Making Thanksgiving My Own

Thanksgiving is the best time of year for people who, like me, love to cook. I have taken the turkey tradition away from my mother in the last few years. Not because she can’t or does not want to, no it’s because I love to create a feast. This is the only time of year that I don’t have to make up excuses to cook a lot of food.



The hardest part for me, when I took over this tradition, happens to be the tools for the job. Using my Moms traditional pans and dishes seemed to be a tradition that needed to go. Everything sticks to the metal, the glass is fragile and cracks easily, and nothing stays warm like I hoped it would. Not to mention, as soon as you get your culinary masterpiece created, you have to move it to a decorative bowl. This almost always causes me to make a huge mess and more clean up. Washing all those dishes is not my favorite part of the holiday season.


This is how I started out making Thanksgiving dinner. Since then I have put my own touch on the turkey tradition. I switched out my Mom’s old bakeware and dishes for ceramic bakeware and dishes.


Now in the ceramic bakeware the food stays warm longer out of the oven. The cold salads stay cold longer because I chill the dishes in the refrigerator. My new ceramic bakeware is durable; some of it even goes from freezer to oven and does not crack!! Ceramic bakeware has a non stick surface so food is easy to get out of the pan. My ceramic bakeware is oh so stylish so I can serve straight from the dish, no more extra mess. Last of all it is a breeze to clean up. I don’t need anything harsh to clean just a sponge, soap and water so my hands stay soft.

So now that I told you my secret you have to promise not to tell my family. They think practice makes perfect but we both know having the right tool for the job makes a big difference.

Lets Talk About Your New Ceramic Bakeware

Here are the brands of ceramic bakeware and the features that they brag about. Hopefully this will make your decisions a little easier when choosing your new ceramic bakeware.

(In alphabetical order so as not to be biased)


Calphalon ceramic bakeware is alright to use in the oven, with the broiler, freezer, or fridge. Also it is safe to wash in the dishwasher. These dishes have a 10 year warranty. They are chip and crack resistant. Calphalon is working on becoming eco-friendly. They have fewer color choices than some other brands. They recommend cooling the dishes before cleaning and no sudden changes in temperature.


Chantal is an eco-friendly company. Chantal ceramic bakeware is safe for use in the oven, microwave, freezer or refrigerator. These dishes are dishwasher safe. The dishes that come with lids have a silicone seal that helps keep your food fresher longer, also reduces the need for aluminum foil or plastic wrap. The dishes can be labeled with permanent marker, because it washes off with warm soapy water. The variety of ceramic products is ridiculously huge. Colors are just as varied as the dish styles themselves. Chantal also recommends no sudden changes in temperature and let the dishes cool down before cleaning them.


Corningware ceramic bakeware has a 1 year or a 5 year warranty based on which product line you choose. These dishes can be used in microwave, not just conventional ovens but convection ovens as well, or with the broiler. They are also safe in the freezer, refrigerator or dishwasher. There are a wide variety of colors as well as numerous ceramic products. Chip and crack resistant is a plus. One of the product lines is even advertized as 50% lighter weight than regular ceramic bakeware. Once again it is recommended that you don’t change temperatures suddenly and let the dishes cool down before you clean them.

Le Creuset ceramic bakeware is considered safe in the oven, on the grill/ broiler, in the microwave, freezer or refrigerator. Dishwasher safe is included. Le Creuset also has a wide variety of colors and a large ceramic product line. This company takes a different turn though and says it is ok to go from freezer to oven. The catch is you have to put the frozen dish into a cold oven and let it heat up with the oven. Sudden temperature changes are not advised and let the dishes cool down before you clean them.


This is just a small bit of information on a few brands that sell ceramic bakeware. I hope you find this helpful. Happy hunting.

Ceramic Bakeware Convenience

Cooking is more than a necessity for me, it a passion of mine. I cook every chance I get, the more people the better. The holidays are like heaven for me. Thanksgiving, Christmas and all the parties are chances for me to flex my cooking muscles. It used to take a lot of muscle for me to fight with my bakeware. Sticking, cracking, flaking and many more irritating things happened. They as you might know cost me in time and money. Time and money are limited during the holidays for most people, so you can see my problem. Thinking about this I went in search of a solution.



Here is what I found to make my life and entertaining easier.

First off I got rid of my metal, aluminum and glass bakeware. This was replaced with ceramic bakeware. My mother had ceramic bakeware that she used for entertaining and special occasions. Growing up I thought that stuff was more expensive than a car by the way that she took care of it. Switching to ceramic bakeware was in reality cheaper than expected. There was a huge variety of colors, patterns and styles. I replaced most of my old bakeware with ceramic bakeware for around $100. That might sound like a lot of money but to someone like me it is an investment that will save me in the long run.
Ceramic bakeware is durable (a lesson learned from my Mom. Don’t tell her.) They will last for many years to come. These dishes stay insulated and keep my hot food hot and cold food cool longer. Clean up is so easy because of the smooth finish. I could not be happier with the decision to switch.

Decorative Ceramic Bakeware

Ceramic bakeware is not only durable but stylish as well. There are now a variety of colors and styles to choose from to match any kitchen. From red, blue, and yellow, to traditional white and black, to earth tones in browns and greens. Patterns are available as well on round, square oval and many more shapes to choose from. Ceramic bakeware are not just casserole dishes these days. There are lots of place settings, utensils and pitchers that are made from the same materials. No matter what the shape the benefits are still the same.



The style and convenience of ceramic bakeware make them a great idea for any wedding or house warming present. Also they make a great "thank you present", for the chef in your life. Prices vary based on brand, style and color anywhere from $15 to $60 a piece to some very nice sets priced in between.


Ceramic bakeware is dishwasher safe. If you hand wash in regular detergent and hot water that is all you need. Soap and water combined with the nonstick surface will make it so you don't need a harsh brillo pad to clean up, even the worst stuck on food. Scratchy pads can scratch the surface so be sure to use softer material on these dishes. Scratches in the surface allow food to get under the coating, which is the only real way to stain these dishes. In short be kind to your ceramic bakeware and they will be good to you!

Ceramic Bakeware

If you do most of the cooking and take pride in presentation of your meals, you will appreciate ceramic bakeware as an alternative to glass or metal. This bakeware is stylish as well as durable. Ceramic bakeware is made from kiln fired clay. After firing the clay is given a glossy coating. This coating makes the bakeware nonstick and helps to keep the dish stain free. As we all know clean up is a breeze with nonstick surfaces. Ceramic is a bit heavier that the alternatives, but worth its weight. Imagine stylish dishes that go from mixing to baking to serving and looks great doing all of that.



Ceramic bakeware, also know as stoneware, is so durable that quite a few brands can go from freezer to oven without cracking. This stoneware is also able to hold up to temperatures hotter than the maximum temperature on conventional ovens.


Ceramic bakeware also hold temperatures very well, keeping hot items hot longer and cold items cool longer. If you bake a casserole in ceramic bakeware it will stay hot longer than would a casserole cooked in glass or metal bakeware. This gives plenty of time to get everyone to the table, which sometimes takes longer that making dinner itself. Ceramic pitchers placed in the freezer or fridge to chill will keep beverages cooler longer as well. If you are interested in dishes that help make cooking, heating, cooling and clean up easier on you than ceramic bakeware is a great investment for you.