Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

[Janice]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Hi to Janet, ThreeDogs, Sausage, SL & anyone else who calls in.

Hope everyone is well...very tired here after a busy weekend. Think I spent most of yesterday in the kitchen!! Turkey was very tasty though, made my own sage & onion stuffing & cranberry sauce (well care of..Delia Smith's!!). We are not ones for Christmas pud so I made a banoffee pie and a vanilla terrine with raspberry coulis...mmm!!

Family had pre-dinner drinks & champagne to toast but I stuck to my guns (despite the "awww you must have one for the toast!!!) and enjoyed my usual sparkling water & J20.

Tonight..you guessed, we've had cold turkey, cold stuffing etc. Oh dear..think by the time Christmas is over I'll be glad to see the back of turkey lol!!!!

ThreeDogs..I too need to get back into my exercise. Like you I walk a lot but I havent had a swim since end October which is a long time for me. I'm sure it makes such a big difference & helps to keep me positive.

Janet, will be interested to hear how you get on with your juicer when it arrives. Now that is something I shld be doing!

Sausage, hope you're feeling better.

Off to bed ..night night. xx

[ThreeDogNight]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

:lTDNGood morning to all!

Janet, what is a bannofee (sp) pie? And the stuff you add to the sparkling water? Wonder if we have it here in the states. You really went all out with the dinner! I am going to try a dessert for a party on Friday night that uses madeleines tinted red. Have to buy everything today, and don't think I'll have time for a trial run:H Will bring my on sparkling diet cranberry and a lime, and that will look festive! Not a big drinking group at all, but they will enjoy their one or to drinks, which I can't do.

Sausge and Scottich Lass, hope we see you both today!

Had cravings yesterday for the first time in 10 days, but came on here and read and posted on Daily Abs, and that helped. No way I could get any AL anyway, which is great!

Need to get moving making calls about getting my licenses back. Also hope for another walk while the weather is still fairly mild.

Have a great AF day, everyone.

[Janice]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Hi everyone..

ThreeDogs.. banoffe pie is a mixture of banana & toffee!!! I'm sure there are a few different ways of doing it...I cheat & use tinned evaporated milk to make the toffee but its gorgeous!

The base can be made from shortcrust pastry or biscuit based. I use biscuits - digestive biscuits. I boil a tin of evaporated milk for 3hrs (just plonk the tin in a pan of water, dont pierce tin) and boil slowly, keep topping water up. Layer 2-3 sliced bananas on biscuit/pastry base then when 3hrs are up remove tin and carefully open lid...milk shld have turned to toffee. Spoon over banana. Then when completely cool, spoon over whipped cream...delicious!!

The drink I was referring to was J20..a fruit flavoured drink we get in the UK...apple & mango is my favourite...very fruity!! I have the sparkling water separately....sorry to confuse!!! I am going to try your cranberry, sparkling water & lime...sounds grt!!

Right..I'm off to find some more ancestors, my passion!!! Will check in tomorrow!! xx

[ThreeDogNight]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Hi, Janice.

My laptop seems to have a mind of its own and skips all over the place. . .hence the :lTDN, meant for the end of the post, appears at the beginning

Anyway, I am going to try that dessert! I can get digestive biscuits, but I think they are similar to our graham crackers, and I could use those to make that crust. Is it evaporated milk, as opposed to sweetened condensed milk? I may make that as my second dessert for Friday night. Thanks for sharing

TDN

[SAUSAGE]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Janice, you have inspired me to have a banoffee pie at Chritmas. I HATE Christmas pud, Christmas cake I don't like fruit cake. and above all I hate mince pies!( those of you in USA - don't think you get those over there do you?) ? The mince meat (don't know why it's called that as it contains no meat) is a mixture of spices dried / candied fruit and sometimes suet and liquor etc. for the last 2.5 yrs I've been unable to eat gluten but its no loss at Christmas time although you can buy GF versions of all these things, obviously I don't bother!!

I normally make a chocolate Yule log, although we do have all the above as the rest of the family like them! Think I'll do a banoffee pie this year too. I'm not a great fan of turkey either -,we usually have a chicken instead. I'm trying to plan lots of nice things to eat / drink over the festive season so I have something to look forward to!

[scottish lass]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Quick check in, thanks for the mentions and hellos - sounds like all are doing good with the AF goals, in spite of all challenges we face. I am having some work struggles now along with the personal ones and having trouble finding time to log on and reply - I do read daily and enjoy seeing how everyone is doing - it helps me stay on the right road...so I am here, even when I don't post...
in gratitude to you all for who you are...

[Janice]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Good morning!! Up really early to take hubby to the station...must admit there's something quite satisfying getting myself up & out that time of the morning knowing that would have been such a struggle in the past (I'm sure I've been driving still over the limit the next morning)!!! Anyway enjoying my coffee now as I decide what I'm up to today.

Sorry ladies..yes I got my milks mixed up! It is condensed milk TDN!!! (I use Carnation 397g in the tin, remember not to pierce tin). Yes would definitely recommend it as its sooo easy..and if you want to really cheat & be super quick you can buy one of those ready made sweet pastry cases!!! My other favourite for Christmas is Delia's chocolate torte which is out of this world but and its a big but...its got rum in!!! mmmm...might have to rethink that one this year!!

SL been thinking abt you and how well you are doing....well done, you shld be very proud of yourself!!! Just think how much harder those struggles would be with a hangover!! You are doing great, hang on in there...

Have a great AF day everyone xx

[ThreeDogNight]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Good morning, all.

Sausage and SL, glad to see you here! Sausage, you really are remarkable. And SL, great that you continue AF despite all the personal and work challenges. This is so important for me to hear.

Janice, I looked up the banoffee pie on allrecipes.com and saw that it is indeed the sweetened condensed milk. Seems to easy that I think I'll add it to the dessert I am making for Friday night--which isn't so easy:H You can check out the red velvet madeleine trifle on southernliving.com. I maintain my subscription to that magazine because the recipes and decorating ideas are the best! I live in New England, but that magazine always makes me wish I lived in the South!

Working at the flower shop today, and probably tomorrow and the next day as well. Grateful for that! Not easy being home with Mr TDN.

Hope Janet is doing well, and will check back later.

Have a great AF day, everyone!

:lTDN

[Ishybit]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Good morning everyone,
All this pie talk is making me hungry and getting me in the mood for Xmas . Our house tends to get in the spirit a little late. Oopsy.
I think I will have to try the banoffee pie too!
I'm doing ok over here a little under the weather today. Tis the season.
Have a great af day everyone!
Ishy

[Janice]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Hi everyone ...good to see you Ishy!

Another frosty start to the day but its lovely...yesterday we had about 20 minutes of heavy snow which then disappeared as quickly as it came. Love the snow this time of the year but when you still have so much to do & it causes so many problems on the roads, its not that much fun!

Sleeping so heavy lately each morning I wake up with such a heavy head..as if I've got a stinking hangover so going to get out in the fresh air to see if it will clear!!

xxx

ps I just looked at the calendar & saw the date...Janet you must be about 7 months now?!

[ThreeDogNight]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Good morning, everyone!

Glad to "meet' you, Ishy! I need to go back and re-read the posts to know you better. I usuallly post on monthly Abs, but love this group here.

Janet, if it's seven months--WOW!:goodjob: I "slipped" at about 6 1/2 months, and do NOT want that to happen again! You are really an inspiration--all of you here are.

Janice, I wake with a slight headache and also feel hungover in the morning. It's only 13 days today, so I know it will pass, and am just grateful that it isn't a REAL hangover

Probably won't do the banoffee pie until the weekend, because we already have a few desserts for the psrty tomorrow night, and I already committed to the madeleine trifle. Have to get a start on that when I get home tonight. Also have to make a big salad. But the pie is on my list to try!

More things to deal with in trying to get my license back, but accomplished a couple of things yesterday. Financially, this has been--and continues to be- huge. But I am focusing on the positive!

Hope you all have a great AF day!

TDN

[planetjanet]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Hello Everyone,

Just a quick post before heading to bed......

Nothing really to report...work is going well, doggie is doing great and I am getting through the holidays. It's going to be tough to experience spending it alone again but I tell ya it's going to mean alot more to me this time because I will be AF...wahoooo!! I am looking forward to the long holiday weekends (we get Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve & New Yeas Day off) to catch up on personal stuff that I need to start working on, so that I can start the New Year with a BANG!!!


Anywho, bed time for now....will check back in this weekend : )

Hugs,
Janet
AF Day 225

[ThreeDogNight]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Good morning, everyone.

Janet, your job sure sounds very busy, but that's not a bad thing But I can understand how you are looking forward to time off at the holidays. Do you have some friends there to spend Christmas with? You have your sweet doggy We are usually alone on that day, as my sister is two hours away and it's too difficult for us to go there with the dogs. And she has a 13 yr old daughter and they want to be home. We are supposed to have some friends over, as it's the first Chrstmas that they'll be alone, but still not sure.

Janice, made the banoffee pie last night, after what started as a fiasco with my red velvet madeleines. I forgot to mix in the dry ingedients, and only noticed after the pans were ready to come out of the oven:upset: OMG! But usually I'd have a melt down over that, and this time I just laughed. Made a complete mess of the kitchen--red food coloring all over the place--but got them done and then made the banoffee pie. Followed a recipe from the Internet and the graham cracker crust used a LOT of butter and sugar, and it is sticking a bit to the glass pie plate, but it's just for Mr TDN mostly, so no problem. It was amazing to me how that can of milk turned to caramel just by boiling! Anyway, I won't use the amount of butter in the crust next time, but ill surely make the pie again. :thanks: This a.m. I have to put the trifle together with the madeleines so it can sit all day before the party. Only thing I don't have is raspberry liqueur, but it should be fine without it.

Think I've had enough sugar for a while:H

Off to get moving on making the trifle, then off to work. Party tonight, and I ill have my sparkling diet cranberry. I heard the discussion of what drinks will be served, and my friend sweetly asked if I minded if the others would be drinking. They'll have a drink or two, whereas I'd be drinking before, during and after!! Not this time!

Hope you all have a great AF day!

TDN

[Balboa45]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Hi Everyone, just checking in as I prepare for a week working in Chicago starting Monday. Today is AF 25 for me and a total of 183 for the year. Right now I'm planning to exit my current program and have a couple beers with my family who will be visiting from New Zealand for Christmas upon my return. Then right back on the AF train so I can get my record of 200 days in 2012.

Thinking about setting a goal of 220 days next year.

Thanks for the support.

P.S. Three Dog Night, I drink diet cranberry right out of a 2 quart bottle every day while ridin the exercise bike, great for the kidneys and doesn't hurt the old liver either

[Janice]

Anyone Up For 30 Day AF

Hi everyone..gorgeous morning in the Uk here today...bright & cold with a lovely nip in the air.
TDN I had a little chuckle reading your post imagining your kitchen!!! I'm sure the madeleines will be beautiful! Hope the party went well last night and that it wasnt too hard for you. Look forward to hearing all about it!

Janet hope you get some rest this weekend...I am tired just reading your posts lol!!

Hi Balboa, big Congratulations on your 25 days AF!! I am a little worried though to read about your "plan" but you sound very confident that you can get back on the AF path after "a couple of beers". I hope things work out for you. Have a lovely time with your family.

Enjoying some time to myself this afternoon...might get some Christmas wrapping done. Its no coincedence that this year I am more organised than ever for Christmas (and I've already cooked one Christmas Dinner lol!!!) and its so lovely enjoying the whole buildup rather than rushing round like a headless chicken....or should I say a sloshed headless chicken!! There's no comparison to the despair I've felt other years.

Have a grt day everyone..will check back later. xx