I've just learned that there are 30 days, 15 hours and 57 minutes until Christmas...that leaves me only a few seconds to talk about Thanksgiving before you're out shopping for gifts. Since I know the vast majority of you are going to be beyond busy these next few days, I'd like to help in some small way. Obviously, I'm limited with only a cyber connection...but I'll do what I can.For Day One, how about some cooking help? No, no extra hands available, but there is a cornucopia of web resources I can pass along. I have found that "Allrecipes.com" is a great website for recipes that you can count on without trying them ahead of time. BUT...the secret is to look for recipes that have been reviewed by numerous people with a 5-star rating. For example, this VERY simple recipe for a Thanksgiving Turkey has been reviewed and rated 5 out of 5 stars by nearly 700 people. For their Top 20 T-giving recipes, including pies and side dishes, click here.
Don't forget that you can check out my friend's developing website and homemaker's forum called Twig & Feather. There are already recipes posted, but I bet there will be special Thanksgiving recipes. (I did post my mom's Southern Pecan Pie recipe). I made the unforgettable Homemade Granola recipe the other day...I confess...I've eaten it plain, with yogurt, with milk, and craved it with Breyer's vanilla ice cream. It's near idolatry.
Now, no matter what you think about Martha Stewart, she has a "Thanksgiving Workshop" on her website that is pretty good. It helps you pick your menu, offer decorating tips, choices for centerpieces, how to set a table, and recipes for every single food you would want (and some you don't). I really like what Epicurious magazine did online-The Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide. I don't know what they missed as far as food is concerned and they offer a host of instructional videos for those of us who need to "see it" before we ruin it. :)
Finally, here's a link to "How To Freeze Anything" from Good Housekeeping Magazine online. If you have a host of leftovers and don't want to throw them out (after you've eaten 5 days of turkey and 6 pounds of stuffing), then GH offers a printable PDF chart for freezing fruits, veggies and meats. I've been buying things in bulk with the higher food prices and learned that properly freezing food has produced a huge savings for us overall.
If you don't happen to have HGTV, the Food Network, and all those yummy channels on cable, they are still posted on the web and you don't have to miss a thing. Just click here for their all-time favorite recipes.
I hope these little tidbits help. I spared you my opinions on cooking and all the homegrown KY recipes I have that necessitate bacon fat in nearly every dish but the pecan pie. (For the BEST pecan pie...instead of light Karo syrup, use dark and half the sugar called for). Sorry about that. I couldn't help myself.
