Thanksgiving On The Run

(Image courtesy of John Morgan)

We know you’re excited for a great dinner this Thanksgiving, but if you’re like us you may be a little behind on your shopping and cooking for the big day.

We know the time constraint around the holiday can get a little stressful, but if you’re not prepared yet you don’t need to panic. Using a few of these simple tips from allrecipes.com you’ll have your Thanksgiving meal prepared in less time than you thought possible. Keep reading to learn more.

Turkey: You might not have time to defrost a whole turkey, but that doesn't mean you have to take it off the menu all together. There are many ways to prepare turkey that don't involve a whole bird:

• VIDEO: Slow Cooker Turkey Breast
• Stuffed Turkey Legs
• Cranberry Stuffed Turkey Breasts
• Marinated Turkey Breast
• Citrus Turkey Roast 

Stuffing: Stuffings and dressings don’t necessarily need to be prepared inside a turkey. Bake your favorite stuffing in a casserole dish--covered for 30 minutes, then uncovered for about 10 minutes to brown the top. Voila!

• VIDEO: Pecan Apricot Stuffing
• Wild Mushroom Stuffing
• Bread and Celery Stuffing
• Slow Cooker Stuffing
• Awesome Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing 

Cranberry Sauce: There's always the option to buy it canned. But these recipes are so easy, it's worth it to make one from scratch:

• VIDEO: Tangerine Cherry Cranberry Sauce
• Cranberry Sauce II
• Cranberry Sauce I 

Gravy: Here's a recipe that simply calls for turkey broth and a few other magical ingredients (chicken broth can be substituted)--easy peasy! And if you can make gravy ahead of time, you'll cut down on the chaos in the kitchen.

• VIDEO: Make-Ahead Gravy
• Savory Turkey Gravy

Mashed Potatoes: Try these recipes for some extra-special mashed spuds:

• VIDEO: Perfect Mashed Potatoes
• Holiday ONLY Mashed Potatoes
• The Best Mashed Potatoes
• Red Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes Secret Recipe

Salad: It doesn't take much time to make a great salad. Cases in point:

• Super Easy Spinach and Red Pepper Salad
• Hot Bacon Asparagus Salad
• Green Bean and Feta Salad
• Garden Vegetable Salad
• Apple Avocado Salad with Tangerine Dressing
• Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Store-Bought Short-Cuts: Don't overload yourself by trying to bake everything from scratch. Here are some things you can pick up at the store and no one will be the wiser:

Pies: hit the local bakery or grocery store for some pumpkin, apple, or berry pies. Add homemade touches by serving with real whipped cream and a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

Dinner rolls: Whether they are frozen or fresh from a bakery, you can still get that "right from the oven" effect by wrapping them in foil and warming them at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, while you’re baking the stuffing.

Easy appetizers: put out some fresh veggies, chips, or crackers with a delicious dip:

• Artichoke & Spinach Dip Restaurant Style
• Baked Onion Dip I
• Louisiana Crab Dip
• Amy's Cilantro Cream Sauce
• Dill Vegetable Dip

Need help with the timing? Here's a handy checklist to keep you organized:

Last-Minute Thanksgiving Timeline

Crock Pot Recipes Perfect For Fall

(Image courtesy of Tamara McCauley) 

Thanksgiving is looming and we know that you're working hard to prepare a meal that will leave your guests delighted and full (and maybe a little sleepy). With all the work that you're putting into preparing for your holiday gathering and meal, we're sure there's not much time left for cooking your own dinner!

You don't have to go hungry! Take a look at a few of these easy crock-pot recipes courtesy of Apartment Guide. These  perfect-for-fall recipes are tasty and filling. Be careful not to eat too much or you won't have any room left for turkey!

Affordable Crockpot Family Meal

Great-tasting and nutritious family meals need not be expensive and fussy when we let the crockpot do the hard work for us. For instance, nothing beats the toil of a long day better than opening your apartment door to the welcoming fragrance of Cranberry Pork Roast in a silently simmering crockpot.

Rich in protein and antioxidants, fresh fall cranberries and oranges provide affordable twist to this savory dish while the rest of the ingredients are easily found in most kitchens. The secret to this delectable dish is to use the freshest, leanest pork loin you can find. Two pounds of pork is good for eight servings.

Start by mixing a cup of chopped cranberries with some orange juice and its grated peel, a tablespoon of chopped onions and grated ginger. Add apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Pour half of the mixture in the crockpot, add the pork, then pour the remaining mixture to cover the meat.

Seal the crockpot and set on Low for seven hours. You need to check just once to see if the meat comes off tenderly with a fork. Carefully transfer the pot roast to a serving dish and slice into desired thickness. Top with the cooked cranberry mixture its ready to serve. Yummy!

Easy Crockpot Dish to Share or Save

Crockpot cooking is heaven sent for those times when we need to whip up a hefty batch of meals. This Slow-Baked Mac and Cheese recipe is an easy and cheap crockpot dish yet packed with protein and calcium.

Ready in two and a half hours, it’s best to share to friends and neighbors alike or to save for a dreary fall afternoon. A half pound of elbow macaroni is good for about 10 people. You probably have most of the ingredients just sitting in your kitchen shelf or fridge like milk, eggs, butter and cheese.

In a bowl, mix a cup of any regular milk with a small can of evaporated milk. Add three beaten eggs and two squares of butter. Season with salt and pepper, then whisk away until smooth. Pour this mixture in the crockpot and add about three cups of finely shredded cheese (cheddar and mozzarella are fine). Lay the cooked elbow macaroni on this mixture, gently leveling with a spatula or the back of a spoon, then top with half a cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Seal the crockpot and set on High for 30 minutes, then reduce the setting to Low for two hours. A fine custard-like coating will set on top of the dish. Sprinkle with leftover grated Parmesan cheese and toasted bread crumbs. Serve and share!

Fun and Fuss-Free Crockpot Dessert

Who would think that dainty treats can be made out of crockpots, simply using the most ubiquitous fall produce and some sweets from the candy store? Wait until you scoop out a spoonful of Hot Crockpot Caramel Apples, a slow-cooked dessert rich in fiber and vitamins.

This fragrant treat calls for cheap candied confections in place of expensive sauces, and yields five large servings or ten if shared, within four hours. It’s a fun recipe too, and great to prepare with kids (and kids at heart).

Peel and core five whole apples and fit them on the crockpot evenly. On the cored slot of each apple, pour two tablespoons brown sugar, two cinnamon candies (such as Red Hots), two caramel squares and one tablespoon butter. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon if desired. Then slowly half a cup of apple juice over the filled apples.

Seal the crockpot and set on Low for 4 hours and its ready to serve. Scoop out each apple into individual dessert plates then pour the thick creamy sauce over each apple. Delightful!

A Feast Fit For A King

(Image courtesy of Tim Sackton)

Hosting your friends and family for the holidays is one of the most enjoyable parts of the season. Though enjoying a hot meal and a good conversation with your favorite folks is one of the best part of the season, sometimes all the cost that goes into a lavish feast can leave our wallets a little drained.

Don't let the worry about budget constraints put a damper on your celebration! Adhering to a few of the following tips from The Kitchn will have you enjoying your Thanksgiving with your family without the worry. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Accept help and go potluck.
Are you trying to be the holiday hero, tackling the entire menu? Why mess with the spirit of Thanksgiving? This is a potluck-style holiday at heart, so accept help and get everyone involved. My extended family does a potluck style Thanksgiving like this every year and it's a great way to cover all the essentials, start a few of your own traditions (we always have oyster stuffing, thanks to a very distant streak of New England heritage), and share costs.

→ Small Household Budget Tip: If you are only cooking for your immediate family, find a friend in the same situation and split your groceries. You save money by getting only the ingredients you need, and you'll avoid the very American tradition of typing "What do I do with leftover turkey?" into your search engine for three weeks afterwards. It's a win-win!

2. Stick to your shopping list.
Write out a menu and budget and stick to them. Take your Thanksgiving list along on your regular shopping trips for the month of November and try to pick up non-perishable items during store sales. Bread, for example, is often on sale and you can freeze it until needed and then make your own breadcrumbs.

3. Make your menu from scratch.
Outlaw pre-made items from your shopping list, including special spice packs (if you have spices in your cupboard at home), powdered mashed potatoes, pre-made stuffing, and pre-made pie crusts and pies. You're usually paying for packaging and end up with a lower-quality product. Instead, buy a bag of potatoes and peel, boil, mash, and butter them by hand. Make your own stuffing with leftover sliced bread, onion, celery (cheap, seasonal produce), seasoning, and broth. Slice sweet potatoes and sprinkle them with brown sugar, salt, and pecans, and broil them in the oven.

You probably won't feel like you're saving much with each small choice—but those small choices add up and can really shave dollars off your final bill.

4. Do without the alcohol.
There's so much food on Thanksgiving, it can be its own soporific! Or, if you simply must have wine with your turkey (and you're hosting for more than just your immediate family), ask someone else to bring a bottle or two.

5. Prioritize the dishes you love the most.
Who needs 15 side dishes? Pick your priority foods (the absolute must-haves to complete your Thanksgiving tradition) and simply make less.

This brings me back to my first point: If you're serving fewer dishes, you'll be less tempted to buy a plethora of cheaper, pre-made options and instead spend more time creating high-quality dishes. And if you're like me, you'll buy a pint of heavy whipping cream, whip it up, and totally smother your homemade pumpkin pie with it. (And with that on hand, who really cares about anything else?)

6. Decorate with what you already have.
Buying Thanksgiving-themed decorations can be a slippery slope. Once you start, you just keep going in pursuit of that perfect look. Buy a few quality, versatile pieces that you can bring out each year — avoid the fake leaves, themed napkins, and cheap centerpieces — and use what nature offers (dried grasses, herbs, and decorative gourds). A little goes a long way.

Think Before You Buy

(Image courtesy of Wicker Paradise)

There's something satisfying about the idea of taking a piece of furniture and making it your own. The process of finding a quality piece of furniture and deciding how you want to make it your own.

Though it can be fun to start a new project, it's important to note that buying used furniture is a whole different game then going to the store and picking out your own custom pieces. The Ten Commandments of Buying Used Furniture from Apartment Therapy, has just the ground rules you need to make your thrifting experience a success! Keep reading to learn more.

1. Thou Shalt Look for Tags - This should be first on the checklist: flip the piece over and see if there's a tag. If it says IKEA, boohoo. If it looks like it's from the 70s and reads Thayer Coggin, put a sheet and some caution tape around it as camouflage, then run — don't walk — to find someone to help you haul it home.

Random side note: This isn't to say that you can't take home the IKEA item; just don't invest money in re-doing it. See this side table/stool thing? I bought it at some random secondhand store in Burlington, Vermont. I think it was like $20 and it reminded me of these so I quickly bought it. As soon as I got it home, I flipped it over and — lo and behold — there was the dreaded Walmart sticker. Ah well. Live and learn. It's still in my living room, and will do for now, but I shouldn't have even paid twenty bucks for it, and certainly would never bring it to some guy to refinish.

2. Honor Thy Lines - It's all about looking past the baby-puke green or cat-shredded fabric that's on it now, and envisioning what it could look like in a luxurious velvet material, or a solid neutral. Squint if you have to. The top picture is something I found on Craigslist a ways back. I loved the tufting and smallish scale for a Chesterfield-style sofa. I bought it for $40 and got it re-done, and here it is now:

For other inspiration, the women at Chairloom are always doing great work.

3. Thou Shalt Not Worship False Furniture - If you're not sure of its origin, or don't care, then just take a look at the quality of the construction. Does it look like solid wood or veneered MDF? Are the joints dovetailed, or just nailed or held together with hardware? Is it sturdy? In this age of knock-offs, make sure you are looking at the real deal, and not just crappy furniture posing as something nicer.

4. Thou Shalt Sit On It - It's one thing if it's pretty (or has the potential). It's a whole other thing if it's the most uncomfortable thing you've sat on since the concrete amphitheater of 2008. If you hate how it feels now, you'll hate it even more $500 - 1000 later.

5. Thou Shalt Examine Any Cushions - Foam is actually pretty pricey, so if you can re-use existing cushions, it'll save you some money. If the foam is as hard as a rock, and crumbles under your fingertips, it's time to add another line item to the reupholstery budget. If the foam's still firm, then all you'll need is new covers.

6. Be Not Afraid of Simple Fixes - If a table has just a few scratches, and only needs minimal love, consider whipping out your own mouse sander and spending an hour or so on it. Similarly, it's easy to replace a cushion if that's all a chair needs. Chances are good that the results will outshine any effort.

7. Thou Shalt Not Kill Strong Odors & Pests (Easily) - If a cat peed on the sofa at some point, or you suspect bed bugs, then think twice about your find. If there is a strong smell of kitty, or smoke, know that there is vinegar in your furniture's future. In the case of bugs, I don't think you want to touch it with a ten foot pole.

8. Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness to Your Wallet - Don't get swept up in that $60 price tag, without considering the very real expense of getting it re-done. Even with re-usable cushions, you'll still have to purchase yards of fabric, then pay someone to upholster it. Mentally calculate what it will really cost you when all is said and done. Is it worth the expense?

9. Thou Shalt Not Covet - This is easy to ignore in the excitement of finding something that you really like. Do you really need it, and do you have space for it, both before and after it gets redone? (For the record, I'm still working on this one, but I still recommend it to others.)

For example: I got this sofa off Craigslist for free a couple of years ago, and couldn't part with it. I love the chrome against the fabric and it's otherwise very basic, clean and in good shape. For years I moved it around to various awkward spots in my home and garage. Then, as part of the August Style Cure, I finally traded in the Scandinavian crack den look and redid the room, along the sofa. In this instance, I'm glad I hung onto it, even if it did take a while.

10. Remember Your Day of Rest - Make no mistake about it; this will probably be a pain in the ass. If it's a large piece, you'll likely have to find help moving it, and you might have to rent a van to get it home, then again to the re-upholsterer. Is it worth sacrificing a part of your precious weekend, before you even factor in the cost? Do you want to spend your time sanding off scratches? If you work hard and have limited time off, sometimes it's okay to forgo a time-consuming project, and head out to brunch and the farmers market instead.

So there you have it. Now go, live wisely, and may the furniture gods look kindly down upon you.