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Melissa d'Arabian's Helpful Hints For Feasting on a Budget

YumSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:00:31 -0800

Of all the year's celebrations, Thanksgiving often is the most expensive. In 2008, roughly a quarter of you said you were spending $150 or more. This year, to help you stay well within your budget, we've enlisted the help of Melissa d'Arabian, winner of the Next Food Network Star and host of Ten Dollar Dinners With Melissa d'Arabian.

On her Food Network show, Melissa makes dinner for four for under $10 - and her Thanksgiving is no different. She's partnered with Walmart to come up with a turkey day feast that's only $20, and plans to serve it to her own family this holiday. "My family is really getting the $20 thanksgiving!" she says. Regardless of how much you've got in your wallet, she has some pointers to help you stay under budget. See them when you read more.

How to Set a Formal Place Setting

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:36:36 -0800

Since so much thought, time, and preparation goes into making the Thanksgiving meal I think it's important to properly set the table. Thanksgiving is only three short days away, so why not do the place settings tonight? From the utensils to the water glass, it can be hard to remember where everything goes. That's why I've put together this helpful slideshow - learn how to create an elegant place setting now.

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Thanksgiving Tip: Freeze the Butter Before Making Pie

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:00:32 -0800

When making pie dough, it's very important to use really cold butter. This will ensure that the crust is rich, flaky, and buttery. Most recipes remind you that the butter should be cold, but whenever I'm baking a pie, the first thing I do, before measuring anything, is cut the butter into 1/4-inch cubes. I put the cubes in a small dish and place it in the freezer. Then, I start making the dough. The butter is in the freezer for only a few minutes and doesn't really freeze; instead it gets really cold. Do you have a tip for great Thanksgiving pie?

Meet Our New Food and Entertaining Video Channel, YumTV!

partysugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:43:19 -0800

I'm a huge fan of PopSugar Rush and BellaTV - that's why it brings me great honor to introduce our new food-related video channel, YumTV! We're creating an exciting lineup of original shows that will debut every week. YumTV is your ultimate guide to all things food, drink, and entertaining. We'll show you how to throw the perfect party, cook killer apps, browse the farmers markets, shake up creative cocktails, and much more!

In today's first episode, we talk about one of the most important side dishes of the Thanksgiving meal, mashed potatoes. To learn how to add a punch of color to our basic mashed potatoes recipe, watch YumTV now!

Thanksgiving Tip: Refill Your Ice Trays

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:50:35 -0800

Before a party or a big feast like Thanksgiving, there are a couple of minor - yet impactful - things I always make sure to do. One is to empty the dishwasher; another is to refill my ice trays completely with fresh water. There's nothing more annoying than reaching for ice to go with water, punch, or cocktails, only to find that there's one cube left.

Add a note to your Thanksgiving planner: The morning of the big dinner, fill your trays with distilled water, which will prevent ice from appearing cloudy in the center. When guests arrive, you'll be able to serve them drinks with a just-made batch of ice. What little tasks help you stay on top of all the Thanksgiving mania?

How to Prep a Butternut Squash

YumSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:50:09 -0800

Recently, I praised butternut squash for its mild sweetness and versatility - but I was surprised when so many of you said you'd never prepared one before, or find it hard to work with. Since it'd be a bummer to miss out on this Fall vegetable at home (unless you can afford $400 for an automated butternut squash peeler!), I thought I'd help you out with instructions on how to prep it yourself. Here's a step-by-step lesson.

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Thanksgiving Tip: Have Extra Place Settings Ready

partysugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:00:11 -0800

Besides setting the table early - a couple of days before Thanksgiving - I also put aside several extra place settings. I'll stack two to three plates, chargers, napkins, and utensils in a hidden spot in the dining room.

My Thanksgiving is a "the more, the merrier" type of event, so if someone shows up with an unexpected friend or family member, all I have to do is grab the extra place setting that's ready and add another chair to the table.

It's one less thing to worry about, and will ensure that you don't have to go digging into your China cabinet looking for extra plates on the big night. Got a great Thanksgiving tip? Please share it with us below!

Thanksgiving Tip: Calculate How Much Food You'll Need

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:42:21 -0800

For an elaborate meal like Thanksgiving, it's crucial to consider how much food you'll serve. Too little, and you'll leave guests wishing they could gobble up more; too much, and you'll wind up with Thanksgiving leftovers for weeks. To make sure your food doesn't go to waste, take time to do some adequate planning. A few pointers, when you read more.

Thanksgiving Tip: Use Food as Serveware

YumSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:50:49 -0800

When planning a dinner as momentous as Thanksgiving, there are lots of elements to consider on top of cooking, like selecting the right menu (and bird!), detailing an oven plan, and considering your budget. But one thing I firmly believe you shouldn't have to stress about is doing the dishes.

Spare yourself - and the environment! - by using food as a serving vehicle whenever possible. Start off cocktail hour with cider poured in apple cups and homemade dip in a bread bowl. Or, if soup is part of your meal, offer it in festive roasted acorn squash. Not only is this serving method a fun surprise for guests, but it's also delicious, filling, compostable, and easy on the cleanup.

What serving tips do you have to cut down on the dishes at Thanksgiving?

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Don't Have Day Old Bread? Make It Yourself

partysugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 04:00:28 -0800

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 cubes. If your recipe calls for no crusts, remove them now.
Place the cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Do not season or coat with oil.
Bake for 15 minutes or until the bread cubes are toasted and dry, but not browned.

Use the dried out bread to make your recipe. This technique worked perfectly for me! How do you dry out bread?

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