20 somethings

[lyricallylittle]

Oh, and I need your help! I need to cook for 10 people tonight. My cousin won't eat any meat except sausages. Any ideas for a simple SW-friendly sausage based meal?

I was going to do a big tray of roasted root veg with honey and mustard low-fat sausages but I think I'll probably need to do some mash and it all gets a bit busy and messy. What do you reckon?

 

[ScarlettStar86]

Oh, and I need your help! I need to cook for 10 people tonight. My cousin won't eat any meat except sausages. Any ideas for a simple SW-friendly sausage based meal?

I was going to do a big tray of roasted root veg with honey and mustard low-fat sausages but I think I'll probably need to do some mash and it all gets a bit busy and messy. What do you reckon?

That sounds yummy emily! If you don't fancy doing mash could you do some frylight roasties alongside the veg?

Glad you had a good time, sounds like you managed to avoid most temptations too! I def wouldn't be able to. Did you get snow? Rubbish that aunt flo tuned up, who invited her?! One good thing about being on the pill is I can set my watch by mine and put it off if needs be- will be doing that this month as don't want to be having pains and cramps while I'm out partying

I feel like an.excited child this week I.actually can't wait to finish work on friday and let Christmas commence

 

[Franalamadingdong]

Sausage and mash is a classic. I did a version of my dad's venison sausage (1 syn each) casserole, I just dice loads of veg (onion, celery, carrot, courgette, aubergine etc), brown off and remove the sausages, chuck in
the veg and lentils (puy are best) add stock and a good slosh of red wine if you don't mine the syns, add fresh thyme and return the sausages. Lib in the oven gas mark 4 for about an hour. Sorry there are no measurements i do just chuck stuff in. Hopefully weigh in tomorrow will go well and get you back on track. It was a good holiday though yeah? So amused we have the same cycle, let's pull everyone else on to it to... Except Sammy

Jess I am do glad that lily is better. That must have been terrifying. Sounds like your family has been through the ringer! But a HUGE yay for the op news! It is amazing they can do all of that for you, and so soon! Trust me, March soon whips round! I will be picking up my magazine on Wednesday

Ah Emily we don't do nice stuff all day every day, there's a fair portion of telling off believe me.

Forgot to turn the heating down in the lounge last night so it is nice and toasty in here now. Going to toddler group this afternoon to see Santa for their Xmas party. Yay.

 

[jessikahlashes]

Scarlett I am super excited for Christmas! Are you all set? I am quite organised this year which isn't like me! Have all my prezzies wrapped and hidden for when the girls go to bed Christmas Eve, Emily that sounds delish and I want to come for tea!! Make it for 11?!?

 

[jessikahlashes]

Thanks fran! Oh wow that sounds gorgeous! Oo hope you and Nate have fun seeing Santa! Is Nate excited? Lily came home from school yesterday and said 'mum, I threw play doh at sophie today but I was only playing, am I on Santas naughty list now?' She was so worried!!! Kids are so funny! X

 

[Franalamadingdong]

Aww that is so cute! Nate hasn't a clue still, but it should be nice still. I'm waiting for 2 bits to come through so I can wrap his last present all together and he found one bit of it, wandered into the lounge with it going "oooh" was so cute, and he handed it over with no fuss.

 

[ScarlettStar86]

....let's pull everyone else on to it to... Except Sammy

Teehee

Yes pretty much there jess, waiting for a few things to arrive that I've ordered and got some vouchers to buy on saturday but other than that I'm all done! Everything I've got already is wrapped, don't need to do a Christmas food shop as such as we are at mikes parents for lunch then my parents for tea. Might get stocks for turkey sandwiches though

What are your plans for new years eve everyone? We've finally got it sorted! A couple in our group have recently bought a house in the village just outside our town so we are going out for late lunch in the village (but nervous its starting this early- think I'll be on the tea and diet coke till at least half 7!) Then back to their house for games, drinks, music, nibbles and general merriment for the evening then all staying there for the night so no pricey taxis- yay! Should be good fun and nice and cheap which is always a bonus!

Sat down for a late breakfast and now cant be bothered to get up! Might have 40mins of whizz round cleaning then watch this morning on +1

 

[jessikahlashes]

Fran that's adorable! Christmas is so special for little ones, I still believed in Santa at 13 and all my friends took the mick out of me haha! Scarlet that's the one dreaded thing I've got to do, my Christmas food shop. I'm doing Christmas dinner and then have all the family over on Christmas night for nibbles and I usually put on a spread, last year I did far too much as everyone was still stuffed from Christmas dinner so this year I won't be doing too much. X

 

[Franalamadingdong]

Ooh Scarlet, that sounds like a lovely new years. We've got loads of nibbles planned (sw friendly get us!) so pretty excited to be making something different. I've always stayed in or worked because I hate crowds.

Oh Jess that's well cute. Our presents were put out under the tree by mum on x-mas eve before we went to bed, and if we were good Santa would leave them, and if we were naughty he'd take them away and leave coal instead! I think that's a nice way of doing it because you appreciate that it is your parents that have worked hard and bought them, but you still get the magic. I've always left out sherry, mince pie, water and a carrot... even at 19 and my mum laughed at me and told me I was too old, I said it was tradition When she was young her mum and dad put presents in pillow cases in their rooms during the night, mum didn't want to risk waking us or us waking early and going bonkers. Haha, Clever tricks from that lady! we didn't get selection boxes, we had special felt bags and mum put our favourite chocolate bars in them (all three the same) and in the stockings (which we still have) there was 3 nuts (hazelnut, walnut and brazil nut) a satsuma and a cracker, every year. We still do xmas eve pajamas, new PJs for Xmas eve, the whole house is cleaned and fresh sheets on all the beds too. We have some nutty traditions!

We have most of our food stuff in. Did an online order yesterday for thursday, which is usual for me, but I only needed to get the normal stuff, plus double and single cream (yuck) we get the turkey from a local farmer which my parents are picking up when they are back. we have a ham in the freezer and juice to cook it in and a HUGE sack of spuds in the tool garage. and a huge sack of onions in the kitchen. haha. Booze is all in too I think. Xmas is me, mum, dad, nate and my brother, then boxing day we have my nieces and their mum. my other brother is at his gfs this year, my grandad never comes and now isn't answering the phone (his brother is nearing the end) and my grandma and aunt don't come down here because it is too far, and my mum's cousin isn't here this year because my parents are away until the last minute and I can't cope with dealing with her on my own. She's disabled and meddlesome and having her here and Nate tearing around when the nearest hospital is 30 miles away and I don't drive it is just spelling disaster. she could have come but she didn't want to travel on the 23rd or 24th.

Christmas wonder, anyone else love sprouts? we have them for the whole time they are in season, people who just have it on xmas day a bit odd no? and 2nd wonder, christmas dinner sandwich anyone?! Oooh, best bit of the dinner is being able to make those bad boys later! Has to be on thick white bread too. NOM NOM NOM! Did a how many calories a woman my size and my laziness needs to maintain my weight check and it is 3000 calories! Ahahaha, Just need to remember it is per day, not per meal!

We cook far too much too but we have pigs in our house so it all gets eaten soon enough.

 

[ScarlettStar86]

Aww Fran I love the sound of your Christmas traditions! So sweet the only one me and mike have created so far is getting drunk Xmas eve and doing our presents early lol. Want to avoid that this year though, looking forward our own Christmas morning together, usually we are waking up somewhere else

I only like sprouts the way my dad does them, shredded and fried with onions and bacon with a drizzle of honey. Sounds wrong but its lovely!

Ooh should work out my allowance to maintain over Christmas, then rip it up and eat what the hell I want over Christmas haha!

Turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce sandwiches are by far my favourite Christmas food!

 

[CH2b]

Mmm yes sprouts all year round for me, had some last night, if I cant get fresh then frozen is just as good for me!

 

[jessikahlashes]

Fran I have to agree with Scarlett your traditions sound so lovely, we have a few family traditions too, new pyjamas on Xmas eve are a must, I have 4 little parcels wrapped in a special bag with jarmies for all four of us, OH has some transformer ones haha, and they are signed from Santas little fairies! On Xmas eve we have hot dogs and fried onions in big yummy hot dog buns fresh from the local bakers with ketchup! I don't even know where the hot dog tradition came from but mum started it when I was little and now the whole family do it every year! I must admit I can't stand sprouts, yuck!! I remember trying my first when I was in first school and having my Christmas dinner at school and I thought it was disgusting, never had one since haha!! X

 

[lyricallylittle]

The OH and I don't really have any traditions together yet. Last year was our first Christmas together but we stayed at our own parents ' on Christmas Eve and then I drove down to Kent to do Christmas with his family. His mum makes bacon and sweetcorn stuffing and double the amount of bread sauce so they can have bubble and squeak for lunch the following day and Christmas Dinner sandwiches for a few days! His mum always puts a scratch card at everyone's table setting and wraps up a mini box of chocolates from Hotel Chocolat for each person. After lunch they watch a Christmas comedy DVD and then a film.

This year will be my first year with a parent since they split. I have no idea what will happen! My sister wants to do stockings again (hooray!) so I think we will buy for each other. Stockings go on the door in the middle of the night for us to open on our own, then in the morning we go into each others rooms and compare! There's usually a pair of socks, some fruity sweets, a tube of something chocolatey, some makeup and Christmas novelty earrings for us girls and a Matey bubble bath like we used to have as kids!

We do presents together in pyjamas around the tree, going round one at a time, with Bucks Fizz and warm croissants - then it's everyone washed and glammed up for dinner! This year it's my dad, sister, sister's abandoned friend, OH, uncle and two female cousins so I've bought all the girls glittery Christmas transfer tattoos to wear.

 

[CH2b]

Sounds lovely we do the same every year at my parents we get up at about 6 to open our presents then we go to my sisters to have a cooked breakfast and watch the kids open their presents, then all 14 of us gather for dinner at eithers house we alternate and then in the afternoon we have lots of party food, lots of drinks, and alot of guitar hero lol last year we ended up using sourz shots to play have you ever, not a game to play with parents unless ur comfortable hearing those kinda things haha was fun though

 

[sammyb1985]

Ooh what am I being left out of Fran...? I missed the post that Scarlett quoted from and now you've got me intrigued! xx

 

[ScarlettStar86]

Sausage and mash is a classic. I did a version of my dad's venison sausage (1 syn each) casserole, I just dice loads of veg (onion, celery, carrot, courgette, aubergine etc), brown off and remove the sausages, chuck in
the veg and lentils (puy are best) add stock and a good slosh of red wine if you don't mine the syns, add fresh thyme and return the sausages. Lib in the oven gas mark 4 for about an hour. Sorry there are no measurements i do just chuck stuff in. Hopefully weigh in tomorrow will go well and get you back on track. It was a good holiday though yeah? So amused we have the same cycle, let's pull everyone else on to it to... Except Sammy

Jess I am do glad that lily is better. That must have been terrifying. Sounds like your family has been through the ringer! But a HUGE yay for the op news! It is amazing they can do all of that for you, and so soon! Trust me, March soon whips round! I will be picking up my magazine on Wednesday

Ah Emily we don't do nice stuff all day every day, there's a fair portion of telling off believe me.

Forgot to turn the heating down in the lounge last night so it is nice and toasty in here now. Going to toddler group this afternoon to see Santa for their Xmas party. Yay.

Here it is Sammy

 

[sammyb1985]

haha ah right ok, thanks hunny! Still nothing to report there but will keep you updated! xx

 

[lyricallylittle]

Ugh. Exhausted! Just 'whizzed' round Sainsburys to get things for tonight, thinking going at about 2 I'd miss the lunchtime rush - oh no! I got the geriatric shuffle instead! They go in pairs so they can block entire aisles! I should have planned ahead and done an internet shop to be delivered today!

Sat in the flat car park waiting for the OH. He was going to get the train but it's taken me so long I might as well pick him up! Plus, my mum text at the last minute to get me to pick up 16 cans of beer, 2 bottles of ginger beer, two bottles of slimline tonic, 3 bottles of real ale and 14 cans of soft drinks, so I need his muscles!

 

[Franalamadingdong]

I love hearing everyone's traditions. So different from ours!

I know what you mean Emily, it's like land of the living dead round here, everyone in bridport has had labotomies!

Nate charmed Santa, and he got a little football he was chuffed. I've made meringue stars for tomorrow, hope they don't break in transit! They are lush though! I put chopped hazlenuts, nutmeg and cinnamon in them. So Yum. I could eat them all.

 

[Franalamadingdong]

Ah I forgot to say, at toddlers a mum came up to me and asked where I found the time to put myself together, and how come I always looked so nice. AHHH Wooo.