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Stop! Washing your Thanksgiving turkey could spread germs

NEW YORK (AP) — Go ahead and rinse your cranberries, potatoes and green beans. But food experts say don't — repeat don't — wash the turkey before popping it in the oven on Thanksgiving Day. They say that could spread the germs lurking on your turkey in the kitchen sink or nearby food. But it's been a challenge trying to convince cooks to stop rinsing off raw poultry. "If your mother did it and your grandmother did it, and suddenly the (government) says not to wash your turkey, you may take some time to adjust," said Drusilla Banks, who teaches food sanitation for the University ...

Deliver delicious brisket for holidays

Beef brisket is a relatively inexpensive, yet highly versatile cut of meat. It’s equally at home in a pastrami or corned beef sandwich as it is on Christmas and Chanukah holiday tables. When cooked correctly, brisket is tender and delicious. Brisket comes from the area of cows or steers ages two and up, or veal ages two to four months, according to the recipe and cooking technique resource Food Fire Friends. The brisket can be found right above the leg in the area between the front legs. Brisket is essentially the lower chest, or pectoral region of the animal, responsible for holding ...

How to tame that intimidating winter squash

Hard winter squash is a delicious and versatile vegetable that can be used as a side dish, in fillings for ravioli or lasagna, as a noodle alternative, in soups, salads, stuffed and so on. This time of year, I crave a hot, buttery butternut or acorn ``squash mash’’ — think of it as an alternative to mashed potatoes. It’s comforting, filling and healthy to boot. But hard winter squash is so difficult to cut through that many people don’t cook them, or they only buy them already cubed from the grocery store. Even I hated prepping winter squash. It is hard to get your knife ...

The ideal wine for Thanksgiving? It’s complicated

For many of us who love to cook and host on Thanksgiving, one central mystery remains: What to pour? Before I turn to the experts, I'll offer up three things I do know about wine on this holiday: 1. You don't want to run out. 2. Opinions vary on what tastes delicious. 3. Do not make yourself crazy by trying to pair individual wines with individual courses because a) there really are no individual courses, b) the variety of flavors on the plate is wide, and c) not everyone is helping themselves to the same foods at the same time. I like to put out an assortment of bottles and ...

Cocktail champions

NEW ULM — Lamplighter Restaurant and Lounge, Russell Davis' choice for first place, and Veigel's Kaiserhoff, the People's Choice for first place, won the bar crawl and cocktail competition hosted by celebrity bartender Russell Davis on Nov. 9. Davis ranked B&L Bar in second place and ...

Bourbon can make many foods better

If ever there was a season for bourbon, it's fall. The rich, round vanilla notes of a good bourbon complement our favorite autumn foods. That goes for meats, vegetables and sweets. It's an equal opportunity spirit that makes everything taste better. A splash of bourbon is an easy way to up the flavor ante and elevate your home cooking. For example, a little bourbon and brown sugar mixed with butter, salt and pepper transforms ordinary sweet potatoes and winter squash into a side dish that steals the spotlight. To coax all the flavor out of these vegetables, make sure to roast ...