The Pick Tennessee Products website has a new feature that harried holiday cooks may want to add as an Internet favorite: “Easy Alternatives for Missing Ingredients.” The list offers substitutes for necessary ingredients and compares amounts between a fresh versus canned ingredient. There are also outright alternatives for keeping dishes delicious when the original ingredients called for in a recipe need to be changed.

The new Web page could be a time and temper saver for the cook who goes to measure out ingredients for a favorite holiday food only to find an important ingredient missing. Popular holiday recipes are often made only once a year with ingredients not necessarily considered kitchen staples.

To access “Easy Alternatives,” go to the Pick Tennessee Products home page and click “Cook Now” on the right hand side of the screen. From there, click on “Helpful Hints” to find the new listing. Also now included in “Helpful Hints” is a comprehensive kitchen measures chart to help cooks convert farm measures like bushels and pecks to kitchen measures like quarts and pounds.

Listings for many farm direct, local foods commonly used in holiday recipes, from butter and cream to aged country ham and seasonal vegetables can also be found by clicking to the “Food” page from the Pick Tennessee Products home page.

Pick Tennessee Products, a Tennessee Department of Agriculture promotion, is currently celebrating its 25th year. The service was developed to help consumers identify and choose farm-direct, artisan and other locally made foods. The site includes lists of farms, farmers markets, seasonal recipes and seasonal on-farm activities. More than 1,600 farmers and more than 6,000 products are currently listed at www.picktnproducts.org.

Buttermilk Pound Cake is the latest Pick Tennessee Products recipe from Tammy Algood, Pick Tennessee Products spokesperson and author of “The Complete Southern Cookbook.” Algood creates seasonal recipes featuring products grown and processed in Tennessee. More recipes are available at www.picktnproducts.org . Follow Pick Tennessee Products on Facebook and Twitter.

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Buttermilk Pound Cake

Yield: 12 servings
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted local butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup local buttermilk

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, around 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar, beating 5 minutes.

Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears, Stir in the lemon extract and vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.

Turkey Fryers

NFPA statistics show that deep fryer fires cause an average of five deaths, 60 injuries, and more than $15 million in property damage each year.

• Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages. Operate them outside, away from the house and anything that can burn.
• Look for sturdy fryers with a long hose to keep the hot oil farther away from the propane tank.
• Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.
• Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you don't watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
• Never let children or pets near the fryer when in use or after use. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot, hours after use.
• To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.
• Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.
• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water don't mix, and water causes oil to spill over, causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.
• Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.
• If you have a fire, call 9-1-1 immediately. Use a fire extinguisher only after calling 9-1-1.

General kitchen fire safety

• Keep anything that can catch fire such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains away from the stovetop.
• Always stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• When simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Stay alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.

If you have a cooking fire...

• Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
• Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number after you leave.
• If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear path to your exit.
• Keep a lid nearby when cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

Beginning in 2004, The Patricia Hart Society, the United Way of Williamson County women’s group, worked with several area schools, partner agencies, and partner companies to assist families who do not have the means to provide a traditional Thanksgiving meal for their families.

Since the inception of “Full Tummies, Warm Hearts”, we have provided over 1,700 Thanksgiving meals to families in need throughout Williamson County. We anticipate that need in 2011 to be far greater than ever before, as many of our neighbors who last year were offering assistance, are this year reaching out for that “hand up”.

Click on the links below to download and print the information you will need to participate as a sponsor of a family.

Flyer for Sponsors

Letter to sponsors

Basket Idea List

Adoption Project Form

Requests need to be sent in to Pat hansberry, no later than Friday, October 7th so that we have enough time to get the family information and match your interests. Both fax number and address are on the Letter to sponsors.