patching...
Welcome back, Patch Blogger!

Thanksgiving 2012

Thursday, November 22, 2012

PHOTOS: Show Us Your Thanksgiving Feast

Upload photos of your turkey, pie and more to show everyone see just how hard you worked!

Putting together a Thanksgiving feast is no simple feat. Between the shopping and the cooking, there’s barely time left to set the table and make everything just right. If you’ve gone above and beyond with your spread this year, Patch invites you to show off your hard work! Just upload your Thanksgiving dinner photos to the gallery. Be sure to share tell everyone what the special dishes are you served up, too. And, if your dinner table setting and decorations rival something Martha Stewart might whip up, we invite you to show those off, too! To share your photos, just log into your Patch user account and click on the button that says "Upload Photos and Videos." Happy holidays! Editor's note: This article appears on multiple Patch sites in …

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Recipe for Pie Lovers: Pumpkin Praline

The key to making the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert.

Pie is the ultimate Thanksgiving dessert. In our family, we usually have two different kinds: pumpkin and apple. We usually also have pecan and mincemeat as well, but as bite-sized tarts instead of whole pies, since not everyone is fond of mincemeat and a big ol' slab of pecan pie can be cloying.   I know, it's crazy to offer so many desserts but Thanksgiving dinner is all about the pies!  If you like making your own pie but just can't make good pie crust, you can always use the frozen pie crusts already in the pan or the rolled up premade pie crusts, such as Pillsbury. If you use the frozen pie crusts already in their own pan, I strongly advise removing the frozen crusts from their wimpy aluminum pie tins and putting the crusts in your …

Thanksgiving Recipes: How to Cook Stuffing, Side Dishes

A turkey can't just sit alone on the table. Here are some recipes for Thanksgiving's most popular side dishes.

What would a turkey be on Thanksgiving without its faithful side companions? Often more popular than the turkey itself, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and other favorites are staples of the food coma-inducing meal. Try one of the recipes below to bring a new taste to your Thanksgiving feast. Roasted Winter Squash Gauge the amount of squash you’ll need by allowing 1 small squash (acorn and butternut are good choices) for every four people. Cut each squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Brush sides and inner cavity with olive oil and place flesh-side down on a lightly-oiled baking sheet. Roast for approximately 45 minutes or until flesh is very soft and easy pulls away from the skin. After removing squash from oven, let …

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Shopping for the 2012 Holiday Season

An early Thanksgiving this year means more shopping time.

Have you seen the holiday decorations starting to appear all around Anne Arundel County? Retailers are already getting out the Christmas trees, Hanukkah menorahs and Kwanzaa candleholders, prepping for the longest holiday shopping season possible. For decades, now, Black Friday has heralded the "start" to the month-long holiday shopping season. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November since 1941 when Congress passed a law. This year, it falls on Nov. 22: There are a whopping 32 days of shopping, assuming you are not the type who buys gifts of lottery tickets and beef jerky from the convenience store on the way to your Christmas celebration. In that case, you have 32 days during which to procrastinate. According to the …

Got a Hot Tip?