Thursday November 29th

[Billie]

Ideas without action are worthless.
Harvey Mackay

Hey everyone, top of the Thursday morning to you all!

It's 19 and blustery in Chicago this AM, love it!! I am such a winter nut! (Randy I know you are going to pipe in here and say no just a nut) :)

My board meeting and eval went well yesterday! :D

Tonight we are having two of my girl friends over night for dinner and shopping tomorrow--poor Gabe, he will be so out numbered. He has his evaluation this AM, and looks pretty darn spiffy this morning going out the door.

The December challenge is posted, how fun that will be. I am looking forward to crying :eek: and reading all the inspirational stories that will appear. Talk about a neat way to share some of life's experiences!

Well I have to get to work, home officing today and cleaning and grocery shopping. Have a great day everyone!

[Mitra]

Good morning, Billie. We have blue sky and sunshine here today, after a succession of grey days :D.

I'm pleased your review went well - hope Gabe's is good too.

Where will you be shopping? I dragged my husband and BIL up and down the Magnificent Mile when we visited. They're both more than a foot taller than me, but I still outnumbered them ;). It was late October when we were there, and unexpectedly warm, so I had to buy a couple of T-shirts. I also bought my Canon compact on that trip (it was the same number of dollars as pounds, so much cheaper in US), and some perfume from a big department store whose name I've forgotten. I spent lots of time in Borders, too, but didn't buy much because books are a too heavy to carry home. There was a very good deli with excellent cheese & salamis and port; a fascinating wine shop; and a spice shop too that I can remember. I wish I could come with you :).

[Ammy]

Gosh, Billie, it's down-right BALMY in Chicago today!:p
We're sitting at 8 degrees, and windy. Perfect for 7:30am.
Last night, it was 8 degrees also and the wind was rattling the windows and howling, but I bundled up and went for a walk. I refuse to "sit in my cabin" and get feverish! :razz: I don't mind the cold, and the fresh air felt SO GOOD in my lungs.

Today, I'm back to my form of fasting. Seems I jumped 2.5lbs over my "allowed" maintenance range and I can't seem to drop them, so I'll do two meals (breakfast and light supper) and during the day I will do 2 protein shakes. I have felt very bloated and "full" the last few days, so I look forward to having a bit less for awhile and feeling like I fit better in my skin!

I have not been to the gym AT ALL in November!! That is TERRIBLE!
My workout clothes are with me today (and yesterday and the day before), but I REALLY plan on going today...I DO...I PLAN to!!

[Ottawa]

Ideas without action are worthless.

It's 19 and blustery in Chicago this AM, love it!! I am such a winter nut! (Randy I know you are going to pipe in here and say no just a nut) :)

Billie,
Who would ever call you a nut? :lol::razz::lol:

For sports/activity this winter I have joined a dodgeball team, and likely volleyball as well at the local school

I put ideas into action this morning. Yesterday I saw a big bag of oranges for sale on the reduced rack. I have been pondering Christmas Pudding for about a week and went for it. I was not going to buy a bag of oranges to use just the peel but for a buck went ahead.
This morning I peeled the oranges, peeled 2 lemons, cut up a pound of ginger and cut it all into chucks/strips and boiled it along with some water, lemon juice and Erythritol. I added the slivered almonds and put it in the backroom to cool. The backroom was -8C this morning so it's like a walk in freezer for the next 3 months.

[hawk]

Boy, I ate an orange for the first time in months last night and I had such an athsma reaction. We thought I may end up going to the hospital. Benadryl and inhailers finially did their stuff. My husband was frantic. What the heck?? an orange?? G'man wondered if it was sprayed with food color(yellow # 5) I think I reacted so much because eveything is still swollen from this virus.
Crazy. I am thankful today for breathing.

The doc I work for gave me a nice birthday bonus yesterday.

So far my husband has taken me out every night(birthday week) Maybe he's doing it so 53 won't seem so bad.

The coolest gift I got was my dad singing to me. He had a stroke in 2000 and has not been able to talk. He is finially, through awesome speech therapsts, learning to talk. Mom called me and put dad on the phone. He sang the "happy birthday to you" song...even used Lynnie in the name spot.
Today is an "at home" day. I will spend it drawing and working out on the bike.
Carbs will be low today. No oranges for me...It was a small navel orange.

[Ammy]

oh MAN Hawk...how scary!!
I love oranges, and start craving them in October. I insist on eating apples (HoneyCrisp are my favorites) until mid November when I start buying Clementines (so small you can eat the WHOLE thing). Then late November I'll buy actual Oranges which I then eat all winter long.
They are great when only eating 1/2 (last better than apples).
Then in the spring, I jump happily into the berries...any berries.

Ottawa...I don't really know what Christmas pudding is??? :o:confused::o
I have heard it in many Christmas stories, but what really IS it?

[Ottawa]

Boy, I ate an orange for the first time in months last night and I had such an athsma reaction...
Carbs will be low today. No oranges for me...It was a small navel orange.

Hope you are over the asthma soon.
I didn't get to eat the oranges I was just making sweetened peel and had to bring it to a boil and let the sauce thicken a bit much like when you buy sweetened peel or citron for baking.

Ammy,
Christmas Pudding (http://www.lastoutpost.com/ProteinPower/Christmas%20Pudding.JPG) is a dense warm dessert, usually covered in a hot brandy sauce up here and likley some sort of icing down there.:lol: It looks like a dense Christmas cake but is moister and comes apart easily when warmed or steamed.
I looked into it last year but the carb count was still way to high. Using my own peelings, ginger, unsweetened pineapple and some of the newer sweeteners I should be able to get it down closer to 20 ECC. It would be one of the early desserts that would pack on a few pounds since it is normally loaded with sugar and butter.

[gitfiddle]

http://bestsmileys.com/birthday1/3.gif Happy belated birthday, Hawk! I can't believe I forgot! How awesome that your dad could sing to you! :cool:

Randy, you've reminded me that I should bake fruitcake this weekend. A huge job, but they make nice gifts. We only give them to friends who vow they love it. I'm also intrigued by a "easy" recipe for crock pot peanut clusters that apparently freeze well and make a big batch. Not low carb, but great for office parties.

Cold and blustery up here, too, with a promise of worse weather starting Saturday night.

Went out to see Mom last night and got a look at the car. Horrendous! How could somebody do that and drive off? She's just stiff and sore, no worse.

Strawberry shake for breakfast and ham & cheese omlette for lunch. Got my protein!

[Ammy]

WOW...Ottawa...that's looks SOOOOO delicious!!!
Good thing I don't eat chocolate anymore or I'd have to make/eat it no matter WHAT the carbs!!!

Yummm



http://re3.mm-a4.yimg.com/image/2901983543 (http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fs earch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dhappy%2Bbirthday%26fr%3Dyfp-t-501%26toggle%3D1%26cop%3Dmss%26ei%3DUTF-8&w=379&h=154&imgurl=toons.artie.com%2Falphabet%2Fwords%2F200011 21%2Farg-happy-birthday-url.gif&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwrks.ipbhost.com%2Findex.php%3Fs howtopic%3D1494&size=17.7kB&name=arg-happy-birthday-url.gif&p=happy+birthday&type=gif&no=10&tt=1,170,106&oid=7fe5ee533c12c7ac&ei=UTF-8) Hawk!!!

[Mitra]

I hate to break this to you, Amy, but there's no chocolate in a Christmas pudding ;). You'll have to find some other way to stay away from it :lol:.

This is the list of ingredients from my recipe:
550g/18oz raisins
375g/13 oz each sultanas & currants
200g/7oz chopped almonds
400g/14oz finely grated suet
Zest & juice of 1 orange & 1 lemon
250g/9oz each bread crumbs & flour
400g/14 oz raw demarara sugar
6 eggs
1/2 tsp salt & cinnamon, 1 tsp spices
110g/4 oz each peel & glacé cherries
1 glass brandy
1 bottle (12 oz/340 ml) guinness/stout
150g/5 oz clarified butter, for greasing

I've given up trying to low carb it. I never eat more than a couple of mouthfuls in any case, but it wouldn't be Christmas Day without it.

[hawk]

I could go for the brandy sauce on it.. Texas fruit cake is almost all pecans. My mother covers it with a cloth soaked in brandy and keeps it soaked, Best fruit cake I ever ate.

I have never had Christmas pudding. Got directions?.

Randy..do you put the Holly and berries on it??:eek:

[Mitra]

Hawk, don't even think about it :eek:. Basically you mix everything up then put it in a bowl and steam it for a few hours. It's normally stored for at least a few weeks, sometimes a year or several years, then reheated when you are ready to eat it.

[hawk]

How do you Store it?? Doesn't it get yucky??

[Ammy]

I hate to break this to you, Amy, but there's no chocolate in a Christmas pudding.


WOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!
http://bestsmileys.com/bouncing/5.gif http://bestsmileys.com/bouncing/5.gif http://bestsmileys.com/bouncing/5.gif http://bestsmileys.com/bouncing/5.gif http://bestsmileys.com/bouncing/5.gif



Wait a minute...that's really BAD news!!! :frown: :angry: :cry:


Why couldn't you just let me go on thinking it was NOT an OPTION!!
Now it is!!!!

[Ottawa]

Hawk, I don't put the Holly and berries on it.

Amy ... this could knock you off the low carb wagon.:lol:

This time of year there are several desserts that bring back memories of my BIG self.

Mincemeat Pie
Christmas Cake

and likely the best/richest dessert in the world ...

Christmas Pudding with a real sauce.;)

[Ammy]

We didn't do any special "desserts" for Christmas...just the traditional pumpkin pie, sugar cookies, almond bark covered pretzels, and Monster cookies.
However, we never had a holiday without the worst of our traditional foods...Chex Party Mix.
This stuff was KILLER at my house...which means we could have KILLED each other as my siblings and I stepped up on and over each other (and our father) to get at it...and it never lasted more than a day. The recipe uses two of the largest oven roasting pans, many boxes of cereal, cans of nuts, and bags of pretzels.
And the six of us would polish it off in a day.:eek:

Do I come from a family of carb addicts or what??!!!:cry::frown:


I haven't quite worked out what I'm going to do about Chex Mix this year. Last year I allowed myself two bowls per day...ugh.

[gitfiddle]

Playing with fire here, aren't we? :paranoid:

I'm hoping to get through the season without getting sentimental about food. There are a couple that will call me. My mom makes a wicked cranberry bread. When her dad was with us, she would sometimes make him a plum pudding, but I don't remember getting offered any. He was Irish. I have to stay away from my own fruitcake, but it's so blatantly sweet that I don't even try to rationalize it. :eek:

[Karole]

A traditional food we have at Christmas is a whipped cream salad , a recipe and tradition that came from my ex mother in law. It has sweetened whipped cream, bananas, grapes and pecans in it. Just something we have to have on the table because. (because its a tradition)

[Rhyme'n Reason]

Hey, everyone--

What happened to the thread that emphasized Christmas traditions that don't involve food? Is this the counter-thread?:D

I'm going back to my low carb pumpkin cheesecake. We don't really do any special Christmas foods--it's almost like Thanksgiving all over again. So I plan to do the same menu I did.

By the way, even my mother-in-law liked my sausage stuffing and asked for the recipe. Go figure--I kill myself trying to make things my Pennsylvania Dutch in-laws like to no avail and then when I make something I'm sure no one will want but me, they all like it.

Busy day today--the first back from vacation. Now it's practice, practice, practice for the Christmas program. So I'm spending a couple of extra hours in my classroom tonight trying to write lesson plans around practices. I have to create assignments my classes can work on while I'm out with the choir, so it's a lot of work.

On plan, though--it's a good thing!

[LisaS]

Christmas Pudding is a dense warm dessert, usually covered in a hot brandy sauce up here and likley some sort of icing down there.:lol: It looks like a dense Christmas cake but is moister and comes apart easily when warmed or steamed. at my house, that would probably be accompanied by hard sauce. Though a brandy-laced creme anglaise could work.