Are you breathing a sigh of relief?
Now that you’ve survived the Thanksgiving holiday, you know there are only a few more weeks until Christmas.
But that’s the challenge, isn’t it?
By the time you read this, the Thanksgiving feast will be over.
And, if you’re like most of us, you likely have a bounty of leftovers to enjoy during the next few days.
Are you wondering what to do with those leftovers?
Well, if you’ve signed up for my FREE Holiday Gift “38 Ways to be Gloriously Gluten-Free Thru the Holidays & Beyond” you’re already well on your way.
(And if you haven’t signed up yet – no worries. This FREE Holiday Gift is available to you anytime during the holidays. Yes, there’s still time, even if you’ve missed out on the beginning!)
In my own home, Thanksgiving was a bit different this year.
Instead of hosting the annual feast, I was delighted to be an invited guest at someone else’s home.
Although, the prospect of a traditional holiday feast prepared by strangers did give me pause.
What would be safe for me to eat?
If you’re receiving the FREE Holiday Gift this week, you’ve been reading about some of these concerns in your daily tips.
Trust me, it can be an on-going journey learning to navigate the pitfalls!
My biggest concern was that the star of the meal – the Thanksgiving turkey – would likely not be gluten-free, due to injected bastings and seasonings, and a traditional Bread Stuffing.
So, I resigned myself to “getting by” with a few offerings of my own, including a yummy Rice & Pecan Stuffing and a gluten-free dessert.
That’s the great thing about potluck dinners, by the way – you do have some control over the menu – as long as you contribute one or two items acceptable for your special diet, that others can enjoy as well.
(Oh, wait – I just gave away one of my Daily Tips!)
It’s always a good idea to contact the hostess ahead of time, which I’m happy to report I did.
And I was delighted to learn that:
- The turkey would be gluten-free
- The bread stuffing would be prepared separately, and not roasted inside the bird, per the hostess’s request
- There would be a choice of side dishes that were also safe to eat
- She was more than happy to provide dairy and egg-free offerings, as well
- She was delighted by my offer to bring a salad and a gluten-free dessert, along with whatever else I wanted to round out the meal
When I hung up the phone, I felt elated.
In the end, I decided to bring a small portion of my Rice & Pecan Stuffing, along with a big green salad.
Of course, I wasn’t about to pass up dessert.
I came across this lovely idea for apple pie baked in a mason jar (!) – from Elana Amsterdam’s article in the November/December issue of Gluten-Free Living magazine, as well as here).
Not only was it delicious, it traveled really well. (Seeing that it was baked in a cute little jar with it’s own screw-top lid).
I like to think I was the envy of the party.
In summary, here are the 3 biggest take-aways:
- Always bring something to the party that you can safely enjoy
- Call the hostess ahead of time to give her a ‘heads up’ about your special diet
- Sign up for my Free Holiday Guide ““38 Ways to be Gloriously Gluten-Free Thru the Holidays & Beyond”
What additional advice would you like to share?
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