Didn't we just finish Halloween??

Yep!!! And I'm still raiding Grace's Halloween Candy. I REALLY need to remove it from my house.  Upside - I made it back to the gym yesterday for the first time since Cardinal playoffs began, like 3 weeks ago.  Hence why the scale on Tuesday was UG-LY.  But it is what it is.    I managed to complete 90 minutes, burn 903 calories and I ended the day with a NET intake of 1500 calories.   A VAST improvment from the past month.  

Today has been a good day thus far.  I've only had ONE fun size Butterfinger, and 3 Starbursts instead of the 3 or 4 fun size candies I've been grabbing at one time.  Gym tonight is lower body leg work/push ups/ab work and 45 minutes of cardio.   My friend Pam suggested a November challenge... 90 in November.  90 miles by Dec 1.   You know Im a sucker for a challange..   I skipped November 1, so yesterday I managed 6 miles  (3 elliptical, 3 treadmill), and today's goal will be another 4.

Moving on..

While at my mom's house on Halloween night, my Aunt turns and says to me, "What do I need to bring on Thanksgiving?"   HOLY HELL its right around the corner!!

Just 3 short weeks from today, Thanksgiving will be here.  The day we stuff ourselves full of the most delicious comfort foods, a cornucopia of foods if you will...  mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce and, of course, turkey, among other delights, making us eat until we want to nap.  That damn tryptophan.

Last year was my first year hosting Thanksgiving, and I must admit, other than cleaning my house for hours only to have to re-clean after everyone leaves, I loved it.  All of my friends and family know how much I love to entertain, so this really doesn't bother me at all.  Plus - there's nothing better to me than having a house full of family to share the holidays with.   The best part of planning... THE MENU!!!    My family is pretty straight laced when it comes to food though.  They're traditional in the sense that they really don't like trying new things, but they're going to this year!   I've found an awesome recipe for stuffing, but you know me, I like to mix it up and create my own, so here it is...

DISCLAIMER:  this is in NO WAY healthy for you, so just have a little.  :)   Moderation, right??
2 cups chicken broth (I use College Inn, low sodium low fat chicken broth)
1 cup craisins (these can be found in the salad/condiment aisle, if you dont like craisins, regular dried cranberries will do)
1/4 cup I Cant Believe It's Not Butt Light
1 yellow onion, chopped (I actually grate my onion now, because I hate the texture….thanks Carolyn for the idea!!!)
1/2 cup chopped celery, or 2 stalks (I hate celery, so I chop it fine)
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and finely chopped
3 large eggs
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8-10 Hawaiian rolls, cubed and toasted (1 package should work just fine)
Salt and pepper to tasteDirections:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and cranberries; let soak for 30 minutes.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and celery; cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently or until tender. Add apples and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl.
Beat 3 eggs in a separate bowl. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.
In the large bowl with vegetables, stir in chicken broth mixture, mushroom soup, and nutmeg. Add toasted bread, stirring gently to combine. Add eggs. Spoon mixture into prepared dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until center is set.

12 servings.
227 calories per serving, 38 carbs, and 6 grams of protein.

I dont know about you, but I'd MUCH rather have this, over 200 calories of mashed potatoes! 

Have a great day guys!! Thanks for reading!