A Taste of Thanksgiving continues, and today is all about travel!

Did you know AAA projects that 46.3 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home during the Thanksgiving weekend? If you’re anything like me, that statistic is frightening! I prefer to skip holiday travel altogether, but if that’s not an option, these 8 holiday travel tips will make the process a whole lot easier.

1. Avoid Peaks

The two days prior to Thanksgiving and the two days after are the peak travel days. Avoid these if at all possible! The lines are insane, the traffic is insane, and you too may end up feeling totally nuts when traveling during peaks.

2. Pay Attention to Weather

Nothing can delay or even derail a trip like unexpected weather. As we saw last week in Buffalo, freak storms can and do occur—often without warning. Keep an eye on the forecast. If you’re planning to drive, you may have to leave earlier or later than expected. If you’re flying, check the flight status before you head to the airport! Most airlines have up-to-date info on their websites and social media. I also like to sign up for email alerts.

3. Stock Up

Every good traveler knows that it’s best to be prepared. Bring non-perishable snacks and water. Drivers should keep an emergency kit and winter gear in the trunk. Always start with a full tanks of gas. Check all fluids and the battery. (A note on batteries: If you live in a cold area, make sure you have enough cold-cranking amps. A dead battery can be prevented if the right one is purchased.)

Everyone should pack an extra set of clothes, medicine, and glasses/contacts in their suitcase. If you have little ones, extra diapers are a must. My extended family is famous for being forgetful and it has caused numerous headaches. You do not want to be 3,000 miles from home without everyday necessities, especially if you’re an insulin-dependent Diabetic!

4. Be Resilient

Schedules go awry, baggage gets lost, kids act up, family members push buttons and simple misunderstandings can become full-scale war. Tensions are high during the Holidays and chaos breeds conflict; remember to breathe, plan, and try to stay calm. Use whatever safe stress reliever works for you.

5. Fully Charge Devices

As a society, we’ve become dependent upon our electronics. Make sure all phones/tablets/Ipods/cameras are at full power before you leave home. Consider bringing an extra battery and don’t forget the charger!

6. Bring Entertainment

I always bring a book and magazines to read, if I’m the passenger. Kids should be provided with video games, DVDs, puzzles, toys, and/or reading material if parents want to make it through the trip alive! A fun idea is to pack age appropriate “Busy Bags.” Books on tape are another good alternative for the entire family.

7. Send the Gifts Ahead

If you’re visiting friends or family, ask if you can mail the gifts to them ahead of your trip. This will eliminate the need for extra suitcases and possible disappointment if those bags get lost.

8. Have a Checklist

When you’re racing out the door, having a list is crucial. I jot down travel times, items to pack, fill up the car, etc. Seeing it on paper is so much better than keeping everything in your head. Don’t forget ID’s, extra cash, insurance cards, and a detailed itinerary. If possible, have a separate checklist for each family member.

 

Will you be traveling for the holidays? Why or why not?

Gobble, Gobble! It’s Day Three of A Taste of Thanksgiving and we’re talking turkey.

Cooking a turkey can overwhelm even a well-seasoned cook. Most of us do it only occasionally and we seem to forget how to do it properly. I’ve cooked everything from a 3-Lb breast all the way up to a 34-Lb monster bird that looked like something made for Popeye!

Here are my tips for cooking the perfect turkey:

1. Selection

Start by selecting the right size. A generous estimate is 1-Lb per person which will accommodate leftovers. If you’re serving 10 people, buy a 10-Lb turkey and so on. If you don’t want a lot of food after the big day, estimate 1/2 Lb per person, which translates to a 5-Lb bird for 10 people. I always err on the side of caution and buy big, so unexpected guests can be fed without a problem. (In this way, I’m a typical Jewish Lady; Hungry Bear says I cook to feed an army!)

I’ve prepared probably 30 turkeys in my lifetime; only one was fresh. I have absolutely no issues with the taste/quality of frozen birds, provided they’re prepared correctly. As for brand, Butterball is truly the Cadillac of turkey, but they do cost more. Some cooks swear by Kosher and/or free range organic birds. Those are often triple the price and I haven’t found the taste justifies it.

2. Thawing

Frozen meat, especially big birds, will require a long time to defrost. I like the refrigerator method. Most guides offer an estimate of 5-Lbs per 24 hours. I have never found that to be accurate, especially if your fridge is on the cold side. If you’re cooking a bird over 20-Lbs, it may take an entire week. Don’t worry if your turkey is still slightly frozen on the big day. Soaking it in cold water for 2-3 hours should do the trick.

3. Cleaning

When the turkey is sufficiently frozen, you will have the pleasure—misery!—of cleaning it. Honestly, this is my least favorite part. I always wear disposable gloves to make the process less revolting. I wash the bird inside and out with cold water, remove the neck and giblets, then scrape out the entire cavity with a serrated grapefruit spoon, after which I spray it down for a final time. These steps do require extra effort, but it’s so worth it! A turkey that isn’t washed/scraped can have an off flavor, especially when stuffed. Don’t skimp on cleaning for the ideal results.

As for the to-stuff-or-not-to-stuff debate, it’s entirely up to you. Growing up, we always stuffed the turkey. Now, I usually don’t, because it takes so much longer. If you do stuff the turkey, add 1-2 hours to the overall cooking time. If no stuffing is used, add some raw veggies to the cavity instead. I used a mix of carrot, celery, and onion.

4. Cooking

A roasting pan is ideal for cooking a turkey. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it does need to be sturdy. If a disposable pan is used, put a baking sheet under it for stability. (Trust me on this one; I had a turkey fall through the bottom once, splattering me and the kitchen floor with burning-hot juices!)

The biggest complaint about turkey is that it’s dry, so keeping the meat moist should be of primary importance. There are 3 methods I’ve used. All work, but some are better than others.

* Roasting the bird breast side down. This ensures juicer turkey, but you don’t get the crispy skin which is everyone’s favorite part. Also, it must be carved in the kitchen, or it looks messy.

* Covering the turkey with an oil-drenched cheesecloth. This is the old-fashioned method my grandmother taught me. I used this method exclusively until I discovered the next one.

* Roasting inside a Reynold’s cooking bag. My favorite method, hands down! The added expense is minimal and the results are phenomenal! This method also eliminates the need for basting.

The actual cooking time varies, but a good start is to roast 20 mins per pound in a 375-degree oven. Don’t rely strictly on a pop-up timer, but it’s an ok indicator. The only way to tell if it’s truly done is with an instant read thermometer. It will measure 165 degrees; check in the thigh. Dark meat takes longer than white and if you measure the breast, it’s faulty.

5. Carving

Allow the bird to rest for 30 minutes before carving is attempted. I have tried to skip this step and it’s always a mistake. The bird is too hot to handle and the juices need time to settle. Both you and the bird need to chill out!

When the 30 minutes are up, you can begin to carve. Some people swear by electric knives, but those scare me! I use a regular kitchen knife and I like to proceed in this order:

* Remove the wings

* Remove the drumsticks and thighs

* Remove the wishbone, then slice off each breast whole, after which the breast meat can be cut thin or thick, depending on preference. This way is so nice because each slice keeps a bit of skin intact.

When carving is completed, arrange all the meat on a platter. If you’re like Martha Stewart, it may resemble this. If you’re not, don’t worry! Nobody really cares when they’re hungry.

If you’ve made it this far, Mazel Tov! You can now revel in a beautifully browned, moist turkey that will taste delicious!

Welcome to Day Two of A Taste of Thanksgiving. We’re talking about menus.

I’ve been making Thanksgiving dinner since I was 15 and over the years, my menu has evolved considerably. In the beginning, I struggled with the actual cooking process. As I became a more skilled cook, I started stressing over the dishes, wanting to top the previous year’s meal. After one particularly exhausting 3-day cooking marathon in the early 2000’s, I decided to simplify.

Now, I’ve scaled back to a point that’s comfortable, but includes all of the favorites everyone expects to see on the Holiday table. Here is my current menu:

* Turkey

* Stuffing

* Mashed Potatoes

* String Beans

* Cranberry Sauce

* Sweet potato casserole

* No-Bake Peanut Butter Caramel Cheesecake

That, my friends, is it! Instead of making a ton of sides that often go uneaten, I concentrate on the super stars. It’s still a lot of kitchen work, but not so much that I feel burdened. (The cook deserves a holiday, too!) This menu requires 1 day of shopping and prep work, plus another day for cooking.

Once I have the menu assembled, I search for the best deals and coupons to keep my cost low.

1.  Turkey

For those looking for strictly white meat, buy a Jennie-O Oven Ready Breast at Walmart. Use a $1.00 coupon and a $5.00 Checkout 51 rebate. Final total is only $4.57! If you want a whole bird, pick up a frozen one at Shaw’s for $0.49/Lb.

2.  String Beans & potatoes

The cheapest price in my area is at a local produce store. I can find the beans for $0.99/Lb and a 10-lb bag of potatoes is $2.99.

3.  Cranberries & sweet potatoes

Hannaford has the best prices on these items: $0.49/Lb for sweet potatoes and cranberries for only $0.49 a bag with a $1.00 Ocean Spray coupon!

4.  Stuffing

I still have some packages from an earlier sale but this item is easy to find cheaply at every store this week and next. Aim for $1.00 or less.

5.  Peanut Butter Cheesecake

I will use the $0.89 Skippy I bought on sale. The other ingredients I have in the pantry.

Because I buy ahead and only shop the deals, I can make a big feast for around $20 (sometimes even less). When you compare that figure to a $49.99 grocery store prepared meal or a overpriced restaurant, it’s a huge savings!

 

What does your family eat on Thanksgiving?

Welcome to Day One of A Taste of Thanksgiving! Today is all about Black Friday.

I have been a Black Friday enthusiast for as long as I can remember. When I was a much younger lady, I loved to hit the mall for “Midnight Madness” and scour the racks for shoes, clothes, and accessories.

This all changed after I discovered couponing. Now I only focus on the drugstores. I find that by combining deals, coupons, and rebates, I’m able to bring home tons and tons of goodies for mere pennies.

Naturally, this kind of shopping doesn’t just come together by accident and it’s not for the casual shopper. If you want the most stuff for the least money, some inconveniences will have to be endured—getting up super-early, facing the crowds, etc.

I start 2-3 weeks in advance and put my lists together once the ads are leaked online. The info is posted on many blogs and websites, but I do things a bit differently, listing every sale item that offers 100% rebate in numerical order from cheapest to most expensive. By doing that, I can break my items into multiple transactions.

Here is an example of my CVS list for 11/27-11/29:

Hershey’s single candy, 1.4 oz, on sale $0.79 with a $0.79 ECB

Orbit gum, 14 ct, on sale $1.00 with a $1.00 ECB  

Viva Vantage paper towels single roll, on sale $1.99 with a $1.99 ECB

Gum Supreme toothbrush, 2 ct, on sale $2.00 with a $2.00 ECB

CVS alkaline batteries, 4 pk, on sale $4.19 with a $4.19 ECB

(I do 5 transactions, rolling the bucks as I go along.)

This is a short list because CVS does a 2-part ad during Thanksgiving week. I will start on Sunday with the first round of deals, and then go again on Thursday morning. (Yes, I did say Thursday; I shop on the holiday, right when the doors open at 7:00 AM.) If I’m still standing, I will shop for a third time on Saturday. Basically, I devote the entire week to nothing but shopping and cooking.

After my list is complete, I look through my stash of insert coupons and printables. Often, there will be ones that work into the deals and freebies can become moneymakers.

I do the same thing for Rite Aid & Walgreens that I do for CVS, but those stores are more difficult. You can’t use UP Rewards until the following day, so the out-of-pocket cost will be higher. Walgreens limits each person to a maximum of 20 transaction per day when using Register Rewards. Also, keep in mind that a Register Reward is issued by the company, not the product. If you buy Cover Girl which is made by P&G and use the reward to buy Crest, you will not get another reward!

If this sounds confusing, start small. Look at the lists online and pick only a few deals that you need/want. I try to get everything, but there’s no guarantee. Sometimes items aren’t in stock, or another couponer beats me to it—even on Thanksgiving morning! Just do the best you can, and try to remember that it’s supposed to be fun.

Common sense things to remember, but worth noting:

1.  Get a good night sleep. If you’re overtired, it’s much harder to face a multiple-store coupon marathon.

2.  Eat breakfast and drink at least 1 cup of coffee. You want to be full and focused.

3.  Plan! I plan down to the smallest detail, well in advance for Black Friday. I have a separate envelope for each drugstore that contains a corresponding list and coupons.

4.  At the store, follow the rules. Take notice of limits and don’t use extra rewards cards. Ask an employee which register is set aside for those shoppers doing huge hauls. Try not to make a chaotic situation worse.

5.  Schedule breaks. Especially important if you’re doing multiple stores. Take a break in between. Go home if you live close by, or sit in the parking lot for a breather. I always pack bottled water, energy shots, and a snack.

6.  Don’t bring kids or significant others. I can’t stress this one enough! Unless your loved one is also an extreme couponer, they will either slow you down or beg you to leave. Shop alone for the best results.

So, that’s how I do Black Friday. If anyone wants to copy my lists for CVS, Rite Aid, or Walgreens, I’m happy to share. Just ask!