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A Safe Thanksgiving

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:17:45 +0000

I hate to be a downer, but I'd like to interrupt our reveries of turkey and pumpkin pie with a little public service message - be safe this Thanksgiving! This means thawing and cooking the turkey in such a way that it won't be contaminated with bacteria (check out the NSF's tips on safe turkey handling. Also, be aware that Thanksgiving day has the highest number of kitchen fires, many caused by unattended pots and pans on the stove. These fire safety tips will help you ensure that your meal (and your house!) will not go up in flames.

A Safe Thanksgiving originally appeared on About.com Cooking Equipment on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009 at 03:17:45.

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Thanksgiving-Worthy Side Dishes

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:46:28 +0000

If you're still looking for a few side dishes to serve for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, here are a few great options. Best of all, they all travel well, so even if you're not hosting, they are great options to bring if your hostess has asked you to bring a side dish:

Spelt and Roasted Squash Salad - this is great served warm, and can also be made a day or two ahead.
Potatoes au Gratin - use a mandoline slicer to quickly make perfect, thin slices of potatoes to layer in this dish.
Braised Turnips - delicious and unexpected.
Crockpot Cornbread Stuffing - Stays nice and warm in the slow cooker til dinner is served.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Bread Pudding - a nice alternative to pie.

Thanksgiving-Worthy Side Dishes originally appeared on About.com Cooking Equipment on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 03:46:28.

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What's on Your Thanksgiving Dinner Menu?

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:37:52 +0000

Thanksgiving is only a few short days away - have you finalized your menu yet? Share with others what's on your Thanksgiving menu this year - what's new, and what dishes are traditional must-haves?

Answer my survey: What's on your Thanksgiving Menu?

What's on Your Thanksgiving Dinner Menu? originally appeared on About.com Cooking Equipment on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009 at 03:37:52.

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How to Butterfly a Turkey Breast

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:33:29 +0000

If you're not expecting a huge crowd for Thanksgiving dinner, then cooking up a turkey breast, rather than a whole bird, might be a good option for you. And one elegant way of preparing it is to butterfly it, which allows you to roll the breast up with a filling, which can both moisten and flavor the meat. Check out my step by step instructions for how to butterfly a turkey breast, and try the technique out with recipes like Pesto Turkey Breast Roulade.

How to Butterfly a Turkey Breast originally appeared on About.com Cooking Equipment on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 15:33:29.

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Recipe for Fluffy Pumpkin Pie With Walnuts

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:02:45 +0000

A big slice of pumpkin pie is one of the things I most look forward to on Thanksgiving Day. For years, my family served the version made from the recipe on the back of the pumpkin can, but this year I want to try something a little new. This recipe for Fluffy Pumpkin Pie With Walnuts is perfect; it has all the classic flavors you've come to expect, but whipped egg whites give it a fluffier texture, while the richness of the pumpkin is enhanced with maple, vanilla and brown sugar. I used homemade pumpkin puree (Here's how to cook pumpkins) but it would be just as good with the canned pumpkin. Yum!

Recipe for Fluffy Pumpkin Pie With Walnuts originally appeared on About.com Cooking Equipment on Sunday, November 15th, 2009 at 22:02:45.

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Free Shipping at King Arthur Flour (Ends Tomorrow!)

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:59:12 +0000

If you need to stock up on baking ingredients and supplies for the holidays, now's a good time to do it - King Arthur Flour is offering free shipping on orders over $75, until midnight tomorrow (November 12). Unfortunately, the deal doesn't include appliances and their attachments or cookbooks, but it does include other cooking equipment, such baking pans, gadgets and the beautiful "bake and give" paper baking pans, which can give your baked goods a professional look. As for me, I'm on a pie-making kick now that I've mastered a super-easy pie crust (See my Basic Pie Crust Recipe), so I might buy a new rolling pin and rolling pin rings, which can help you roll out your dough to an even thickness, something I always have trouble with.

Free Shipping at King Arthur Flour (Ends Tomorrow!) originally appeared on About.com Cooking Equipment on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 12:59:12.

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New Flagship Cook's Warehouse Opening in Atlanta

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:07:49 +0000

If you live in Atlanta, or if you plan to visit anytime soon, you won't want to miss the new Cook's Warehouse flagship store, opening at Ansley Mall in Midtown. It's going to have the largest recreational cooking school in the Southeast, as well as 15,000 kitchen-related products and three separate kitchen setups (one of which is the country's second-largest Miele-equipped kitchens).

Even if you're nowhere near Atlanta, you can still enjoy shopping on the store's website; the store offers a price-match guarantee and shipping is free on orders over $49.

New Flagship Cook's Warehouse Opening in Atlanta originally appeared on About.com Cooking Equipment on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 13:07:49.

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How to Cook a Pumpkin from Scratch

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:42:23 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I was in the baking goods aisle of my supermarket and couldn't find any cans of pumpkin for the pumpkin bread I wanted to make. Later, my sister in law told me that she'd learned that there apparently is a pumpkin shortage this year. Manufacturers claim that by Thanksgiving, shelves should be stocked, but I don't plan to take any chances. When we made our annual pilgrimage to the pumpkin patch before Halloween, I stocked up on a few pie pumpkins to cook my own pumpkin puree.

Cooking pumpkins from scratch may sound daunting, but it's really not that difficult or time-consuming. And your Thanksgiving guests will be duly impressed that you made your pie from "real" pumpkins! My step-by-step instructions will show you a foolproof method for how to cook a pumpkin.

How to Cook a Pumpkin from Scratch originally appeared on About.com Cooking Equipment on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 16:42:23.

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Cute Fall Serving Pieces at Pfaltzgraff

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:36:21 +0000

If you're looking for pretty serving pieces to dress up your dinner table for Thanksgiving, or any time this fall, Pfaltzgraff has some great options. I love the Plymouth dinnerware collection, with its harvest motif of pumpkins, squash, acorns and leaves. The Pfaltzgraff Plymouth Pie Server (Compare prices) is a great option if your metal pie pans are a little worse for the wear - just pop the whole pie, pan and all, into the server for a gorgeous presentation at the dessert table.

New pieces in the Pfaltzgraff Plymouth collection this year include a celery-shaped dish, a a squash-shaped vegetable bowl and a covered squash-shaped serving bowl. They look almost as delicious as whatever you put inside will look!

Image courtesy PriceGrabber.

Cute Fall Serving Pieces at Pfaltzgraff originally appeared on About.com Cooking Equipment on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 16:36:21.

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Why do you love to cook?

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:12:46 +0000

Chances are, if you frequent this site, you love to cook. And with all the cooks I've met over the years, no two stories are the same about why they have a passion for cooking, where they learned how to cook, and what their favorite dishes are to make.

So I'd like to hear from you: Why do you love to cook?

For inspiration, check out some of the answers that readers have already submitted about why they love to cook.

Why do you love to cook? originally appeared on About.com Cooking Equipment on Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 at 11:12:46.

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