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Ways to Jazz Up Thanksgiving Leftovers

Last night my 5-year-old devoured so much Thanksgiving turkey she actually declined dessert. (Cue the choir of angels.) As hard as it is to believe, my little turkey was so stuffed from eating nutritious dishes that she actually passed on her favorite pumpkin pie. Thanks to my daughter’s voracious appetite, I have less leftover turkey than I had anticipated. (Cue the angels again.) Still, there’s some holiday bird left and I don’t plan to waste any of it. The leftovers will be used in other dishes that will be eaten in the coming days. If you are looking for ways … Continue reading →

Tis the Season to be Cooking with Cranberries

You may be sick of looking at cranberries right now, but don’t let your Thanksgiving hangover influence your taste for the tart fruit. I just got back from the grocery store where fresh cranberries are on sale $3 for 2 pounds. What a steal. I picked up two 1-pound bags and dug through my recipe book for ways to put them to good use. Here are the fresh cranberry goodies I plan to make this week: CRANBERRY CITRUS MUFFINS Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter or margarine 2 eggs 2 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Menu: Then and Now

Leave it to domestic diva Martha Stewart to school her own cooking guest about the dishes served up at the very first Thanksgiving dinner… on national TV. Did you see Stewart doling out her on-air corrections last week? Whereas I felt bad for the visiting chef, I did learn a lot about what was really on that first Thanksgiving menu. Did you know that the Thanksgiving holiday as we know it is only about 150 years old? Back in 1863, following a stalwart campaign by Sarah Josepha Hale (a writer best known for penning “Mary Had a Little Lamb”), then … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Recipes: Vegetables

As much as your children would rather you forget them all together, vegetables are a vital part of a traditional Thanksgiving spread. While my brother’s tot will happily munch on carrots sticks (drowned in Ranch dressing) as though he were part rabbit, my preschooler needs to be bribed to take even a nibble of the crunchy orange vegetable. This is why our family meals such as Thanksgiving must include a variety of veggie dishes. The first one I’m sharing with you is the only carrot recipe my daughter will eat. Once you scan the ingredients you’ll see why. The second … Continue reading →

Not Your Mama’s Thanksgiving Recipes

Back in my previous life as a TV journalist, I had the opportunity to cook with local “celebrity” chefs when they appeared on our morning show. I actually did more eating than cooking, but I learned some culinary tricks just the same. The holidays always included a steady stream of cooking segments featuring proud pro chefs whipping up unique dishes. The following is a sample of some of the recipes I saved from those segments. They’re nothing like my mom served us on Turkey Day, but boy were they popular with our studio crew. THANKSGIVING GRAVY Ingredients: 1 can cream … Continue reading →

More Kid-Friendly Thanksgiving Recipes

If you are hosting a house full of people on Thanksgiving the last thing you want to deal with is a gaggle of whiny children complaining about having to eat dishes they don’t like. The solution: Prepare a couple of kid-friendly recipes that you know your little ones will give thanks for having. The first recipe is a classic kid-friendly dish-—Macaroni and Cheese. The other recipe features marshmallows, Cool Whip and fresh cranberries in a sweet, fluffy dish that is proven crowd pleaser. I guarantee your young guests won’t be the only ones gobbling it up on Turkey Day. CLASSIC … Continue reading →

Low-Fat Recipes for Your Thanksgiving Feast

Believe it or not there are some Americans who don’t believe in stuffing themselves with buffet’s worth of calories on Thanksgiving. I don’t happen to be one of them. However, I am related to a very svelte sister-in-law who eats her entire Turkey Day meal from a single salad bowl. Whereas, this is not a practice I personally embrace, I certainly understand the method behind her madness. When you are hosting a house full of people with differing tastes and eating habits, it’s nearly impossible to please everyone. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to offer a few dishes that appeal … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Recipes: International Sides

Thanksgiving is one of those occasions where you don’t look like a cheapskate by asking others to contribute to the meal. This is especially true if you are hosting a ton of people from different backgrounds. My best friend of Japanese-Filipino descent married an Irish guy whose brother married a woman from Jamaica and whose sister married a half-German, half-Mexican man. Their Thanksgiving feasts are cornucopias of colorful and flavorful dishes representing various cultures. If your family is not as diverse you might consider making the following recipes. Both are easy to prepare and will go a long way to … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Recipes Your Kids Will Actually Eat

Let’s face it; young children don’t embrace Thanksgiving the same way they do Christmas. Turkey Day means less candy and more relatives looking to pinch cheeks–not exactly what most children would consider components of an ideal day. Still, since your offspring (and those of your siblings) are part of the family, it would behoove you to make a few dishes that cater to young taste buds. The following recipes are kid-friendly and don’t take much time to prepare. In addition, if you are super accommodating (like my mom) you may consider going above and beyond the call of duty by … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Recipes: Soda Pop Turkey

Coke is it when it comes to sweetening your bird this Thanksgiving. Sprite will work too, if you follow the recipe below. A week from today most of us will be gorging ourselves on turkey and all the fixings, but before we gather around the dining room table someone has to cook the Thanksgiving bird. If you are reading this blog, that “someone” is probably you. Of course, not everyone will be creating a Thanksgiving feast for dozens of extended family members. Some clans celebrate the holiday with an intimate gathering of just a few very close loved ones. In … Continue reading →