This is my first holiday season post sleeve where I can eat. My ex-wife had always done the holiday meals and I always allowed her to do the big meals for the kids because she said she liked it. Well this year she didn't want to. So I did the big family spread (think about it, 52 year old single guy, doing his first thanksgiving meal solo). Some little things I did out of WLS habit that were actually really good:

1. Used FAGE plain yogurt where sour cream was called for

2. Used stevia in place of sugar

3. Nothing canned. Did everything from scratch so I could control the food

All the food was good to great and the kids loved it.

I ate more than I would in a normal day, but MUCH less than years past. But its a holiDAY. Not holiWEEK. So no guilt, nor shame. And the kids were glad at least one parent stepped up to make them a great meal. So any favorite recipe hacks you want to share? Any special stories you want to pass around the bariatricpal table? In 28 days we have another big holiday coming up.

From scratch is the way to go for best flavor anyhow. I even make my stock for gravy and stuffing from scratch ahead of time (I pressure can it). None of us in our crowd are fond of over-fussed food, so our sweet potatoes were just cut into thick slices and slow roasted til they caramelized. Nobody likes green bean casserole, green Beans get sauteed in a big skillet with a dollop of bacon jam at the end.

My stepmother was a terrific hostess, but a truly terrible cook. She did teach me two very valuable lessons about entertaining. The first was "the dishes will still be there in the morning. Your guests won't", and to serve gravy from a pyrex coffeepot. A turkey gets lukewarm when carving it, and if you've got smoking hot gravy, it keeps everything else from seeming that way, too. We had 18 to feed, so the coffeepot stayed on a warmer. Easier to serve one-handed, too.

Edited November 27, 201510 yr by 2goldengirl

@@2goldengirl - My late sister was a horrible cook. Her first attempt at a ham was bizarre. Her glaze was more like enamel. We literally used a chisel and hammer to break it open.

Some things I learned on my solo thanksgiving adventure...

Don't use a dremil to make whipped cream

Than left over maple bourbon rocks in cranberries

And my old family tradition...put the turkey carcass in a stock pot overnight. I now have turkey stock for Soup during cold and flu season. Green chili turkey soup will cure what ails you.

@OKCPirate lmao at the dremel!!! My hubby has gone through the house being "dremel man" (his description), so I will have to tell him about the whipped cream!

@OKCPirate lmao at the dremel!!! My hubby has gone through the house being "dremel man" (his description), so I will have to tell him about the whipped cream!

Well, lessened learned here, that's why we post these things

I made this: http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a33955/orange-cranberry-relish-recipe-wdy1112/

It goes great with vanilla yogurt, I mean REALLY good

Great batch of turkey vegi soup. Tomatoes, onions, sriracha sauce, left over green Beans. Season with some other holiday favorites.

Took entire turkey carcass and all the elements I used for stuffing the bird, put in Water overnight, strained it today. Added more left over turkey meat. But used some fage yogurt and made it creamy just before my first bowl. Highly recommended.

Maple bourbon cranberries sound fab. Haha, Dremel whipped cream!

Because I am certifiable, I am making another turkey dinner today, this time at our house. DSD and her husband are coming. We'll send them home with leftovers, and Huz will take leftovers down to his stepmom tomorrow.

@@2goldengirl - good luck, embrace the chaos.

I contribute to the dinner at my daughter's house (fried turkey and a baked ham). I ate broccoli a piece of turkey and two spoonfuls of baked Mac and cheese on a desert plate. today I had a couple of spoons of dressing and cranberry sauce and a piece of turkey.

My Mom was a great cook, she always stuffed our turkey and I grew up knowing that recipe. I made my turkey that way for 20 years. The turkey was good but I swear the breast was always a little dry.

Then about 10 years ago I saw a way to make turkey that keeps the turkey very moist and delicious and I have been making it this way ever since. This year because there was only 4 of us I chose a smaller 12lb fresh turkey which may have made an even bigger difference.

I used this new process and my husband who is not a turkey fan ranted and raved how delicious this turkey was and even asked for more yesterday for lunch. That, never ever happens!

Here is what I did. I started with a fresh turkey not a frozen thawed turkey. I washed him with cold Water and then patted him dry. I them sprinkled salt and pepper in both cavities. I quartered a lemon and orange, sliced a onion in quarters leaving the skin on, cut a whole head of garlic in half skin on, grabbed a bunch of fresh thyme and fresh sage.

I stuffed all these ingredients inside the two cavities.

I then took a stick of butter that had been softened. I chopped more fresh sage and thyme. The I mixed that into a compound butter. I separated gently the skin off the breast as far down as I could and squished about half of that butter under the skin of the turkey. I used what was left on the outside of the turkey and gave him a nice massage. Last I sprinkled him lightly with salt and pepper.

Lastly in the bottom of the roaster, I chopped a whole carrot in big chucks, a couple stalks of celery, a cup of Pinot Grigio and a cup of chicken stock. You can add more stock later if you need to. I used a gravy separator to remove most of the fat before making gravy. That was delicious too.

I did make my usual stuffing and used plenty of chicken stock so it still had that great flavor and baked it in a casserole on the side.

This bird was so juicy and flavorful. It was definitely the hit! The little bit of citrus in the cavity sort of perfumes the bird.

Nice little easy appetizer hack...little smokies makes a turkey version 2/3's less fat (http://www.hillshirefarm.com/products/turkey-lit-l-smokies). Use some left over cranberry jelly, and bbq sauce put in crock pot and forget about it...good eats.

Edited November 28, 201510 yr by OKCPirate

Our holiday is ridiculous. My mother is deathly allergic to eggs, strawberries, and tomatoes. Gravy, stuffing, Desserts, and sides are made to code! We stick to the Southern basics: turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberries, yams, black olive dish, deviled eggs, etc... Lots of great options!