work in the kitchen.  Every one doing a small project for the fest.  And, having fun doing so.  With

festive music in the background.  Hopefully the weather is awesome.  We are talking Thanksgiving

outside. With lots of odorless bug repellent already taken care of.  

Here are some ideas for a healthy meal..

Check this idea out for your roast or turkey.  Consider a crock pot that has a strainer attachment.  

So the roast or the turkey won’t soak in all that grease.  When you get ready to take it out.  

Consider, letting cool a moment.  Possibly covering it depending on where you leave it out.  So

the meat can retain all its natural juices and that may help your meat get even better tasting.  

Possibly get some fat free beef or turkey gravy and carefully pour over the meat as it is heated to

cook into it.  YUM.  

Also.. creamy mac & cheese with lots of fat free cheese on top.  Consider o calorie butter spray on

top as well to make even better.  Then pop it into the oven.  Letting the cheese harden and darken.  

Also, consider using fat free half and half just 2 cups maybe.  Pouring it all around the casserole.  

Then pop it in the pre-heated oven.  

If you have a picnic you may want to consider keeping up with the weather reports.  Slowly add

your fest goodies outside.  Prepping all the details done.  Getting lots of sleep is vital.  Staying

active during this is also vital as well.  

Also, consider how healthy can you make your fest.  Avoiding margarines, fats,.  Minimal fat on

your roast or turkey and only the highest quality meats possible and how low can you go on

price.  Generic is also recommended as well.  Checking the expiration dates, etc.  If you plan on

using spices consider basal, Cinnamon, they are possibly cancer fighters.  Peppermint is also

recommended.  When it comes to your vegetable.. suggestion:  broccoli, mustard greens.  You

can’t get any better. I you like salads consider mixed.  However, how low can you go on the

dressing.  Even if it is low you can still gain weight when you add more on your salad.  And,

avoiding whole boiled eggs to your salad that will rid of cholesterol.

Last but never least.. ha ha.. the traditional pumpkin pie with chocolate pudding on top.  Fat

free of course. And, fat free butterscotch.  YUM.  With that famous fat free whipped cream.  

And, cherry.  Got have your fruit if possibly add some sliced peaches, etc on top as well.  

After Santa is seen on the parade.  You may want to consider going where it is not crowded.  

And still getting in on those awesome deals.  Keeping those receipts again, it vital.  For return

purposes.  

You may also want to reconsider NOT buying clothes for Christmas.  That can be done

after Christmas When the sales are even better.  Just lots of family type games, outdoor

activities, toys and more toys.

Christmas gifts that bring the family together.  

Possibly decorate the Christmas tree with small toy like ornaments such as

hot cars,.  I couldn’t resist adding that in.  

Above all… consider hugs and affection for one and another.  Being sensitive to feelings,.  

Looking out for each other.  Reminding each one how important they are in the family.

If you believe in prayer.  And, God.  Thanking him for the fest and the having the family

together is so awesome,.  Keeping the prayer short but important.  

Also, table manners are vital as well.  Asking everyone to please pass the food around

nicely asking everyone to dress up in there best outfits.  Keeping in mind the table looks

great so does the people around it.  

Happy Thanksgiving to all…  

After the long plane trip and a wake up shower, Fred took me out for a meal and a short stroll around so I could get a sense of direction in the area. He had been in Greece for several months working on the 2004 Athens Olympic games, so he had the basic ropes down fairly well.

I can remember going to some giant warehouse place not unlike Sam’s Club just after Christmas with Fred so he could stock up and maybe look for some Christmas gifts to send back to the states to his children. As we wandered through the aisles, I heard him thinking out loud, “I need a gift for Lois…what am I going to get her?”

Lois is Fred’s ex-wife, and they remain on pleasant terms because they’re adults, and they have children and grandchildren who don’t need to see them fight. Fred’s not the fighting type of person anyway; he’s the most calm and docile person I’ve ever met, which is why we get along so well.

It suddenly hit me what Fred should buy for Lois: a box of instant mashed potatoes! It was sheer genius! I’m sure you’re thinking, “What the hell is wrong with you?! Instant mashed potatoes are NOT a gift!” Maybe in traditional families that would be true, but Lois is different and there’s a story you don’t know about. Yet.

It was rainy and cold that weekend and we were sitting inside Fred’s small, cramped Athens apartment. He was telling me about how he had called home on Thanksgiving to talk to his children and grandchildren. Then his face lit up and he began to laugh like hell as he recounted an incident that had taken place.

His daughter was hosting the Thanksgiving dinner and it was a bit of a potluck style in which everyone brought a side dish or dessert. Lois dug into her cabinet and pulled out a box of instant mashed potatoes, whipped them up, and brought them along. As the kids and grandkids began to eat, they avoided the mashed potatoes. It seems they were the wrong color – somewhere between a yellowish green and smelled odd. The kids gently started asking questions about where the potatoes had come from.

Lois had a old, long expired box of mashed potatoes, but she didn’t want to throw them out. My understanding is she came from a family that never had much, so there was no such thing as wasting food. Amongst the kids it became a funny, private joke quickly forgotten after the meal…until I reminded them.

I’ve got a good sense of humor – I like a good gag as much as the next person, and pulled my fair share of them. I’ve driven off with a friend’s parked car and moved it to another spot. I’ve served tea with a day old newspaper that had already been read by the person. “HEY! You asked me if I wanted to read the paper, and it is yesterday’s edition!” I never said I was giving them the current day’s edition. I’ve told friends to serve other friends cheese (you know who you are) for their birthdays when that friend looks at cheese like Superman views kryptonite.

Wandering around the warehouse shopping place, the perfect gift had suddenly hit me. “Fred, get Lois a new box of instant mashed potatoes. She’s out and definitely needs one for next Thanksgiving!” Fred broke out in hysterical laughter in the shopping aisles, not aware of all the quiet Greeks looking strangely at us, trying to figure out what was so funny. He loved the idea and took me up on my suggestion as a gag gift.

If memory serves me right, the kids received a care package from Greece in mid January, and they loved their presents. Then Lois opened hers. “Instant mashed potatoes??” None of them got it at first, but later on the kids put it together and it became a private joke. I don’t know if they ever let Lois in on it, but it was the source of laughter for quite some time.

Fred’s eating at Lois’ house this Thanksgiving this year. I hope she isn’t serving instant mashed potatoes, but either way I sent him a text message warning so he can avoid food poisoning.

quazen.com articles by this writer can be found here
socyberty.com articles can be located here
relijournal.com articles are here
picable.com photographic images are here