Does the title tell you anything. This is my first banded Thanksgiving and I have a plan. I normally cook for Thanksgiving but I wasn't going to this year so I don't hurt myself...pb...pb...pb. Anyhow, watching the food Network channel has gotten me excited again so I am going to cook. I think I really like cooking. I don't think I LOVE cooking but I know I reallly like it. I really like to prepare fast meals like 30 minute meals or 1 pot meals.

My menu

Turkey (which I will probably enjoy once I make turkey salad or soup)

Mac/Cheese (prepared with low fat cheeses)

Mashed Potato (becuase it is Thanksgiving)

Greens (because it is the freshest vegetable I can think of)

Stuffing (out of habit because my mom and dad use to fix the best)

Cranberry Sauce (ewww my daughter likes it)

Rolls (just because they are soft and I can put them in gravy)

Pie/Ice Cream (because it goes down easy LOL)

I can't wait....someone remind me to put my turkey out of the freezer on Sunday please....he is hard as a rock.

LOL Ocean Spray LOL

My sister in law made cranberry sauce last year and it was delicious. I will ask her about her recipe and it had grapes in it. I was good and I don't like cranberry sauce.

I have a secret to making very moist turkey. I am the turkey go to girl in my family. and the secret is Gravy master. Pour it all over the turkey, rub it in even under the skin. Baste the turkey a few times and ta-da moist yummy trukey in minutes.

well ok not minutes but it is very easy. LOL

It makes the Turkey look really nice too and the gravy comes out great.

Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Amy

Anne if you cook I'll bring anything you want. I'll even do the dishes

Did you all see Rachael Ray's turkey dinner in 60 minutes. She's cute but there's something about her that drives me nuts... I dunno, I think they need to give her some falsies b/c she needs boobies.... anyway back to food.... She made a boneless turkey breast that looked fantastic. Check out the food network.com

My favorite cook on that channel is Paula Dean, I'm just surprised she's not 500 lbs.

Did you all see Rachael Ray's turkey dinner in 60 minutes. She's cute but there's something about her that drives me nuts... I dunno, I think they need to give her some falsies b/c she needs boobies.... My favorite cook on that channel is Paula Dean, I'm just surprised she's not 500 lbs.

I saw that show, and Paula's Thanksgiving show came on right after. Her sons fried a turkey and it looked soooo good! She also made a TurDucKen (turkey stuffed with duck stuffed with chicken) I don't know what to say about that one!

Anyway, about Thanksgiving, my Mom's cooking

turkey

ham

cornbread dressing w/gravy

candied sweet potatoes

broccoli & rice casserole

greens

macaroni & cheese (courtesy of yours truly)

potato salad (we have this with EVERYthing)

green salad

rolls

sweet potato pie (my Granny)

apple pie (my Granny)

ice cream

Now, I was debating on whether or not to get a fill before next Thursday so I won't hurt myself

Christy, my ex boss brought me in some deep fried turkey one year and let me just say that has got to be the tastiest turkey I ever had. It was not greasy like one would think but the flavor was wonderful. I'm not a big fan of turkey but yummmmy !

I'm glad I'm not getting a fill before the holidays, I really want to enjoy them with a nibble here and there. (Gosh help me LOL).

That is why I waited till Nov 30th for my surgery.I was sceduled for Nov 2nd.He only does them every two weeks. The doctors office called wanting to change it to the 16th. I said lets do it the 30th instead.If I have to miss Christmas meal it would be hard to miss both.

Hello-

I make Cranberry sauce every year- it's easy and tasty-

1 bag fresh cranberries

zest and juice of one orange

1/2-1 cup of brown sugar (depending on tartness of berries)

2 tsp ground ginger

a little Water 1/2 cup or so-

Put whole berries in sauce pan- zest and finely chop the orange zest- add to cranberries- squeeze orange juice into cranberries- add 1/2 c brown sugar and add ginger and 1/2 cup water- stir well and set on low heat and start simmering- just stir once in awhile and don't boil-

You see it start getting saucy and berries will pop! Taste to see if you need more sugar- cranberry sweetness differs so much- and if you need to add a little more liquid use oj or water- serve room temp- so yummy.

My Dad and I are cooking at his house- last year was my house- We have about 10 people this year and I can't wait- I love to be around my family and as a former chef- I love to cook and cook. My Dad has a great big kitchen and we have a ball.

We are having-

Spring green salad with fresh beets, haxelnuts, pears and goat cheese

Turkey and gravy

Cornbread Stuffing

Mashed herb-parmasean potatos

Sweet Potatos w/ mini marshmellows (of course)

Corn pudding

Whole wheat rolls and chive-cheddar biscuits

brussel sprouts with pancetta and red onions

pumpkin Pie and Blueberry Pie

This year I'm going to take a tablespoon of everything and enjoy without stuffing myself!

Happy Turkey day to you all.

I love watching Rachael Ray, I think she needs boobies too but I love that she cooks so fast.

Honestly, I have been watching all of the Thanksgiving cooking shows and I got some good ideas.

Christi I would not get a fill this close to Thanksgiving because if you are like me, I would hurt myself trying to eat a little bit of everything and then pb here and pb there and then keep trying to eat something else.

My DH loves Rachel. He has never mentioned a THING about her lack of Boobage - and frankly, I hadn't noticed. What is UP with you, ladies?!?!?

:]

ReneaBean we are just messing. It is just more prominent in some of her tops then others. She is suppose to have her own talk show soon. She currently has 4 shows on FoodNetwork, she is awesome. She made a chili dip one time, my daughter made it the same day and it was really good. Kids even like watching her show, she is not intemidating. (sp)

I have to admit that I love the Food Network and had it on all day Saturday. I love all of those shows and Paula Dean is also my favorite. She is very funny. The TurDucken that she made was very interesting. That is a lot of work cutting out all of the bones of 3 meats. She makes everything look so easy.

We will be having Fried Turkey this year. Frying the Turkey gives my husband something to do instead of just waiting for all of the food to finish. We inject the Turkey with a Mesquite marinade, slather it with Mayo and cover it with Tony Chacherones (sp?) cajun seasoning. Once you drop it into the hot oil the seasoning sticks to the skin and everyone fights over the skin. It is great.

My husband can not understand how I can sit and watch the food shows when I am working on getting this weight off. I just love all of the ideas that I get from the shows. I know that I can not eat as much as I use too and I am happy with a small amount of good tasting food. I guess I am always going to be on the lookout for the next great tasting recipie.

I just had a fill today so I will be taking it easy on the food come Thursday.

You can order them from the Cajun Grocer. I've always wanted to do that and now I'm thinking I will order one and send it to my mom's for Christmas. I have not wanted to drive to her place for Christmas and that may be the incentive I need.

I made Paula Deans, pineapple upside biscuts. They were delicious!!!!!! Also, I made sausage stuffing....ummmm ummmmmm. I have been looking forward to that stuffing for weeks. My parents use to make a wonderful homemade stuffing and I missed it.

I browned a roll of low fat sausage, sauteend onions and celery and then added a box of stove top, a can of chicken broth and seasonings. OMG it was great and now it's gone. LOL

LOL Teresa, Paula cooks awesome but you couldn't live on her food daily. Heart attack on a plate....but ya gotta love her.

She is my favorite cook on the food network... move over Emeril LOL.

How did you make the pineapple biscuits?

Did you see the Elvis special she did where she cooked everything Elvis would like OMG!!! it looked wonderful. She went on to say that if elvis saw her in a mini skirt he would be all over her and he's never leave her LOL !! she's a pisser.

My mom makes a potato sausage stuffing that is out of this world. I don't even attempt to make it b/c it never comes out the same, she's got that touch ya know what I'm talking about. I can sit and watch her over and over and even do it w/her, but the minute I make it on my own... ICK! LOL

LOL no you can't eat that stuff everyday. It would be like shoving a stick of butter in your mouth 3 times a day. LOL She is a fabulous cook though. I think I did see the Elvis episode and she used a stick of butter to fry up the banana sandwich. LOL

I altered her recipe of course but it was still delicious.

I lined the bottom of the muffin pan cups with aluminum foil. Mix crushed pineapples no juice with margerine and brown sugar. Put a spoonfull in the bottom of each cup and then I added coconut, walnuts, cinnamon and a little nutmeg then put a pillsbury biscut ontop of each one. Then you spoon a little bit of pineapple juice on each biscuit. They were awesome.