"ThanksgivingFood" news and stories

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:

Food Network releases its 2010 schedule, which includes pathetic chefs and more screwball Brian Boitano.

Move over, Two Buck Chuck; 7-Eleven is bringing the wine game.

Momofuku's David Chang chats about TV, culinary trends and how In-N-Out Burger is better than Taylor's Automatic Refresher in San Francisco.

Is the freneticism of Thanksgiving a good thing, or does it make you run for the hills -- you decide?

When devising your Thanksgiving menu, don't leave sides out in the cold -- invite Caramelized Onion Cranberry Sauce to the table.

Put your stomach where your mouth is -- grub on bugs!

And for dessert, try The World's Best Apple Pie.

When we think of Thanksgiving, thoughts usually turn to lavish feasts and a celebration of all things savory. But just as much as this November holiday is a time to come together for massive meals, it's also the perfect time to infuse fall flavor with a dollop of sweetness. Over the next few weeks, I'll be dipping into some fun and easy ways to sweeten up your Thanksgiving, and first up: Hard Maple Syrup Candy.

Maple syrup is the perfect ingredient for Thanksgiving. The turning maple leaves are a staple of fall decorating, the flavor of the syrup is sweet, natural and divine, and the dark and rich brown hue is perfect for the holiday table.

Yet most recipes out there insist on turning that syrup into a crystallized Maple Sugar Candy. Of course, those are great nibbles, but simplifying the recipe and letting that syrup harden offers an equally sinful snack that melts on the tongue and is as decorative as it is tasty.

Finish this sentence: "It's not Thanksgiving at my house without ..."

For most, the answer will be the bird of the hour -- Tom Turkey. For others, it may be the baked ham in its glazed glory.

Some like to carbo-load on gravy-laden mashed potatoes, while others prefer to bow before bowls of macaroni-n-cheese. And then there are the casserole crazies.

Many find themselves nostalgic for the green bean casserole of yore, complete with cream of mushroom soup and canned fried onions. Then there's the sweet potato casserole -- which in itself sparks controversy as whether to top with brown sugar or marshmallows. And whether or not it is indeed referred to as sweet potato casserole or candied yams.

On a related note, is it called stuffing or dressing? And do you bake it in the bird or separately? Cranberry sauce -- is it canned or homemade?

For the rest, the answer is easy as pie -- saving the best for last with a slice of pecan, pumpkin, apple or sweet potato goodness.

One thing we can all agree on is Thanksgiving is a time to eat, eat and, oh yeah, eat some more. The nap afterward is a well-deserved reward.

Have a field day in the comments. "It's not Thanksgiving without ..."

What food has to be on your Thanksgiving table?

turkey	11 (22.4%)
baked ham	2 (4.1%)
green bean casserole	2 (4.1%)
mashed potatoes	4 (8.2%)
cranberry sauce	3 (6.1%)
stuffing/dressing	6 (12.2%)
macaroni and cheese	1 (2.0%)
sweet potato casserole/candied yams	5 (10.2%)
pumpkin pie	4 (8.2%)
pecan pie	2 (4.1%)
apple pie	2 (4.1%)
sweet potato pie	2 (4.1%)
Other	5 (10.2%)

A few of the best stories spied elsewhere on the Web this week:

Learn some new holiday cooking and baking skills with this roundup of Thanksgiving cooking classes across the nation.

Not surprisingly, an Aloha, Ore., man was fined $300 for calling 911 to complain about his botched McDonald's drive-through order.

Design icon Isaac Mizrahi will sell tartan-topped cheesecakes from Junior's on QVC in early December.

Los Angeles' popular Kogi Korean Taco Truck gets a tricked out Toyota Scion Kogi xD Mobile Kitchen that's fully loaded with a grill, a sink and an Alpine Sound System.

Restaurant consulting firm Baum + Whiteman released its 2010 food and dining trend forecast, which claims "fried chicken is the new pork belly."

Former New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni sold the TV rights to his memoir, "Born Round."

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:

Turning fresh bread into day-old bread (that's perfect for stuffing) only takes 15 minutes.

Start planning your turkey day -- from decor to dessert -- now.

Whet your appetite with 10 exciting dishes for Thanksgiving.

Will you make room for soup at the Thanksgiving table?

Does Masterchef, another televised cooking-show competition, mean too many chefs in the kitchen?

Bacon makes everything better -- even candles!

Leftovers can cure the take-out temptation -- Thai Beef with Coconut Rice.