Looking for the perfect Thanksgiving meal? Try Turducken

NEW YORK – A three-bird roast called ‘Turducken’ or turkey, duck and chicken stuffed into one big bird is the ultimate holiday meal on Thanksgiving.

The unconventional Thanksgiving bird became popular after American football sportscaster John Madden introduced the royal roast on national TV.

Serving Turducken is quite a tedious task, but thanks to “Turducken queen” Johanna Cook, it is now more accessible to busy Pinay moms.

“Turducken used to be a foodie meal. You would have to be a foodie to go to a weird neighborhood, look for a special butcher, and get it done,” said Cook, “Or you can make it yourself for a lot of time and money, effort. It just takes a lot of effort.”

Known for her Momma Cuisines Online blogs, Cook cooks everyday meals by using simple, accessible and inexpensive ingredients and basic cooking techniques.

“This is already pre-seasoned. You can even get it delivered to you, it’s very easy to make at home, and the way you make this is the same way you make your regular turkey,” said Cook said.

Sarah Leoman tasted Turducken for the very first time. “I was actually surprised at how moist it was. It was very moist and very tender.”

Read more from Balitang America.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Are Black Friday Deals Worth The Hassle?

Now that Black Friday has started the creep into Thanksgiving Day, you may be wondering you’re really getting a deal—or if it’s just more manipulation.

All those signs advertising 25%, 40%, even 50% off can be difficult to argue with, but the truth is that in most cases, what you’ll actually be hunting this Friday is not a good deal, but the thrill of a perceived good deal. Even though discounts have risen since 2009, stores’ profit margins have remained largely the same.

The reason?

None of these goods are priced to sell at full price in the first place. If they happen to, prior to deep holiday discounts, that’s great. But according to The Wall Street Journal:
 
    “Big retailers work backward with their suppliers to set starting prices that, after all the markdowns, will yield the profit margins they want.”

To understand why this is, you first have to understand how markup works. When a supplier sells an item to a retailer, the retailer buys it at a wholesale price and then sets a retail price that nets them a profit that’s double, triple, or even more what they paid. By setting that retail price even higher than normal, stores can advertise and give deep discounts while still maintaining comfortable margins.

Two years ago, The Wall Street Journal found that prices on many popular gift items rise in late fall in preparation for just this practice and stay high through the holidays. The one, odd, exception they found? Blenders, which sink in price the closer it gets to December 25th.
 
But what about doorbusters?

Generally speaking, the only real good deals you’ll find on a Black Friday are those “doorbusters” you see people lining up for days in advance. These are advertised to entice shoppers, and some larger stores will even take a loss on these items, assuming that shoppers will make other purchases once they’re in the store.

Even then, there are some drawbacks. Most retailers only stock a limited quantity of doorbuster items, meaning you may actually have to camp out to get one. Also, if you arrive too late to find your deal gone, be wary of sales people pushing a very similar, much more expensive item your way.

So is getting up at 4 am this Friday morning really worth it?

Probably not.

This year especially. Unless you’re after one of those big, deeply-discounted items meant to draw shoppers in, you probably won’t be saving much. And with many sales starting pre-Thanksgiving and continuing all the way into the holiday season both online and in-store, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to do your shopping on your terms.

source: totalmortgage.com