It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Eggnog tastes bad. So does rum. Have a Cosmo instead!



Or cheese cake. (I had a piece of chocolate mousse cheesecake last night and it was divine.)

 Sorry to laugh in the face of your misfortune, but I can be mean sometimes.  I'm gonna come out to Montana and drink one of those damned things post-DS and see what happens.  You know what'll happen, remember the pie eating contest in Stand By Me?

.

 I haven't been able to drink egg nog since my father told me its what they feed anorexics in treatment. 

I'm happy to report at 19 months post op, normal, healthy weight. I bought a carton of egg nog! :)

When I was a little girl, my father told me that meringue was 'calf slobbers' .

To this day, I can't eat meringue.

 I remember the moment I realized that is was OK to want, desire, seek, weight loss surgery.  The moment I realized that it was time I did something for me, that wanting to be healthy and commit to a lifestyle to realize this goal was not selfish.  

My weight loss has made my strong relationships even stronger.  It has also provided strength to say good bye to enablers.  It has boosted my self confidence, and respect for myself.  It has brought me closer to my children with the ability to be more active with them.

I had been approved to have the RNY but after much more research and careful consideration, I sought out the DS.  This new lifestyle has been so easy to adapt.  I truly enjoy food now.  I eat with pleasure, not guilt and shame.

If you are new to this site, research and ask questions.  Be willing to LISTEN to the sage advice and warnings from those whom have already walked a mile in your shoes.  

Choose your surgery type BEFORE you choose your surgeon.

 Do not passively accept your insurance to dictate how they'd prefer to see your innards arranged.   It's YOUR life, YOUR body and a decision that YOU will have to live with for the rest of your life, long after insurance has had it's say.

Be your own advocate... and if you do have surgery, get used to it.

and finally, do it right the FIRST TIME.....  you need to look no further than this website to know what I mean if you take the time to read.


~GG

 Oh my, this thread has me drooooooling! And I just finished my scrambled eggs made with heavy whipping cream and a bunch of cheese and 2 slices of hickory bacon!

I am SO grateful to you, Diana, Ms. Batt and the rest of the DS'ers who have paid it forward on threads like these. 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!



Jules

I really need to try potato leek soup. I've been meaning to make it for a year and always make the Olive Garden Toscana soup instead.

I wonder if I can find leeks in Minnesota this time of year

As a permanent part of the family tradition of making this soup, I grab one of the leeks and say, "First, you take a leek ...." and which point everyone is supposed to groan at mom making her bad puns.

Here is how I make it - sorry, I don't follow a precise recipe - that's part of the fun of cooking for me.

- 2 good sized leeks, rinsed thoroughly, and sliced thin, including some of the green parts that are relatively tender (this unpleasant part of the job can be simplified if you buy a BUNCH of leeks and have your sous chef do the work of slicing them all up, using part for the soup today, and then freezing the rest for the next few times you make this soup)
- 8-10 lbs of WHITE potatoes (the thin skinned ones, not the russets or other baking potatoes - and I used the Yukon golds one year and they were not right either), peeled and sliced into chunks (store under water while preparing the leeks and roux)
- Tons of butter
- Flour
- Salt
- Garlic
- WHITE pepper
- Milk

Saute the leeks in butter until starting to brown.  Make sure there is a LOT of butter, and then add several tablespoons of flour to cook it well.  Add some water slowly to form a thin roux, trying to avoid lumps (a little hard to do since you've also got leeks in the mix, but don't stress about it).  Add more water and the potatoes - enough water to just cover the potatoes - and season with salt, garlic (don't skimp) and white pepper.  Simmer the potatoes until cooked. 

Get your blender stick out of the back of the cupboard and blend that soup to creamy smoothness (by this time, I usually need to bring in a second pot because my big one is full), and then add a good amount of milk - at least 1/4 as much as the potato/water part.  Heat gently.  Serve hot - or cold.  This soup actually tastes even better the second day, but you will likely find it has thickened too much after chilling - so just add more milk to make it even creamier the next day.

thanks! LOL at dorky Mom jokes