Quick Fix Dinner

By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

Tomorrow, 11 people will be showing up on my doorstep to stay for four days and many meals. One of the meals is the big turkey day; the rest involves several breakfasts and lunches. So tonight, I am a cookin’ fool.

Right now I have a stock simmering away, cornbread cooling and am in dire need to get my pie dough made, as it is 6:30 p.m. and I have to get some early shuteye. The house is relatively clean, at least for now. Dishwasher is full with a sink full of dishes yet to load. I could use a kitchen fairy about right now to cook me up some rocket fuel to make it through the night.

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You won’t Miss the Turkey with this Stuffed Squash

By Jennifer Knapp
A new video for Video Friday

I love Thanksgiving, because it’s the one holiday where the entire country comes together to prepare a meal with friends and family. Many people have their own ways to cook the turkey and make the mashed potatoes and stuffing, but sometimes, it’s fun to mix it up and add in a new recipe that complements your traditional standbys.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Quinoa, Feta and Apple is an impressive and beautiful addition to your Thanksgiving table. It’s a side dish that features fall ingredients such as winter squash, crunchy apples, juicy pomegranate seeds and freshly-harvested walnuts. And if you are hosting some non-meat eaters at your table, this delicious recipe is hearty enough to serve as a vegetarian main course.

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A Simple Fall Salad

By Marilyn Hunter
For The Family Table, a blog for busy families

With Thanksgiving around the corner, it’s time to indulge in our favorite comfort foods. And with a large, decadent meal like Thanksgiving, a simple salad makes the perfect accompaniment.

This salad is simplicity defined. It was inspired by our friend, Vicki, who’s a pro at tossing a little of “this and that” together to make a healthy, delicious dinner in a snap.

Since there’s very little vinegar in the dressing, it also makes a wonderful companion to wine. Use caution when seasoning with salt as different brands of pecorino cheese have varying degrees of saltiness.

To get the recipe and shopping list on your smartphone (iPhone, BlackBerry, Android device) or PC, click here.

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Cranberry Memories

By Lori Powell
For One or Two Bites, a blog for singles and couples

Thanksgiving is a food person’s special holiday! How could it not be? It’s all about sharing great food – and lots of it – with family. What’s not to like?

Okay, okay, there are some things that are not to like but let’s forgo the drama for at least one week and enjoy and embrace the holiday and each other.

My favorite part of the meal is dark turkey meat, crispy skin, stuffing made from day-old, cut-up bread or cornbread ; a root vegetable gratin; creamed onions like the kind my mother makes with the jarred onions. (I know, not so PC!)

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A Supreme-ly Easy Thanksgiving Side

All this week, Special Fork bloggers will highlight Thanksgiving with tips, tricks and recipes for your holiday, culminating on Video Friday with a stuffed delicata squash demo, the perfect Thanksgiving main dish for vegetarians and a wonderful side for everyone else. For more recipes, visit our Special Fork database of recipes. Use the keyword, “Thanksgiving,” for your search.

By Katie Barreira
For Cooking Newbie, a blog for beginner cooks

If the closest thing to a raw vegetable on your Thanksgiving table is a plate of celery sticks stuffed with olive cream cheese, then maybe you know how I feel. What I miss most on this day of soporific turkey, bread stuffing and green bean casserole is some nice, fresh produce. The crisp texture and bright acidity of a seasonal salad make it the perfect palate-cleansing antidote. One refreshing bite and you’ll be ready to dive back into those potatoes!

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