By KATHIE SMITH, Toledo Blade

Sizing up your Thanksgiving turkey involves so many decisions, from fresh or frozen to the size and the cooking technique.

It all begins with how many people will be having dinner around your holiday table. If it's a big bird that you want, for example, Butterball recommends 1-1/2 pounds of turkey per person for generous servings and leftovers.

The Fourth of July is among the most popular occasions for grilling. With state-of-the-art grills and cookbooks, you can have a memorable celebration.

You can choose healthy recipes, healthy grilling techniques and healthy foods.

If you want to splurge by eating a T-bone steak, don't feel guilty. Enjoy it.

Oregano is an herb found in Italian, Greek and Mexican cuisines, but it's a relatively recent flavor for the American palate. It is said to have been brought to the United States when soldiers came home from World War II.

Spices come from all different sources of plant life, and cardamom may be among the most unusual.

DALLAS -- In this city deep in the heart of the Lone Star State, there's enough authentic Texas fare to suit anyone's taste. It can be as simple as classics like a waffle cooked in the shape of the state of Texas or a slice of pecan pie.

There's also plenty of cowboy cooking, Tex-Mex cuisine and Texas chic.

Soup has never been trendier, thanks to restaurants with creative chefs and home cooks who want to cook with fresh ingredients.

While the professional chef will cook or roast soup bones all day to get the coveted stock to use as a base for many different soups, the home cook has limited time.

Pumpkin empanadas are a cool weather treat that Gloria Martinez's mother, Amalia Sanchez, always made. "Everybody has their own recipe," says Martinez of Bowling Green, Ohio.