Thanksgiving for those who don’t like turkey

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With Thanksgiving here, you'll probably be getting tired of turkey soon. I know I can get bored with the same old meat this time of year. While I'm all about using generous leftovers in inventive ways, sometimes it's nice to serve something completely different when you have a houseful of company.

Frequently in this part of North Carolina, barbecue is a go-to choice to feed a crowd. So, when I recently went to a co-worker's house party, I wasn't surprised to find a moist and fragrant barbecue pork simmering in the slow cooker beside a basketful of buns. I asked the host where he'd purchased the barbecue, as it was particularly flavorful and I wanted to know where I could buy some of my own. He was proud to tell me that he'd made it himself and would gladly share the recipe.

Right in the middle of the party, I pulled out my iPhone and snapped a photo of the 3-by-5-inch card he'd written the recipe on. I've since shared the recipe with at least 10 others, and now I'm happy to share it with you. It is an authentic-tasting Eastern North Carolina-style barbecue recipe, full of red pepper heat and vinegar vigor. Made to slow-cook on the countertop instead of over oak embers, it's perfect for a hungry crowd any time of year. I hope you enjoy! Suggested menu: Mac's Eastern N.C. Barbecue Pork Baked beans Coleslaw

Not feeding a crowd this Thanksgiving? Roast a turkey breast

Let's say that this year's Thanksgiving feast is going to be a more intimate affair than the usual cast of thousands, yet you still want turkey. It can be done.

Instead of cooking up a whole bird, why not go with a turkey breast? "Because," you reasonably reply, "white meat turkey tends to turn out dry as cardboard." And indeed, that's certainly a possibility, especially if you overcook it, which is easy to do. Happily, I've figured out just how to have your turkey breast and eat it, too.

Working on a cookbook several years ago, I came across an old Italian recipe for roast chicken. It required you to stuff a mixture of cheese and vegetables under the chicken's skin before roasting. Intrigued, I gave it a whirl and was absolutely flabbergasted by the results. Not only was the flavor a knockout, but the meat — including the white meat — was the moistest I'd ever eaten.

It occurred to me that this scheme might work just as well with turkey as with chicken. Having finally put this theory to the test, I can say that it translated beautifully.

The secret, I think, is that the stuffing underneath the skin insulates the meat. My stuffing