Thanksgiving dinner that's not my moms....

Yup...it's that time of year again. Let's see, in the past I would have Dave's (husband of friend) turkey...he does this brine thing that makes you want to 'slap yo mamma'. Never to be in second place, last year I had one of the best smoked turkeys that my dad has EVER made. When ever I visit my parents he makes it for me - I think he knows I like it. He is so my hero! This year...lol...turkey breast but I'm not skimping on the trimmings. Here are some of the quick, easy and healthy recipes I'm going to try. Yea, I want the full-fat, but if I did... I would sooo pay for it later. This being healthy stuff - sucks ;-) Thanks to Prevention magazine for the help in being healthy

Five-Minute Cranberry Sauce

Work Time: 5 Minutes / Total Time: 5 Minutes / Servings: 8

8 oz sweetened, dried cranberries (about 2 c)
1/2 c orange juice
1/4 c water
1/4 c chopped ripe mango

Puree cranberries with orange juice and water in food processor until cranberries are almost smooth but still retain some texture, 1 to 2 minutes. Then stir in mango.

Nutritional Info Per Serving 98 cal, 0 g pro, 26 g carb, 2 g fiber, 0.5 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 2 mg sodium

Sweet Surprise Mellow mango sets off tart cranberries in this fresh, fast relish

Get Ahead: You can serve this immediately, or make it up to 5 days ahead and add the mango the day before. It's good either chilled or at room temperature.

Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes with Vanilla

Work Time: 30 Minutes / Total Time: 55 Minutes / Servings: 8

3 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into approximately 3" chunks
1 c reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 c fat-free milk "plus" (we used Over the Moon)
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract


1. Put potatoes and broth in large pot with tight-fitting lid and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 25 minutes.

2. Add cinnamon, milk, and butter.

3. Mash in food processor or with handheld masher until smooth. Add vanilla extract and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Nutritional Info Per Serving 125 cal, 3 g pro, 25 g carb, 3 g fiber, 2 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 126 mg sodium

Smart Splurge Just a tablespoon of butter makes these potatoes taste luscious

Get Ahead: You can make these up to 5 days ahead, and they reheat beautifully. If they're a bit dry, just stir in water.

Whole Grain Stuffing with Sausage

Work Time: 30 Minutes / Total Time: 1 Hour 55 Minutes / Servings: 8

2 tsp canola oil
1 lg onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
3 lg ribs celery, chopped (about 2 c)
3 Tbsp thinly sliced fresh sage leaves or 1 Tbsp dried
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
1 1/2 tsp whole fennel seeds (optional) - I'm not using these, would hurt my system
1 1/2 c fat-free milk "plus" (we used Over the Moon)
1/2 c reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 sliced bakery loaf 100% whole wheat bread (about 1 lb), cut into bite-size cubes (about 10 c)
8 oz fully cooked smoked turkey or chicken sausage, chopped

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat 11" x 7" baking dish with oil or cooking spray.

2. Put oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion turns golden, about 25 minutes.

3. Add celery, sage, garlic, and fennel seeds, if using, and cook 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and add milk, broth, bread, and sausage. Stir well, season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and put in prepared baking dish.

5. Coat top of stuffing lightly with more oil or cooking spray, cover dish with foil, and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until top is brown and crisp, about 40 minutes.

Nutritional Info Per Serving 243 cal, 11 g pro, 35 g carb, 4 g fiber, 7 g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 619 mg sodium

Tradition With A Twist Whole wheat bread and smoked turkey sausage add healthy flavor in this moist-on-the-inside, crisp-on-top dressing

Get Ahead: You can put this stuffing together a few days before serving or up to 2 weeks ahead, then freeze it. Cover and store; thaw when ready to bake.

Fast and Fancy Green Beans

Work Time: 15 Minutes / Total Time: 30 Minutes / Servings: 8

1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
2 tsp olive oil, divided
1/4 c water
24 oz petite (or regular) frozen green beans
20 lg fresh basil leaves, gently torn
1/3 c blanched slivered almonds, toasted
1 tsp cider vinegar

1. Put garlic and 1 teaspoon of the oil in large pot and cook over medium heat until just beginning to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.

2. Add water and beans, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 10 minutes.

3. Place 1 cup of the beans in small food processor along with basil, almonds, and vinegar. Pulse until mixture is thoroughly chopped and sticks together. Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon oil.

4. Stir pureed mixture into remaining beans to coat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Nutritional Info Per Serving 73 cal, 3 g pro, 8 g carb, 3 g fiber, 4 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 4 mg sodium

Ok, so it's not a normal Thanksgiving, but neither is life - normal that is. I'm really thankful that I am healthy, my family loves me and a few good friends who make me laugh. It's been a year of continued growth and I look forward to growing more in 2010 (god willing).

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!

Top 25 are coming to a close

So many posts of late have been “deep or sad”. So today is a light.

Let’s go to the “Top 25 list”.

I’ve two months until this will become a new list – wow…six weeks until 2010, I can hardly believe it. They say when you get older time flies...and they are right. It's been a TRIP of a year...with interesting twists/turns and I'm sure...it's not over yet.

With all that said, this is a recap of what I've been able to accomplish so far:

I have a unique collection – I decided to collect pencils. I think as a writer, it makes the most sense to me. Pencils from hotels, restaurants, and even have a few friends who have traveled to different places and bring me a pencil from their trip. If you have any pretty ones from unique places, let me know.

I’ve hung with the band - GMA and Whitney Houston - THANKS WHITNEY!! This was her official come-back (even though she didn't really go anywhere) and it was a blast.

Capture the moment – Sloane-Kettering, reading of my story, and allowing myself to re-live that over & over with friends/family. I don't think people reading it really GOT IT, but hearing it, seeing it performed was what made it clear! THIS CRAP WAS HARD AND IT CHANGED MY LIFE IN WAYS YOU CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND! The best moment however was, “Everything seems to be ok, so no more surgeries, see you in Jan.” I waited so long for those words and there was music that filled the room when my Dr. said them to me. Yes que curtain...opening...not closing; soaring into light, not fading into black. Still waiting for relationships to hit that "capture the moment", moment.

Stay in a 5-Star hotel – I have a trip coming up and they are putting me in lovely hotel in Montreal. This will be my first time on a plane since…well…May 2008 and no fear of bag-bursting!! Yippie!!

Write and article and have it published – well I’ve written over 172 to date and just received an offer to be a contributing editor for Green Wedding Magazine in Jan. – WOW!! Guess I can put a sentence together (sticking my tongue out to those who said I couldn't - you KNOW who you are!).

Be an extra or on a video shoot – well…can I stretch this a bit? I was in a promo video for GetMarried magazine. Yes, only brides will see it but I'll take it!

Own an original work of art – There is a photo of a giant Waffle that cracks me up! I think the woman that I will forever link with that will laugh too...

Wear a bikini - top of the 2010 list…then again…the year isn’t over yet. Anyone want to invite me someplace warm??

Dubai – This is on the 2010 schedule, as well as Bimini (Feb - confirmed); Mexico, London and a few other place TBC.

Write 44 famous people and see who writes back – Hmmm, well I wrote 4 and maybe Christmas/holiday cards will be a good reason to complete the rest. I know...no slacking, but I've been writing two blogs, a column, still sending out resumes....my fingers hurt!

Create a food blog – This was a bit ambitious esp. since I still have trouble processing food. Maybe next year (if I can find a few more hours in the day).

Go to an event and sit in the good seats – Sitting the front row at both bridal and fashion week events was totally amazing!!

Reconnect with at least 1 person from my past – Done that, now what happens next…I’ll keep you posted.

Read the entire New Testament – just a few more chapters to go. It’s really a cool book. You should try it!

Make a difference in a life – I’ve been told that I did that with 3 different people this year. That really touched my heart.

Wear something expensive (I sat in a pair of Christian Loubouitin’s does that count) and yes they were totally sexy!! (Just as I was about to post this...a great woman Linda, sent info on the Manolo Blahnik pvt sale - $100....yes...I won't eat for a month but I'm bringing sexy back....)

Publish my book – it’s going into the last chapters and will be done in a few weeks. So I won’t publish it this year as I hoped but…it will be done and considering everything I’ve had to deal with this year – I’m pretty darn proud of myself!! It's a fun read and you know...when this is published (yes I'm confident it will be, even if I have to do it myself!!), I think people will be surprised how these characters took shape - I know I am!

Ask for help when I need it – I think this will be on any/every list from now until I die. I still have trouble doing this. Perhaps it’s because I’m often disappointed by people who are supposed to be my friends/care about me. I’m trying to live in the moment with everyone and will keep reminding them…”If you don’t want me to have expectations of you…stop your expectations of me”.

Take a picture with someone famous – Yup…Sylvia Weinstock, Preston Bailey. Again, they are in the wedding industry, but since that’s what’s paying me a few pennies these days, work with what ya got!

Go to 5-TV shows – yup done them. GMA, Martha 2X, The View 2X, Today on NBC

Dance under the stars – Sigh, not even close…maybe I have to find someone who can dance first..

Lose 30 lbs – 15 from July to now is a good start. I’ll be that size 6 next year if I have to take this Thanksgiving carving knife to my thighs to trim the extra fat myself.

Visit my family – loved each and every visit, exp when they came to NY for my last surgery we went to the Fancy Food Fair where we ate until we exploded! Even though dad loves his other daughter (Serina, yea the one that plays tennis :-) and Tiger and spent time watching them with me in the hospital, I know he loves me too. He just hated looking at the 'hole'. LOL...funny to see such a strong man, run out of the room at the sight of blood.

Someone with my name – yup and she gives good drugs. My anthologist I LOVE HER, and besides my Dr., she is the only person I trust in an operating room.

2009 is almost over. If you would have told me what twists and turns this year held, I would have thought you were nuts! For the most part I'm a much happier person. One never realizes just how much your health (both mental and physical) can lead you down one path or another. Its still slow go with rebuilding other parts of my life, but 2010 is another year and opportunity to see what transpires. I am grateful to God for my health, my family for their support, my friends for...well, sticking in there and I look forward to being a stronger 'newer' and definitely sexier person in 2010.

What are people thinking??

I feel like my last few posts have been about President Obama. Well, this is another one. Actually one that’s been on the burner for a while – so can we talk?

Nobel Peace Prize.
Does a young president (meaning only in office for less than 10 months) deserve it?
Hmmm, if I’m 100% honest – no. He hasn’t found a cure for our health care reform - even if it passed the senate - barely, it still has the house to contend with; he hasn’t saved the lives of those who are fighting the war (either abroad or in their own backyard). He hasn’t yet been able to calm the fraction between any of the Middle East countries or rival gangs in East L.A. But to ask has the prize diminished, you know, lost it’s shine, I don’t believe it has.

The five-member Norwegian committee voted for him just weeks after he became President - did you know that?? It seems they based their decision on Obama’s “extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples, as well as his diplomacy and curbing nuclear weapons.” Now, was this a swipe at the former administration – perhaps? Maybe it’s just because like so many people forget, President Obama has ONLY been president for 11 months (now) but because of the lengthy campaign, it seems he’s been in office longer. Look, even he was surprised.

Is President Obama, at this point compared to Mahatma Gandhi, Pope John Paul II, even Al Gore? No but he is, a man who listens and uses a thoughtful approach. Maybe this award will do well in keeping him humble and always focused on the word “PEACE”. In the end the prize will be for us all.


When will the Military listen? Was Ft. Hood loud enough?
This past week there was a horrific rampage at Ft. Hood in Texas. Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, a Arlington, Va born Army psychiatrist fatally shot and killed 13 (to date) and wounded about 38 others. Why? Some speculate it was because he no longer wanted to be in the army. Some will say because “he said he was a Muslim first and an American second”, even thought he was born in the US. Some might even say that even though he was a Major, the anti-Muslim sentiments were too much, even for this trained psychiatrist. It seems that a former Fort Hood colleague found out he was Muslim and ripped of his “I heart Allah” bumper sticker and did additional damage to his car. Maybe as a human, he just couldn’t deal anymore. After all, he is Human first, Muslim second.

I’m not going to go on a rant about “gun laws”, and the “right be bear arms” and how folks in Tx. will drive with rifles on their dash-board because that’s their constitutional right. Don’t get me started!! I don’t know how we citizens, can feel safe on the streets of Boston, NY, LA or Iowa when our soldiers can’t be safe on their own home base. What I’m hoping is that people take this for what it was. A very sad, sick and misguided person, who asked repeatedly to be released from his service and was ignored. Maybe they should have listened. The news reported last night that they "had him under observation"...does that mean they have all Muslims under observation or just him because he asked to be released? I hope people don’t see this and become wary of every person who is Muslim (or black, or spanish, or just...different from themselves); people don't walk around with a six-shooter or bomb strapped to their body. Not every terrorist looks like “one of those”. How do I know this…“Timothy McVeigh”.

No I don’t know what you go through as a person in the military. I’ve dated a solider who graduated West Point, I have loved a member of the Air Force. I've had uncles who have fought in the wars, and cousins who are presently fighting. I have been concerned for those I don’t know, because they are in harms way. Some people choose the military to help with their education; others because they are fighting for something they believed in. They know the risks of enemy territory – I just don’t think the soldiers of Ft. Hood thought that territory was in their own backdoor. May G-d grant their souls rest and their families peace.

Can you beat the system?

I saw something the other day in the news. It was called ‘Moneybag Medicaid “Cheaters’ Pinched. What was it about – Millionaires, the folks that have money, can buy the best of anything/everything…but they claim they are poor and apply for Medicare. Medicaid, is meant for low-income families – this means folks that earn UNDER $10,000 per year and having less than $13,800 in all assets. Maybe these folks simply ‘missed’ the few extra $.00’s that are at the end of their bank statement. Maybe they simply think it’s their right, or maybe that is how the rich stay rich.

The Manhattan prosecutors’ office handed down indictments for 19 people who are accused of beating the system. I’m not talking about folks that have some cash, I mean a dentist who pulls in a six-figure salary as well as the owner of two waterfront mansions. The person who owns the homes, actually rents them out during the summer for $65,000 each. Now I know the housing/summer share market took a hit, but still come on dude!

What they are ‘finding out’ and I use that term very loosely, is that more and more are simply lying to get a health-insurance handout. Like Bernie Madoff, they just didn’t think they would get caught. You hear “let the rich taxes fund the $849Billion that’s needed for healthcare reform”. I don’t think that’s the only way, nor fair. Nor do I think that raising taxes, or limiting care to those who are not citizens, is the right way. Is it fair that people should have to choose between a doctor or their next meal simply because they can’t afford both? It amazes me that other countries can help their poor, have universal health care, and still have nations that thrive, but we, in the best country in the world, can’t because the ‘powers that be’ can’t play nice in the sand box.

You know everyone wants to come to America, but what are they bring with them? Tons of people say “if you can’t make it in NY you can’t make it anywhere”, well there is a lot more folks NOT making it, or hadn’t they noticed? There are those who want to be educated here, get financial aid and then go back to their own country without so much as a backwards glance to the country that made them what they are. I say if you want to close the boarders (of course people only think of Mexicans that cross the borders in the dark of night, or people from dictator countries that risk life/limb on rickety boats) then close them to all. That means no one coming from the Ukraine, Russia, China, Germany, or any other country. That means watching those visas and monitoring them. What you don’t have the manpower for that – well, hire people (that will stimulate the economy even if in just this sector). If you’re not here and can’t bring benefit to the US of A, then you are no longer welcome. When your country goes to war, don’t look to us to save you, because we obviously can’t save ourselves.

What do I believe? I believe that the US is a great place. We are a country that is welcoming to all who want to do right by her. I have friends from all cultures, countries and economic abilities. I think we have and continue to stick our nose in others affairs and don’t necessarily know how to say “No”. I think this war has gone on too long; it’s lost its focus (to find Osama Ben Laden) and now can’t get out. I think that this country should take a breath and take care of HOME first. What a difference that would make.