Cooked Canned Foods for Thanksgiving, Boast Nutrition and Exude Flavor

31/10/06 Thanksgiving is a holiday built on traditions passed down from generation to generation, but sometimes preparing the same menu year after year can turn tried and true into predictable and passe. This Thanksgiving, celebrate America's early beginnings by updating your holiday menu with recipes that reflect the best of our country, including bold, ethnic flavors, fragrant fruits and variations on our favorite veggies.

Chef, columnist and cookbook author Andrew Schloss knows that preparing a holiday meal can be a stressful feat for even the veteran home chef. Whether it's adding smooth coconut to pumpkin pie, sweetening your turkey stuffing with unexpected flavors or even serving up a spicy new soup, canned ingredients offer the busy holiday chef quick and nutritious ways to create new Thanksgiving culinary customs.

"Expectations are always high at a family, holiday meal -- with so many cooks in the kitchen, it's best to plan dishes that don't take too much work, but still wow the audience," says Schloss. "Many people are surprised to know that canned foods are already cooked in the can, eliminating a lot of prep time."

Schloss, in conjunction with the Canned Food Alliance, created four easy, nutritious twists on classic Thanksgiving flavors:

* Pumpkin Lasagna
* Green Chile Posole Soup
* Sweet and Savory Corn Pudding
* Pumpkin Sweet Potato Coconut Pie

"These recipes incorporate the convenience and inherent nutrition of canned foods, so that family cooks have less planning to worry about during the holidays," says Schloss.