Thanksgiving Cooking Safety Tips

Thanksgiving is all about food and family – turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and family time. However, preparing holiday goodies can lead to disaster - the kitchen is the setting of more fires than any other room in the house, and cooking is the leading cause of fires in the home. Here are some safety steps to use while preparing the Thanksgiving feast.

Check food regularly while cooking and remain in the home while cooking. Use a timer as a reminder that the stove or oven is on.

Keep the kids away from the cooking area. Enforce a “kid-free zone” and make them stay at least three feet away from the stove.

Keep anything that can catch fire - pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from the stove, oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.

Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.

Purchase a fire extinguisher to keep in the kitchen. Contact the local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.

Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.

Install a smoke alarm near the kitchen, on each level of the home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year.

2015 Chevy Colorad Unveiled at LA Auto Show

Chevrolet unveiled its new 2015 Colorado at the Los Angeles Auto Show on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013, in Los Angeles. And there was much rejoicing for those looking for a modern, contemporary pickup that also happens to be somewhat smaller than a full-size truck!

Hyperbole? Possibly, but not when you consider the midsize pickup market segment in North America is down to two offerings – the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier – both of which haven’t been substantially revised since their introductions in 2004.

"The market used to be huge," concedes Jeff Luke, GM’s chief engineer of truck platforms. "But when you stacked a compact or midsize truck up against a modern full-size truck, that value proposition was lost. The fuel economy was almost the same; the cost was almost the same; so the buyer looked at that and said ‘why not buy bigger?’ That’s why full-size trucks pushed out midsize pickups, but we believe that market will expand if there’s not as much overlap as before."

The 2015 Chevrolet Colorado’s front fascia is unique, and more upright than its international siblings. The squared-off hood is pure Silverado, but the Malibu-like split grille neatly flows into tapered composite headlamp assemblies. While the global Colorado uses round wheel arches, the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado adopts square wheel wells – something Chevy’s design staff views as a hallmark for its North American trucks – and wraps them in deep, chunky flares.

To find out more, read the full article at AutomobileMag.

Check out SEMA's answer to the Chevy Sonic!

Chevrolet is trying put a little super into the Sonic. In the process, it hopes to whip up more enthusiasm for its growing small car line. Read all about it on USAToday!