"thanksgiving" news and stories

Ok, at first we thought this was a joke, but a newspaper columnist in Ohio has admitted to one of the most bizarre (or disgusting or ingenious -- take your pick) stuffing recipes ever: White Castle sliders.

In a recent blog post on the Columbus Dispatch's website, Jeffrey Sheban writes: "When I stuff a turkey, I eschew traditional bread cubes in favor of White Castle hamburgers," which, as he points out, are mostly bread and onions -- staples of most stuffing recipes.

Although it seems a little suspicious that the type of person who would resort to a fast-food drive thru for his holiday ingredients would also be able to use the word "eschew" correctly in a sentence, other aspects of his post corroborate his claim. For instance, he admits that he didn't actually debut his whacked-out stuffing recipe on Thanksgiving, but at a Super Bowl party. "No one in my family trusts me with real holidays," he writes. (Gee, wonder why.)

Whether you have guests at your Thanksgiving table who are vegetarian or you've decided to take it a little easier this year, there are countless ways to let the vegetables shine.

From the small gesture of setting aside some of the stuffing and baking it separately in a gratin dish to making vegetarian appetizers (which won't fill everyone up before the big meal), YumSugar has rounded up ideas that will please carnivores and vegetarians alike.

Get more ideas: Make This Thanksgiving Vegetarian-Friendly

Crafty people, now is your time to shine! If you want to work the Thanksgiving turkey theme all the way from appetizer to dessert, give these turkey cupcakes a go, with the help of a video how-to from Creative Cupcaking team Karen Tack and Alan Richardson at KitchenDaily. And if you're the type to plan ahead, Karen and Alan's candy-spiked Dinner Party Cupcakes might be just the thing for New Year's Eve.

How-to: Turkey Cupcakes

There are a lot of things that might drive you to drink, but nothing does it quite like the holidays. Afraid so -- it's that time again to go over the river and through the woods to be annoyed by relatives you barely remember, who are once again ready to turn our nation's airports into outposts from Hell as they zero in on Grandmother's house, which may or may not be in foreclosure any day now. And, ever since the trees were paved over to put up that cookie-cutter subdivision, there's no more slipping off for a "walk" in the woods with a flask of bourbon tucked in your hip pocket.

Ah, but here's an idea: the 100-proof turkey, which was unveiled today by the United Restaurant and Tavern Owners Association. The bird takes three days to prepare and is "infused with five different flavors of vodka: peach, cherry, orange, lemon and apple," with gravy that's also made with 100-proof vodka. The recipe is to be posted at liquor stores across the country and will be served at 100 pubs around New York City, including PD O'Hurley's tavern, which URTO president Paul Hurley happens to own. (This is Hurley's second year of the 100-proof turkey.) Bars are even throwing in a free cab ride for anyone who orders the boozy bird. As for Granny, don't worry. She started the 100-proof turkey last week. And doubled the alcohol.

• Pumpkin? Check. Apple? Check. How about pecan pie?
• Pie gets all the attention this time of year, but a walnut cake can hit the spot.
• On Friday, when you're faced with a mound of leftover stuffing, consider a savory bread pudding.
• All this Thanksgiving preparation makes you thirsty, doesn't it? Here, some easy wine choices.