Have a Guilt-Free Thanksgiving Dinner

While overeating for one day won’t destroy your healthy diet, weight watchers may feel a tinge of guilt as they overindulge while giving thanks.

If you’re the cook, these easy ways to reduce fat content will make your dinner healthier while not sacrificing flavor.

• Instead of basting the turkey with fat, rub a little olive oil on it when you place it in the oven. Later, baste with defatted chicken stock combined with apple juice.
• Take most of the fat out of the gravy. Pour the juice and drippings into a large plastic cup. With a gravy ladle, skim most of the fat off. You should be able to skim off 80 or 90 percent of it, and your gravy will still have a rich flavor.
• For recipes that call for cream, substitute nonfat evaporated milk. You won’t notice the difference in your pumpkin pie.
• Put skim milk in mashed potatoes instead of whole milk and skip the butter. Your guests will put gravy on them anyway, and the flavor comes from the gravy.
• If your dressing calls for a lot of butter, moisten it with stock and some olive oil. If you add onions and celery, no one will notice the difference.
• Offer more colorful vegetable dishes with the main course and more fresh fruit on the dessert table.

Tips for Making Holiday Shopping a Breeze

Weary of the hassle of holiday shopping? Many shoppers line up for hours on end to get a deal on the hottest toy of the season, or newest fashion craze, then there are those who dread shopping and just put it off until the last minute, or give gift certificates to get out of shopping altogether.

Holiday shopping doesn’t have to be a hassle. It can be quickly executed without so much stress and anxiety, if you plan ahead. Try these tips to make your holiday shopping a breeze this year:

• Set a budget in place. Do you know how much money you can afford to spend on gifts? If not, sit down right now and make that budget. This will be a huge time-saver in the end.
• Make your list; check it twice. Create a list of who you need to buy gifts for this year. Start with family first, then add friends, co-workers, etc. How does this list look, compared with your budget? Too long? Pare it down. Despite what you think, you don’t have to buy as many gifts as you think you do. Trim your list until you have it down to a reasonable number.
• What do they like? Now that you know who you will be buying gifts for, start thinking about what these people like. You may already have a good idea of what kinds of things they like. If not, do some snooping and find out. Make a shopping list of these things for each person.
• Shop early. If possible try to avoid the last minute rush and shop early. Another good option is to go late at night. Many department stores operate late hours during the holidays. It’s a good time to leave the kids with your spouse and do the shopping on your own without worrying about the crowds or the kids needing to be fed or changed.
• Shop online. Now that you know exactly what you need to buy, start by shopping online. You can find lots of good deals on auction and discount sites. Many online shops such as Amazon.com give you the option of mailing out your gifts (gift wrap included) to relatives and friends, this could save you a lot of time wrapping presents and fighting the crowds at the post office. Shopping online could save you a lot more money than you’d think, and it will definitely save you the hassle of fighting those Christmas crowds!

Efortless Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

2 cups pureed pumpkin
2 eggs (beaten)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 pie crust

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well.  Pour batter into pie crust.  Bake in preheated oven at 350F for approximately 60 minutes or until set through.

Topping:

1 pkg cream cheese
1 cup whipped cream
½ cup powdered sugar

Blend all ingredients together and use to top pie.

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