There are a few recipes in my files that I’m extremely proud of. I make an awesome cranberry raspberry pie. My trays of holiday cookies are works of art. And my crème brulee? Killer. But it is my perfect turkey sandwich that consistently amazes my friends and dinner guests.

I think it’s because sandwiches seem so pedestrian, so unassuming. How magical could they be? They are, after all, just condiments and protein slapped between two pieces of bread, right? Making a sandwich doesn’t even count as cooking, and it certainly doesn’t need instructions.

But this turkey sandwich. . . it is superlative. It is stunning in its flavor combinations – a perfect blend of salty, sweet, creamy and crunchy and the best use of leftover Thanksgiving or Holiday turkey ever created.

Start with marbled rye – it’s bread with attitude, with depth of flavor and an artistic flair. Toast it, or not. This is up to you. Either way, it is the greatest foundation for your mind-blowing turkey sandwich.

On one piece of the bread, spread cranberry mustard. (You can buy various versions at grocery and specialty food stores.) If prepared cran-mustard is not available for some reason, you can also mix leftover whole berry cranberry sauce with good quality Dijon mustard. The result should be sweet, tart, spicy and gorgeous – a beautiful burgundy color. Apply liberally.   

Layer thin sliced turkey breast on next. Make sure you don’t overload the sandwich here – the amount of turkey should not exceed the sum of the other filling ingredients. Balance, as in all things, is key.

Next comes bacon. Oh yes. Three to four pieces of lovely, smoky, salty fried bacon. No you can’t use turkey bacon to substitute. No you can’t leave it off the sandwich because of the calorie count. Commit to running an extra hour on the treadmill and enjoy these crispy slices of pork heaven. They are not optional.

Lastly, the most temperamental ingredient — top the bacon with quarter-in thick slices of perfectly ripe avocado. Now I know what you’re thinking: avocados are only perfectly ripe for approximately 60 seconds in their life cycle. They seem to morph from granite hard to brown mush in an afternoon, and unless you live in California, they are out of season for most of the year. Never mind all that. Pinch every avocado at your supermarket until you find one with no blemishes, and just the right amount of give to the touch. Then rush home and assemble your sandwich. There is no time to lose!

At this point some people would add sprouts. I would not. Some would add a thin layer of mayo. But it’s not necessary if your avocados are appropriately luscious and creamy.

Cut in half. Serve with sweet potato chips (again, perfect sweet, salty, crispy, crunchy counterpoint). Enjoy. And give thanks all over again that there’s lots more leftover turkey in the fridge.

You’re welcome.

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.
Follow the Company Blog –  “Celebrating Work”.
Watch our gThankYou! YouTube Video – “Learn More About Us”.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

Of all the leftover dishes I’ve tried, turkey pot pie is consistently the best. And it’s a recipe that can be adapted to whatever you like, and what’s in the fridge. Here are the basics:

Turkey
Chop 1-2 cups of cooked turkey into bite-size pieces.

Veggies (This is a perfect way to use the leftovers from the relish tray!)

½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced carrot
½ cup peas
½ cup diced celery
1 cup sliced mushrooms

Sauté them in butter until crisp-cooked. Mix vegetables and turkey in large bowl until combined.

(You can also use leeks, broccoli, cauliflower, diced squash, corn, or green beans if that’s what you’ve got on hand.)

Gravy
Add gravy to generously coat all ingredients. Start with your leftover gravy from Thanksgiving. If you don’t have enough you can use canned chicken or turkey gravy, or make more.

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup whipping cream

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Whisk in flour until completely combined into a paste. Cook for one minute. Add broth all at once, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a boil. When it has thickened, add wine (if desired) and whipping cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Herbs
Chopped parsley, sage, chives, or thyme make nice additions to the pie. Add to taste.

Crust
After you pour the gravy, turkey, and veggies in a large casserole dish, decided what kind of crust you like. You can use:

• A tube of refrigerated biscuit dough
• Pre-made puff pastry (thawed)
• Leftover mashed potatoes, mixed with an egg and some grated Parmesan cheese
• Pre-made pie crust (flat folded sheets found in the refrigerated section)
• Bisquick biscuit recipe

Place your crust of choice over the filling, making sure there are slits for the steam to escape. Bake at 350 F until the topping is browned and cooked through, and the filling is hot and bubbly. Serve with leftover cranberry sauce and enjoy!

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.
Follow the Company Blog –  “Celebrating Work”.
Watch our gThankYou! YouTube Video – “Learn More About Us”.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

And although it may seem to some of the pickier eaters in the family that leftover Holiday turkey lasts forever, alas, it is not so. According to food safety experts, you have a relatively short window to enjoy the best of the rest of your bird.

Basically, from the time you take the turkey out of the oven, you have 2 hours to serve it, eat it, and then refrigerate or freeze the leftovers – the turkey, stuffing and gravy. Why just two hours? Because bacteria that cause food poisoning can multiply to dangerous levels on perishable food left longer than 2 hours at room temperature.

To preserve the Holiday Turkey flavor safely, do not dawdle. After dinner and before dessert you should remove the meat from the bones, cut large pieces into small pieces, and store in airtight containers. (That’s because food in small amounts will get cold more quickly.) Leftover turkey will keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Stuffing and gravy should be used within 1 or 2 days. Just to be on the safe side, you should reheat leftover gravy to a rolling boil before serving.

If you’d like to extend your turkey leftover experience into the new year, put your airtight packages of cooked turkey goodness in the freezer, with the date clearly marked. That will give you up to 6 months to find just the right recipe. . . and May is a lovely time for turkey tetrazzini.

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.
Follow the Company Blog –  “Celebrating Work”.
Watch our gThankYou! YouTube Video – “Learn More About Us”.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

Mashed Potatoes
Why not add a little spice? After the potatoes are boiled and mashed (we use lots of butter and heart-clogging half & half), add one of these combinations for a delicious update to a traditional favorite. 

* Bacon, cheddar cheese, and caramelized onions
* Pureed fennel and rosemary
* Half and half, basil, and Parmesan cheese
* Canned pumpkin, sage, and nutmeg
* Leeks, chives, and crème fraiche

Stuffing
Stuffing is the ultimate blank canvas – dried bread cubes and broth — so add lots of color and flavor with these tasty variations:

* Apple, bacon, and onion
* Wild mushrooms and leeks
* Wild rice, dried cranberries, and pecans
* Andouille sausage and green and red peppers

Cranberries
If Aunt Sally just has to have cranberries in jellied form, oozed out of the can and cut in rounds, fine. But why not serve one of these cranberry dishes alongside for everyone else to enjoy?

* Try this not too sweet, Cranberry Sauce with Port and Cinnamon by Epicurious, an adult favorite.

* Mix raw cranberries with apples and orange in this refreshing Cranberry Relish by Simply Recipes.

* Or on a salad!  We love this baby spinach salad with roasted onions, pecans, dried cranberries and goat cheese from our friends at the FoodNetwork.com.

After all, we should be thankful for a variety of creative food on our table this Thanksgiving!

Happy cooking!

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

For cooks who are afraid of disappointing all their aunts, uncles and cousins on a national holiday, here is a quick list of tell-tale signs that your Thanksgiving turkey is ready for its grand entrance.

1. It’s golden brown.
   The skin of the turkey often browns early in the baking process, so this alone won’t tell you it’s done, but it’s a delicious indicator that you’re getting closer.
2. It has baked for the recommended time, at the recommended temperature.
   This is one case when reading the directions will save all kinds of heartache (and tummy aches!). Your turkey likely came with specific instructions on thawing and cooking the bird. If not, the USDA has a handy website on safely cooking Turkey which you can check out.
3. It wiggles.
   When you gently pull on the end of the drumstick, the turkey leg will wiggle easily, with almost no resistance. If you have to force the drumstick away from the body of the bird, it’s not quite ready.
4. The juices run clear.
   You’ve shaken hands with the turkey, now it’s time to give it a poke. Insert a knife at least an inch into the breast. When you remove it, look for lovely turkey juices to come bubbling up. If they are clear, that meat is cooked. If they are cloudy or pink, it’s still got some time in the oven. (Remember to drain off all those wonderful juices after you remove the turkey from the pan – they are a great base for gravy!)
5. It’s feeling the heat.
   Some turkeys come with built-in “pop-up” thermometers, which should tell you when the internal temperature of the bird has reached 165°. Even if your turkey has its own plastic gauge, it’s a good idea to invest in an instant-read meat thermometer, just to double-check. Insert the tip of the meat thermometer in the thigh muscle just above the lower part of the thighbone (but not touching the bone!). In about 15 seconds you’ll have a definitive answer.

And as anxious as everyone is to dig in, you’ll be even more thankful that you let the turkey rest for at least 20 minutes after you took it out of the oven. Set it on a heat-proof surface and drape it with a tent of aluminum foil, while you get all the accoutrements ready to serve. The turkey will be juicier and also, easier to carve.

So now that you know it’s done. . .the only big question left is, “who’s going to do the dishes?”

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

You may have spent days looking at recipes, brining your Thanksgiving turkey, and finding just the right ingredients for some amazing stuffing, but if you serve raw turkey at your next Thanksgiving dinner, all that effort will be wasted. (Not to mention a lot of good food!) Fortunately, there’s a very simple way to make sure your turkey is cooked properly – just look in the housewares section of your grocery store for a meat thermometer. Follow the instructions below for proper use and rest assured — your bird will be perfect! Oven-safe or instant-read, a meat thermometer is a good investment in great taste!

Whole Turkey
The tip of the meat thermometer should be placed in the thigh, just above the lower part of the thighbone (but not touching the bone!), pointing toward the body. For the stuffing temperature, the tip of the thermometer should be in the center of the body cavity.

Whole Breast and Boneless Turkey Roasts
Similar to the whole turkey, you should insert your thermometer deep into thickest part of the meat, not touching any bone. (Bone conducts heat differently than the meat of the bird, so if it may give a false reading if they touch.)

Instant Read Thermometers
Remove the turkey from the oven and place the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone. It will register the temperature of your turkey within 15 seconds. If it needs more time, be sure NOT to pop the thermometer in the oven with your turkey. Instant read thermometers were not designed to withstand hours of high temperatures.

Oven Safe Thermometers
Insert the thermometer in the deepest part of the thigh before you put the raw turkey in the oven. You can leave the thermometer in during the entire cooking process, and check the temperature dial periodically while it roasts. If the thermometer moves while the turkey is baking, simply reposition it.

What’s the Magic Number?
Turkey and stuffing are safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.  Many like the deep thigh meat temperature at 180 °F.

Even if your turkey has a “pop-up” plastic thermometer, it’s a good idea to double-check with a trusty thermometer of your own.

Happy cooking!

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

Okay, Thanksgiving Day is finally here! The shopping is done, the relatives are on their way, and the table is set. Time to focus on the dinner centerpiece – the turkey. In the past few years, home cooks have tried lots of variations on cooking the Thanksgiving Turkey – barbecuing, smoking, deep frying – but most of us still put it in the oven to bake.

What’s the secret to a well roasted turkey? What are the steps you need to follow for a flavorful, juicy main dish?

Well, we’re glad you asked. . .

1.  De-icing dinner.
First, thaw your bird completely. Not mostly. Not part way. All the way. You can thaw it in the fridge for a few days – up to four, depending on the size of your turkey. What if you don’t have four days? Well, you can cover your (still wrapped) turkey with cold tap water in the sink, changing the water every half hour. It will take about 30 minutes per pound to thaw.  As a worst case scenario, you can also thaw your bird in the microwave (be sure it fits!). Check the owner’s manual for what setting you should use, and for how long.

2.  Rinse, remove, and season.
Once the turkey is thawed, rinse it thoroughly with cold water – inside and out. Make sure you remove the bag of giblets from the cavity, but don’t throw them away! In a small saucepan, boil the neck, heart, gizzard, etc. until they are fully cooked. Then strain and use the broth as the base for your gravy! (You can give the meat to your pet or chop them and add them to your gravy for giblet gravy).  Season the turkey with salt and pepper and rub soft butter in the cavity. Then loosen the skin on the breast and push some butter (and herbs if you like!) into the pocket.

3.  To truss or not to truss?
Trussing your turkey is not required, but it can make the turkey look better, cook more evenly, and carve more easily. Most commercial turkeys come with a metal loop that brings the drumsticks together, and that will accomplish most of these objectives. If you want to use kitchen string to be more fancy, check out Food Network.com’s Alton Brown’s tutorial here.

4.  What Temperature?
There are competing opinions on whether to roast at a high temperature for the first half hour to get a nice brown skin, and then lower it (no lower than 325°F) for the remainder of the cooking time, or keep the oven at a nice medium temperature for the duration. In our opinion, 350 – 400°F is probably the best temperature for cooking a whole bird.

5.  How long?
Depending on the size of your bird and whether it’s stuffed, it should take anywhere from 3-6 hours to roast.  (See chart below.)

Always use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature has reached a minimum of 165 °F.  Many like their bird at 180 °F.

6.  Butter the bird!
Baste the bird with butter periodically while cooking to ensure brown crispy skin. (Terrible for you, but fabulous to eat. It’s the holidays after all!) But be sure not to open the oven door too often, so you can maintain an even temperature.

7.  Get stuffed.
It may be tradition, but current thinking is it’s not a good idea. . . Baking stuffing in your turkey can lead to all sorts of holiday misery – namely salmonella – if you don’t cook it until you’ve reached an internal temperature of at least 165°F.  So be careful, be vigilant, and be safe. Or, just cook the stuffing in a separate roasting pan.

8.  Give it a rest.
Let your turkey rest for at least 20 minutes after you take it out of the oven. That will let it cool just enough so all of the juices will settle back into the meat, instead of running all over your cutting board when you carve it.

9.  Deglaze!
Don’t waste the juices and brown bits the bottom of the pan! Pour them all into your gravy separator (or a tall, skinny container). Let the fat rise to the top, skim it off, and use that broth as the base of your gravy. Brown bits stuck to the roasting pan? Pour a little white wine in the pan and stir over medium heat. They will dissolve and add tons of flavor to any sauce!

And finally, as you serve your delectable main course to those who have gathered with you to give thanks, remember this: Thanksgiving comes every year. If things didn’t come out perfectly this time, you will have another shot at it. And another, and another, and another in the years to come. In the meantime, good gravy can cover a multitude of sins. Relax, be thankful and enjoy your turkey with family and friends.

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

It’s almost time to make your Thanksgiving shopping list. When it comes to turkey, do you know what you’re buying?  Labels are supposed to help us make good choices about grocery purchases, but sometimes they lead to more confusion.  Here’s a quick glossary to terms that you might see on the packages of turkeys at a store near you.  That way you can focus on buying what you want.

Young
A “young” turkey is a turkey of either sex that is less than 8 months old at the time of slaughter.  Most turkeys reach market maturity at 4-5 months of age.

Hen vs. Tom
Turkeys weighing 8-16 pounds are usually female hens, while larger birds are male toms.  Since supermarket turkeys are normally slaughtered at a young age (less than 7 months old) both hens and toms are about the same in terms of taste, juiciness, and tenderness.

Natural
Natural turkeys may not contain artificial flavorings, coloring, or chemical preservatives. They must also be minimally processed, meaning they have only been handled as necessary to slaughter, clean, and make them ready for human consumption.

Free-Range
Free-range turkeys are produced by a growing number of regional farmers who promote their birds as a higher quality and more humane alternative to commercially raised and processed turkeys.  According to the USDA, turkeys must have access to the outdoors in order to be called free-range. Advocates of free-range birds say their diets are typically more varied, improving the flavor of the meat, and the better exercise improves the texture.

Organic
Organic turkeys are free-range birds that have not been treated with hormones or antibiotics, and were given pesticide-free feed.

Heritage
Heritage turkeys are unusual breeds that were once quite common in America, but fell out of favor as growers concentrated on the specially bred, big-breasted birds preferred by consumers.  Some varieties include Narragansett, American Bronze, Jersey Buff, and Bourbon Red.  They generally have less breast meat and a stronger flavor than conventional varieties.

Self-Basting
A self-basting turkey is injected with a solution to improve the flavor and juiciness of the meat. Some manufacturers treat only the breast meat, while others inject the entire bird. The label must say “basted” or “self-basted” and must list the amount and names of the ingredients used in the basting solution. (Remember, the net weight of the turkey includes the weight added by the solution.)

Fully-Cooked
True to its name, fully-cooked turkey is a whole turkey that has been pre-cooked and frozen by the processor.  After thawing, it can be reheated or served cold.

Fresh, Refrigerated, and Frozen
The term “fresh” may only be placed on raw poultry that has never been below 26°F.  Poultry held at 0°F or below must be labeled “frozen” or “previously frozen.”  So in the context of turkey, “fresh” has to do only with its temperature from the time it was processed until you bought it at the store.  It has nothing to do with how long it’s been sitting in the display case.

So. . .now that you know the terminology, the question is, which one tastes the best?  That is, of course, a matter of taste.  Tell us your opinion. . .which do you prefer and why?

About gThankYou, LLC
gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

And if you’re like me, you’re already planning the menus for all the fabulous family get-togethers in the coming months!  As much as I’d like to dive right into Christmas cookies (a well-known weakness of mine), I am happy to contemplate Thanksgiving dinner for the next 6 weeks or so.

Where to start?  With the turkey of course. 

As a kid I remember accompanying my mother on Thanksgiving shopping trips of huge proportions – our cart would be piled high with bags of stuffing, jars of exotic pickles and olives for the relish tray, both fresh and jellied cranberries, at least ten pounds of potatoes, and a turkey the size of my little sister.

Of course back then, there was only one kind of turkey – frozen, wrapped in plastic and covered with yellow netting, from the supermarket. Complete with flimsy strings that were supposed to help lift the turkey from its roasting pan, and a pamphlet about thawing times, it was the only turkey in town.

Now we have options.  So many options!  Thanksgiving turkeys can be organic, free range, heritage, kosher, pre-basted, stuffed or unstuffed, deep-fried, brined or un-brined, roasted, smoked, barbecued . . .or made completely from tofu.

For more information on the best supermarket Thanksgiving turkey choices, you’ll want to check out  Epicurious’s Thanksgiving Turkey Taste Test featuring six popular supermarket brands of whole turkey (Bell & Evans, Eberly, Murray’s , Plainville Farms, L’il Butterball, and Empire Kosher).

If you’re looking for new Thanksgiving dinner inspiration this year, Bon Appetit’s Thanksgiving Menu Planner  lets you select the size of your party, the time you have to cook and the type of meal you want to serve (traditional, fresh & light, global, etc.) and it provides menus and shopping lists!  We also like The Food Channel’s Thanksgiving Recipes for easy to find and reliable recipes.

My toughest choice used to be whether to have pumpkin or rum cream pie for dessert.  Now we have a wonderful new array of new ingredients and great recipes to choose from!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving recipes?  Have you started planning too?  Do you look forward to trying a new recipe this year, or do you prefer family favorites?

Happy Thanksgiving Planning!

About gThankYou, LLC

gThankYou! Turkey Gift Certificates are one of America’s favorite employee gifts and can be redeemed for any Brand whole Turkey, at virtually any Grocery Store in the U.S. 

gThankYou, LLC provides company leaders with a variety of easy, meaningful and affordable ways to recognize and reward employees, holiday time or anytime.  gThankYou! Certificates of Gratitude and free Enclosure Cards are personalizable including incorporating your company logo, and ship same day.

gThankYou, LLC (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, Wisconsin.  Contact:  Rick Kiley, Chief ThankYou! Officer, gThankYou, LLC at info@gthankyou.com or 888-484-1658.  Follow the company blog “Celebrating Work” at blog.gthankyou.com.

“G” logo and “Certificates of Gratitude” are trademarks and “gThankYou” is a registered trademark of gThankYou, LLC.

Fortunately, zucchini also has many wonderful qualities. It is a terrific addition to soup, pasta, and side dishes, and makes cakes and breads moist and delicious. In the zucchini world, remember that the biggest is not necessarily the best: young squash are by far the most desirable– their seeds are still small and tender, and the flesh is firm and sweet.

Little known facts about the humble zucchini:

In 2005, a poll of 2,000 people revealed the zucchini (also known in Europe as the courgette) to be Britain’s 10th favorite culinary vegetable!  Want to try something new?   Try this British no-cook antipasti recipe for “Stuffed Courgette Rolls” from Good Food.com.

In France, zucchini is a key ingredient in ratatouille, a stew of summer fruits and vegetables prepared in olive oil and cooked for an extended time over low heat.  Julia Child’s recipe for this wonderful dish is still a consensus favorite!

In Spain, zucchini are also fried with egg and onions in olive oil to make a Spanish dish called “tortilla de calabacín”.

In Italy, the blossoms are even stuffed and fried – an incredible treat!

Back here in the Midwest, when we have a craving for sweets, nothing beats a good zucchini bread treat; one office favorite is Zucchini-Chocolate Chip Muffins thanks to our friends at Allrecipes.com.  Feel that fall breeze yet?  It’s a good time to try and share them!

Do you have a favorite way to cook zucchini? Tell us about it!

About Us
gThankYou, LLC  (www.gthankyou.com) is based in Madison, WI and produces America’s favorite meaningful, affordable and convenient employee gifts.  gThankYou!® Certificates of Gratitude™ are one way savvy companies demonstrate commitment to valued employees and customers. The company is best known for its Turkey Gift Certificates, Ham Gift Certificates, Turkey or Ham Gift Certificates and Grocery Gift Cards.   Other Favorites include our Ice Cream and Pie Gift Certificates.