Even on a budget, you can achieve a beautiful and elegant atmosphere for Thanksgiving dinner. Cover the table with a brown cloth. Search for a tablecloth that is on sale, or if you have access to a sewing machine, purchase some cheap fabric and sew a tablecloth. Shimmery paper makes an affordable place mat. Don't purchase new china; instead, use what you have on hand. Plain cotton napkins are environmentally friendly and inexpensive.
For a set of wine glasses, cutlery, and tealight votive holders, look no further than Ikea. It's a great place for large quantities at a low price.
Add an element of nature to the table with homemade place card holders. Write the names on the same paper as the place mats. Cut out and attach to a pinecone or tree spur with a satin ribbon. Avoid going overboard on the flowers; one simple bouquet is enough. Purchase the flowers at your local supermarket (instead of at a floral shop) and arrange yourself. Safeway and Trader Joe's usually have luscious bouquets for under $10.
Casserole has long had a bad rap, but after many years, it appears to be shedding its negative image and staging a comeback.
These hot entrées hit their pinnacle of popularity in the 1960s, when housewives relied on the easy formula to put dinner on the table. Over the years, however, people grew to associate the word casserole with unappetizing mixtures of mystery meats and canned soups, and casseroles went the way of the tape player. Enter the current economic crisis, and casserole dishes have been reappearing everywhere. To see why, read more
We've been hearing lots about what President-elect Obama will do once he sets foot in the White House, but I'd like to steer the conversation to another titillating point: Barack's favorite dining spots. Sure, he's been seen eating in luncheonettes and diners along the campaign trail, but where does our soon-to-be chief really like to eat?
One recently released study, which began in 1968 at Gothenburg University in Sweden, demonstrated that a group of wine-drinkers had a significantly below-average rate of dementia, versus other women who regularly drank beer or spirits. Another study, produced by the Danish Institute of Preventive Medicine in Denmark, had similar findings: those who drank wine weekly or monthly were more than two times less likely to develop dementia.
The positive health effects are the result of flavonoids, antioxidant compounds found in red wine. Do any of you drink wine for its purported health benefits?
If you're looking for a comforting carbohydrate that's a change from pasta or rice, opt for a bed of these with meat and gravy, or panfried with butter and onions. Do you know what this dish is called?
Wouldn't you love to have all of your favorite recipes bound in one fabulous, personalized cookbook? Just in time for Thanksgiving, we're partnering with TasteBook to give away three custom-made recipe books in the month of November. TasteBook is an online service that lets you create a personalized book of recipes. You can search the site's database (with recipes from countless professional sources like Epicurious, Food and Wine, and Better Homes and Gardens) or upload your family's favorites. You select 100 recipes, then TasteBook prints them out, binds them in a book, and sends you the finished product! If you don't have time to choose your own recipes, you can choose from a variety of already-made collections.To enter to win the first of three TasteBook giveaways, you must log in and take the TasteBook quiz below. Your eligibility is not based on getting the answers correct, just by completing the quiz once you are logged in. You do, however, need to be a TeamSugar member, and you must log in before taking the quiz. If you're not already a member, register here for an account. One quiz entry per person, as all repeat quizzes will be ignored.
The contest is open to US residents only and ends on Friday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. PST. Next week there will be another quiz to win the second book. Click here for official rules. Enjoy and good luck!
Even on a budget, you can achieve a beautiful and elegant atmosphere for Thanksgiving dinner. Cover the table with a brown cloth. Search for a tablecloth that is on sale, or if you have access to a sewing machine, purchase some cheap fabric and sew a tablecloth. Shimmery paper makes an affordable place mat. Don't purchase new china; instead, use what you have on hand. Plain cotton napkins are environmentally friendly and inexpensive. 
Mulberry
Citizens of Humanity
Bruno Magli