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Organic wines drive me insane. You're drinking something with ALCOHOL in it (12% to 16% roughly, depending on the wine), do you really think that a few ppm of pesticide are going to make that much of a difference. Also, if you really want to get organic wine, look for something that's not factory wine. Most foreign producers technically produce organic wines, but in their countries people already know the stuff is organic, so they don't bother getting the products certified or labeled. If you want good organic American wines, go with Honig or Frog's Leap. Both are world class producers are out of California and 100% organic despite not having big green ORGANIC logos on their labels, and Honig is biodynamic and they use 100% solar power.

As far as sulfites go, again steer clear of factory wine (anything made by gallo or any huge conglomerate that produces 80 billion bottles of the same wine and packages it under 50 different brand names). Anything that's not poorly made doesn't need extra sulfites, and yes they are in the wine regardless of whether the winemaker adds them or not. Allo of the no sulfite added wines that I have tried have been dodgy at best. White wines usually have more sulfites added to them than reds. Whites are less shelf stable, hence the need for more sulfites as preservatives. Most people who say they are allergic to sulfites aren't actually having a reaction to the sulfites, they are having a reaction to either the tannins in the wine or the ethers and esthers that were pulled out of the oak barrels during aging (same reason some people get more hungover on brown liquor than clear liquor).

We bought all our thanksgiving fixings at Whole Foods and only spent $30 more than we usually do on groceries. It's not much more. I think the flaw with this comparison is the focus on the turkey. Side dishes are where you can stretch a dollar. Veggies aren't that expensive and too much meat isn't healthy.

This year we are doing an organic heritage turkey bought directly from the farmer. It's pricier but other poultry and meat I have bought this way have tasted much better than conventional poultry and meat. Since switching to buying at the farmers market and places like whole food, I buy less and enjoy it more.

For me it was less about the label "organic" than it was about buying responsibly raised meat and animal products (the turkey, eggs, dairy, and the pork in the sausage for stuffing). So I went the middle road and bought range-grown, humanely raised, sustainably farmed turkey at Whole Foods. I can't quit eating meat, but even on a student budget, I can't justify the gruesome and irresponsible practices of industrial animal husbandry to pay $.50/lb for meat.

Anyhoo, I did buy organic potatoes. That's a veg where I resent paying the markup for organic, but feel that I should. And my dried herbs and spices are mostly organic now, since that's all that available in the bulk aisle (still cheap as hell).

And I actually meant to call Sandra a "kook" as in a FREAK, kooky, crazy, strange, weird ;)

My husband and I joined a CSA for the first time this year - and we're never going back! The veggies are so yummy as to be criminal. And as CSA members we get to enjoy a truly free-range, farm-raised organic turkey for the first time. I seriously cannot wait. Feel like Barbara Kingsolver on Christmas Day, lol!

The price for the turkey was a tad high - about $70 for a 15 pounder, but worth every penny in my book. We'll save money on sides by just throwing all those extra root veggies from the CSA under the bird (sweet potatoes, turnips, etc).

And oddly enough I'm using a Sandra Lee recipe (herb butter turkey). Best of both worlds ;) Hey, Sandra's a cook, but she makes a damn fine bird, lolol!

I have a version that uses raclette, along with the classic items of pickled onion, dill pickle, and a little diced potatoe. Try it.

Macaroni and cheese is one of my all time favorites and something I would have to eat if I had 10 minutes or less to live. I've used numerous recipes, but always go back to my own version, which is a combination of recipes by Ina Garten, Martha Stewart, The New York Times, Cooks Illustrated and "ME". Cheese wise it's a combination of Extra Sharp Cheddar, Gruyere, Smoked Gouda, Fontina and Parmesan Reggiano. Sometimes I add in Canadian bacon, prosciutto or roasted red peppers for variety. In the end, it's all about comfort and "that specific person, place or thing" associated with this wonderful classic.

I've been using the Creamy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese recipe from Cooking Light. It uses light cheddar and reduced fat cream cheese in a milk and flour slurry (instead of a roux based bechamel). It is surprisingly good, despite the "light" cheeses.

For baked mac and cheese I really like Giada's Baked Rigatoni with Fontina and Prosciutto . It's bechamel based and you can pretty easily swap in whatever cheeses and meats you like. I've had a lot of success using Havarti, actually.

My favorite combination is 2/3 medium cheddar, 1/3 smoked gouda - the gouda lends the creaminess of a processed cheese, and the bit of smoky flavor is terrific. My mom's preferred recipe is a four-cheese mac, with cheddar, gruyere, fontina, and parmigiano - a little higher-class, and very nice as well!

I'm a sucker for the blue box every now and again.

I made Ina's mac n' cheese last night, minus the bacon and the blue cheese. It was good, but not as creamy as I'd like. Afterwards I started searching my cookbooks. Found one from Pam Anderson in The Perfect Recipe that I think I'll try next. She uses evaporated milk, egg, and milder cheese, cooks it for less time at a lower temperature -- and stirs during the baking time.

I don't know what the best is, but my girlfriend and I made a Jamie Oliver recipe I think that used sharp white cheddar. It was quite delicious, especially with the addition of bacon!

Is anyone else though a sucker for a box of kraft macaroni and cheese every once in a while? I have to admit that I like it...I know....go ahead....shun me....

The New Cook

Sharp cheddar for flavor, Monterey Jack for creaminess, and a little bit of American for its stabilizing power (I get a chunk of it at the deli, usually Land-o-Lakes, not Kraft Singles). My current favorite recipe also uses evaporated milk, which has additional stabilizing power -- net result, it's the only homemade mac & cheese I've ever made that actually stayed creamy in the oven without destabilizing or getting grainy or totally seizing up.

But: I also make half boxes of Kraft Dinner (three cheese & shells) quite often. Diverse tastes.

Aha, here's the recipe I like. I forgot about the Parm in the breadcrumbs!