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What’s the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling?

Stop right there! Before you reach for that can opener, make sure you know the difference between pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling. Both are super convenient canned pumpkin products that can save you tons of time and effort, but while they may look alike, you definitely don’t want to use one in place of the other. Adding the wrong product to your pumpkin recipe can spell disaster. Here’s why. pumpkin pie filling The wording is pretty straight forward. Pumpkin pie filling (or pumpkin pie mix) works for pies or other super sweet dishes, as it’s already heavily sweetened. It’s convenient if you don’t want to worry about adding your own sweetener or spices (or if you don’t have common pumpkin pie spices available to you). Check out the 6 biggest mistakes you can make when baking pumpkin pie.  pumpkin puree For just about any other recipe, it’s probably pumpkin puree…

This is America’s least favorite Thanksgiving food

Picture this likely scenario: You’re at Thanksgiving dinner, piling your plate high with all the season’s most delicious sides. But between your mile-high heap of mashed potatoes, that seriously large scoop of stuffing, and a gravy-smothered stack of turkey breast slices, you realize there just isn’t room for every side on that plate. So what gives? Well, if you’re like many Americans, there is one dish you can easily pass on. Perhaps not surprisingly, the least-loved Thanksgiving food is canned cranberry sauce. Yup, that gelatinous, wiggly can-shaped side, just doesn’t do it for most people, according to Instacart’s Turkey Day Exposé. Nearly half of Americans (46%) say that canned cranberry sauce is “disgusting.” Maybe it’s the tin-shape that turns people off, as 31% of Americans reported serving their cranberries right out of the can (as opposed to mashing it up). If this is your household, try making cranberry sauce using…

What’s the difference between stuffing and dressing?

For carb-lovers, stuffing is the ultimate thanksgiving side dish. That delicious blend of bread, celery, onions and seasonings when smothered with gravy and served atop roast turkey is truly a feast to be thankful for. (Heck. Forget the turkey! I’d be happy with stuffing alone!) That said, while we all unanimously seem to agree that stuffing reigns supreme, what we disagree on is what to call it. Some people say stuffing. Others call it dressing. So what gives? Avoid these 8 common stuffing mistakes. Well, historically, some people used the terms to note the difference between stuffing (cooked inside the bird) and dressing (cooked outside of the bird, likely in a baking dish). But this wasn’t really ever “official.” Dictionaries no longer even really distinguish the two. The difference in the terminology is actually due to regional dialects. Though both dishes contain the same ingredients, if you’re from a southern…

Pomegranate Gin Fizz with Rosemary sprig

The Pomegranate Gin Fizz is perfect for all types of holiday and winter gatherings. It’s seriously crisp and refreshing and makes the perfect Christmas cocktail. This beautifully bright red fizzy drink bursting with juicy arils and aromatic herbs will impress any guest. Holiday tip: Mix a large pitcher ahead of time and pour over ice as guests arrive. Pomegranate Gin Fizz Makes 1 drink Ingredients crushed ice to fill glass 1 ounce gin 2 ounces pomegranate juice club soda to top spring of fresh rosemary (for garnish) 2 tsp pomegranate arils (seeds) Directions Pour gin and pomegranate juice in short whiskey glass. Fill the rest of the glass with crushed ice (almost to the top). Sprinkle with arils and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary. Also see, A perfect holiday punch recipe. Follow us on Instagram.

How to make turkey gravy without the drippings

Thanksgiving dinner just wouldn’t be the same without a generous pour of delicious gravy to soak through that stuffing and bring the whole plate together. But with the popularity of deep fried or air-fried turkeys, some folks are wondering how they too can have homemade gravy (usually made with the leftover drippings from the baked bird). So how do you make homemade turkey gravy without the drippings? What are drippings? In case you’re confused about drippings, let me give a quick explanation. Drippings are the liquid that falls from the bird into the pan as the meat roasts. That liquid caramelizes and browns and takes on a deep, rich flavor (it’s what gives gravy almost all of its flavor). You would take those drippings and add butter, flour, broth, and some seasonings, and whisk that into a delicious gravy. So how to make gravy without drippings? You can still…

How much turkey should you buy per person? And other turkey questions, answered

There are a lot of decisions the Thanksgiving host has to make. Cranberry sauce; fresh or canned? A side of carrots or corn? Pumpkin or apple pie? (That answer there is easy. Both!). But perhaps the most important question of them all: How many pounds of turkey do I need to buy? How much turkey should i buy per person? As a rule of thumb, you should aim for about 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person. Don’t forget that number takes into considering the weight of the bones, giblets, and a bit of leftovers too. That means, if you’re having 8 adult guests, you’re going to want a 12 pound turkey. Of course, if you have a bunch of big eaters or turkey lovers — or think you might get a few unexpected last minute guests — you’ll want to go up from there. When should you buy your turkey?…

The most-Googled Thanksgiving recipe in each state

Each November when the leaves start to fall, we turn our attention to the upcoming Thanksgiving feast. But while we all look forward to plates piled high with food, what’s on those plates can vary greatly from region to region. Cooks everywhere turn to the internet to make sure they’re ready with recipes that will please their guests. Satelliteinternet.com analyzed all of those food-related searches to find out which states are mostly likely to each which dish. It’s no surprise that turkey was the most-Googled Thanksgiving dish across America, but beyond that, plenty of cooks were looking for other advice. And depending where you live, you were definitely more likely to search for different dishes. Green bean casserole and corn casseroles were the next most-searched recipes after turkey, with a particularly heavy following in the Midwest. Other searches were more localized. For instance, Vermonters seems to include ambrosia salad in…

This Turkey Veggie Tray will be the talk of Thanksgiving

Bring this tasty veggie turkey tray to your Thanksgiving Day gathering and everyone will gobble it up! It’s super simple to assemble, and a fun way to snack healthy before devouring what’s likely to be a belt-busting feast. You can get creative and use nearly any veggie you might have on hand, but here’s what I included in mine: Cucumber slices carrots red peppers yellow peppers cauliflower peas Assemble vegetables, in rows, on a large round platter. Then, just pick up a container of ranch dip (or make your own), cut an adorable turkey face, and you’re all set! For more details, watch the how-to video above. Gobble Gobble! Also check out: 17 Thanksgiving recipes you don’t want to miss! Also see, The first TV Dinner was a Thanksgiving feast. Follow us on Instagram.

10 great hostess gifts that aren’t wine

Anyone can run to a nearby liquor store and pick up a bottle of wine, but your hostess will be much more impressed with your thoughtfulness if you opt for something else. Whether it’s something they share that evening with guests, or something they save for themselves, these gifts will be greatly appreciated. Soyil Natural Soy Wax Candles (Starting at $14, everybodyshops.com) Show your smart and savvy hostess you appreciate her hospitality with a dye-free, natural soy wax, small batch candle. Seasonal fragrances can help her warm her home with a welcoming scent, plus, soy won’t mark up walls with that nasty black soot. Wine Glass Mahogany Appetizer plates ($19.99, everybodyshops.com) You can bet your host won’t be able to wait to break these out for guests to use atop their wine glasses as they graze all of the amazing food at the party. Each set includes four plates, and…

8 common stuffing mistakes that could ruin your holiday dinner

Okay, maybe “ruin” is a bit dramatic, but that doesn’t mean you and your guests won’t be disappointed with dry or less-than-stellar stuffing. This classic Thanksgiving dinner dish — with its familiar flavors of onion, celery, and herbs mixing with crispy, chewy, buttery bread — is well-loved, but it’s also easy to mess up, so be sure to avoid these 8 common stuffing mistakes: 1. You make it on Thanksgiving Day Don’t wait until Thanksgiving day to start your stuffing. Your bread base — whether it’s a bread loaf, cornbread, bagels or even waffles — needs to be dry and stale, so let it sit out for at least a day or two before you begin. If your bread is still moist, your stuffing will be soggy. 2. You try to save calories If you’re looking to keep your Thanksgiving meal within a certain calorie count, perhaps you could cut…