Test Runs

 Thanksgiving is around two and a half weeks away. It means a busy kitchen and this year cooking for many  in some families. Yet some of us are rusty with cooking fancy foods or large quantities. It's time for a test run to not only test out new recipes but to also brush up on cooking and baking skills.

One of the most daunting courses is the turkey. Luckily there is still the Butterball Hotline to help during those iffy moments on Thanksgiving Day. However get yourself acclimated again to cooking the roast. Assess your pans, are they still good? Do you need to get new ones or the disposable aluminum kind? Get  to know brining liquid and how to brine your bird. You may want to try a new recipe or tweak the old one. Once roasted , go over the pros and cons. ask yourself was the meat moist and juicy or dry? How can that be fixed. Is the skin crisp and crunchy? Get familiar with massaging the turkey meat with butter. This is done under the skin and it produces a moister , tastier meat. If you want to experiment with herb or sage butter, now is the time to do it. Don't experiment on Thanksgiving Day. The family may not like the new flavor and not eat it. The same applies to the gravy.It's probably been awhile since you made the homemade kind. Now is the time to perfect the recipe. You may want to adjust the amount of flour used to avoid lumps. Experiment with it and write down any adjustments you've made.

Sides should also be tested out. This is easier to do, because you can make a side a day with your meals. If there's a new recipe that piques your interest try it out during these two weeks. It's also a good idea to get the family's opinion on it too. Their input is important if you try a variant of a traditional Thanksgiving recipe. They may love or hate those mashed sweet potatoes with a drizzle of maple butter.  There are diehard sweet potato casserole fans that may balk at the idea of eating a healthier roasted sweet potato. That means dusting off the family recipe and creating something you haven't made in two years. Brand new recipes definitely need to be tried out. You need to get used to the prep and the steps. Gauge the easiness or difficulty of it  along with the time used for prep and cooking. If it's too difficult, look for an easier variation or ways to shave cooking time so that it syncs up with the turkey and other sides. You don't want a side dish that will be served thirty minutes after everything else.If the recipe proves to be hard and demanding then pick out one that fits your cooking skills. Don't be afraid to try out different recipes on one ingredient like Brussels sprouts or green beans, It's also a good time to try out your stuffing recipes too and see what needs to be tweaked with it.

This is the time to test out your tried and true Thanksgiving recipe.It's also the time to give those new recipes a whirl. A trial run is always necessary when cooking a big holiday dinner. Do it now to get ready for the big day.

Making Those Dogs Bark

Memorial Day kicks off the barbecue season and that means a season of hot dogs. What's so great about this summer standard is that they can be zinged up with all sorts of extra. They're not just plain dogs anymore. They're something special.

A hot dog has a relatively bland taste that can go with any other flavor. Bacon lovers should think about wrapping the slices around them to create a salty,  crunchy treat.You can even dunk the dogs in barbecue sauce and then put the bacon on.To really elevate them, add some sharp cheddar. You can buy Sargento's to sprinkle or just buy a block and grate at home. If you want a fancy cheese dog then spread Brie on them and put on a toasted croissant (you'll have to break the dog in half  so it fits better on the crescent shape)Vegans can also enjoy this treat by using the Morningstar Brands veggie dogs and their fake bacon. In order to get it pliable and bend-y just microwave the soy strips thirty seconds less . If you want crunch then microwave it according to directions and just crumple it on the dog. You can also have a dairy free cheese dog too. There are several brands of vegan cheese that can top your hot dogs. One of the best is Ciao, This is a buttery tasting faux fromage that would off set the vegetarian dog's saltiness.

Chili and hot dogs are meant for each other. A pot of homemade chili would go well with grilled dogs. If you have to spend more time at the barbecue then just make it in a crockpot. In fact it will be better because the slow cooking time allows for the spices and chilis to mellow .If there's no time, then buy a can of chili. Again, vegans can also enjoy this taste, thanks to vegetarian meatless sort. Put as much as you want on your dogs. Some famed hot dog hang outs like Rutt's Hut in Clifton New Jersey also puts onions in their chili sauce. You can do this for both the homemade and canned chili. Just add a small chopped  white onion to the chili and cook up.Since  hot dogs are essentially German, think about adding sauerkraut as a topper. The homemade is popular right now , thanks to foodies and hipsters jumping on the fermented food bandwagon. It's just taking shredded cabbage, pounding it to extract the juice and brining it with salt and the juice for a few days.. This is much more flavorful than the canned kind however if you don;t have the time, use the store bought.Zing it up with some freshly ground pepper. Of course relish is a must.If you''re ambitious think about making it. Relish is a mix of red and green peppers  mixed with cucumbers and onions. These are then cooked with a brine and a paste made with granulated sugar, cornstarch and vinegar. Everything is poured into pickling jars to ferment,

Think of your hot and veggie dogs as blank canvasses. Add bacon or relish, cheese or sauerkraut or combine these to create a unique flavor. Be creative and come up with a new kind of hot dog.