Thanksgiving already - Where has this year gone?

[OSuzanna]

For a lot of us on this forum it will be our first Thanksgiving with the band. How are you all going to survive Thanksgiving day?

I'm cooking and we're having a houseful of approx. 22 people - there will be lots and lots of food and I'm not feeling a lot of restriction right now so I've decided that I'm not going to beat myself up trying to watch carbs or calories, I'm just going to eat whatever I want, but try and keep it down to a spoonful or two of whatever I want. I've got the day after off from work, so if I gain a pound or two - I'm just going to walk and walk and walk it off over the weekend.

Hope you all have a great Turkey Day!

Suzie

[Guest CaraMBA09]

For a lot of us on this forum it will be our first Thanksgiving with the band. How are you all going to survive Thanksgiving day?

I'm cooking and we're having a houseful of approx. 22 people - there will be lots and lots of food and I'm not feeling a lot of restriction right now so I've decided that I'm not going to beat myself up trying to watch carbs or calories, I'm just going to eat whatever I want, but try and keep it down to a spoonful or two of whatever I want. I've got the day after off from work, so if I gain a pound or two - I'm just going to walk and walk and walk it off over the weekend.

Hope you all have a great Turkey Day!

Suzie

I am cooking a 25 lb turkey, calling Cathy that day and enjoying my grandparents who are too old to drive.

I am taking the advice of LisaL, Linda and KittyCat...only eating dark meat (hmm, for the first time in my life..he, he, he), avoiding the breads, stuffing, etc and eating when my band is not squezzing me like a cheap whore with an agenda.

I will eat the pumpkin out of the pie and the apples out of the tart and avoiding the prize winning crust I bake every year.

I will plan to listen to music as I cook, enjoy my children and try not to fight with my husband who acts more 18 than 39.

AND

I will be thinking of all my support system and checking in on occasion to make sure I am on track and not SLIMING my damn food because I am excited about it!

Oodles my friends, Cara

[mona-camille]

I just love your posts and your sense of humor Cara!!! You're a nut and I l just love nuts, LOL!!!!!

I too, am the big chef on this day and cook for everyone. Takes me all day and then we eat at 6. Usually, by then I am tired and sick of all the hecticity that I don't even care to eat. Plus, now that I have restriction, I am sure I will be ok! But, darn, that incredible stuffing will be difficult to pass up!

[BandDiva]

Well, I am not making a THING! We are going to my husbands parents house and I really don't care to eat. I can't wait for Friday to be here & better yet Dec. 1st so I can get my first Fill!

[CindyLou]

I'll still be on clear liquids!!!! So I"m not cooking at all and we aren't going anywhere! Thanksgiving dinner will just have to wait until next year. My mom baked some pumpkin bread and sent to my husband...that should satisfy him.

[Susanp]

Im cooking for the family the usual yummy food. I just had my first fill and I feel the restriction right now so I will be very careful with what I eat. The PB'ing sucks!

OK Here is a dumb question??????????????

Why only dark meat? I hate dark meat!

Susan

[Guest CaraMBA09]

Im cooking for the family the usual yummy food. I just had my first fill and I feel the restriction right now so I will be very careful with what I eat. The PB'ing sucks!

OK Here is a dumb question??????????????

Why only dark meat? I hate dark meat!

Susan

it is softer and not as fibrous...I have PB'd REALLY bad on white meat already...trust me it hurts like hell to have that get stuck. it took 30 minutes to get it dislodged!

[Kimmy in MD]

Dark meat has the highest fat content too though.

A suggestion -- consider "brining" your turkey. I have used beer, orange juice and this year I am using apple juice as a brine. The turkey soaks up the moisture and a bit of the flavor of the brine. It makes your turkey really moist and delicious. The acid in the apple juice will also break down fibers in the white meat.

You can google turkey brine or brined turkey to get recipes. I got the beer brine from Emeril.

[Kittycat]

I just love turkey...but hate dark meat...so I do eat the white meat, it's dry, but I dab a little gravy on it or dip it in bbq sauce and yummy. I cook a turkey roll every weekend and eat the left overs for days...my favourite.

Happy Turkey Day everyone...we had our Thanksgiving here in Canada on October 6th.

[taras2girls]

Well, I'm going to be going to my Mom's & sisters. It should be interesting after my second

fill. Hopefully I can still have a few favorites.

I'm glad the question about the dark meat came up. I didn't even think about that.

I like thighs, but usually I do what Kat does and do the gravy & white meat.

Yum, I'm getting hungry................

Tara

[Kimmy in MD]

I am planning on having a ALL of my favorites, just a bite or 2 of each instead of heaping spoonfuls.

This Thanksgiving I am THANKFUL for my band and that I will be satisfied with a bite of my favorites instead of huge portions!

[UTdigiMOM]

This has been a fast year for me as well. Having the band is huge and I look forward to the ways in which it will change my holiday eating for the rest of my life.

As Kimmy said, I'm thankful for my band and for all the changes that it has brought. I just had my first fill today so it'll be interesting to see how different the meal is now. Thanks for the advice about the dark meat. I would have never thought of that.

I'm the cook for my family also and I agree with mona-camille that by the end of the day...I'm done with all that food that I've just prepared.

[JazzyJude]

Hi everyone...Chef Jazzy here!

I, too, am going to my Mum's, as we usually do. You know that thing call "family traditions"? It's going to be quite interesting for me too, as I will have my first fill this coming Saturday and be on liquids for a few days and then progress up to solid foods, which will bring me to Thanksgiving day...I hope!

Our traditional Thanksgiving day is an all day affair with the family, from before sunrise and way past sunset. My Father passed away 8 winters ago, so the oldest son will continue to be the "head" of the family. This year, it wil be just my Mum, 3 brothers, my husband, my daughter and myself and a friend. The other 'kids' have their own family to do their traditions with as well.

Just like all of youse, it gets crazy with laughter, fun, and dashing around "preparing" the food throughout the whole day. We start early, around 6 am to get the homemade 'brine/juice" ready for the turkey, homemade stuffing and gravy making. We have the usual sweet potatoe souffle and yam slices with honey and butter, creamy cucumbers, green bean casserole, homemade breads, and, of course, the condiments of cranberry sauce, applesauce, the relish tray (pickles, olives, etc). For dessert, we will have a homemade pumpkin pie with cream cheese and an dutch apple one too. We make our own whip cream so that would 'top' both of them nicely. I like melted cheese on my apple - yummy!

While cooking and baking throughout the day, we make time to play card games. Music is played in the background from the livingroom while the critters are dashing around the house, kids of all ages, in and out of the house. Drinks are toasted throughout the day as we think of our loved ones in heaven and back home in New York. somewhere in between someone is always taking pictures...especially at dinner time with food in our mouths! HA! At least this year, you won't see me stuffing my face with a huge forkful of food!

As we all sit down for dinner, we say our grace and toasts. During this time, we all say at least one thing what we are 'thankful' for this past year and this year, I will be thanking my opportunity to have this wonderful band AND this forum, whom I've made several friends for always and forever ~ you are my family!

TIP ~ When roasting your turkey, baste often and cover your turkey (I use foil, with the shiny side IN) to keep in the moist. Watch your heat, as all ovens are NOT the same. Before stuffing the bird, rinse the cavity well and lightly salt it, then put in the stuffing and sew each end well. I sometimes add small chopped apple in the stuffing as well to add applie juice to give a more moist flavor throughout the turkey meat.

So, HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone and enjoy the beginning of the holiday season to all!

Jude ((HUGS!))

[Dontondan]

This will be my "first" Thanksgiving as a Banded-Babe!!! I am not planning on cooking a thing....going out and sharing a dinner with the hubby. To the rest of my family....they will have to go elsewhere for their pig-out day cause it ain't happening at my house!!!

Donna

[jhawkchick75]

I'm going to have to be very careful because I won't have a fill yet and I have no restriction. I feel content pretty quick, so I just need to listen to my belly and stop when I am. My worry is drinking. At my aunts, the second you walk in the door you are handed a Miller Lite. My family will really wonder about that and none of them but my parents and brother know what i've done. It could make for a funny though - they will all think i'm knocked up!!