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Community Corner

5 Thanksgiving Recipes for Non Cookers

There are other options besides a caterer if your skills in the kitchen are limited to microwaving.

Thanksgiving may be the one day out of the year when even those without cooking skills still attempt to whip up a feast. You can eliminate the threat of catastrophy without relying on canned cranberry sauce, deli turkey slices and gravy from a box. Still you don't need to seek out some gourmet food shop for the ingredients: the local or should do the trick.

Check out these five easy, awesome recipes from some of America's most-loved chefs and gourmets.

  • Bacon has a huge fan following but is not really thought of as part of the Thanksgiving feast. Change that this year by inviting bacon to the table. This bacon stuffing recipe  from Oprah is easy to make but packs a savory punch, with a bit of wine, pine nuts and garlic adding to the flavor layers. The leftovers could be warmed up as a Friday morning breakfast treat.
  • Sure, putting those little marshmallows on top of the yams before baking is a good time, but why not try something not so retro this year when it comes to your sweet potatoes? Martha Stewart, of course, has this delectable sweet potato recipe that requires little more than the potatoes, some maple syrup and a food processor. Save the marshmallows for the hot chocolate.
  • Please the vegetarians in the family or whet your guests' appetites with a starter of grilled, stuffed portabello mushrooms. Nutty and meaty, portabellos are the perfect substitute and accompaniment for turkey. Rachel Ray’s recipe includes Worcestershire sauce for an extra zip of zest.
  • Emeril can help you cook your turkey without making it too complicated or frightening. First-time Thanksgiving chefs can find a wealth of information, ideas and tips in his online holiday food guide. Emeril explains everything you need to know to get the turkey part of the day done right.
  • Mix up two favorites for dessert, pecan pie and chocolate. Paula Deen tells you how with her rustic chocolate pecan tart. Easy and fast to make, it looks more complicated that it is and will wow your Thanksgiving guests. The lattice pattern of the crust will have them guessing whether or not the tart came from that boutique bakery down the street rather than your own kitchen.

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