California, (November, 2011) — Every year we vow to try something new for Thanksgiving and every year we end up making the same tried and true staples. As the food preparation checklist gets longer and the day looms closer, the thought of trying something untested and possibly ruining a dish to serve to friends and family shouts down any lingering dream of getting creative. However, NERDS have discovered that, as with so many things, the internet has a wealth of resources to make trying something new this holiday season easier and less risky. Perhaps this is the year for a NERD pumpkin soufflé surprise after all…
For everything you need: To have your loved ones raving about your amazing Thanksgiving feast, start with the food experts at the Food Network online. Not only can you get any of the recipes that you’ve seen your favorite food network stars whip up on TV, you can watch clips from the show it was included on to see Rachael Ray or Alton Brown walk you through it one more time. The “Thanksgiving Essentials Cooking School” is a library of video tutorials, so you never have to rely on a vaguely worded recipe to get the perfect lump-free gravy. Recipes are rated by users that have tried it at home, so you can benefit from the experience of other’s before committing to a new recipe.
Perfect menu: To tailor to your specific guests and cooking style check out the personalized menu planners at Epicurious or Better Homes and Gardens. Answer a few simple questions and the planner will use your answers to come up with a list of recipes for YOUR perfect Thanksgiving Day meal, customized to the size of your party and/or your cooking style. From easy to make recipes for the novice cook, to healthier options, the planners will give you all the dishes to create your own feast. Epicurious recipes include ratings and comments, and users will often suggest modifications that can make a recipe tastier or healthier.
Perfect timing: One of the trickiest parts of making Thanksgiving Dinner is ensuring that everything, from the turkey to the stuffing to the gravy, is ready to put on the table at the same time so that all your food is hot when everyone sits down at the table. iPhone users rejoice: there is a new app called iFeast that will help you achieve that holiday dining nirvana. Customize iFeast to your menu by adding your own recipes, or use its pre-programmed recipes. Then simply enter the time you want to have dinner ready to serve and the app will tell you when to start preparing each dish in order to have everything ready at the same time. It will even let you know where your windows of rest opportunity are so you can take a load off between mashing and whisking. After all, who doesn’t need a break for some cheese ball? It will even tell you when to set the table and chill the wine, and has an integrated shopping list function to help ensure you don’t forget the apples for Aunt Mildred’s famous stuffing.
The final word: To ensure that you send your guests home with leftovers, not food poisoning, be sure to review the USDA’s guide to how to safely roast a turkey. From thawing and cooking methods, including estimated times per pound, to how to store and reheat leftovers, this page will likely answer all your last minute turkey quandaries. If not, there’s a USDA Meat and Poultry hotline and email address so that you can ask your burning Turkey question, such as, “is there any way to salvage a burnt bird?”
About The Author: Andrea Eldridge is CEO and co-founder of Nerds On Call, a computer repair company that specializes in on-site and online service for homes and businesses. Andrea is the writer of a weekly column, Nerd Chick Adventures in The Record Searchlight. She prepares TV segments for and appears regularly on CBS, CW and FOX on shows such as Good Day Sacramento, More Good Day Portland, and CBS 13 News, offering viewers technology and lifestyle tips. See Andrea in action at callnerds.com/andrea/.
About Nerds On Call: Established in a spare room in Redding, Calif., in March 2004, Nerds On Call offers on-site computer and laptop repair services to consumers and businesses. Nerds On Call provides trouble-shooting for PCs and Macs, home and office networks, printers, iPods® and MP3 players, handheld devices and cell phones, home theaters and game systems, and virtually every other form of digital entertainment. In 2009, 2010, & 2011 the company was named to Inc. magazine’s list of 5000 fastest growing private companies. With 7 locations across California and Oregon, Nerds On Call serves more than 40,000 satisfied customers per year. For more information, visit callnerds.com or call 1-800-919-NERD.
