Veggie burgers, veggie hot dogs, even veggie breakfast sausage are all foods that are trying to be something they're not. 

The ingredients listed on many of these "mock meats" should be enough to scare you off.  Sometimes what they put in the product to make it taste something like meat is almost unbelievable.

The word vegetarian alone should indicate that a person eats vegetables and other plant-related foods.  Why eat "pretend meat" at all?

Vegetarians who are pregnant should be extremely cautious, because without meat in their diet they need to make sure to get enough protein.  Vitamin supplements should be considered as well.

Wash your hands!  And do it often.

Hand washing should be standard practice in the kitchen as well.  Just make sure that you're washing your hands properly each time.

Some of the nasty bacteria that will at least make you miserable and possibly land you in the hospital are:

• E-coli
• Salmonella
• Clostridium botulinum  

Everyone's rushing here, chasing there, grabbing a quick bite at the drive-thru and getting on with a very hectic life.

Even homecooked usually means out of a box with a few extra ingredients tossed in.  So where does the flavor come into the picture?

It's in the condiments.  

Selecting the right condiments to have on hand can make an otherwise bland  processed meal taste much better.  

Mustard and ketchup are a start, but gourmet condiments like soy sauce, teriyaki and salsa can add another flavor profile you may not have thought of.

Personally, I'd still rather have homecooked.  With a crock pot you can still make it from scratch and let it cook all day while you run around in circles doing everything else.

Throw everything in the pot and 10 hours later your meal is ready to eat!

My grandfather always cooked a good turkey with a simple process -- roasting with butter, salt, pepper and onion salt. It was always good, so I didn't mess with it.

Last year we tried a friend's deep fried Cajun turkey and it was really good!. The flavor was great, but not real juicy.

Still, the change got me thinking of trying something new this year for Thanksgiving and wondering, "How do you get the turkey juicy?"

The next thing I knew, a Martha Stewart Living magazine showed up in my mailbox. I didn't order it, but since I love to cook I thought I would check it out. Well, since it was her Thanksgiving edition I had found my answer: brine the turkey!

For those of you (like me) who didn't know, brining a turkey is soaking it in a salty water solution.

This is similar to a marinade process, but it helps hold the meat's moisture in while it cooks.

Hence, the juicy turkey that I was wondering about!

This is what I learned about turkey brining:

• Brining works best for roasting or grilling a turkey.
• You need to thaw the turkey completely first.
• Then soak the turkey for 8 to 24 hours (depending on the size of your bird and your timing) in a brine solution -- either in the refrigerator or a cooler with ice, keeping it around 38 to 40 degrees.
• Finally, dry off the turkey with paper towels, and then cook it.

Now, according to Martha, don't overdue the salt in the solution and also add in other flavors such as sugar, garlic, lemon rind, etc.

Here is Martha Stewart's recipe for turkey brine.

After what I learned from Martha, I had to consult my real advisor: The Food Network. I found that Alton Brown has the same advice. He also has a great 5-star recipe for turkey brine.

I will be trying Alton's recipe this Thanksgiving, but I have to thank Martha for introducing me to brine.

More Tips & Recipes For Brined Turkey

• Guidelines For Brining Poultry
• How To Brine That Bird
• Video: How To Brine Turkey
• Tips For Brining Turkey
• Brining A Turkey In A Stock Pot vs A Plastic Bag
• Top 10 Turkey Brine Recipes

How in the world is someone supposed to keep their diet under control when everywhere you turn the main focus is eating?

There are a few tricks you can use that will help you control your urge to try one of everything on the table. 

I'm not saying it will be easy, but here are 9 fail-proof tips for eating healthy at social gatherings.

One big thing to avoid is alcohol.  It's nothing but empty calories, and be honest you don't really need it to have fun anyway. 

If you must have a glass to sip from, make it wine -- at least there are health benefits to drinking wine. Just don't overdo it.

Eating celery burns more calories than what you take in, right? Sorry, it just isn't so.  As much as we'd like to believe it, there is no such thing as a negative calorie food item. 

The best we can hope for is high fiber products such as whole grain breads. 

Don't confuse whole wheat with whole grain.  Often whole wheat is nothing more than white bread with caramel coloring added!  Look for "whole grain" on the label to get all the health benefits you're after.

Homemade buttermilk pancakes are my favorite.  Forget the box of "just add water" pancake mix!  I like the real thing made from scratch.  It only takes a minute or two more, and the difference is very noticeable.

Admittedly, this isn't a diet breakfast for those watching their calorie intake.  You can modify the ingredients a bit to lighten up your pancakes.  Or better yet, top your pancake stack with fresh fruit and avoid the sugary toppings altogether!