof on our house replaced a year or so ago after a really bad hailstorm damaged about every roof in Indiana! Insurance covered the majority of the cost and the work involved the roofers being outside the house! But I would have been happy to have the roof leak if it had been up to me.

One of my problems is that once they are here, I feel responsible for their comfort. I made sure they had cold water from a huge thermos that I purchased for the occasion. They stayed late one evening to finish a section and I wound up sending sandwiches out to them. And I was constantly worried that they never asked to use the bathroom in spite of my offers that they were welcome to.

I've needed to replace my washer and dryer for ages, but it would require me looking for the best deal, arranging the purchase...do you know if your dryer plug has three or four prongs??? Me either! And then I have to worry about the delivery guys! I have to make sure I don't miss their phone call to say they're coming! Then I have to make sure that we have moved the old set out into the garage for them to take because I want to be able to clean under and behind where the old set had been before they come! And then I have to watch out for them and make small talk until they are gone!

Now I have a faucet that has to be replaced in the kitchen! And a storm door that is past need of replacement on the deck!

I fear it will never end. Where is my privacy? Where is my peace? Where are the pliers? I think I can do it myself!!!

CHEAP EATS!

I just read that Hormel is working overtime trying to keep up with the demand for Spam and that this is a sign of the time in which we're living. When we have less money we look for sources of protein that are cheap and feed an entire family.

This made me think of the meals we ate on the farm when there were lots of mouths to feed and meat was something we ate seasonally...chicken in the spring and fresh-butchered pork in the early winter. Mom usually bought a couple of pounds of hamburger or a round-steak for Sunday dinner and maybe some bologna slices for our school lunches. And a can of tuna or salmon was a good grocery store investment.

A can of tuna was stretched with celery, onion, boiled eggs, and relish to feed the whole family. Salmon patties made with a sleeve of crackers, a couple of eggs, and some onion were great with peas from our garden. And she would occasionally cream tuna or salmon and serve it over toast.

Spam was a favorite of ours, sliced, floured, and then fried. We had lots of foods that we combined to create a meal with a complete protein. Things such as beans and cornbread, corn meal mush with milk, macaroni and cheese, and potato soup.

There have always been times in our own marriage when we were short of money and I would plan a few weeks of inexpensive meals to get us in and out of the supermarket without spending a lot. My list usually began with tuna for a tuna casserole...one of my husband's favorites.
And a can of salmon for salmon patties. Beans and cornbread. Corned beef to be combined with potatoes for hash or with a head of cabbage for corned beef and cabbage.

My girls also enjoyed a casserole introduced to us by a woman who babysat with them. It was Jiffy cornbread with hotdogs sliced into it before baking and topped with a can of chili, chopped onion, and a sprinkle of cheese once it is done.

We also enjoyed breakfast for supper...scrambled eggs and toast, french toast, or pancakes.

And soups were always an inexpensive hit: split pea, vegetable, potato, and chili are our favorites.

Then there is peanut butter!!!

What do you prepare when you're watching the food budget?

AND MORE...

A little more on the Grandma post I started yesterday...

About the time my daughters were expecting their children, there was a huge push on to keep babies off their bellies and on their backs. So much so that there were babies who spent the majority of their time in punkin seats and cribs on their backs and, as a result, there were large numbers of little babies out there with heads that were very flat in the back and appeared huge from the front. It was shocking!

They must have outgrown this deformity as they began crawling and walking cause I don't see lots of flat headed children out on the streets now...but, I would tease my girls that I did not want any ugly, flat headed grandchildren. I would point out beautiful girls or puckish boys and tell them that the grandchildren had to be at least that cute!

Of course, I didn't have to worry. All of my grandchildren are gorgeous! A grandmother would not recognize an ugly grandchild if it was born with warts and two noses!

And, I wanted them to be sweet and well-mannered. Audrey was the first grandchild and soon after she was born, I bought a collection of Shirley Temple movies and gave them to her mother so Audrey would be brought up singing and tap-dancing rather than sassing and break-dancing!

And when she began to form words, I would try to teach her to say things like, "Isn't today ever so lovely?" and " Would you like a spot of tea?"

We would sing Animal Crackers in My Soup and On the Good Ship Lollipop!

It didn't take long for me to discover that these grandchildren were going to be the individuals they were from the time of birth. If they were to be sweet tempered or belligerent, bookworms or rock throwers, it was probably born in them and Shirley Temple wasn't going to change them much.

But I love the people they are! It is still difficult for me to see their imperfections...I'm still doubting that they actually have any! But I do see the very individual people they are becoming. They are all empathetic and interested in other people. They are all curious and interested in the world around them. And they are all creative and full of imagination. And I don't think I could have gotten better grandchildren if I'd been able to go and pick them out myself!

So, I brag on them...and take their side in disputes...and wish I could give them the world even though I know from experience that they are better people if they earn it themselves. And I am well aware that it is grandchildren that turn average old people into glorious Grandmas and Grandpas!

GRANDDAUGHTERS ARE DELICIOUS TOO!

Being a Grandma certainly has its perks...like this e-mail that welcomed me this morning:

Good Morning Grandma,

You have good food in your house. Your house is great when I am there and you make me happy. Your dog Kipper is the best dog ever. You have the greatest, greatest, prettiest house in the world. You are my grandma for ever, you make me sooooo happy. I miss you and your good food. I love you and your good food. The room I like most in your house is the kitchen. I love your cottage cheeeeeese. Tell Grandpa, that I love when you take me out fishing. I love you Grandpa.


Have a good day

Love you,

Audrey

She gets it naturally! Her mother once told my mother that her house was "delicious"!!!

SQUASH...THE DIETER'S FRIEND

Vegetables...vegetables...vegetables! They are the secret to filling up with fewer calories and packing in the nutrients. And squash is the vegetable for fall! I love their colors, the natural sweetness of the flesh, and the ease with which they can be prepared.

I reviewed my recipe site this morning and came up with two recipes that I especially enjoyed last fall. The first one for Spicy Butternut Chips came about because I was hungry for something sweet-salty-spicy one afternoon and I wanted to stay true to my weight loss efforts. I had a Butternut squash sitting there and the rest was history! And an extraordinary snack! I was so happy with the combination of salt, cinnamon, and chili powder that I made up a small container of it and used it several times in the following days on popcorn and raw vegetables like turnips and carrots!

The second recipe was one I found in Prevention Magazine and was for a pureed soup. It was, again, a combination of savory vegetables with a hint of spice and sweetness with the nutmeg and carrots. Butternut Squash Soup is easy to prepare and freezes well. I loved it with a salad and pumpkin muffins.

I wanted to comment a little on yesterday's post on tea. I mentioned the chocolate tea I ordered after hearing about it on The View, but I neglected to say that I enjoyed it and it really does have a nice chocolatey taste. I added a little milk and a drop of vanilla to it and it reminded me a little of hot chocolate without the added calories.

The holiday teas I mentioned are made by Bigelow and, as I mentioned yesterday, seem to disappear from the shelves pretty quickly. I just ordered mine this morning from their website,
www.bigelowtea.com. It is called the "Holiday Assortment" and has a combination of Apple Cider, Eggnogg'n, Pumpkin Spice, and Ginger Snappish flavors. (#62927 @ $16.95) Bigelow also has a recipe section that I found fascinating in which they feature tea as an ingredient in various recipes. You might want to check it out.

Arlene commented about her favorites and mentioned the Good Earth teas which look fantastic too. Their packaging alone makes me want to buy one of everything! And I loved the quote at the top of the page:

Every time I paint a portrait I lose a friend.

- John Singer Sargent (1856 - 1925)

TIME FOR TEA!

Aren't those teas beautiful? I stole this image ages ago and just go and look at it occasionally for the fun of it. I love the names...Ginger Peach and Calming Chamomile and Orange Flower! I love the colors...the reds and greens and yellows against the greens and deep browns! And I love imagining what they would smell like...and how they would taste.

I'm all coffee in the morning, but when I need a lift in the afternoon or something soothing before bed, I reach for tea.

I keep a variety of teas on hand and the one I choose will depend on what mood I'm in. I like getting the variety packs that Bigelow puts together just as a base...the lemon, mint, and breakfast blends are my favorites. I was always stuck with the smoky Earl Grey which I never cared for, but my granddaughter, Audrey, decided it was her favorite the last time she stayed with me, so that problem is solved now.

I also enjoy a variety of loose teas...apricot is my all time favorite and I recently tried out a chocolate tea that Whoopie Goldberg praised on The View one day! (www.chocolatebarnyc.com)

Tea is always our choice of drink when we're not feeling well. My husband always loves the orange spice varieties when he has a cold so I always keep some Constant Comment in the house for him.

And the holidays have their special varieties...Peppermint, Egg Nog, and Pumpkin Spice! Gotta pick those up soon because they disappear quickly from the store shelves.

I'm really picky about which cups I use for tea...no coffee mugs allowed! It is the only time I use a thinner cup but it makes all the difference. And the water has to be heated on the stove, not in the microwave!

And the best thing? No calories...no points!

SWEET DUMPLING FOR SUPPER...(squash, that is!)

The first day of operation "Return to Healthy Eating" is behind me and I feel empowered, I say! I have been trying for weeks to just get started again...waking up each morning declaring to myself that this would be the day and then having all that resolve disappear as I buttered my morning toast!

If there is one act that is indicative of how my weight-loss plan is being practiced, it is the addition of butter to my diet again. It's not the butter itself. I know that it can be eaten in moderate amounts and adds a lot of flavor to food, but I tend not to be moderate with butter! And there is more!

In general, I won't eat any of the "spreads" that are out there...it is butter or nothing for me. And I'm not very fond of breads without the requisite butter...so, if I cut out butter, I am also less likely to eat bread throughout the day, and that is a good thing!

So, I'm back to the one bread that is fairly good for me that I will eat without butter...my high-fiber English muffin with a tablespoon of chunky peanut butter on it with coffee most mornings.

I bought two of these Sweet Dumpling Squash yesterday, and will roast them to have with some baked chicken breast for supper tonight. They are so pretty and colorful that it is almost a shame to eat them. I'm enjoying having them sitting on the table and just looking at them!

So, I am looking forward to my meals and snacks today and feel confident that this will be another "good" day of eating for me. I'm ready for that!

FRESH BEGINNINGS!

I have been drifting further and further away from my good eating habits and I'm really beginning to feel it. So, I decided to clean up my pantry and my visit to the grocery store this morning reflected that decision.

WE HAVE SEVERAL BAGS OF FISH FILETS

AND THE FATTIER BEEF CHOICES ARE STILL AT THE SUPERMARKET!

I HAVE A WEEK'S WORTH OF LEAN FROZEN DINNERS
FOR A QUICK LUNCH

AND THE CHICKEN POT PIES ARE NESTLED IN WITH
THE OTHER HIGH CALORIE CHOICES BACK AT THE
SUPERMARKET!

I BROUGHT HOME A COUPLE OF COLORFUL
SQUASH

AND LEFT THE BOXED SIDE ON
THE MACARONI SHELF!

I BOUGHT SOME CRISP ROMAINE
AND SOME HEIRLOOM TOMATOES
FOR SEVERAL GORGEOUS
SALADS

AND LEFT THE BAKED POTATO
FIXIN'S
FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO CHOOSE!

AND WHEN WE WANT SOMETHING SWEET
WE WILL HAVE A VARIETY
OF FALL APPLES TO GRAB

AND THESE BABIES ARE IN THE BAKERY
STILL!

Even when you know it is time to get serious, it is sometimes difficult to summon up the necessary gumption to act on that knowledge. That's always a problem for those of us with long-term weight problems. We are in a constant search for inspiration!

My inspiration this time? I was reading Newsweek's account of the presidential campaign that just ended and came across a section in which they described how difficult it is for the candidates to follow a healthy diet while on the trail. They are constantly handed something from the local cuisine to sample...usually greasy and full of calories...and have few opportunities to sit down and eat a good healthy meal. It is common for men and women who are running for office to gain 10 or 15 pounds!

But our future President lost weight during the campaign. Those around him related tales of his eating one french fry, having unhealthy food boxed up in a to-go container to escape hurting people's feelings, and, most importantly, sticking to a regular evening meal of salmon, rice, and broccoli!

There was something about that meal that said to me: Get with the program. You know how it's done, you actually love those healthier choices, and you should never be too busy to treat your body right!

So...here's to healthier eating...no matter what party you support!

WE ALL NEED ONE OF THESE!

I saw this as I was going through my favorite blogs this morning and was so affected by it that I had to post it here.

The little monkey in the picture lives in a zoo in China. He was orphaned as a baby and was constantly being picked on by the other monkeys to the point that his life was in danger. The alpha male monkey would gather a gang of others to attack him.

Fearing that he would not survive these attacks, the zookeepers came up with a plan.

They gave the little guy his own trained guard dog!

Any time he senses danger, he runs for the safety of his guardian and hangs on!

"Feeling safe"! Isn't it a wonderful thing?

CHANGE IS COMING

IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY...

GO VOTE!

DON'T FORGET TO FALL BACK!

Time reverts to standard time at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday of November. Don't forget to change them tonight before you go to bed!

Yes, it is cold enough for hot oatmeal on these cold and dark mornings and this recipe can be made the night before and be ready to eat in the morning. It is good with a little pumpkin stirred in with it, pears instead of the apples, and any nut instead of the walnuts.

CROCKPOT OATMEAL
4 servings @ 4.5 points each

12 ounce can evaporated milk
1 cup water
1 cup old-fashioned or steel-cut oats
2 large apples peeled, cored, and diced (Granny Smith apples are good)
1/4 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup
4 tablespoons brown sugar Splenda
1 teaspoon apple pie spice

And the nice thing is, you get an extra hour of sleep!