If this still seems like too much work, why not try a cookie swap, where you bake several batches of one recipe, and then trade with friends?

Even among stuffing-lovers, there is a disagreement over what is the best thanksgiving stuffing. Your stuffing choice is a difficult decision. Should you go with a traditional bread stuffing (How to Make Bread Stuffing) or look for something different to spice up your meal? It’s a tough call–not everyone will appreciate a break from tradition–but it could be the one thing to make your dinner memorable.

Rice stuffing, fruit stuffing and potato stuffing are three great ideas to add a little extra flavor to the stuffing tradition. Take a look at the great article, How to Make Turkey Stuffing for ideas and recipies. There are some more great ideas in the guides How to Make Chestnut Stuffing and How to Make Leek and Wild Mushroom Stuffing. Some other delicious ideas are oyster stuffing, cornbread stuffing and sausage stuffing. Whichever stuffing-recipe you pick, the it is sure to be your guests’ favorite part of your holiday meal.

Every time I go into my kitchen to cook I remember the words of my parents telling me “A recipe is just a guideline, change one or two elements and you have something new and exciting”. This is something that most people are terrified to do. Creating new recipes can be a overwhelming but it is a lot easier than most would think.

We all do it. Make a meal from a recipe and then while eating wonder to yourself “What if I add this, or change that?” The key is to not be afraid to try those things. This is something I do rather regularly while making any meal for my family. So I have a few tips to make the journey into the unknown a little easier.

• Never change or add more than two elements at a time. This is probably the most important thing to remember because if you start changing or adding too many ingredients you could have a disaster on you hands.
• Start slowly. If it is your first time experimenting with a recipe don’t start adding off the wall ingredients. Make your changes small and complementary to your main ingredient.
• Don’t mess with the untouchables. If you are wanting to experiment with any recipes that involve baking soda, salt, yeast, or baking powder you MUST NOT MESS WITH THEM!!! Those ingredients are there to create a chemical reaction, normally for leavening, so until you truly understand how those reactions work DON’T TOUCH THEM!
• Complement don’t challenge. Every recipe has a main ingredient, some times two. This is the star, the diva and like real life divas that love to get complements and hate sharing the limelight. It is important to make changes that support your main ingredient and help it shine. Don’t add anything that will compete with that diva, it could end up being very bad.
• Don’t be afraid to fail. Bottom line is that when changing recipes there is a good chance that you could end up with something that not even the dog will eat. It’s a fact of life that sometimes you have to fail, that’s how you eventually succeed.

So maybe you are thinking instead of the traditional cream soup in your green bean casserole you want to try salsa and a little bacon instead. Or maybe you want to add a few parsnips to your mashed potatoes and french onion soup. Give it a shot, try it out before the big dinner so that you can refine as necessary. You never know you may create a new family favorite.

Amazingly, Thanksgiving is just on the horizon. Yet, I have barely finished picking goodies from my son’s Halloween stash. Nevertheless, it’s getting close to that time to start making family gathering plans and dinner menus. During this time of year, I think it is especially important to focus on family both past and present.

I can’t help but reminisce about my days in Louisiana as a child. My grandmother would rise at dawn to start the daunting task of cooking Thanksgiving dinner for the family. Even now, I can remember the sweet smell of the sweet potato pies mixing with the savory aroma of pineapple glazed ham. It was a very special time that I’ll never forget. Now that I’m a mom, I want to hand my own unique spin on the holidays down to my son and grandchildren to come.

As someone who loves to experience new things, I feel that some times it’s just fun to reach outside one’s comfort zone and break tradition. Check out these How to Make a Soul Food Thanksgiving Meal and How to Make a Puerto Rican Thanksgiving Meal pages to learn some delicious recipes that you may have never tried before. Who knows? You just may add a new dish to your traditional Thanksgiving meal.

This Post is Optimized…

Did you notice that I’ve optimized this post with the keyword “internet writing”? Maybe, maybe not. How many times have you read an optimized blog post only to feel that it missed something? It takes practice to be able to insert keywords into your writing so that it reads in an interesting way.

However, this is a skill worth developing. A well optimized post will get people to your blog, articles, and how-to pages. Good writing on top of that will get them to come back.

Good Internet Writing Has a Voice

Bad internet writing looks like it could have been written by a robot. There’s no personality, no life. But good writing is one that shows the writer’s personality. You don’t need to write in the first person to achieve this either. It could be in the second or third person.

What’s really important is that the writing reads in a conversational tone of voice when writing online and this applies to articles, web pages, how-to’s, and blog posts. If people wanted to read an encyclopedia entry they’d go to the library for information. When people search on the internet they are looking for something that is both informative and also entertaining.

So when writing for the internet, remember to follow the rules of good SEO. However, don’t forget to breathe life into your writing by letting your own unique voice shine through. Even the most informative internet writing should also be entertaining and a joy to read. Then when you work to build traffic to your page, people will want to stay.

What’s not to love? All that melted cheese and great toppings… mmm!

AOL recently had an article for a month of pizzas. Who could eat pizza for a whole month? Well, if you do it right, you could! And you could still get a healthy meal out of it.

Keeping things fresh is the key here. Try some new pizza recipes and make them yourself. Let’s face it, trying to pay for a month of pizza take-out just isn’t in the budget for most people, even with pizza coupons! You might find you like making your own pizza so much after a whole month of eating pizza that you want your own backyard pizza oven.

If you don’t know how to make pizza, that is where you start… the basics of pizza making.

How To Toss Pizza Dough

Once you get that under your belt, so to speak, try some different recipes to mix things up, like vegetarian pizza or grilled pizza.

And while you are at it… don’t forget your dessert pizza!

Tell us what kind of pizza YOU like!

The first thing you may want to consider is your main course. Do you go with the traditional Thanksgiving turkey, or maybe another meat like ham? Check out how to pick out a Thanksgiving turkey and how to cook a Thanksgiving ham when you’re considering your selection of meat.

After you’ve chosen your main course you may want to brush up on how to pick wine for Thanksgiving. Next, you’ll want to consider what sides you’ll be serving. Cranberry sauce and Thanksgiving cornbread dressing are wonderful traditional sides. You can always buy a prepared version at the store, but don’t be afraid to learn how to make cranberry sauce.

You’ll want to be sure not to forget any special dietary needs or preferences of your guests. Read how to survive Thanksgiving on a diet to get tips on what foods you should provide for those trying to stick to their weight loss plans, yet still enjoy the holiday feast. Vegetarian Thanksgiving recipies are available on the internet and provide a wide range of ideas for vegetarian fare for the holiday.

Desserts can be the best part of your Thanksgiving dinner and Mahalo has a great article on how to decorate Thanksgiving cupcakes. When planning dinner, you’ll want to make sure you have plenty of food. Having leftover food is always better than leaving your guests hungry. Check out how to store leftover turkey. So, what do you do with the leftovers? There are plenty of creative ideas about how to prepare Thanksgiving leftovers. You’re sure to find a delicious way to make use of your extras.

Thanksgiving prep may seem like a lot of work, but with a little preparation now, you can make your Thanksgiving dinner go better than you ever imagined.

And if you are a fan of Potato Soup, enjoy.

Potato Soup

3 slices of bacon (pork or turkey) chopped
2-3 medium sized onions, diced
2-3 cups filtered water
2 cups low sodium chicken stock
2-3 pounds russet or yukon gold potatoes, diced
1 cup low-fat milk
3 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot brown bacon until crispy over medium heat. Add onion and sautee until clear. Add water, chicken stock and potatoes and boil until potatoes are fork tender. Reduce heat and add milk and butter, mash majority of potatoes with masher or stick blender to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

What a great time to get into the kitchen and cook up some fun! Autumn brings with it a number of great foods, fresh from the harvest. Just the thought of it brings images of pumpkin and corn, with the smell of cinnamon and spices in the air.

Mmmm... Family, Friends and Food! Great Combination!

Breakfast is first on the menu… with scrambled eggs or maybe buttermilk pancakes.

With the temperatures dropping, coffee is great any time of day… it is warm, and with all the variations out there every coffee lover should find something to satisfy… from espresso, to frappuccino,  or even caffe latte or cafe macchiato. If you are one of those that has never been able to make a decent cup of coffee, try these coffee making tips.

For lunch or supper you might like a tasty chili as the days get cooler, or possibly lasagna, or even a traditional meatloaf.

Fresh Lasagna on a Cool Day... Yum!

Some might like to make their own garlic bread… start with your own homemade french bread, then top with fresh garlic butter and toast. Voila! A tasty compliment to your meal.

And what kind of Fall feast would it be without desserts?

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Fudge are both tried and true crowd pleasers… for variety, why not try peanut butter fudge?

If you are planning on making pies, it is an absolute must to start with a great crust. This pie crust recipe promises to be flawless!

A Perfect Pie Begins With A Perfect Crust

And if you’ve never made an apple pie, it is not as hard as you think… try this recipe which claims to be the best apple pie ever!

Sponge cake is a needed ingredient for some recipes, and it is great on its own too! just top with buttercream icing or fruit and whipped cream. Yum!

Use Fresh Apples For Great Results!

For the chocolate lovers, try this chocolate mousse recipe; and a traditional rice pudding might be just what you are looking for this fall.
…and since apples are going to be in season all autumn long, you might like to try making either caramel apples or candy apples for a real fall sweet treat!

No matter what you decide you want to try out, get someone to help! Children love to help in the kitchen, and many a great conversation has transpired during a marathon cooking session in a warm, inviting kitchen!