1976 WW Thanksgiving Dinner

[Guest guest]

I was doing the 27-Fling Boogie (Flylady.com) and cleaning off my bookshelf in preparation for my company this past weekend and what did I spy with my little eye, but a forgotten Weight Watchers cookbook. I had picked this book up a couple of years ago for a dime at a yard sale. (Guess I already 'knew' I was going to come into the fold even if I wasn't ready to accept it for another couple of years).

Sticking out of the book (copyright 1966) was an interesting orange paper -- the 1976 Thanksgiving Menu from the North-Central Illinois area. The publication information says " Felice Lippert Bulletin No. 282. "

Remember WW was a completely different creature back then. I thought this might help someone plan his or her Thanksgiving feast. I¹ve calculated the POINTS based on the following recipes (I made some POINTS-friendly substitutions which are reflected in the recipe). It may possible to reduce POINTS with further substitutions.

BREAKFAST: 2 POINTS TOTAL

1 cup Tomato Juice (ZERO POINTS)

1 oz. Ready-to-eat Cereal (1 POINTS)

1/2 cup Skim Milk (1 POINT)

Beverage

LUNCH: 4 POINTS TOTAL

Tuna Salad (3 POINTS)

4 oz. tuna in water

1 1/2 tsp. fat-free mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. chopped celery on lettuce

1/2 medium dill pickle

1 slice reduced-calorie 100% whole wheat Toast (.5 POINT)

1/2 medium grapefruit (.5 POINT)

Beverage

SNACK: (Afternoon) 2 POINTS

Chocolate " Egg Creme "

1/2 cup(s) 2% reduced-fat milk

2 tbsp. lite chocolate syrup

1 cup(s) seltzer

DINNER: THANKSGIVING MENU 16 POINTS not including turkey

Spiced Mixed Fruit

" Creamed " Leek Soup

Roast Turkey with Sage Dressing

Spinach topped with Tomatoes

Frosted Lettuce Wedges

Pumpkin-Pineapple Pie with whipped topping

SNACK: (Evening) 1/2 POINT

1/2 cup strawberries

SPICED MIXED FRUIT

12 frozen apricot halves

1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Artificial Sweetener equal to 6 tsp. sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. rosemary

2 medium apples, cored and sliced

2 medium oranges, peeled and sectioned

Defrost apricots in a bowl. Drain juice from apricots into a small saucepan; add water, lemon juice, sweetener, cinnamon sticks, cloves and rosemary. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes or until syrupy. Remove from heat and cool. Strain syrup into bowl over apricots and discard spices. Add remaining fruit; mix well; cover and chill. To serve, divide fruit into sherbet glasses.

Yield: 6 servings.

(2 POINTS)

" CREAMED " LEEK SOUP

6 cups chicken bouillon/broth

3 cups frozen cauliflower florets

12 oz. leeks (white part only) thinly sliced

1/2 cup freshly chopped parsley

1 Tbsp. dehydrated onion flakes

1 1/2 cups evaporated skimmed milk

Salt and white pepper to taste

Dash nutmeg

Parsley sprigs

In a large saucepan, bring first five ingredients to a boil. Lower heat; simmer until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Place vegetables and 1 cup liquid into blender container, reserving remaining liquid; process until smooth. Return to saucepan with reserved liquid. Add milk and seasonings; reheat but do not boil. Divide evenly into bowls. Garnish with parsley.

Yield: 6 servings.

(9 POINTS)

ROAST TURKEY

Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, uncovered, in a slow (325 degree F) oven, allowing 20 minutes per pound for a bird under 12 pounds and about 15 minutes per pound if larger; or insert meat thermometer into center of inner thigh muscle without touching bone; until thermometer registers 180-185 degrees F. Baste every half hour with mixture of dehydrated onion flakes, dehydrated bell pepper flakes, and chopped celery cooked in 2 cups chicken bouillon. Remove all skin and weigh portions.

(POINTS depends on SERVING WEIGHT)

SAGE DRESSING

3 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced

3 cups frozen French-style string beans, thawed and finely chopped

1 cup diced celery

2 Tbsp. dehydrated onion flakes

2 cups chicken bouillon

1 tsp. sage

Freshly ground pepper to taste

6 slices day-old reduced-calorie white bread, made into 1/2-inch cubes*

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium saucepan, cook mushrooms, string beans, celery and onion flakes in bouillon, until vegetables are tender and liquid has reduced to 1/2 cup. Add sage and pepper. Gently fold in bread and place in a 2 1/2 cup ovenproof casserole treated with a release agent (PAM?). Cover and bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. For drier stuffing, remove cover for the last 5-7 minutes. Divide evenly.

Yield: 6 servings.

(3 POINTS)

* If using fresh bread, place on baking sheet in a very slow oven (250 degrees F) for 15-20 minutes or until dry.

SPINACH TOPPED TOMATOES

3 cups frozen chopped spinach

1/2 packet instant chicken broth and seasoning mix

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Salt to taste

3 medium tomatoes, sliced in half crosswise

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook spinach according to package directions. Strain and place spinach in a medium bowl. Season with broth mix, nutmeg, and salt. Arrange tomato halves; cut side up, on a baking sheet. Top each tomato half with 1/6 of the spinach mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tomato is soft, but holds its shape. Arrange on a platter around Roast Turkey.

Yield: 6 servings.

(ZERO POINTS)

FROSTED LETTUCE WEDGES

3/4 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. water

3 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise

3 Tbsp. tomato puree

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1 large head iceberg lettuce cut into 6 wedges

Dissolve chili powder in water in small bowl. Combine mayonnaise, tomato juice and garlic salt with chili powder mixture. Mix until smooth; let stand at least 30 minutes. Just before serving, divide evenly and pour over lettuce wedges.

Yield: 6 servings, about 3 1/4 tsp. each.

(ZERO POINTS)

PUMPKIN-PINEAPPE PIE

1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks, in juice

1 Tbsp. unflavored gelatin (Knox)

Water

12 oz. canned pumpkin

1 cup nonfat dry milk

1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Artificial sweetener equal to 4 tsp. sugar, or to taste

Drain pineapple, reserving liquid. Pour 1/4 cup pineapple juice into blender containers, add gelatin and let soften. Combine water with remaining pineapple juice to make 1/4 cup. Place in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour into blender container; process for 30 seconds or until gelatin dissolves. Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Pour into a 9-inch non-stick pie pan or one treated with a release agent. Tap pan on counter several times to release air bubbles. Refrigerate until set. Top with Whipped topping*. Divide evenly.

Yield: 6 servings.

(2 POINTS)

*WHIPPED TOPPING

1 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin

2 Tbsp. cold water

1/4 cup boiling water

1/3 cup nonfat dry milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

4-6 ice cubes

Put cold water into blender container, add gelatin and let soften. Add boiling water; process until gelatin dissolves. Add dry milk and extract; process to combine; add ice cubes, one at a time, and process until mixture thickens. Use with Pumpkin-Pineapple Pie.

(ZERO POINTS)

--

Don¹t lower your expectations to meet your performance;

raise your level of performance to meet your expectations.

Expect the best of yourself and then do what is necessary

to make it a reality!