IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, try try try again and again (and again...)

[Maintainer]

I know it's Christmas discussion time... but I've just had a lovely Thanksgiving meal in the main office, "finding" old friends and colleagues I've not seen in ages (including one who returned after chemo just for the do). Lovely lovely...

On the menu was (look away if hungry...):

- glass of champagne (en apéro)
- caesar salad with guacamole + tortilla chips (served with a Pouilly something or other white)
- turkey, carrots, [parsnips? unsure], mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, chutney, gravy (served with a lovely Beaujolais - not Nouveau!)
- mini desserts

I thoroughly enjoyed myself...

 

[jaqys]

Sounds lovely. Apart from the mash, shudder.

 

[LVLLM]

Jo sounds fab and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
how lovely to catch up with people and lunch sounds lovely. I hope you enjoyed and had every last bite

 

[Maintainer]

It really was nice. I realise, being on diets most of my adult life and particularly non stop seemingly the past 10 years or so that I've been really cutting myself off from everything and everyone to the point that people weren't even inviting me any more!! I guess that's why I'm feeling pretty euphoric that, despite the extra calories, I managed to actually relax and enjoy myself...

Hardly rocket science but...

<I love mash... particularly when "Atkins things" are added to it!!>

 

[LVLLM]

Jo really pleased. You have to enjoy these once a year things. Cream and butter Jo? Yes i love mash too!

 

[jaqys]

Cutting yourself off in a way that ensured your main focus was food, whether in deprivation or binge mode.

 

[Maintainer]

You're right... both of you... I did at one point wish everyone would disappear so that I could go back to the dessert table and finish up... but I had a laugh with a friend about those voices cos she was wishing the same thing about the unopened bottles! Each to his own of course.

 

[LVLLM]

Lol Jo - your friend sounds like me.

 

[jaqys]

I hate drinking at work events(other than xmas party), I love to drink though

 

[Maintainer]

this was very low key - just the "petit personnel"... all the toffs were elsewhere! hihi!

 

[LVLLM]

ah. have a nice evening Jo im off to buy mounds of cheese

 

[anjuschka]

Hi, glad you had a nice time relaxed socialising as well as eating.
Delicious menu! Do Americans the neat the whole thing again at Christmas? (sorry ignorant Q and I know you're not American either)

In any case, looks like you're well on track, if you can successfully alternate sociable meals (weekends) with a slightly more 'diet' mode!

 

[Maintainer]

Amazingly I lost weight yesterday!! (But I admit that the sudden influx of richer than usual food + dessert upset the old tum somewhat!!)

My American friend at work explained that Thanksgiving in her family is turkey... and Christmas will be ham and that, if anything, the former were more important and wider families made more of an effort to get together for it. Christmas being more for the kids and immediate family.

Having turkey twice in two months wouldn't be a problem for me though! (Although I'm still fearing beef at my Christmas lunch as I'm invited... and other half says, if so, no we can't buy a turkey on 26th!)

 

[LVLLM]

oh brill Jo on weight loss. well done.
Oh I love turkey - surely you will be having turkey as well as beef?

 

[LVLLM]

p.s. Jo - in USA Campbells do 'carb request' soup which is lower carb.
The Impulsive Buy » Campbell

wish they would do it in the uk.

 

[Bubblemum]

It wouldnt be a problem me having turkey twice either, infact we got a tyrkey a couple of weeks ago and had it for Sunday dinner, love it

 

[LVLLM]

me too Cathy - ooh do you know if I can freeze home made soup with cream in? or am i best freezing then adding cream when defrosted? thanks

Im quite fancying goose this year lol

 

[jaqys]

I'm quite enjoying all the cheaper unwanted bits of turkey right now, no problem having it twice in 2 months, though we're not having it at all this year.

 

[Maintainer]

My sister is a vegetarian and is cooking [whatever she decides on the meat front] for four only... so I fear a piece of beef! ("Fear" being the operative word as her husband likes it well cooked...). Ah well!

Thanks ref soup idea Vicky... I guess I'll just check the labels of the fresh soup and find the lowest calorie one.

Ref your cream question - if you've not yet put it in, good to freeze without, then defrost, add cream (and sometimes even reseason... I often water down a bit too...). If cream already in it though, no worries either but it might separate (as my fromage blanc often does in marinades when frozen). Tastes the same though!

 

[m-mouse]

I love turkey, but all this talk of turkey and Christmas makes me think of my first christmas away from home, (many hundreds of years ago) when my MIL served me up boiled (yes you did read that correctly, BOILED!!) potatoes, cauliflower and chicken for my christmas dinner - I was horrified and it all looked so white. It made me so homesick thinking of my Mum's usual spread!!