Thanksgiving

Why You Should Start Planning Your Thanksgiving Party Early

2010-04-04T06:29:00.001-07:00

Have you made the decision to host a Thanksgiving party this year? If so, have you already started planning? Regardless of whether or not you have started the planning, you are advised to start it early. Planning a party, even a Thanksgiving party, is a lot easier said than done. That is why it is important that you start planning for your party early, you will find that there are a number of benefits to doing so.

Before you can start to understand the benefits of planning for your party early, it is important to remember one thing, the definition of the word early. When it comes to doing something early, we all have different views. One thing is for sure, early means different things to different individuals. For this article, we are going to consider early about two or three weeks before your party. Depending on your own personal preference, you may choose to plan your Thanksgiving party even earlier; it is completely up to you.

Perhaps, the greatest benefit of starting to plan your Thanksgiving party early is that you will have all of your bases covered. As previously mentioned, planning party isn’t always as easy as it may seem or sound. As much as we would like to purchase all of our needed supplies, problems arise. Whether you are unable to find that you wanted or you didn’t purchase enough of what you needed, you don’t want to be left unprepared. Preparing for your Thanksgiving party in advance will help to ensure that you have all of the supplies, including the decorations and food that you need to have. If by some chance you didn’t get everything you needed, you should be able to notice before the day of your party arrives.

Whether you are planning on including a Thanksgiving dinner with your party or not, you will still need to get food and drinks. Depending on the size of your Thanksgiving party, those food and drinks could get fairly expensive. That is why it may be a good idea to start buying these items ahead of time. Doing so, will not only enable you to get the supplies that you need, ahead of time, but it may also help you get your food and drinks at a more affordable price. Whenever you happen to be in a store and you see something that you could use at your party, you are advised to get it, especially if that item is on sale. Purchasing food and drinks for your party while they are on sale, is a great way to have an amazing, but low-cost party.

In addition to food and drinks, there is also a good chance that you would like to decorate for your Thanksgiving party. Unfortunately, not all retail stores carry a large selection of Thanksgiving decorations. Sometimes, it seems as if they skip Thanksgiving and jump right to Christmas. This does not mean that you cannot get the Thanksgiving decorations that you wanted to have, it just means that you should try and purchase them early. This will help to ensure that you get the decorations that you wanted to have. This is extremely important because, in addition to carrying a limited number of decorations, most retail stores do not replenish their holiday items. Essentially, this means that when the decorations are gone, they are gone.

Another one of the many reasons why you should start planning your Thanksgiving party early is because the sooner you start your planning, the sooner you can invite your party guests. Around the holidays, you will find that many people already have plans or something that they would like to do. This does not mean that you shouldn’t have a Thanksgiving party; it just means that you need to invite your guests before they make other plans. You will want to invite your guests, at least, two weeks before your party, but it may be a good idea to send out invitations a month or so early.

There is a good chance that no matter what you do or when you start planning, your Thanksgiving party will be a success. Despite being a success, you can benefit a number of different ways, by planning your Thanksgiving party early.

Entertainment Ideas for Your Next Thanksgiving Party

2010-01-03T13:47:00.001-08:00

Have you recently made the decision to host a Thanksgiving party in your home? If so, there is a good chance that you may have already started the planning process. If so, have you decided on a form on party entertainment yet? Even if you have started planning your Thanksgiving party, there is a good chance that you have yet to get to the entertainment. This is because entertainment is often one of the last things that a party host plans. Well, if it is time for you to start thinking about your Thanksgiving party entertainment, you will find that you, literally, have an unlimited number of options.

When it comes to deciding on party entertainment, for your Thanksgiving party, it is important to keep the type of party that you are hosting in mind. For instance, are you having a formal Thanksgiving party or a causal Thanksgiving party? Also, what does your guest list look like? Are you having a Thanksgiving party for kids, one for adults, or a party where everyone is invited? The type party that you will be having is extremely important, when it comes to choosing entertainment for the event.

Regardless of what type of Thanksgiving party you are having, you may enjoy having music played. The type of Thanksgiving party you have; however, will have an impact on the type of music that you choose. If you are having a formal Thanksgiving party, classical music may do. For a causal Thanksgiving party, music that your guests can get up and dancing to may be the perfect form of entertainment. Although it is your choice if you would like to have music at your Thanksgiving party, as well as what type of music, it may be a good idea to tailor your selection to your Thanksgiving party.

Party games are another popular form of entertainment that may be ideal for your Thanksgiving party. If you are hosting a kid only Thanksgiving party, it is almost guaranteed that games will be a hit. For adult parties, adult themed games are also popular. However, as you may likely already know, party games, particularly those that are causal in nature, may not fit in with a formal Thanksgiving party. That does not mean that you cannot incorporate party games into a formal Thanksgiving party, it just means that you want to find games that will fit in with your party theme. You can easily find a wide array of Thanksgiving party game ideas online, often with a standard internet search.

While you might not necessarily consider eating a form of entertainment, it could easily be considered one. If you are planning a casual Thanksgiving party, it may be ideal to have a wide array of snacks on hand, particularly if children will be present at your party. For a formal Thanksgiving party, a full fledge Thanksgiving dinner may be the perfect choice. It is also advised that you try and tailor your selection of food and snacks to your party style. For instance, if you are hosting a formal Thanksgiving party, it may be a good idea to have elegant dishes prepared for the dinner and for the snacks.

As you can easily see, there are a number of different forms of entertainment that you can offer at your next Thanksgiving party. Regardless of which type of party you plan on hosting, you can easily take steps to ensure that your party guests have a fun, exciting, and memorable time.

Leftover Pies?

2009-11-27T07:13:00.000-08:00

Our friend Latoola, recently contacted us with an interesting story about her latest cooking creation.

Latoola's annual Thanksgiving dinner must include apple, pumpkin, and pecan pies. Her husband insists on it even though she protests that only the apple pie typically gets eaten, and she tosses the bulk of the pumpkin and pecan pies into the trash after giving him a week to refuse any more desserts.

This year, Latoola got inspired a week after Thanksgiving in her quest to avoid wasteful tossing of food into the trash bound for a landfill instead of for someone?s palate. So, she created caakies, a combination of an individual cake and a cookie, made from the leftover pies.

Beware: this is not an exact recipe. It's a cooking style that relies on sound instincts on the cook's part. Here's what Latoola did, but says you can modify at will and still get good results:

Since her pumpkin pie was made from canned pumpkin pretty much following the recipe on the label but substituting sweetened condensed milk instead of canned evaporated milk and baked in a graham cracker crust, she just dumped the three-fourths of the pie she had left into a mixing bowl and started stirring.

Then, she scraped the remaining two-thirds of the store-bought pecan pie from its too-thick crust and mixed that real good. Next step was to mix about a half cup of all-purpose flour with about a half cup of light brown sugar, then blend that into the pie mixture, after which she added about a quarter cup of honey, three-quarters cup of chocolate chips, about a half cup of coconut, and about a cup full of mixed dried fruit that included raisins, pineapples, cherries, and cranberries.

She dropped the mixture in "dollops" on a buttered clay baking dish and baked for about 12 minutes at 350 degrees, watching carefully for the edges and tops of the randomly shaped caakies to turn light brown.

She cooled them slightly on a wire rack and test-tasted to her delight. She reports the warm caakies were superb, but she was even more delighted when her husband arrived home and devoured three of them in their cooled version.

A hit!

Latoola says the same creative cooking technique could be applied to a leftover sweet potato pie with any variety of interesting ingredients including oatmeal, granola, and your favorite varieties of nuts (got some leftover from a holiday party you aren't sure what to do with?). Or, spice it up a bit with fresh natural nutmeg seed.

As they come out of the oven, personalize them even more using that excess holiday candy. Press a chocolate kiss, a bite-size peanut butter cup, or a piece of candy corn into them. For simplicity, you might even just sprinkle on a little white powdered sugar. If you are feeling super creative, mix up a batch of frosting (or cheat by using the store-bought kind) and slap two caakies together.

Latoola says she's likely going to make pumpkin and pecan pies for Christmas and might even hide them after a couple of slices have been removed so she can make caakies for New Year's with very little planning, shopping, and effort.

Bet you could serve it with ice cream, but be sure you also offer your guests a fresh brewed cup of Thai coffee or tea or Tortuga gourmet coffee.

Michael S. DeVries is the Founder of I-ShopTheWorld.com (http://www.I-ShopTheWorld.com) where You Save Money on Unique Native Products Direct to You from All over the World! Find these and Many More Recipes and Creative Cooking Ideas at: http://i-shoptheworld.com/topics/recipes-and-cooking/

History of Thanksgiving

2009-11-21T06:43:00.000-08:00

The Pilgrims left Plymouth, England, on September 6, 1620. Their destination? The New World. Although filled with uncertainty and peril, it offered both civil and religious liberty.
For over two months, the 102 passengers braved the harsh elements of a vast storm-tossed sea. Finally, with firm purpose and a reliance on Divine Providence, the cry of "Land!" was heard.Arriving in Massachusetts in late November, the Pilgrims sought a suitable landing place. On December 11, just before disembarking at Plymouth Rock, they signed the "Mayflower Compact" - America's first document of civil government and the first to introduce self-government.
After a prayer service, the Pilgrims began building hasty shelters. However, unprepared for the starvation and sickness of a harsh New England winter, nearly half died before spring. Yet, persevering in prayer, and assisted by helpful Indians, they reaped a bountiful harvest the following summer.
The grateful Pilgrims then declared a three-day feast, starting on December 13, 1621, to thank God and to celebrate with their Indian friends. While this was not the first Thanksgiving in America (thanksgiving services were held in Virginia as early as 1607), it was America's first Thanksgiving Festival.
Pilgrim Edward Winslow described the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving in these words:

"Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor sent four men on fowling [bird hunting] so that we might, after a special manner, rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as... served the company almost a week... Many of the Indians [came] amongst us and... their greatest King, Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted; and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought... And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet BY THE GOODNESS OF GOD WE ARE... FAR FROM WANT."

In 1789, following a proclamation issued by President George Washington, America celebrated its first Day of Thanksgiving to God under its new constitution. That same year, the Protestant Episcopal Church, of which President Washington was a member, announced that the first Thursday in November would become its regular day for giving thanks, "unless another day be appointed by the civil authorities." Yet, despite these early national proclamations, official Thanksgiving observances usually occurred only at the State level.Much of the credit for the adoption of a later ANNUAL national Thanksgiving Day may be attributed to Mrs. Sarah Joseph Hale, the editor of Godey's Lady's Book. For thirty years, she promoted the idea of a national Thanksgiving Day, contacting President after President until President Abraham Lincoln responded in 1863 by setting aside the last Thursday of November as a national Day of Thanksgiving. Over the next seventy-five years, Presidents followed Lincoln's precedent, annually declaring a national Thanksgiving Day. Then, in 1941, Congress permanently established the fourth Thursday of each November as a national holiday.

As Americans celebrate Thanksgiving each year, we hope they will retain the original gratefulness to God displayed by the Pilgrims and many other founding fathers , and remember that it is to those early and courageous Pilgrims that they owe not only the traditional Thanksgiving holiday but also the concepts of self-government, the "hard-work" ethic, self-reliant communities, and devout religious faith.

Your Thanksgiving Party: Day of Preparations

2009-11-14T19:57:00.001-08:00

Are you in the mist of planning a Thanksgiving party? When it comes to Thanksgiving parties, a large amount of focus is placed on the planning and the preparation. While it is always advised that you plan and prepare for your party in advance, there are some things that just cannot be done until the last minute or, at least, the day of your party. That is why it may be a good idea to familiarize yourself with the last minute party preparations that you will have to make.

Depending on the size of your Thanksgiving party, you may need to make additional accommodations for your guests. These accommodations may likely include seating arrangements. If you need to set up additional tables and chairs, it may be a good idea to save that task until the day of your Thanksgiving party. This will prevent your home from being cluttered with additional tables and chairs; tables and chairs that may very well be in your way.

Since a Thanksgiving party is not complete without Thanksgiving decorations, there is a good chance that you will be decorating your home. If you do choose to decorate your home, for your Thanksgiving party, you may want to leave the decorations until the last minute. Of course, you can always put your decorations up early, if you want to, but there are a number of benefits to leaving them down until the day of your party. Those benefits include the lack of dust that will accumulate on those decorations and the less likelihood of them getting damaged before your party even begins.

If you decided to incorporate a Thanksgiving dinner into your Thanksgiving party, you may have prepared some of your foods and side dishes early. While you can prepare a number of dished in advance, there are some that need to be made at the last minute. Whether you are cooking a turkey or preparing a fresh salad, you may need to do your cooking on the day of, likely the morning of, your party. Even if you are just serving snacks and drinks at your party, you will want to wait until that day to start setting them out.

Another task that you may want to leave until the day of your party is the cleaning of your home. While you can also start to prepare your home a few days before your party is set to take place, there are some cleaning tasks that you may want to leave until the last few hours. These tasks may include a quick dusting, as well as a quick vacuum. Waiting until the day of your Thanksgiving party to sweep or vacuum your home will help to ensure that your home is as clean as it could possibly be.

In addition to the above mentioned tasks, you will likely find that there are number of other tasks that you may like to complete on the day of your Thanksgiving party. If you are currently in the planning stages, it may be a good idea to develop a party checklist or a party planning schedule. This may make it easier to decide what you should and shouldn’t save until the day of your Thanksgiving party. In addition to giving you a set schedule to follow, you will also likely find that planning your party ahead of time, even at the last minute, will make it easier for you to enjoy yourself, even before your Thanksgiving party begins.

How to Carve a Turkey

2009-11-07T06:15:00.000-08:00

To someone who is just learning to cook, this topic may seem like one of the hardest meals you will ever have to prepare. Needless to say, if you’re having a turkey there’s usually company involved which means a number of hungry people are relying on you to prepare a great meal. This can be very intimidating. Luckily we have all the information you need, in order to ensure a great meal for you, your friends and your family.

In order to successfully carve a turkey, you will need to have the following pieces of equipment:

• One warm serving platter
• A pair of kitchen scissors
• An electric knife or a large slicing knife (you may want to choose a manual knife since they provide more control than electric ones)
• A small carving knife or fork for arranging and serving the meat

Now that you have the equipment you need to carve the turkey, follow these steps in order to become a turkey carving expert:

1. Leave the turkey to sit 20-30 minutes after roasting and before carving. This will make the meat moister and easier to cut.

2. After the turkey has sat for the time indicated above, transfer the turkey onto a cutting board; this is where you will begin carving the turkey.

3. Remove the Leg: To do this, hold the drumstick firmly with your fingers and gently pull the meat away from the body of the turkey. While doing this, cut through the skin between the leg and the body. Next, cut through the joint joining the leg to the backbone. Then separate the drumstick and thigh by cutting downwards through the joint, until the knife hits the cutting board.

4. Slicing the Drumstick (Leg) Meat: Once you have detached the leg from the rest of the body, you will want to slice the meat. Hold the drumstick in an upright position and turn the drumstick in a circular motion while cutting downwards. This will produce tasty slices of meat which are approximately equal size.

5. Slicing the Thigh Meat: When slicing thigh meat, you want to hold it close to the plate and secure it so it does not move. For best results when cutting thigh meat, make sure your knife is parallel to the bone and cut downwards towards the plate in slow, steady motions.

6. Slicing the Breast Meat: Make a deep cut into the breast of the turkey towards the body frame, as close to the wing as you can. Starting at the front of the turkey (about halfway up the breast) start cutting downwards, parallel to the cut you made to the wing. Only cut enough meat as you think necessary for the amount of people. Uncut meat will stay fresher longer.

7. Serve the Turkey: place all the slices of meat in an attractive manner on a large platter and serve to your guests.

* Note: Remove stuffing from the turkey either by taking it out of the hole made where the leg was removed or by making a new hole in the neck and taking it out from there.

About the author:
Mike Lansing is a retired chef who spent most of his time as a Head Chef in New Orleans after training in France. He spends his free time cooking for family and friends, as well as serving as a contributing editor for CookingSchools101.com which offers information onCulinary Schools and obtaining a Culinary Degree for those wishing to enter the trade.

Cajun Cornbread Stuffing

2009-11-06T20:10:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups stone ground cornmeal
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons white sugar
5 eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
4 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried thyme
6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 bay leaves
1 cup minced onion
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped parsley
2 cups chopped red bell pepper
2 green chile peppers, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup butter
2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
2 cups evaporated milk
7 eggs, beaten

Directions

To Make Cornbread: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter a 13x9 inch pan.
Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and sugar, and mix well.
Combine the 5 eggs, 6 tablespoons melted butter, and buttermilk. Add wet to dry while mixing on low with a mixer. Mix just until no dry ingredients remain. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake until top is browned and a toothpick comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
To Make Stuffing: In a small bowl combine the 2 tablespoons salt with the white pepper, black pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, oregano, thyme, basil, and bay leaves.
In another bowl combine the minced onions, green onions, parsley, red or green peppers, chili peppers, and garlic.
Melt 1 cup butter in a large fry pan. Add the spices and cook for a few minutes. Add the vegetables and cook about 5 minutes. Do not allow the vegetables to brown. Add the stock and Tabasco. Stir and cook 5 minutes more. Crumble the cornbread into the skillet and mix. Add the evaporated milk and 7 eggs OFF THE HEAT. Make sure to stir well when adding the eggs. Return to low heat and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Place stuffing in a bowl and cover. Cool before stuffing turkey.

Cooking Turkey using a Cheesecloth Cover

2009-11-06T18:44:00.000-08:00

Ingredients (for a 14 pound (+/-) Turkey)
- 1 large (bunch) fresh parsley
- 1 large (bunch) fresh sage
- 1 large (bunch) fresh thyme
- 2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon(s) table salt, (can be substituted for above ingredient)
- 1 teaspoon(s) coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 2 small onions, cut into quarters, and other vegetables to your taste
- 1 cup(s) dry white wine
- 1 can(s) (14 1/2 ounces, 1 3/4 cups) chicken broth
- Heat the butter, wine, squeezed lemon, in a small saucepan until the butter is melted. Figure out the size of cheesecloth you need to make about a 4-layer covering for your turkey. Soak the cheesecloth in the wine/butter/lemon mix.
- Remove the neck and giblets (gizzard, heart,liver) from the turkey. If you've never cooked a turkey before, you'll find these by reaching into the cavities of the turkey. Typically the neck is in one side and a bag of parts in the other. If the turkey's legs are held together by wire, slip them out, remove the innards, then put the legs back in the wire. Keep these to make some broth for your gravy (except for the liver, the really dark dark meat.). Rinse your turkey and pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat the oven to 450. Put the turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, breast side up. Rub entire turkey with soft butter. Put mix of vegetables, a quartered onion, chicken broth, and some salt and pepper on the bottom of the turkey pan . Put the turkey rack over the vegetable mix to space the turkey above the mix.
- Stuff with your favorite stuffing mix, or homemade stuffing( but don't over-stuff). Sprinkle the top with salt, pepper, and all the other spices.
- Take the cheesecloth out of the wine/butter/lemon mix, drain the cheesecloth out while leaving moist, and lay it over the turkey, covering it completely.
- Put the turkey into the oven , legs toward the back if your pan will fit that way.
- Every 30 minutes baste the turkey with the wine/butter/lemon mix.
- In the meantime, put the turkey neck and gizzards in a saucepan and cover with 6 cups of water or so. Add a half a carrot, half an onion, stalk of celery, and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover partway, and let it cook for a few hours to get some good broth for your gravy.
- Reduce the heat to 350 and cook another couple of hours. The USDA has an informative page on how to thaw and cook turkeys or check the cooking directions on your turkey. It all varies depending on how large a turkey you have and what temperature you decide to use. Use a meat thermometer at the end to verify.
- About an hour before you think the turkey will be done, take it out of the oven and remove the cheesecloth. Baste again and put the uncovered turkey back in the oven and baste again after 30 more minutes. At this point you may cover the turkey legs and wings with aluminum foil to prevent overcooking of these parts.
- Check the temperature at the thickest part of the thigh with a meat thermometer. The leg should register 170-175F and one in the breast 160-165. Let the turkey sit 30 minutes before carving.
- This finished turkey should be moist and very tasty....

High Altitude Cooking Info

2009-11-06T18:09:00.000-08:00

At high altitude, the air density is lower than at sea level.

This causes two basic problems:

First at higher elevations, water boils at a lower temperature, thus requiring you to cook longer once you hit boiling (and the time it takes you to prepare your recipe). For example, the water's not as hot in Denver as it is in Boston, even boiling. This is the reason, when cooking in the mountains, your coffee and hot chocolate can be merely tepid, even though the water was boiling.

Second baked goods tend to rise faster, requiring a change in the proportion of ingredients used in leavened foods (such as breads and cakes). Sometimes, you may need to adjust the baking temperature in your oven as well!

However, changes in altitude do not affect oven temperatures.

Note: Since baking items often rise quicker at higher altitudes, you may want to increase the oven temperature. So, at elevations over 3500 feet, the oven temperature for batters and doughs should be 25 degrees Fahrenheit higher than the temperature used at sea level. Proofing time for yeast breads should be reduced.

As you may know air pressure at sea level is roughly 15 pounds per square inch. Since there are a few miles of air above us, lots of stuff (molecules) in the air is all pulled to the earth by gravity. For example, when you go up in the atmosphere a mile (5,280 ft.) you have much less air pressure (i.e. much less air pressing down on you). The same is true for being underwater: the closer to the surface you are, the less pressure you feel in your ears; the deeper you go, the greater the pressure. Any reaction that causes expansion (like giving off gases as part of a chemical reaction), will happen slower the closer one is to sea level, since the air pressure surrounding the reaction is greater. But as one goes up in the atmosphere, the surrounding air pressure is less. Therefore expanding processes (like rising bread) would seem to happen faster and maybe more profusely.

Boiling:

In general, then, if you are making something that needs to be boiled, the cooking process will take longer at high altitudes than at sea level. At as low as 5,000 feet (1,500 meters), the boiling point of water has changed enough to change cooking times significantly. For example, expect rice cooked at 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) to take 25-30 minutes instead of 20-25 minutes of simmering before the water is absorbed and the rice is done.

Baking:

For any baked goods that rise (yeast breads, cakes or breads made with baking powder, etc.), it is important to adjust the recipe so that the rapid rise time doesn't make the resulting bread or cake too dry.

This can be done as follows:

For Yeast Breads: Yeast breads rise more quickly at high altitudes, so be sure to watch your dough carefully and judge the rise time by the change in the dough's bulk, not by the amount of time it takes.

For Recipes Using Baking Powder:

Don't overbeat the eggs. Overbeating adds too much air to the bread or cake.

Raise the baking temperature slightly; the faster cooking time will keep the recipe from rising too much.

Decrease the amount of baking powder slightly; this also prevents the recipe from rising too much.

Always grease your baking pans thoroughly, as cakes and breads tend to stick more when they are baked at high altitudes.

Read the Directions!

When all else fails, read the directions! If you're baking something you've baked for years, take a close look to find any instructions about preparing your food at a higher elevation. Usually, there will be a note (in fine print) stating what to add or delete from the recipe to make your food come out just like you've always enjoyed it!

Baking Cakes at High Altitude

Most cake recipes for sea level need no modification up to the altitude of 3,000 feet. Above that, it is often necessary to adjust recipes slightly. Usually, a decrease in leavening or sugar (or both) and an increase in liquid are needed.

Each or all of these adjustments may be required for every recipe is different in its balance of ingredients. Only repeated experiments with each recipe can give the most successful proportions to use. Simply use the guide below to adjust your recipe as needed. Where two amounts appear in the table, the smaller adjustment should be tried first. Then if the cake still needs improvement, the larger adjustment can be used the next time.

Adjustment for 3000+ feet:

Add an additional egg to rich cakes to help keep them from falling.

Increase flour: For each cup of flour increase by 1 tblsp

Decrease fat: For each cup of fat, decrease 1 to 2 tblsp.

Reduce baking powder: For each tsp., decrease 1/8 tsp to 1/4 tsp

Reduce sugar: For each cup, decrease 0 to 1 tblsp.

Increase liquid: For each cup, add 2 to 4 tblsp.

Increasing oven temperature 15 to 25°F more will help set the batter before cells formed by leavening gases expand to much.

Here I found more information and just thought I would add to what I already have. Some of it's a repeat, but useful none the less.

Canning

Time or temperature must be increased in order to kill heat-resistant bacteria. A steam pressure canner must be used for canning meats and vegetables. Follow high altitude directions available from all County Extension Offices.

Deep-Fat-Frying

When deep-fat-frying, lower the temperature of the oil about 15 degrees here to prevent food from over-browning on the outside while being under-cooked on the inside. Baking casseroles and meats require no changes.

Cake From Scratch

Are you ready for the real challenge? A cake made from scratch! If not, continue to use box mixes and follow the high altitude suggestions. For those with sense of adventure, read on.

Above 3,000 feet in altitude the lower atmospheric pressure will affect cakes. There may be excessive rising which stretches the cell structure of the cake, making the texture coarse, or the cells can break before they set causing the cake to fall. This can usually be corrected by decreasing the amount of leavening agent and by increasing the baking temperature 15 degrees to 25 degrees. Because water in the batter evaporates quicker here, there is more of a concentration of sugar in the recipe which weakens the cell structure. Therefore we usually recommend decreasing sugar and increasing liquid. The cakes most likely to fall are those wonderful sweet, sticky, gooey rich ones. These super rich cakes may require reducing shortening by 1 or 2 tablespoons or by adding an extra egg. Some recipes will work fine without changes, others will take some experimenting. Here's a table* to give you a starting point.

Adjustment
3,000 ft.
5,000 ft.
7,000 ft.

Adjustment	3,000 ft.	5,000 ft.	7,000 ft.
Reduce baking powder, for each tsp., decrease	1/8 tsp.	1/8-1/4 tsp.	1/4 tsp.
Reduce sugar, for each cup, decrease	0-1 Tbsp.	0-2 Tbsp.	1-3 Tbsp.
Increase liquid, for each cup, add	1-2 Tbsp.	2-4 Tbsp.	3-4 Tbsp.

* Table from High Altitude Food Preparation- pamphlet 41
Angel food and sponge cakes use air for leavening. It comes from beating air into the eggs. Beat only until they form peaks that fall over - not stiff and dry, which cause the cells to collapse. Again, use less sugar and more flour and a higher baking temperature. We're often asked why we don't just add more flour and water to cake recipes like they do with box mixes. Isn't this more complicated. Have you ever tried to take some of the leavening or sugar out of a box mix? The only option on a box mix is to strengthen the cell walls by adding flour and water.

High-altitude conversion tips

To convert standard recipes into those which can be used for high-altitude baking:

Use 5% more flour - to disperse the leavening action and slow down the rapid rise of the cake.
Use 20% more water - to counterbalance the rapid evaporation of liquids at high altitudes and the extra flour added to the cake batter.
Bake about 25 degrees higher - to help "set" the cake's crust.
Reduce baking time about 20% - prevent overbaking at the higher temperature.
Fill pans 1/3 to no more than 1/2 full - to avoid batter overflow caused by rapid cake expansion.
Use cold water and large cold eggs - to give cake extra strength.
Generously grease and flour cake pans - to prevent cake from sticking.
Since high altitude cakes rise higher, remove top oven rack to prevent cake from sticking to it.
Have oven calibrated by a serviceman periodically, since some thermostats are affected by altitude.

High-altitude cookie adjustment

Only cookies with lots of chocolate, nuts or dates need adjustment: reduce baking powder/soda by 1/2.
At very high altitudes, a slight reduction of sugar may help.

This is the fun part. Since I got the information from multiple places, they all have a hint as to what is best. At best this information will help you. Trial and error may be the thing for some baking.

Thanks to the folks at the Colorado State University (Boulder), the University of Southern Colorado (Pueblo), the Colorado State County Extension Office, Safeway Stores and the USDA for there help with this section. Also, "The New High Altitude Cookbook" by Beverly M. Anderson and Donna M. Hamilton.

For more information on baking at high altitudes, ask for "High Altitude Food Preparation" Pamphlet 41 from your Colorado State County Extension Office. There is no charge. It will also list other high altitude recipe books available from Colorado State Cooperative Extension.

One of the things I enjoy with running this website. On Feb 16, 2007 I received an email that has real world adjustments.

I am located at 8000 feet above the ocean and have been baking and cooking successfully way up here for 26 years, 15 professionally.

Leavening agents, just need a smidgen of a decrease (1/8 t.) from about 400-9500 feet. Above that then yes, decrease by 1/4 t

Sugar: I have yet to decrease sugar by more than 1 T per cup, actually I just measure it to just below the cup line in the measuring device.

Liquid: from many that I have met or spoken to, those below about 4500 feet inform me that there are no true adjustments. However adding up to 4 T more of liquid without adding any extra flour could result in a soggy product. I suggest adding approx. 1-2 T per cup and a tad more above 9500 feet.

1-2 T of additional flour is a definite adjustment, especially for cookies otherwise they will become much too flat rather than nicely rounded with sustenance.

My info and knowledge is not based on scientific studies, but rather on everyday experiences in the kitchen.

I hope this info helps.

Randi Levin
The Muffin Lady Inc.

Holiday Crafts - Thanksgiving and Christmas Decoration Ideas

2009-10-31T09:46:00.000-07:00

Turkeys are a natural choice for decorations. A familiar project at this time of year is for a child to trace around her hand and make the resulting drawing into a turkey. The thumb is the head and the fingers are the tail feathers all displayed. While many of the turkeys that are raised for food are now the domestic white variety, the turkeys eaten by the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving were the wild brown ones. The tail feathers on a wild turkey are brown, but they are iridescent. catching light and appearing to be multi-colored. This is why children color the tail feathers in bright colors.

The turkey's head has a wattle under the beak. This is a vertical flap of loose skin that is red colored. Be sure to draw this in order to make the hand turkey look like a turkey. Add skinny legs and bird feet. When done, the children can cut out the turkeys and hang them on the wall. It's really cute to make a whole flock of these turkeys in the sizes of all the hands in the family. The little hand shapes are particularly sweet.

Another nice turkey decoration to make when making Thanksgiving holiday crafts is a turkey door decoration. Make a brown construction paper body and head of a turkey. Now make a large number of colored feather shapes. Each family member writes on a feather something he or she is thankful for before attaching as part of the turkey's tail. Repeat until all the feathers are used, and hang the turkey on the front door to greet visitors with a message of gratitude. Make a sign to accompany the turkey that says "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good!" or simply "Be thankful!" or "We're thankful for you!" or whatever you like.

Children love making construction paper chains. To further decorate the house for Thanksgiving, let them make a paper chain in fall colors as one of their holiday crafts. Using 9 by 12 inch construction paper, cut the paper in half across the long side and cut the halves into one inch thick six inch long strips. Use a stapler to attach the ends of the strip into a circle. Loop the next strip into the circle and staple it. Continue the process alternating colors of brown, red, yellow, and orange. When the chains are long, you can drap them along the ceiling or stair rail. If you don't make the door turkey, the children can write something they're thankful for on each strip of paper before adding it to the chain.

Thanksgiving is too nice a holiday to let the other more commercial holidays crowd it out. By making holiday crafts to decorate the home for Thanksgiving, you can keep this day special, too. The extended family, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc., will be pleased to see the holiday crafts the young ones have made to decorate the house and make it cheerful for their visit.

About the author: Brigitte Smith
Find out more about Christmas decorations, Christmas gift ideas and more at

Apple Pie to Love

2009-10-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Crust:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces, frozen
6 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Filling:
2 1/4 pounds assorted apples (such as Pink Lady, Pippin, and Golden Delicious), peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup golden or dark raisins
2 1/2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 1/2 teaspoons (packed) finely grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into1/2-inch cubes
Milk (for glaze)
1 tablespoon raw sugar*
print a shopping list for this recipe

Preparation

For crust:
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 6 tablespoons ice water and blend just until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled. Soften dough 15 minutes at room temperature before rolling out.

Butter 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured work surface to 12- to 13-inch round. Transfer dough to prepared pie dish and press dough onto bottom and up sides of dish, allowing overhang to extend over sides. Roll out second dough disk between sheets of parchment paper or waxed paper to 12- to 13-inch round; transfer dough to baking sheet. Refrigerate both crusts while preparing filling.

For filling:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 425°F. Combine all apple wedges, 1/3 cup sugar, raisins, quick-cooking tapioca, grated lemon peel, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and nutmeg in large bowl; toss to blend. Let stand at room temperature until some juices form, tossing occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Place crust-lined pie dish on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over bottom of crust. Transfer apple filling to crust, mounding filling slightly in center. Dot filling with butter cubes. Brush crust edges lightly with water. Remove top parchment sheet from second dough round. Invert dough round atop filling; remove second parchment sheet. Trim dough overhang on both crusts to 1/2 inch. Press crust edges together, then fold under. Using tines of fork, press on crust edge around rim of dish to seal decoratively. Using small sharp knife, cut six 1-inch slits in top crust, then cut out 1/2-inch circle from center of top crust to allow steam to escape. Brush top crust lightly with milk, then sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake pie 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake pie until crust is golden, apples are tender when pierced, and juices are bubbling thickly through slits in crust, covering crust edges with foil collar if crust is browning too quickly, about 1 hour longer. Transfer pie to rack and cool to lukewarm or room temperature. Cut pie into wedges.

* Also called turbinado or demerara sugar; available at most supermarkets and at natural foods stores.

Scrapbooking Ideas For Thanksgiving: Timeless Traditions

2009-10-17T05:35:00.000-07:00

Even though most people associate this work by Rockwell as a Thanksgiving picture, Freedom From Want actually first appeared on The Saturday Evening Post cover in the month of March. It is completely understandable why people would pick a painting such as the Norman Rockwell classic Freedom From Want as their primary source of scrapbooking ideas for Thanksgiving. After all, it has all the necessary elements for scrapbooking ideas for Thanksgiving: a family at the table, turkey, and a truly inviting atmosphere. However, some of the best scrapbooking ideas for thanksgiving don't come from the dinner setting, but everything else that happens on that day.

After all, very few people hold a Thanksgiving dinner at their house and immediately serve the guests the moment they walk through the door. Generally, most hosts realize that there will be some downtime before dinner. During this time, family members can get together and talk while the children can play. Why not make this the subject of your scrapbooking ideas for Thanksgiving pages?

This is the mistake most scrappers make when choosing their pictures for their scrapbooking ideas for Thanksgiving: they wait until the dinner to take the photos. While the dinner certain has some interesting scrapbooking ideas for Thanksgiving, the best scrapbooking ideas for Thanksgiving occur way before dinner is served. The time before the dinner is served might be the memories that your guests remember the most.

Things like the children sitting around the television watching a movie or playing a video is just one example of scrapbooking ideas for Thanksgiving. Even better are “Thanksgiving firsts" for your scrapbooking ideas for Thanksgiving. For example, someone may have brought over their newborn child for all the family to see. Certainly an event like this deserves some press. The scrapper should take some pictures of relatives seeing the child for the first time, capturing the expressions and reactions.

After all, some people may have families where the relatives live very far away, and it can be very difficult to get everyone under the same roof for any period of time. Take advantage of this time as much as you can, and don't even ask people to pose. Just take as many pictures in the natural surrounding, and in some cases the photographer does not have to acknowledge his or her presence.

Taking pictures before the dinner and putting simple frames around them is one of the easiest scrapbooking ideas for Thanksgiving. Sometimes finding a common theme in each of the photos and running with it is worth quite a bit with scrapbooking ideas for Thanksgiving. Peppered with these pictures can be traditional Thanksgiving images like red and orange leaves, pumpkins, and of course, turkeys, and it will be a guaranteed success. Years later, when the family looks at the pages, they will have memories to remember.

About The Author:
Michele Cardello, director of marketing and creative for Life Imprints, a creative scrapbooking supplies company in Cleveland, Ohio, has worked in the photo packaging industry for 10 years. Cardello helps customers find creative ways to preserve and appreciate a lifetime of memories.

Wreaths Galore - Not Just For Christmas Anymore

2009-10-17T05:33:00.001-07:00

Wreaths are most often thought to be a Christmastime decoration. Around the holidays, many of us decorate our homes with evergreen wreaths with lights and red bows. Christmas wreaths are a traditional decoration that we're all accustomed to. However, more and more designers are using wreaths as a constantly rotating seasonal decoration. Why limit yourself to only displaying wreaths during the month of December? Wreaths can be a unique and versatile decoration for any season or holiday. Here are some fresh ideas on using wreaths as year-round decorations.

New Year's:
You can easily take your Christmas wreath into New Year's Day by removing the red bows and adding gold or silver ones with some streamers. Other possible decorations include a Happy New Years banner or hat and some small party horns or plastic champagne glasses.

Valentine's Day:
Nothing says love like a pink or red heart shaped wreath. Consider using silk roses, fabric hearts or even wrapped candies. A stuffed animal like a pink or red teddy bear, or small cupid also adds character. Top it off with a beautiful bow and you have a bright decoration for those cold winter days!

St. Patrick's Day:
Everyone can pretend to be Irish on St. Patty's Day! Of course, when designing a St. Patrick's Day wreath, green is certainly a requirement. A mass of green shamrocks wrapping your wreath would look very festive (garlands of plastic or fabric shamrocks can usually be purchased at decorating stores). Additional decorations might include small gold coins or leprechaun figurines.

Easter:
An Easter wreath can be decorated in many ways. Some choose to focus on the Christian celebration of Christ's resurrection, and others choose a lighthearted Easter Bunny theme. Whatever your choice may be, beautiful spring flowers are a good base for an Easter wreath. Other choices might include Easter eggs, chocolate candies or bunnies, and Easter ribbons.

Fourth of July:
In the United States, July 4 is an important holiday when we all like to show our patriotic spirit. Try a straw or grapevine wreath spray painted with red, white, or blue gloss paint as your base, and then have fun from there! You can use firecrackers, streamers, and ribbons for decorations. And don't forget to include some small flags to celebrate our independence.

Halloween:
After Christmas, Halloween is the most "decorated" holiday we celebrate in the United States. Welcome your trick-or-treaters with a festive Halloween wreath. Orange and black are traditional colors, and there are many materials and items you can use to create your wreath. Decorations might include pumpkins, ghosts, black cats, witches, spiders and wrapped candies.

Thanksgiving:
A wreath is a wonderful way to welcome guests to your home for a Thanksgiving dinner. Consider using natural materials this time of year, as they are so abundant. You may have to plan ahead and pick up beautiful leaves as they fall from the trees to create your own special design. A large fall bow with some colorful corn will complete your Thanksgiving wreath.

As you can see, wreaths aren't just for Christmas anymore! Seasonal wreaths are a great way to decorate for each holiday. If you have a nice base wreath, it would even be possible to just change out the decorations to accommodate each holiday or season. And because most wreaths aren't very large, they are an easy way to add a special touch to your home's decor without busting the budget. Be sure to protect your seasonal wreaths by storing them in a secure and efficient manner so that you can enjoy them for years to come.

About The Author: Ellen Bell
For more information on storing your holiday wreaths, please visit The Christmas Tree Storage Bag Shop. There you'll find a variety of wreath storage boxes and other seasonal storage products.

Holidaze: Some Helpful Tips For A Stress-Free Holiday Meal

2009-10-11T06:58:00.001-07:00

For me, and I would guess for most people, the biggest challenge of a holiday meal is getting everything ready, on the table and keeping it all hot until people eat. It isn't an easy task. Here are a few ideas to help.

1. Get your menu together early and carefully review your recipes. Figure out what pots, pans, serving dishes and utensils you'll need. Borrow or purchase what you don't have.

2. Put together your grocery list early and remember that you'll save time if you can reduce your trips to the supermarket. If you're planning on serving turkey, consider the type of bird you're buying when you plan the timing of the supermarket trip. If you're getting a frozen turkey, you'll need to allow time for the bird to defrost. Plan on one day in the refrigerator for every 5 pounds of turkey. And if you're getting a bird that you need to pre-order, call the store early to check on their timing.

3. When you're making your grocery list, don't forget ice and beverages. And, if you think that you'll be short on refrigerator space, pick up an extra bag of ice to use for storing food in your picnic cooler.

4. Do as much as possible the day before. Wash any pots or pans, servingware or dinnerware that needs cleaning the day before. Set up extra tables and chairs. Iron the tablecloths if that's important to you.

5. And, then there is cleaning the house. Personally, I hate cleaning and I do as little as possible. So, I do what I have to and I hide the rest. Keep the doors closed to the rooms that are messy; Stow the pile of magazines and newspapers and unread mail under the bed; Stuff your husband's golf equipment that he thinks belongs in the dining room into a bedroom closet; Toss the dirty laundry into the bathtub and close the shower curtain. Done. You can check that off your list.

6. If you'll be having a lot of kids at your house, consider taking some time out the day before and setting up some games, coloring books, movies or video games in an extra room to keep the kids entertained after the meal while the adults are socializing. Remember that kids don't want to sit around and talk.

7. Keeping food warm is always a challenge when you're making a lot of dishes. Slow cookers can be used to keep things like gravy and mashed potatoes warm until serving time. A heat-proof mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water can work for this too. Consider using heating pads under bowls and platters on the buffet table to help keep food warm. And, don't forget to use a cloth or towel down under the heating pad to protect the table's surface.

8. It can be easy to miss something in the last-minute rush to get everything on the table. Consider making a list of all the dishes that you're serving and check each item off as you get it to the table.

Exotic Ways Of Cooking Turkey.

2009-10-11T06:55:00.000-07:00

Deep-Fryed Turkey

3 gallons peanut oil for frying, or as needed
1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
1/4 cup Creole seasoning
1 white onion

In a large stockpot or turkey fryer, heat oil to 400 degrees F. Be sure to leave room for the turkey, or the oil will spill
over.

How to determine the amount of oil you need:

The easiest way I've found to determine the amount of oil you need is to place the turkey into the fryer and fill with water until the turkey is just covered. Remove turkey and allow to drain, pat dry with paper towels as well. Make note of the level of water in the fryer. Discard water and dry throughly. Fill frying vessel with oil to the level as noted above. This should help in preventing hot oil spill overs.

Layer a large platter with food-safe paper bags. Rinse turkey, and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Rub Creole seasoning over turkey inside and out. Make sure the hole at the neck is open at least 2 inches so the oil can flow freely through the bird. Place the whole onion and turkey in drain basket. The turkey should be placed in basket neck end first. Slowly lower basket into hot oil to completely cover turkey. Maintain the temperature of the oil at 350 degrees F, and cook turkey for 3 1/2 minutes per pound, about 45 minutes. Carefully remove basket from oil, and drain turkey. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; the internal temperature must be 180 degrees F.

Finish draining turkey on the prepared platter.

Grilled Whole Turkey

12 pounds whole turkey
2 cups water
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon paprika

Prepare an outdoor grill for indirect medium heat, and lightly oil grate. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Place turkey breast side down on the prepared grill. Sear turkey on both sides until skin is golden to dark brown. In a large roasting pan, mix together the water, bouillon powder, garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, parsley, and paprika. Place turkey breast side down in the roasting pan. Scoop the pan mixture over the turkey. Cover tightly with foil and place on grill. Grill 3 to 4 hours, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180F. Remove turkey from grill and let stand 15 minutes before carving.

Smoked Turkey

1 turkey 8 to 22 lbs., fresh or completely thawed
Sweet Pickle Brine (recipe to follow)
Maple syrup

Sweet Pickle Brine:

1 gal. water
2 1/2 cups salt, rock, pickling or canning salts are recommened
1/3 cup of light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Lquid garlic
1 oz. pickling spices

Mix well. You may need to adjust the amounts depending on the size of your bird. This recipe should suit you fine for an 8 to 12 lb. turkey.

Rinse turkey thoroughly with cold water, drain and pat dry. Prepare sweet pickle brine. Brine turkey according to the following schedule,
8 to 12 lb. bird 3 days, 13 to 16 lb. bird 4 days, 17 to 22 lb. bird 5 days. Remove from brine; rinse thoroughly in cold water and pat dry. Allow to dry in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Lock wings behind back and tie legs and tail together. Baste turkey with maple syrup before putting in smoker and every 2 hours while smoking. Position turkey on cooking grill. Smoke cook until done.

The best way to determine doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the turkey (the breast) the internal temperature should read 180 degrees F.

Smoking food is more an art than a science; this recipe is not intended for the novice. Allot of factors go into determining the cooking time for a particular food when smoking.

Cool turkey in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving to enhance the smoked flavor. You may serve the turkey right away if you wish.

About The Author:
http://www.dishadvice.com http://www.dish.reprintarticlesite.com

How To Choose A Roasting Pan

2009-10-11T06:48:00.001-07:00

A good roaster is a necessity for making a holiday turkey, but a roaster can also be used year-round for making things like prime rib or leg of lamb, turkey breast or whole fish.

When looking at roasters, consider the following. You want a roaster that's heavy, but not so heavy that you will have a hard time lifting it once you've added whatever you'll be roasting to it. You want to be able to use your roaster on the stove top when searing meats and making gravies as well as using it under the broiler and at very high heat in the oven. And, you want your roaster to be made of a material that conducts heat well because a poorly conducting pan is prone to hot spots and warping or buckling, especially on the stovetop.

Given these requirements, roasters made of glass, stoneware or ceramic aren't good choices because they don't always function well on the stove top and also because these materials tend to become very heavy to carry when fully loaded. Enameled cast iron can also be unwieldy. Avoid roasting pans with a nonstick finish because these types of pans can't be used at extreme heat. Aluminum is a good conductor of heat, but all-aluminum pans can react to the acid in lemons or tomatoes and give your food an odd taste.

Stainless steel is durable, nonreactive and not overly weighty, but is also a poor conductor of heat. For this reason, my choice for roasters is heavy-duty stainless steel sandwiched around one or more layers of a conductive metal, usually aluminum. This combination gives you the best characteristics of stainless while providing fast and even heat conduction.

When looking for a roaster, consider the shape and size of the pan. Make sure to measure both the interior of your oven and the pan you're considering, including the handles, and allow 2 inches on all sides for air circulation. And, consider that you don't necessarily want the biggest roasting pan you can fit in your oven. Size here is a bit of a balancing act. You want a pan that will accommodate the largest cut of meat that you can foresee yourself roasting, but if your pan is too big, roasting smaller cuts of meat can be difficult because the juices can burn on the too-large surface area surrounding the roast.

Look for a roasting pan with sides high enough to hold the pan juices and prevent these hot liquids from splashing out when the pan is moved or transported. But, the pan's sides shouldn't be so high as to prevent the dry, hot air of the oven from reaching the lower portions of your meat. Pans with sides that are between 2 ½ and 3 inches usually work well.

And, when considering the pan's shape, look for a rectangular pan with rounded corners. When making gravy, it's much easier to get a whisk into the corners to dig out the browned bits of food that tend to accumulate there if the corners are rounded.

One last thing to think about is the pan's handles. The handles should be made of metal so that oven temperature isn't an issue and they should be sturdy and preferably riveted. They should be large enough to be easy to grip, and should stand straight up. Folded Handles are hard to unfold when you are using pot holders, and handles that stick out to the sides waste precious oven room.

About The Author:
Mary Kenkel helps you find the best for your favorite room in the house! Visit Best in Kitchen today to sign up

Thanksgiving Candy Cooking Tips

2009-10-11T06:36:00.001-07:00

Candy is a term used to describe a popular type of sweet confectionary treat that is almost universally appreciated. There are numerous different types of candy; however most of them start with the same basic type of process, by dissolving sugar in water or milk. This process forms a syrup which then can be boiled until it reaches carmelization. Different forms of candy, such as toffee, fudge, praline and caramel all begin with this same basic candy making process.

The differences in various types of candy result from the differences in recipes and ingredients that are added to the mixture. One of the major differences between various types of candy is the texture of the end result. Some candies are soft or chewy while others are hard or brittle.

The most important factor affecting the texture of candy is the temperature at which the syrup is boiled. Candy recipes that are cooked at higher temperatures with larger sugar contents produce candies that are hard and brittle while candy recipes that are prepared at lower temperatures with less sugar content produce candies that are soft and chewy. There are several candy cooking stages that will produce the various types of candies. They are:

Thread-cooked at 230-233 degrees F

Soft-ball - cooked at 234-240 degrees F

Firm-ball-cooked at 244-248 degrees F

Hard-ball-cooked at 250-266 degrees F

Soft-crack-cooked at 270-290 degrees F

Hard-crack-cooked at 295-310 degrees F

One of the most traditional ways of testing the cooking stage of candy, other than using a cooking thermometer, is to drop a spoonful of boiling candy mixture into a glass of ice cold water. The manner in which the sugar syrup reacted would dictate the stage at which it currently resided. A smooth lump corresponds with the ball stages of candy preparation while candy that actually cracks when dropped into cold water corresponds with the crack stages of candy preparation.

Many people steer away from making homemade candy because they feel that it can be difficult to do well. While there is definitely a method to making good candy, the observation of a few basic rules can make the process much smoother.

The method previously described, of using a glass of ice cold water to test candy temperatures is one of the most traditional methods; however, it can also be rather inaccurate. To produce quality candy at the right temperatures, it is necessary to use a good quality kitchen thermometer. This will allow you to judge the temperature of the syrup much more accurately.

You should also be aware that the secret to producing some types of candies lies is the type of weather that exists on the day that you make it. This may sound like an old wives tale, but it actually has a lot of validity behind it. The amount of humidity can strongly affect the consistency of your candy. One of the problems with cooking candy on a day with a lot of humidity is that the candy can actually begin to reabsorb moisture from the air after it has cooled. The result is candy that is not as hard as it should be. The best days for cooking candy that is to be cooked to hard crack stages are those days with very little humidity. In addition, days that are generally cooler are better for candy making because it speeds along the cooling process of the candy. This can prevent the formation of sugar crystals in the candy. If you live in an area where there is continually a high amount of humidity, one way to control these factors is to cook candy at the upper level of the recommended temperature range.

About The Author:
Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click.

How to Make the Most Out of Your Thanksgiving Party

2009-10-03T08:40:00.001-07:00

Are you hosting a Thanksgiving party this year? If so, have you thought about making sure that you enjoy yourself? Unfortunately, when it comes to hosting a party, such as a Thanksgiving party, there are many party hosts who tend to worry more about their guests than themselves. While it is always important to make sure that your guests are having fun and enjoying themselves, what good is a party if you can’t enjoy it yourself?

When it comes to making the most out of your Thanksgiving party, there are a number of steps that you can take to make sure that you, as well as your guests, enjoy the party. Perhaps, the easiest way to do this is to start planning and preparing for your party early. Early preparation has been known to help make sure that everything is in order before your party gets underway; thus likely greatly reducing or eliminating the stress associated with planning a party. By examining all of your supplies ahead of time, you should be able to notice, ahead of time, whether or not something is missing. This means that you will not have to be worried about running out for extra supplies just as your party is starting to get underway.

If you are planning on incorporating a Thanksgiving dinner into your Thanksgiving party, it may be a good idea to start your cooking the day before. Of course, there will likely be some items on your menu, such as the Turkey, that you will want to cook the day of your party, but there are other items that you could easily prepare and store in your refrigerator. Limiting the number of tasks that you have to do, during your party or the day of it, will likely make it easier for you to enjoy yourself.

In addition to starting your cooking early, it may also be a good idea to ask your guests to help you. While many party hosts do not like to do this, many feel that they are intruding, it is quite normal. Each year, a large number of party hosts, in fact many, ask for assistance from their guests. You will also find that many of your family members or close friends would be more than willing to help you with your Thanksgiving party. Whether they come to your home and help you cook and hang party decorations or just bring a side dish that they prepared at home, you will likely benefit from the help. The more help that you receive, the less stressed you are likely to be and the less stress you have, the more you should be able to enjoy your party.

When you invite guests to you Thanksgiving party, it may be a good idea to ask them to either confirm or deny their invite. This will, without a doubt, make it easier for you to plan and enjoy your Thanksgiving party. By knowing how many guests should attend, you should be able to get everything prepared early and on time. Of course, you will always want to prepare for a few extra guests, but by asking your guests to confirm their presence, your Thanksgiving party should be a lot easier to plan and enjoy.

As you can see, there are a number of different steps that you can take to make planning and hosting a Thanksgiving party easy and stress free. As previously mentioned, the less stress you have, the more likely you are to enjoy yourself. Whether you ask for assistance from friends or start your preparations early, you should be able to enjoy yourself at your own Thanksgiving party.

Food and Snack Ideas for Your Thanksgiving Party

2009-10-03T08:39:00.000-07:00

When it comes to any party, including a Thanksgiving party, food and snacks are important. That is why you may be trying to decide which food and snacks, you should have at your next Thanksgiving party. As you will likely see, you have an unlimited number of different options.

Before you can begin to examine popular food and snack ideas, it may be a good idea to examine the focus of your Thanksgiving party. This may make it easier for you to decide on a particular food or snack. In most cases, you will want to try and tailor your food to the type of party that you are having. For instance, if you planning a kids’ only Thanksgiving party, it may be a good idea to have a collection of finger foods or other age appropriate snacks on hand. In addition to ensuring that your guests will enjoy your food, choosing the right type of food and snacks may make it easier for you to plan for and prepare for your Thanksgiving party.

As previously mentioned, if you are having a kid only Thanksgiving party, it may be a good idea to have kid friendly snacks on hand. These snacks may include chips, pretzels, cheese and crackers, pudding, or a veggie tray, and so on. If you are planning on having an all ages Thanksgiving party, a party where both adults and children will be present, it may be ideal to have a collection of common foods on hand; foods that will likely appeal to all ages. These snacks, as mentioned above, many include cookies, cheese and crackers, and vegetable snacks.

If you have decided on a formal Thanksgiving party, you will likely want to your party snacks to mirror the theme of you party. This means that you may want to purchase or make more elegant party snacks. These types of party snacks typically include vegetable trays and seafood. In addition to snacks, there is also a good chance that your formal Thanksgiving party will include a formal Thanksgiving dinner. If this is the case, you will need to purchase more than just snacks. You will need to purchase the main course, such as a turkey, as well as side dishes, which may include potatoes, cranberries, and a salad.

It is also important to examine the drinks that you will have at your Thanksgiving party. You will need to decide right away whether or not you want to serve alcohol at your Thanksgiving party. If you are hosting a causal Thanksgiving party or a formal Thanksgiving party, where adults will be present, alcoholic beverage may be ideal. Despite the fact that many party guests expect to see alcohol at a party, you do not have to serve alcohol if you do not want to; the decision is yours to make.

Although it is important to examine the types of foods, snacks, and drinks you would like to have at your Thanksgiving party, it may also be a good idea to examine when and where you will buy your items. In the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, you will find that many retail stores, namely grocery stores, place popular Thanksgiving food and snacks on sale. Waiting until this time to purchase you party food, snacks, and drinks may make it so you have can everything that you want, but at an affordable price.

Thanksgiving Party Decorations: Your Buying Options

2009-09-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

When it comes to parties, whether they be Thanksgiving parties, Christmas parties, or birthday parties, a party is not complete without party decorations. That is why if you are planning on hosting a Thanksgiving party this year, you may be in need of Thanksgiving party decorations. If you have yet to start buying your party decorations, there are a number of important factors that you may want to keep in mind. These important factors will likely make it easier, as well as more affordable, to purchase decorations for your next Thanksgiving party.

Perhaps, the first step in buying decorations for your Thanksgiving party is deciding what you want to buy. While you can always do this as soon as you get to the store, it may be a good idea to develop a list ahead of time. Once you arrive at the store, to purchase your Thanksgiving party decorations, you could easily alter that list, but a list may help to ensure that you remember to get everything that you needed or wanted to, in the form of party decorations. Once you have developed that list, whether it only be a rough draft or set in stone, you can then start shopping for your Thanksgiving party decorations.

When looking to purchase Thanksgiving party decorations, you will, literally, find that you have an unlimited number of different options. One of those options is your local party supply store. Party supply stores are great places to purchase party decorations from, even Thanksgiving decorations. With most party supply stores, you will find that they have a larger product selection, when compared to most traditional retail stores. While the cost of shopping at a party supply store may be a little bit higher than most other retail stores, you should easily be able to find exactly what you are looking for and even more!

As previously mentioned, party supply stores tend to charge a little bit more money for their products. While the difference will not be extreme, it may be enough to make you want to shop elsewhere, especially if you are planning a Thanksgiving party on a budget. If the cost of your Thanksgiving party decorations is a concern, you may want to consider shopping at one of your local discount stores or dollar stores. With dollar stores, everything is one dollar or less. With discount stores, you tend to get access to a large number of low-cost products, many of which cost around a dollar or two. Almost all discount stores and dollars stores, in the United States, get a fairly large selection of Thanksgiving decorations around the holidays. By shopping at these stores, you could decorate your home, for your Thanksgiving party, without having to go broke.

In addition to dollar stores, discount stores, and party supply stores, you should also be able to purchase your Thanksgiving party supplies from one of your local department stores. Department stores are retail stores that are not always as cheap as discount stores and dollar stores, but are cheaper than party supplies stores. What is nice about department stores is that some carry a fairly large selection of foods. This means that in addition to getting decorations for your Thanksgiving party, you could also get your food, drinks, and snacks, all in one trip.

If you are looking to buy your Thanksgiving party decorations in bulk or if you are looking for something unique, you may want to purchase your Thanksgiving party supplies online. With a standard internet search, you should easily be able to find a number of online retailers that specialize in selling Thanksgiving party decorations. With a little bit of luck, you may also be able to find individuals or companies that specialize in selling beautiful, handcraft Thanksgiving decorations.

Although your first thought may be to purchase all of your Thanksgiving party decorations at once and from one store, you may want to rethink that decision. By visiting a number of the above mentioned retail stores, both on and offline, you may be able to create a collection of beautiful Thanksgiving party decorations.

Why You Should Host a Thanksgiving Party

2009-09-27T13:33:00.001-07:00

When it comes to Thanksgiving, a fairly large amount of focus is placed on families. While you are always urged to spend the holidays with your family, whenever you have the chance, you may not necessarily be able to. Each year, millions of Americans spend Thanksgiving alone. Whether you may end up spending the Thanksgiving holiday alone or some of your friends might, you don’t necessarily have to. If you want to make it so you are not alone on Thanksgiving or those that you know and love aren’t alone, you could make the decision to host a Thanksgiving party at your home.

As previously mentioned, the greatest reasons why you may want to host a Thanksgiving party is so that no one will be alone for the holidays. Whether you choose to invite your friends, family members, coworkers, or neighbors, there is a good chance that you may, literally, be making someone’s holiday. In addition to party guests that have no other plans or family in the area, you may also find that even those that do have other plans will try and stop by your Thanksgiving party. There is just something about the holiday season, as well as a party, that makes everyone want to socialize, even with those that they may not personally know well.

Another reason why you may be interested in hosting a Thanksgiving party is to create a social network of friends, family members, neighbors, or coworkers. Whether you are new to the neighborhood, the family, or even work, you may want to think about hosting a Thanksgiving party and inviting your new friends or acquaintances. If you are new to the area, you may find that hosting a Thanksgiving party is one of the best ways to familiarize yourself with those that you may end up interacting with, as well as make new friends. Even if you are not new to the workplace, area, or family, it may be good idea to host a Thanksgiving party and invite someone who may be. You may help make it easier for that individual to feel more comfortable in their new setting.

If you are a parent, it may also be a good idea to for you to host a Thanksgiving party. No matter what the age of your child or children, one thing is for sure, kids love parties. In fact, you may even want to think about hosting a kids’ only Thanksgiving party. Your child would likely enjoy the fact that you are willing to plan a party just for them and their friends. If you would prefer to host a Thanksgiving party that you, as well as your children would enjoy, you may want to think about hosting an all ages Thanksgiving party. An all ages Thanksgiving party would make it so your child or children could invite their friends, but so you would also invite your own guests as well.

Another one of the many reasons why you should, at least, think about hosting a Thanksgiving party is because they are relatively easy to host. Of course, you will find that some planning and preparation is involved, but what is nice about planning your own Thanksgiving party is that you could, literally, make your party anything that you want it to be. For instance, if you would like to go all out and plan the ultimate party of the year, you may want to think about hosting a formal Thanksgiving party. If you are interested in hosting a Thanksgiving party, but you don’t want all of the hassle that goes along with planning one, you may want to host a casual Thanksgiving party. The type of Thanksgiving party that you choose to host will have a direct impact on exactly how easy it is to host your own party.

Whether you are looking to please your children, avoid spending the holidays alone, or if you just want to have a party, you may want to seriously consider hosting your own Thanksgiving party. If you would like to, you are urged to act fast. You will want to invite your guests before they make other plans or someone else decides to host their own Thanksgiving party.

Why You Should Choose to Host a Causal Thanksgiving Party

2009-09-27T13:32:00.002-07:00

Are you interested in hosting a Thanksgiving party this year? If so, you are definitely not alone. Each year, millions of Americans think about hosting a Thanksgiving party; however, many never end up doing so. One of the many reasons for that is the wrong assumption. Many individuals mistakenly believe that a Thanksgiving party needs to be an elegant or a formal event. While there are a number of benefits to hosting a formal Thanksgiving party, there are also a number of benefits to hosting a casual one.

Perhaps, the greatest benefit to hosting a causal Thanksgiving party is the preparation time. While your casual Thanksgiving party will still require some planning and preparation, you will find that it is much less than the planning needed for a formal party. This, alone, may make you want to host a casual thanksgiving party. Casual Thanksgiving parties enable you to have the party that you wanted to, without consuming all of your time.

In addition to saving time, you will also find that a casual Thanksgiving party may help you save money. It is no secret that to plan a formal or elegant Thanksgiving party, you need to go all out. The same does not have to be said for casual Thanksgiving parties. At a casual Thanksgiving party you could easily get away with putting out a few snacks and a choice of multiple beverages. If your guests know, ahead of time, that your Thanksgiving party is a casual one, they will not expect the works.

You may also find that it is easier to choose entertainment for a causal party than it is a formal Thanksgiving party. With a casual Thanksgiving party, as previously mentioned, your guests are not expecting to be treated as if they were at a four star hotel. Instead, they will likely expect to have fun. Luckily for you, there are an unlimited number of different forms of entertainment that are just perfect for casual parties. This means that in addition to music and dancing, you could easily play a number of other fun holiday games; games that might not necessarily fit in at a formal Thanksgiving party.

A casual Thanksgiving party may be ideal if you or a large number of your guests are parents. When attending a formal party, even a Thanksgiving party, most parents are asked to leave their children at home. While some parents do not mind doing so, there are others who may. That is why a casual Thanksgiving party may be great, whether you have kids yourself or a number of party guests do. With a few activities, such as party games, centered towards children, the children, as well as the adults, could easily enjoy themselves at your next Thanksgiving party.

While there are a number of different reasons why you may want to host a causal Thanksgiving party, there are also a number of reasons why your guests may want you to host one; one of those reasons being the cost of attending your party. With a casual Thanksgiving party, your guests may choose to arrive in jeans or a nice pair of pants; often something that they already own. When it comes to formal Thanksgiving parties, it is not uncommon for guests to go out and purchase new, potentially expensive, eveningwear. A casual Thanksgiving party may make it so your guests do not have to pay to come to your party.

As previously mentioned, even casual parties require some planning and preparation. To ensure that your next casual Thanksgiving party, if you decide to have one, goes off exactly as planned, you are urged to start planning for your party in advance. Depending on the size of your party, it may be a good idea to start your planning, at least, a month in advance. The larger the size of your party, the earlier you may want to start your planning.

What to Consider Before Deciding to Host a Thanksgiving Party

2009-09-27T13:32:00.000-07:00

Are you interested in hosting a Thanksgiving party this year? If so, you likely already know that you have a large amount of work in front of you. If you have yet to officially announce that you are planning on hosting a Thanksgiving party, it may be a good idea to step back and give your decision some serious thought. As previously mentioned, Thanksgiving parties aren’t always easy to plan. The difficult planning is one of the many things that may make you want to change your mind about hosting a Thanksgiving party.

One of the most important things that you need to remember, when deciding whether or not you should host a Thanksgiving party, is the time. The holiday season is a busy time. Most families already have plans, when it comes to Thanksgiving. You should keep this in mind. If you are still interested in hosting a Thanksgiving party, it may be a good idea to invite your guests early or have your party the day before or the day after. Doing so may help to ensure that your guests will be able to attend your event.

You will also want to think about food. A large number of individuals incorporate a Thanksgiving dinner into their Thanksgiving party, but not everyone does. You will need to decide whether you would like to do so or not. If you only plan on serving snacks at your party, you will want to keep the time of your party in mind. If you host a party around lunch or dinnertime, your guests might assume that you will be feeding them a whole meal. It might be a good idea to incorporate a Thanksgiving dinner into your party, but you will likely find that it is a lot of extra work.

It is also important that you determine whether or not you will want to have an all adult party or a party for both kids and adults. This, alone, may change your mind about hosting a Thanksgiving party. Adult parties are ideal because they give adults a chance to sit back, relax, and enjoy themselves. The only problem with an adult only Thanksgiving party is that there is a good chance that some of your party guests may have kids. If you are against having children present at your party, it may be a good idea to decide this ahead of time. You will not want to have some guests bring their children, while others do not. If you cannot make a decision or say no to some of your guests, it may be a good idea to hold off on the Thanksgiving party.

Perhaps, the most important thing that you need to consider, before making a decision as to whether or not you want to host a Thanksgiving party, is the cost of it. Unfortunately, it can be expensive to plan a party, even a Thanksgiving party. If you are leaning towards throwing a party, it may be a good idea to make a list of the guests, the decorations, and the food or drinks that you will need. This may help you determine the cost of throwing a Thanksgiving party. If you find it difficult to afford a party, it may be a good idea to cut back on your guests, as well as the food that you plan on serving, or else you might not even want to host a party after all.

Although it may seem as if there are a number of disadvantages to throwing a Thanksgiving party, there really aren’t that many. In fact, there are also a number of advantages to hosting a Thanksgiving party. One of those advantages is that you get to spend the holidays with those that you know and love. Honestly, you will have to make your own decision, but it may be a good idea to keep the above mentioned points in mind.

Thanksgiving Party Invitations: Creative Ways to Invite Your Guests

2009-09-27T13:31:00.001-07:00

When it comes to planning a party, even a Thanksgiving party, a large amount of focus is placed on the party itself. While it is important to thoroughly plan out and prepare for you Thanksgiving party, in advance, there are some party hosts who forget the importance of inviting their guests. While guests always end up getting invited, it isn’t in the way that they always wished to be invited. If you are hosting a Thanksgiving party, you are urged to invite your guests with real party invitations; you will find that there are a number of benefits to doing so.

Perhaps, the biggest benefit to inviting your guests to your Thanksgiving party with formal invitations is the fact that your invitations will reflect upon your party. Guests who receive a simple phone call or an email may still be likely to attend your party, but there is also a chance that they may not want to. One of the reasons for that is because guests often feel that they should be invited to a party formally, not in a completely casual matter. A quick phone call or email may make your guests feel as if you do not really want them at your party. That is why it is advised that, whenever possible, you send your Thanksgiving party guests real invitations.

When it comes to party invitations, you will find that you have a number of different options. The most popular option, perhaps, is using store bought invitations. Store bought invitations are nice and they typically come with pre-filled recommendations, such as your Thanksgiving party time, date, and place. What is nice about store bought party invitations is that they come in a number of different styles. If you are looking for a somewhat elegant invitation, you could easily find some at your local department store or party supply store. If you are looking to send out real party invitations, but at an affordable price, you can easily find low-cost invitations at your local discount stores or dollar stores.

As previously mentioned, there is a good chance that you may be interested in purchasing a formal set of Thanksgiving party invitations. These formal, elegant types of invitations are ideal for formal Thanksgiving parties; parties that often have an eveningwear dress code. If you are looking for beautiful elegant party invitations, invitations that you cannot buy in a store, it may be best to search online. Online, there are a number of different individuals and companies who specialize in making elegant party invitations, as well as customized invitations. These invitations, as you likely already know, will cost more than traditional store bought invitations, but if they are the perfect fit for your party, they will be well worth the cost.

As nice as it is to order customized Thanksgiving party decorations, they can be quite costly. If you are looking for an elegant way to invite your guests to your Thanksgiving party, you can still do so, without spending more money than you want to. You can easily do this by making your own Thanksgiving party invitations. In most party supplies stores, as well as craft stores, you can find a collection of blank cards or you could use traditional computer paper. On your computer, you will likely find a number of preset card templates, including party invitations. You can use these templates to create your own, unique party invitations. Depending on your creativity, you may also wish to create your own handcrafted Thanksgiving party invitations.

As previously mentioned, there are a number of benefits to sending your Thanksgiving party guests real party invitations, whether they are handmade or store bought. Since you have a wide array of options to choose from, you are advised to send your party guests real party invitations. There is a good chance that your party guests will not only enjoy the thought, but they may also be more likely to attend your party.

Why You Should Choose to Host a Formal Thanksgiving Party

2009-09-27T13:30:00.001-07:00

Each year, an unlimited number of Thanksgiving parties are held. Are you looking to host one this year? If so, have you decided which type of Thanksgiving party you would like to have? Unfortunately, a large number of party guests do not realize that they actually have a choice. Truth be told, you do. You can either have a causal Thanksgiving party or a formal Thanksgiving party. Although many party hosts choose to have casual parties, you will find that there are a number of benefits to planning and hosting a formal Thanksgiving party.

Perhaps, the greatest reason why many party hosts choose to make their Thanksgiving party a formal one is because they enjoy elegant events. How formal you would like to go is completely up to you, but a large number of party hosts request that their party guests arrive in formal apparel or, at least, in eveningwear. Although you may think that most of your guests would prefer to arrive in jeans, that isn’t always in the case. Many adults enjoy attending elegant events, but many are just unable to. Your formal Thanksgiving party may give your guests the excuses that they wanted to wear that elegant evening dress or suit that has been sitting in the back of their closet for ages.

Another reason why you should think about hosting a formal Thanksgiving party is because of the holiday. In the past, holidays were associated with formal and elegant events and attire. While these events do still exist today, it seems as many of us have gotten to use to tossing on a pair of jeans for Thanksgiving dinner. While that is still possible to wear casual clothing to a Thanksgiving party or dinner, a holiday as special as Thanksgiving should be celebrated in style.

If you enjoy planning parties, a formal Thanksgiving party may be right for you. Although all parties, including casual Thanksgiving parties do require some preparation; you will see that formal Thanksgiving parties require more. While this may be considered a disadvantage, it doesn’t necessarily have to be, especially if you enjoy party planning. A formal Thanksgiving party will enable you to show off your party planning skills. It is always assumed that those who plan elegant, formal parties are the best at what they do and all of your party guests will easily be able to see that.

If you do make the decision to plan a formal Thanksgiving party, you can choose to do your party in any way that you see fit; however, many party hosts make their formal Thanksgiving parties adult only. A formal, adult only Thanksgiving party has an unlimited number of benefits, all on its own. You many find that more guests are willing to attend your party, particularly those that are not parents, but even those who are parents will likely attend. Adults, whether they have children are not, always enjoy the opportunity to socialize in an adult setting and what better setting than a formal Thanksgiving party?

Although there is a good chance that you may be interested in planning a formal Thanksgiving party, there is also a chance that you might not be interested. As nice as formal Thanksgiving parties are, they are not required. As the party host, you have the ability to choose exactly what you want or do not want your Thanksgiving party to be.