Hurricane Sandy

Lowe's Providing Free Meals for Thanksgiving

Communities affected by recent storms to receive extra help

With the holiday season getting underway Lowe's has announced that they will be providing free meals to local residents affected by Hurricane Sandy. The company announced that 35 of its stores in New York and New Jersey will be providing more than 22 thousand complete Thanksgiving dinners. The dinners include a fresh roasted turkey or ham, mashed potatoes and gravy along with sweet corn and rolls. Table Talk Pies of Worcester, Mass. also donated more than 43 thousand pies for the meals. In addition to the 500 meals each store will distribute the company also said that all employees of the store will also get a free meal, "as a thank you for their dedication before, during and after the storm," a press release from the company said.  The …

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What New Jersey's Doing with Leftovers

A turkey sandwich is just so lame. Try these ideas instead!

So the feast is over and everyone has had a good night's sleep fueled by an excess of food and drink. So what to do with the leftovers? We asked our own staffers and their friends and neighbors and of course, being Patch, scoured the Web, to find out what Jersey does the day after the feast. Of course, there's a turkey sandwich. But why not make it a bit more Jersey-specific, with a turkey Sloppy Joe? First, a bit of history: cooking enthusiast Ben Salmon explains the history of how the sandwich was invented in South Orange and rates three local purveyors. But now on to the recipe, complete with homemade Russian dressing. Ben has lots of other good ideas for leftovers, including what sounds to us like a Thanksgiving Dagwood. Want a more …

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Thanksgiving Meals Served Free With Love

This Thanksgiving anyone without a place to go can be thankful for many places offering free meals and fellowship.

You've lost your job, your home, maybe even your loved ones. What's there to be thankful for this year? Now more than ever churches, community centers, and even one upscale restaurant, are opening their doors on Thanksgiving to offer a free meal and a warm atmosphere to say: You are not alone. On Thursday Langosta Lounge, the popular Mexican restaurant on the boardwalk in Asbury Park known for its sustainable ingredients and artfully prepared meals, will be packed as usual. The only difference is, on this night, all those meals will be handed out free, thanks to owner Marilyn Schlossbach, Pat Sherman of Feeding Friendz, a grassroots effort to support the area's homeless and hungry, and the congregation at Trinity Church in Asbury Park. The…

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Share Your Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

What are your family's go-to holiday dishes?

Every family has a special Thanksgiving recipe – the one everybody looks forward to on the best eating holiday of the year. In my family, it's a pumpkin pie recipe that, according to legend, has been handed down through the generations from Robert E. Lee's household. Who knows if that's true – it involves a lot of lemon, which I doubt was readily available in mid-19th century Virginia, so I'm tempted to think it's been tweaked. But we wouldn't dare let a Thanksgiving go by without dragging out that stained recipe card and baking a few pies. Take a minute today to share the details on your own favorite dish with Patch!  Whether it's your own take on cranberry sauce or the best stuffing around, or even tricks to making the best turkey, we …

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califwino

3:22 pm on Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Sounds yummy....... OK you gave us the ingredients, now how about the recipe ?   more ›

Tell Us What You're Thankful For

Share your thankful thoughts with us this holiday season!

The holiday season is always a bustling time of year. Friends and family scurry to make dinner plans work, deadlines must be met early and stores are nearly impossible to navigate through quickly. But in the hustle and bustle, let us not forget why we celebrate: because we're thankful. For some it may be the simple joy of having their friends and family nearby, for others it may be a life changing event, but whatever it may be, we all have something to give thanks for.  So tell us here at Patch what you're thankful for this Thanksgiving! Leave a thought or comment below so that we can all share our gracious cheer.

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Beach, Bay and Backyard

Wild Turkey Ways

This bird deserves attention beyond its starring role on the holiday table

As Thanksgiving approaches, turkey may be on your mind. The Butterball on your table might seem like a far cry from the wild birds we sometimes spot stalking through the pines, but they actually belong to the same species – one with some interesting characteristics and a long history with humans. What it is: The wild turkeys that roam our forests and farmlands belong to one of several subspecies found all over the U.S. Our eastern wild turkeys are big birds – males can grow to 4 feet and may weigh more than 20 pounds. The females, or hens, are smaller and slimmer, with relatively dull brown and gray feathers. The male’s plumage is bulkier, with feathers that can contain iridescent shades of purple, green and gold. In the spring, his naked…

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Mattie

5:30 pm on Monday, November 21, 2011

Thank you John... I'm looking forward to seeing cool pics from lots of readers in different areas of Ocean County! :-)   more ›

Celebrate Thanksgiving with Local Fare and Flair

Shop local markets for fresh ingredients, delicious pies, pre-made dishes, and Thanksgiving adornments.

From the turkey to the table, Patch has you covered for Thanksgiving! With one of the few holidays almost completely centered around a delicious, traditional meal right around the corner, we wanted to make sure readers had a great database of local stores and markets to peruse. Shop for fresh ingredients and cook up your own spectacular dinner, or buy scrumptious pre-made Thanksgiving food for the family. Creating a homey atmosphere is also a great way to bring warmth to the holiday. Local stores are chock-full of Turkey day decorations, centerpieces, fall foliage, and seasonal flowers to adorn your home and table. Click through the above media gallery and see what speaks to you - or what makes your mouth water!

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