People have strong opinions when it comes to dressing, starting with whether it should be called "dressing" or "stuffing." In the South, my family always called it "dressing" and baked it in a casserole dish, not a turkey, and we always had two options: sausage or oyster. What we did not have was cornbread. As a lover of all things cornmeal — corn dogs, grits, tamales, you name it — I figured Read more

When planning a festive holiday meal like Thanksgiving, it's fun to think about the colors that will grace the table. The deep greens of vegetables, the vibrant red of cranberry sauce, the rich orange of sweet potatoes. And thanks to a side dish like this wild rice with mushrooms, earthy browns and buttery creams will also be a part of the food rainbow. Wild rice takes time to prepare, so Read more

Right now it seems as if every chef is looking to the South for inspiration. So why not take a tip from the likes of Alton Brown and John Besh and serve a Thanksgiving meal that oozes with Southern charm? Plan a dinner that highlights simple and delicious cooking. Start with an unfussy roast turkey recipe that's seasoned with lots of salt and pepper and served with a rich turkey gravy. Keep Read more

If you're having a tough time motivating to eat your greens, JuicyNoelle posted this simple recipe in the Healthy Recipe Group for Sunny Avocado Basil dressing. Trying to eat more greens? Me too. Leafy greens are one of nature’s most perfect foods to cleanse, restore, and rejuvenate a beautiful body and spirit. Re-invent your next salad with this fresh avocado and basil dressing. This dressing Read more

Regardless of whether or not you stuff your turkey, it simply wouldn't be Thanksgiving without stuffing — er, I mean, dressing. Change things up and take a tip from denizens of the Deep South and Carolina low country: make rice the star of the dish. Not only is whole-grain rice healthier and gluten-free, but cooking up a pot of rice is less work than cubing pieces of day-old bread. If you're Read more

It's arguably the standout dish at Thanksgiving, yet at the same time shrouded in ambiguity. What's the proper way to refer to it: stuffing or dressing? Is there even a distinction? Some believe that if it's cooked inside a roast, it should be dubbed stuffing; if it's prepared outside the bird, then the proper name for it is dressing. But go south of the Mason-Dixon line, and cooks will call it Read more

Recently, I decided to try a recipe that called for day-old bread. I wanted to make the dish that night and headed to the grocery store hopeful that I could find a loaf of day-old bread. Although I was out of luck, I chatted with the baker about my dilemma. How could I turn new bread into stale bread? Here's what she told me to do: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Slice the bread into 1/2-inch Read more