Thanksgiving and Christmas

Whether you are into the Black Friday shopping or not, it is very possible you have to purchase a few items such as pans, baking utensils, or just need a few good places to look for some great last-minute recipes to make your Thanksgiving and Christmas what you always wanted.

1. Great Recipe sites: As I have mentioned before, I am a huge fan of Sally’s Baking Addiction because of the incredibly detailed and easy to follow instructions for baking projects such as bread, which can be quite the challenge for some of us who are sometimes scared of spending our precious time on something that may or may not turn out. She also records great videos to go with her recipes so you can check to see if you are in fact doing things the right way. In most of her recipes, she makes use of a KitchenAid Baking items and she has a great list of other items that could be great gift ideas for someone who likes to bake.

2. Turkey season! As a kid, I always thought it was magical to see that beautiful turkey on the table at Thanksgiving. I grew up in Colombia and then moved to the states at age 12. I was fortunate enough to experience two cultures during my lifetime which has made me appreciate the differences between them. Living back in Colombia I missed the Turkey tradition so last year I got over my fear of making the turkey myself and got to searching for a great recipe. In my search, I found a great video made by Gordon Ramsey for a traditional Christmas turkey. The recipe was fantastic but as a very strong WARNING, do not under any circumstances use limes instead of lemons. The turkey was amazing but, when I went to use the limes to make the gravy, it made it completely bitter. Why would she use limes instead of lemons??? This question is probably going through your head right now but it has a simple answer, I live in Colombia now and lemons are not easy to come by. Other than that, the turkey turned out fantastic! Here are some links to some very important cooking and baking utensils that are without a dought completely necessary for your adventures in turkey land:

• Using a meat thermometer is very important given that it can be hard to tell that your turkey is fully cooked on the inside.

• Basting the turkey is also a must! Getting a basic turkey baster is also a very good idea to keep that bird moist. According to Allreceipes.com, this is the best overall turkey baster and I agree. It even comes with a very important brush to clean it out because it can be hard to get all the greasy juiciness out of that baster.

• As turkey is not eaten by itself, here are some fantastic ideas for side dishes for your Christmas dinner sidedishes and some really cute serving dishes that will make your table look extra special.