DIY Life

There are two kinds of Thanksgiving chefs: those who stuff and those who... well, don't stuff. To get down to the bottom of stuffing, dressing and everything-related, our friends at Holidash have a few helpful tips:

If you follow cooking shows through the holiday season, you've probably heard that it's bad, bad, bad to stuff a bird -- especially if you've talked to Alton Brown. Adding a good pile of stuffing lengthens a turkey's cooking time and increases the possibility of having a dry and overcooked meal. But ... but stuffing tastes so good.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to follow the advice of the professionals without losing the flavor many of us have grown to love. In the above link, Alton suggests tossing the stuffing in the turkey drippings post-roast, and letting it sit in the turkey while it rests. But there's an easier way, especially if you want your stuffing flavorful and crisp, rather than just juicy.

If your child loves their stuffed animal, you know that it would be simply impossible to take that ratty old and under-stuffed toy, replace it with a new one and still survive. What's the solution? You'll have to do it yourself. You are Mom/Dad after all and you can fix anything, right? I wouldn't know where to start, until I found these clear instructions from WeeSandy at eHow. Here's a quick summary. If you need more details, she even diagrams a ladder stitch and problem solves little issues you might have along the way.

Materials

• Teddy
• Polyester fiberfill
• Needle
• Strong thread, matching the bear's fur color
• Sharp Scissors

Re-Stuffing Teddy

1. Practice your ladder stitch on a piece of scrap fabric
2. Clip a thread along the seam (unless there is already a hole) and open it enough to fit stuffing
3. Stuff Teddy
4. Use the ladder stitch to close the seam
5. Slip Teddy back into your child's sleeping arms