"food banks" news and stories

Hooray for New York's new First Girlfriend, Sandra Lee, not only the host of two hits shows on the Food Network but also the Significant Other of the state's just-inaugurated governor, Andrew Cuomo. The couple looked dreamy at the recent inaugural ball, which was pared down to keep the festivities less lavish in these tough economic times. But we've got even more reason to cheer Ms. Lee: At 2:30 today (EST), the Syracuse Post-Standard reports, she will be presenting a $10,000 check from Sam's Club to the Food Bank of Central New York at it's headquarters in Van Buren, NY, where she will discuss the problem of hunger in central New York State. This is also a kick-off to Lee's tour of the state's food banks and her hunger-awareness campaign.

Now you know that Nobody Doesn't Like Sandra Lee, especially the governor.

According to a USDA report, 15 percent of American households "struggled to put food on the table during 2009," reports the Turlock Journal, while it seems food drive donations are down this year -- maybe because too many givers are now indeed in need themselves. But the food drives we've come across are certainly not short on creativity. Below, we've rounded up six of some of the more out-of-box ways people are giving this year, including an effort from our own parent site -- not to mention our guy in the box this Halloween.

Delivery by Motocycle
On Monday, twenty motorcycles from the Desert Thunder Motorcycle Riders club rode into California's Coachella Valley Rescue Mission with four trucks bearing 125 turkeys and more than 4,000 pounds of corn, sweet potatoes, pies and other holiday table essentials, reports The Desert Sun, a local paper of Palm Springs, CA.

Touchdown from the Redskins
This Tuesday, for the eighth year, several players from the NFL team joined Tanya Snyder, wife of Daniel M. Snyder (who owns the Redskins), to package and distribute 3,500 turkeys and food baskets at Washington's FedEx Field for Prince George County residents, reports the Washington Post. Not a bad roster to get your packing done.

Photo: Erica George Dines Photography

The Slashfood team is heading out for our own Thanksgiving celebrations. There's still time to get your feast prepared. Read on for a host of last-minute turkey day ideas.

Have you brined that bird yet? There's still time to ensure it's juicy and delicious, just follow our brining guide and follow this easy turkey brine recipe. Whether you've been cooking Thanksgiving dinner for 20 years or this is your first time, sometimes things can go wrong. For quick solutions to common turkey blunders, Turkey Help to the rescue.

Still looking for that last minute green bean casserole recipe? KitchenDaily has Thanksgiving Recipes for everyone, even vegetarians! Serve the perfect wine with dinner with these Thanksgiving wine pairings. We've got Thanksgiving beer pairings too!

Need some conversation starters for the table? Take our Thanksgiving Trivia quiz and find out when the first Thanksgiving dinner was celebrated.

Thanksgiving leftovers might arguably be the best part of the holiday, check out these delicious recipes for the turkey, cranberries, bread, and mashed potatoes. Last but not least, don't forget to help those who are less fortunate -- find your nearest Food Bank and give back this holiday.

As we all get ready to sit down to a belly-bulging turkey dinner this Thursday with the ones we love, it's also time to remember the holiday is about giving thanks.

But during these tough economic times, many people will get their meals this holiday season from food banks and soup kitchens. Volunteering to charitable causes in a time of abundance gives others a reason to give back.

Find out how you can help after the jump.

• Re-thinking greens and ending the reign of bad salads.
• Battling back against tight wallets and the ramen stronghold, OSU opens a student-run food bank.
• Cinco de Mayo recipes such as Goat Cheese and Poblano Pepita Pesto Quesadillas.
• A look at Chef Gabriel Rucker and Le Pigeon plus his recipes for Cured Bay Scallop Salad and Pan-Seared Pork Chops.
• A mango by any other name is not the same -- deets on the Tommy Atkins variety.
• Pure, clear wines: Pierre Sparr Pinot Blanc Reserve "Alsace" 2007 and Chianti Rufina 2007, Selvapiana.
• Holding back on the cream and cheese for a lighter Springtime Spaghetti Carbonara.
• Recipe: Pea and Mint Risotto
• Reader Cookbook Reviews: "Kneadlessly Simple," "Modern Spice" and great recipes with hard-to-find ingredients for "Bottega Favorita."
• Turning rosti potatoes into an eggy dinner salad.