2010 November :: Une Vie Saine

Archive for November 2010

Carb Heaven

by Gabriela

November 28th, 2010

Though I know I already went on about my love affair with my graduating class, you’re going to have to humor me one more time J This evening, I met up with a few girls at Bertucci’s, home of the best rolls ever.

Seriously, if you’ve never been to Bertucci’s because of the chain-restaurant stigma, you’re missing out. These things are carb heaven- crusty, sweet outsides and perfectly fluffy, doughy, piping-hot insides. Bliss. I had two.

As my entrée, I decided to go with the unlimited soup-and-salad combo. I had two servings of house salad:

And a bowl of Tuscan minestrone soup:

I have to say that I forgot how good Italian salad dressing is. I tend to use simpler dressings like oil and vinegar, humnut sauce or hummus because they have more nutrients and staying power, but every once in awhile the good old-fashioned Kraft stuff is awesome.

It was a fun, casual dinner.

We passed on dessert, so when I got home I had a handful of delicious dark chocolate covered walnuts and a small slice of Amaretto pound cake.

Down to the last 70 pages of Harry Potter. Hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend!

What’s the best bread you’ve ever had?

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Thanksgiving II

by Gabriela

November 27th, 2010

Last night, I went to a second Thanksgiving dinner that probably beat the first in terms of company and conversation. I love my family, but there’s nothing better than a five-hour gossip sesh with friends you haven’t seen in months.

A large group of girls from my high school congregated at my friend Julia’s house for Thanksgiving II, a tradition that began last year. Here’s to many more years to come!

Our hostess with the mostest:

It’s safe to say that everyone in my graduating class was a serious foodie, so the spread was no joke.

There was a turkey:

Two trays of stuffing:

Baguette with brie and prosciutto:

Plain ol’ mashed taters:

Mashers with blue cheese:

My contribution, Angela’s sweet potato casserole:

Spinach salad:

As well as several other sides I didn’t snap, including cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, another kind of stuffing, bacon and cider.

Since I’d made myself quite sick with all the pecans, Earth Balance, maple syrup and potatoes I’d ingested while preparing the casserole, I kept my dinner plate light: regular mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, cranberry sauce and salad. That was fine by me though, because it left plenty of room for dessert J

There were holiday cookies:

Perfectly decorated sugar cookies:

Pilgrims, look!!

Mini Oreo cheesecakes:

Petit fours:

Dulche de leche atop bread pudding:

And a pecan and pumpkin pie I didn’t catch. I had about four sugar cookies, a mini cheesecake, two petit fours, several spoonfuls of dulche de leche and a few slivers of pecan pie. Guf. Sugar overload, but it tasted sooo good!

While eating, I had the honor of chatting with some of my favorite ladies.

We even brought out Skype to see friends abroad!

My high school was a very special place to me, and will always hold a huge piece of my heart. There were 84 girls in my graduating class, and we had the strange but most amazing connection with one another. Being weird wasn’t weird, it was embraced and only made you a better person. It’s a feeling I know I’ll never be able to replicate exactly with those outside of our class, but I treasure it so much!

Is there a group of people besides your family that you feel “at home” with? I definitely feel most at home with my high school friends, but it’s amazing how quickly I’ve come to feel “at home” with the blogging friends I’ve made!

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My Thanksgiving.

by Gabriela

November 26th, 2010

Yesterday I…

Did not take any photos.

Made Angela’s “This Ain’t Grandma’s Sweet Potato Casserole” (which I really wish I’d taken a photo of).

Got to see half of my extended family for the first time in months.

Ate two helpings of said sweet potatoes, along with green bean casserole, salad, mashed potatoes, corn, cheesy broccoli and a dinner roll.

Saved room for a massive dessert that included chocolates, apple pie, carrot cake, butter cookies, dough balls, pecan pie and chocolate-covered pretzels.

Gave thanks for the many wonderful family, friends and blends God blesses me with each and every day.