Turkey TimeWhat would Thanksgiving be without the turkey? Although you may just think of your turkey as the centerpiece to your holiday meal, it turns out the turkey is a much cooler bird than you probably know.

Besides being renowned for its keen intelligence and sharp vision when avoiding hunters, the turkey was also the favored bird of founding father Benjamin Franklin. He even wanted it to be our national mascot. The wit and cunning turkeys possess are matched only by their superhero strengths, which including the ability to glide for one mile without flapping their wings and the ability to run 18 miles per hour.

The average American eats 15 pound of turkey a year, and nearly a third of that is over the holidays. In the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday, the president takes pity on one turkey every year by granting it a Presidential pardon. That's one lucky bird!

Cranberry Sauce: Yum!What's Thanksgiving without a generous helping of cranberry sauce? We dare you to dream beyond the can this year, and give the homemade stuff a shot. Surprisingly easy and quick as this recipe is, we suspect that we might be starting a Thanksgiving trend! Don't be afraid to jazz things up by adding some ginger, apples, pears, raspberries or other fruit into the mix, or even replace the water in the recipe with orange juice or apple cider for a kick of flavor.

Basic Cranberry Sauce
3/4 C water
1 C granulated sugar
1/2 t salt
1 (12 ounce) bag of cranberries

Bring water, sugar, and salt to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add cranberries and simmer until slightly thickened and two-thirds of berries have burst, about 5 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and cool completely, at least 1 hour. Serve. (Sauce can be refrigerated 1 week)

CK Crew Spotlight - MaddyEvery member of the CK Crew is important, but Maddy is undoubtedly the glue that holds us together. Whether she's packing up bags, leading classes, or coordinating the CK Crew, Maddy is your girl if you want the job done right. When she's not in the kitchen, Maddy spends her time working at Christie's auction house, putting her artistic flair and business savvy to good use. On her rare days off, you can probably catch Maddy going for a run or scoping out the best barbeque in NYC. As a true Texas girl at heart, Maddy loves everything and anything that has to do with the Lone Star State.

Next time you catch up with the CK crew, look for Maddy for a good high-five and advice on a down-home meal in NYC!

Chef of the Month - LizaYou'd be hard-pressed to find a chef as enthusiastic as Liza! When Liza celebrated her 10th birthday with us this past fall, she proved herself to be a true whiz kid in the kitchen. She and her friends whipped up lasagna, garlic bread, and chocolate chip mini-pies that would put the greatest chefs to shame. Liza's a life-long fan of food, and her favorite TV shows are Chopped and Ace of Cakes. Even though Liza is an expert in the kitchen, she also loves to sing, play the violin, and be with her family.

Name: Liza
Age: 10 years
Neighborhood: Upper East Side, NYC
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Kitchen Utensil: Spatula and Whisk

Late Season Treats!If you thought the end of the summer meant the end of its yummy produce, too, then think again! Now is the perfect time to take advantage of late-season produce. Summer staples like snap peas, tomatoes, and peppers can be found on the cheap at your local farmer's market well into the fall. Take advantage of their bargain-basement prices by adding some corn to a creamy chowder, jazzing up an apple crisp with peaches or plums, and roasting some delicious stuffed peppers. Mmm, the last tastes of summer on a chilly fall day!

Fun Fact: Produce gets sweeter as the weather turns colder. Sounds good to us!

November Giveaway: Curious Chef KitWant to cook up something yummy with your little one, but don't have the tools to get the job done? We've got the perfect solution for busying up those little hands with some kid-sized cookware! Our November Giveaway and win a Curious Chef 17-Piece Measure and Prep Kit that includes a large spoon, 3-piece prep bowl set & lids, kitchen timer, 6-piece measuring cup set, and 6-piece measuring spoon set (retail value $19.99).

If you want to get in on some cooking fun with all the fixings, join our email updates list to be eligible to win. The winner will be notified via email the first week of December. Joining will also make you eligible for future giveaways!

Link: The Curious Chef