"Thanksgiving dinner" news and stories

Do you serve red or white wine with Thanksgiving dinner? After all, the wine served with dinner can sometimes make or break your turkey feast.

The editors over at YumSugar have asked wine expert Eugenio Jardim for his suggestions. From mashed potatoes to pumpkin pie, he's got you covered.

10 Exceptional Thanksgiving Food and Wine Pairings

• Only in California: Thanksgiving dinner held outdoors at an ever-longer table. BYOS (bring your own side)!
• As long as you're outside, how about grilling the bird this year?
• And here are recipes for everything else. (And we do mean everything.)
• If you're not up to cooking, Southern California restaurant options abound.

Not all of us love spending Thanksgiving morning pulling giblets from a turkey and the afternoon trying to get the lumps out of our gravy. But even though you're not a cook, you may not have the budget to take the family out for an all-the-trimmings holiday meal at a restaurant. This, according to a report by Nation' s Restaurant News, is a fact that chain restaurants are well aware of. From Popeye's brined Cajun turkey to Boston Market's whole turkeys and spiral-sliced hams to Cracker Barrel's traditional spread (at $8.99 per adult, $4.49 for kids), the chains are working it.

Photo: Getty RF.

The guests have finished gobbling and you've waved off all offers of help. Now you're stuck with the mess. The pros share their post-holiday triage tips.

Nothing quite kills the glow you get from preparing a big feast for family and friends during the holidays like finding yourself alone in a trashed kitchen, trying to deal with the ruins while your guests slip away into the night or pass out before the television set.

"It can really sour a meal, especially if you like football and don't want to be stuck with your bitter head in the dishwasher," says New York caterer Serena Bass.

While grimacing through the holidays and hating everyone while pretending to have a heart full of good cheer may make sense to some WASPs, it's best to avoid the resentment by allocating some of the clean-up duties ahead of time. First, says Bass, know your players.

"Don't give a stranger putting-away duties, as you'll never find things again. That's your job. Get a Virgo at the dishwasher, putting things in, and someone else at the sink rinsing and scrubbing the crusty stuff.

"You'll need one or two to clear the tables -- and tell them where the dirty linens go; one or two to put the tables and chairs back where they belong; and one person to put away leftovers. Be sure to have plenty of plastic containers and Ziploc bags -- and make space in the fridge beforehand!"

On Thanksgiving, it's easy to overlook the main event for all the delicious sides. But with a turkey like this one, it's hard to deny the glory of such a proud bird.

Though many lust after a particular side dish, a turkey this juicy and golden reigns over any Thanksgiving table. As first-time Thanksgiving hosts know, it can be both the centerpiece and the biggest concern. (Ever see the deflated bird in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation? If only the Griswolds had tried our brine recipe.) Nonetheless, Flickr user Coconut Recipe's perfectly roasted example is an inspiration.



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