8 Makeovers You Need to Give Your Holiday Bird This Year

BAY CITY, Mich. -- Are you tired of the same old holiday turkey recipe your family has been eating for generations dragging down your otherwise bomb Thanksgiving feast? Us too. Check out all these delicious ways to give your bird the beautiful makeover it deserves this year. Glazed, braised, smoked, bacon-wrapped? Yes Please. 

1. ADOBO TURKEY WITH RED-CHILE GRAVY

This bird is the word. Slightly spicy, but brimming with deep, complex flavor, this recipe kicks your Thanksgiving feast up a Southwestern notch. 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2AW1iFU

2. BACON-WRAPPED TURKEY 

Bacon makes everything better, and this turkey is no exception. Not only does the crispy bacon "skin" look and taste amazing, it creates a barrier of salt, fat, and moisture that keeps the turkey moist and seasons it while it cooks. 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2AWiFGT

3. SPICE-RUBBED TURKEY WITH CRANBERRY BBQ SAUCE 

If your family just can't get enough BBQ, try this awesome recipe out. The spice rub creates a perfect blackened crust on the turkey skin, and the cranberry sauce is the perfect combination of sweet, tart, and slightly spicy. 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2PO1rDx

4. ROASTED TURKEY BREAST WITH CHORIZO

Forego the typical whole bird this year and try roasting a whole bird instead! It's faster and incredibly moist. This recipe plays with some Spanish influence by incorporating chorizo and pimenton, a sweet Spanish paprika for an elegant spin on traditional Thanksgiving flavors. 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2JPCmCO 

  

5. STOCK-BRAISED TURKEY LEGS

Not only does this recipe step away from the traditional whole turkey, you can make it a few days to a week ahead! If you're unfamiliar with braising, give it a try! It makes for extremely tender, deeply seasoned meat. These legs make perfect pulled turkey sandwiches the next day, too! 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2T0Ry4k

6. APPLEWOOD SMOKED TURKEY 

A recipe for smoked turkey you can make right on your grill! Applewood chips lend a sweet, slightly fruity flavor to this bird, pair it with a sage-seasoned, sausage stuffing, and a peppery gravy. Perfect for BBQ sandwiches the day after too! 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2DeN98C

 7. PEPPER-POMEGRANATE GLAZED TURKEY 

Glazing a turkey adds flavor to the drippings and enhances the flavor of the bird. This molasses-based, pepper and pomegranate glaze from Bobby Flay is slightly sweet and pairs wonderfully with roasted root vegetables or a nutmeg-spiced corn casserole. 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2RMsgWd

8. BUTTERFLIED TURKEY WITH YUCATAN RUB

Unless you live under a rock, you've probably heard about the unbelievable effects the butterfly cooking method has on your ordinary bird. We're here to tell you the rumors are true. The cook time is faster, the meat is amazingly tender, and the skin is oh-so-crispy. This recipe calls for a brined bird, so prep time is a little long, but so worth it. 

Get the recipe here: https://bit.ly/2FbFHxv

How are you planning on cooking your Holiday bird this year? If you try one of the recipes above, comment and let us know how it turned out. We love hearing from you!

Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help our community grow to become an even better place to call home! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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Mouthwatering Summer Cookout Recipes

BAY CITY, Mich. – What's better than a summer cookout, surrounded by family, friends, and fun? Nothing! The summer is full of excitement, and your stomach should be too! Try some mouthwatering summer cookout recipes to treat your taste buds on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and the whole rest of the season! Even the pickiest of eaters will be coming back for seconds with these incredibly delicious dishes. From filling entrees to satisfying side dishes, creating the perfect cookout meal is just a few simple steps away!

Fajita Chicken Kebabs

Spice up this year's cookout with some tasty fajita chicken kebabs. Show everyone who's boss with this fantastic combination of chicken, vegetables, and salsa. Sprinkle some salt and limes to add an extra kick of flavor! If you aren't much of a salsa person, guacamole and chips go perfectly with this yummy entree. 

Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

Want all the taste of buffalo wings with none of the hassle? These grilled buffalo chicken sandwiches are sure to be the talk of the cookout. The bold flavor blends with the freshly grilled chicken, and it goes perfectly with the blue cheese-apple slaw served on top! It's an easy-to-make entree with an iconic buffalo sauce to top it off!

Baked Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges

Take a bite of golden, tender perfection with these garlic parmesan potato wedges. They're much healthier than regular french fries, and have an added kick of garlic parmesan flavor, too! It only takes around 45 minutes to cook and the recipe serves up to 6 people, so you'll be able to feed the whole family with this terrific side dish! 

Grilled White House Pizza

Looking for a healthier option this season, but don't want to miss out on great food? The grilled white house pizza uses vegetables and sweet potatoes for a surprisingly satisfying and tasty take on a pizza. You can make the most of this fresh flavor with some oregano for that bold kick! Give your taste buds the special treatment they deserve with a slice of this savory pizza.

Honey Lime Fruit Salad

Experience every color of the fruit rainbow with this honey lime fruit salad! Using orange juice, honey, and lime zest, you can create the perfect dressing for this extravagant spectrum of flavors! You can use the leftovers with some yogurt and granola to make a fantastic follow-up breakfast, too. The honey and lime dressing will help to create a tart flavor that will compliment the sweetness of the fruits, giving you a must-have side dish for cookout season!

With just a few of these easy-to-make recipes, you'll be the talk of the cookout in no time. Putting together these must-have dishes will fuel your creativity and give you even more ideas for the next cookout. We hope these mouthwatering summer cookout recipes have inspired the master chef in you! If you're out and about and run into any trouble on the road, feel free to contact us and we can get your vehicle towed and inspected as soon as possible! Make sure to regularly check up on our coupons to ensure that you get the best deal you can when you schedule service, too!

Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help our community grow to become an even better place to call home! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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5 Kids Activities to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

BAY CITY, Mich. -- Cinco de Mayo, also known as "El Dia de la Batalla de Puebla" (the Day of the Battle of Puebla), commemorates Mexico's unlikely victory over the French on May 5th, 1862 during the Franco-Mexican War. Mexico commemorates the holiday ceremoniously with military parades, but Cinco de Mayo is a larger celebration of Mexican culture in the United States and even other countries like Japan who celebrate Latin-American culture as a whole.

For parents, the holiday is a great opportunity to give your kids the chance to experience Mexican culture, and we at Graff Bay City have put together a list of 5 kids activities to celebrate Cinco de Mayo.

1. LEARN SOME SPANISH

Starting your kids early learning a second language can be very beneficial to their mental and social development, as bilingual children have been shown to possess better critical thinking and problem-solving skills, as well as greater mental flexibility and mindfulness of those from different cultural backgrounds. Spanish is not only one of the easiest languages for a native English-speaker to learn, but it's also one of the most practical, as it is spoken by over 400 million people making it the world's second most spoken language, as well as an official national language of 21 countries including the United States.

Similarly to English, Spanish has roots in Latin. When you start to dive a little into the language, you'll find that there are actually a lot of familiar-sounding words, Americans sometimes even use Spanish words as part of our everyday slang without even thinking about it! Additionally, Spanish is a phonetic language, meaning that the words are often pronounced how they're spelled making it easy to sound them out.

There are tons of resources out there to learn Spanish with your kids, like apps for your tablet or smartphone and educational websites on the Internet that often offer videos and practice exercises. You could also get a little artsy by giving your child a word like "gato" (cat) or "perro" (dog) and having them draw a picture of it with the Spanish word written underneath. This will help facilitate learning as having pictures in their head with which to associate their new vocabulary makes things easier.

2. PAPER BAG PINATAS

It isn't a true Mexican celebration without a pinata. Although making one the traditional way will more than likely end up with you running up to Party City to grab one that's already made. Instead, give these super easy DIY paper bag pinatas a try!

Get the directions from The Spruce Crafts.

3. MEXICAN HAT DANCE

"El Jarabe Tapatio", aka the Mexican Hat Dance, is a traditional cultural dance originating in Mexico, but also popular in other countries such as Cuba, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. It's also a fun and interactive way to expose your kids to Latin-American culture! You could also incorporate an arts & crafts element to it by creating homemade maracas, a traditional Mexican instrument, to use in the dance.

Mexican Hat Dance Tutorial

Mexican Hat Dance Song

DIY Maracas Tutorial

4. SET UP A TACO BAR

While the exact origin of the taco is unknown, some historians theorize roots in the Mexican silver mines in the 18th century, when the word referred to small explosive charges used for excavation, consisting of gunpowder wrapped in paper. Another theory states that it comes from the Nauhatl (the language spoken by the indigenous Aztec people) "tlahco", meaning "half" or "in the middle", which makes sense given the food's preparation and presentation.

Regardless of how they came to be, tacos are a traditional Mexican cultural food enjoyed in many countries, and no Cinco de Mayo celebration would be complete without them! Add an educational aspect by labeling each ingredient, and facilitate discussion in Spanish by using these phrases:

• ¿Qué pusiste en tu taco? (What did you put in your taco?)

• ¿Cuál es el ingrediente más importante en un taco? (What do you think is the most important ingredient in a taco?)

• ¿Cuál es tu ingrediente de taco menos favorito? (What is your least favorite taco ingredient?)

5. LEARN ABOUT MEXICAN HISTORY

Given the origins of Cinco de Mayo, there's no better way to celebrate than to educate your kids on the history of Mexico. There are tons of kid-friendly resources online to utilize, as well as historical picture books. Much like bilingual children, those who are exposed to a culture and history different from their own benefit greatly both socially and mentally with reinforced values of acceptance, open-mindedness, and compassion.

Graff Bay City hopes you'll take advantage of these 5 kids activities to celebrate Cinco de Mayo! Learning about other cultures, no matter how you do it, is not only a lot of fun but also a great way to instill values of cultural awareness and acceptance of others in your kids. We wish you a happy, safe, and most importantly fun Cinco de Mayo!

Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help our community grow to become an even better place to call home! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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10 Super Bowl Recipes Guaranteed to Impress

BAY CITY, Mich. –– Not sure what dish you're going to bring to pass at your Super Bowl party this weekend? Well, you're in luck as we've compiled a list of 10 Super Bowl recipes guaranteed to impress everyone in attendance. From the savory to the sweet, we've got crowd-pleasing dishes that will sure to be everyone's favorite part of the evening, aside from the funny commercials of course. So read on to find the perfect recipe to bring, and enjoy all the football and commercials on game day!

Cowboy Caviar

This new recipe is quickly becoming a favorite of ours! It's fresh, light, and packed with flavor. Plus, it's very easy to make and looks as good as it is delicious!

Taco Crescent Ring

A delicious and savory treat that's perfect for kids as well as adults! Perhaps the most underrated and under-appreciated football snack ever.

Jalapeno Poppers

These poppers are so good they're bound to make you miss that big play or awesome commercial because you just had to get up off the couch and go back for seconds.

Guacamole

Everyone loves guac! This particular recipe, however, will be the best you've ever had! When someone else inevitably brings another bowl of guacamole to the party, yours will be empty first. Trust us.

Quick tip, put the leftover avocado pits (maybe just two) into the dip while it's refrigerating, waiting for the party, to keep it fresh and green!

Chicken Enchilada Roll-Ups

Yummy, cheesy, with an enchilada taste! Enjoy these little pinwheels that will also add a bit more protein and substance to your plate.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

It's hard to top guac as our favorite dip, but this recipe comes close. The bite of hot sauce and bleu cheese mixed with the savory taste of chicken and cream cheese make for an out-of-this-world dish!

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

This recipe replicates the beloved taste of restaurant style spinach and artichoke dip. Likely to be the favorite dip of the ladies at your party!

Baby Bloomin' Onions

If you bring these cute lil onions to your Super Bowl party, they're guaranteed to be everyone's favorite appetizer. Get all the flavor of a true Bloomin' Onion in a bite-size snack with a lot less mess.

Caramel Churro Chex Mix

Switch it up from recipes that are salty and savory to a sweet treat! This delicious, cinnamon delight is perfect for grazing on.

Peanut Butter Cup Dip

To finish up the list, we thought we'd include a dessert-type snack that will have everyone wanting more. You'll hear "No way!" and "I can't wait to try it!" when you walk in the door holding this dish.

So enjoy the football, friends, and these Super Bowl recipes guaranteed to impress, courtesy of Graff Bay City, this Sunday. Also, please be safe when you're driving to and from your party, the winter weather can really take a toll on your vehicle and put your safety in jeopardy out on the road. So, we highly recommend preparing your vehicle for the freezing temps and icy winter roads by completing your Winter Car Care maintenance routine at our Graff Chevrolet Bay City Service Center.

Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help our community grow to become an even better place to call home! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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11 Thanksgiving Desserts Made With Your Leftover Halloween Candy

BAY CITY, Mich. – Looking for a way to put the rest of you and your kids leftover candy and chocolate to good use by making any of these? Why not use them to make some desserts for Turkey Day? Read below for 11 Thanksgiving desserts made with your leftover Halloween candy! The scrumptious treats will wow and amaze your relatives this holiday season.

Trick or Treat Dessert Pizza

What is there not love about a dessert pizza made out of cookie dough? Especially when you top it off with crumbled up Reese's cups, M&M's, and other chocolate candies!

Almond Joy Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

You may have thought that there was no way to improve upon the flavor combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Well, have ever tried adding coconut? Because it's unbelievably delicious!

Halloween Candy Bark

This is another "throw everything in there" type of recipe, this bark recipe offers the delicious taste of candy chocolate with an added crunch.

Mini Butterfinger Pies in a Jar

Make this portable and single-serving sized dessert so that you can taste the beloved Butterfinger candy bar in a mousse-like state.

Homemade Suckers

Keep the kids and little ones at your Thanksgiving festivities happy with these fun, and simple to make, homemade suckers!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Kit Kat Crunch Bars

A crunchier and more chocolatey dessert you will not find! Layer the dessert with different flavors and textures for a truly unique taste.

Twix Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Another dessert that offers a variety of flavors and textures. This tremendous treat offers creaminess, crunch, salty flavors as well as sweet ones, and chocolate paired with cookie dough.

Reese's Stuffed Pie

If you need convincing to try this dessert recipe, you may need to get your head checked. Have everyone ranting and raving about how good your Reese's Stuffed Pie was at Thanksgiving this year!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookie Bars

Throw all your leftover Halloween candy into a cookie mix for a real crowd-pleaser of a dessert. The added oatmeal and peanut butter will make the texture and taste of these cookies bars irresistible.

Leftover Halloween Candy Brownie Trifle

This towering trifle will look as impressive as it tastes delicious. You can scoop out this dessert to serve to your family members for a gooey, crunchy, and delightful after-dinner treat.

Harvest Snack Mix

Use some of the smaller leftover candy like M&M's and candy corn to mix into a fun and easy-to-snack-on pre-dinner dish for Thanksgiving. It also has all the delicious fall flavors to keep with the festive theme of the season.

Impress your whole family with any of these 11 Thanksgiving desserts made with your leftover Halloween candy. As a bonus to treating everyone's taste buds, you'll avoid being wasteful and tossing out all of that leftover candy! Now is a great time to prepare your vehicle for all of the holiday driving you may be doing over the next two months. We recommend completing our Fall Car Care maintenance routine to ensure your car, truck, or SUV can handle the cold winter weather and poor road conditions. You'd be surprised to hear the extent of the effect freezing temperatures can have on your vehicle's internal components.

Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help our community grow to become an even better place to call home! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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12 Spooky Halloween Dessert Recipes

BAY CITY, Mich. – Candy, desserts, and other sweets are the highlights of the Halloween season. If you're on the hunt for treats, not tricks, you've come to the right place! Give these 12 spooky Halloween dessert recipes a try this October to taste the most delicious desserts the season has to offer.

1. Rice Krispie Treat Pumpkins

Skip the trip to the pumpkin patch and make a batch of these Rice Krispie Treat pumpkins instead! These little guys are the sweetest, delicious, and are extremely easy to make, too!

Ingredients: Rice Krispies, liquid food coloring (red and yellow), cooking oil, butter, green M&Ms, large marshmallows, mini Rolos

Prep/Cook Time: 20 minutes

Recipe Yields: 12 pumpkins

2. Mummy Oreo Pops

How do you make something as good as Oreos taste even better? The answer is more chocolate, of course! Mummify your Oreos in white chocolate for hauntingly delicious flavor this Halloween!

Ingredients: Oreos, melted white chocolate, piping bag/ziplock bag for drizzling, tweezers, edible eyes, lollipop sticks

Prep/Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Recipe Yields: 8-10 mummies

3. Coffin Cake

Bring your guests back from the dead with a slice of this sweet and spooky coffin cake! They're sure to enjoy every bite. After all, the mouth-watering flavor is simply to die for!

Ingredients: Flour, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, sugar, butter, eggs, pumpkin, vanilla extract, buttermilk, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, candy eyeballs

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Recipe Yields: 2 loaves

4. Monster Truffles

These little guys are easy to make and taste just as good as they look! If you're feeling creative, you can substitute the lavender candy melts for other colored chocolates to create monsters of all shapes, sizes, and colors!

Ingredients: Oreos, cream cheese, lavender candy melts, light purple sprinkles, candy eyeballs

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Recipe Yields: 18-20 truffles

5. Monster Whoopie Pies

With teeth that sharp, you'd expect these monster whoopie pies to bite back. The good news is, they don't! Take a bite (or two!) of one of these for some scary good snacking at your next Halloween get-together.

Ingredients: Devil's Food cake, cooking oil, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, butter, cocoa powder, milk, powdered sugar, Starbursts, white chocolate chips, large marshmallows, Junior Mints

Prep/Cook Time: 25 minutes

Recipe Yields: 10 monsters

6. Chocolate Caramel-Covered Banana Goblins

Turn your bananas into creepy chocolate and caramel-covered goblins in a mere matter of minutes! You can serve these spooky sweets right away, or you can freeze them to give your goblins a thick "skin"!

Ingredients: Bananas, popsicle sticks, caramel dip, mini chocolate chips, candy eyeballs

Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes

Recipe Yields: 6 banana goblins

7. Spiderweb Cake

Don't get tangled up in the long list of ingredients - not only is spiderweb cake easy to make, but it's as delicious as it is simple! You don't have to have eight legs to enjoy this tasty treat.

Ingredients: Flour, sugar, black cocoa powder, Dutch-processed cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, salt, vegetable oil, buttermilk, coffee, eggs, vanilla, powdered sugar, whipping cream, orange extract

Prep/Cook Time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Recipe Yields: 1 spiderweb cake

8. Brimstone Brownies

You don't need a volcano to whip up a batch of brimstone brownies! If you want to impress your partygoers with an unbeatably tasty take on Halloween desserts, make a batch of brimstone brownies that they'll be talking about until Thanksgiving! 

Ingredients: Sugar, flour, dark cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, cream cheese, orange food coloring

Prep/Cook Time: 40 minutes

Recipe Yields: 9 brimstone brownies

9. Monster Cereal Treats

Get your cereal into the Halloween spirit by turning them into batches of monster cereal treats! Using candy eyeballs, sprinkles, and melted chocolate, you can make each and every treat into a uniquely creepy creature!

Ingredients: Pretzel sticks, Cheerios, Rice Krispie cereal, orange chocolate candy melts, green chocolate candy melts, purple chocolate candy melts, candy sprinkles, candy eyeballs

Prep/Cook Time: 15 minutes

Recipe Yields: 36 monster cereal treats

10. Mini Bat Treats

Let your taste buds take flight this Halloween! One bite of these easy, 4-ingredient mini bat treats will make you glide back over to the snack table to grab seconds, thirds, and maybe even fourths!

Ingredients: Reese's peanut butter cups, Oreos, edible eyeballs, frosting

Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes

Recipe Yields: 25 mini bats

11. Peanut Butter and Chocolate Eyeballs

Want to make a truly eye-popping treat this Halloween? With a few simple steps, these peanut butter and chocolate eyeballs are sure to get everyone's attention. You'll see what we mean after just one bite!

Ingredients: Butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, white chocolate, mini chocolate chips, red food gel

Prep/Cook Time: 25 minutes

Recipe Yields: 40 eyeballs

12. Pretzel Witch Fingers

If you want a magically easy recipe that's perfect for any Halloween party, pretzel witch fingers might be just what you're looking for! Thankfully, these witch fingers are curse-free so you won't have to worry about any spells or hexes as you prepare them for your Halloween festivities.

Ingredients: Pretzel rods, almonds, black food dye, green candy melts

Prep/Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Recipe Yields: 20 witch fingers

Skip the candy this year and give your taste buds the treatment they deserve with these 12 spooky Halloween dessert recipes. If you're looking for more trick-free treats, check out our Pinterest page for recipes, DIY decorations, and all things Halloween! Looking for more fall fun? Take on a new adventure this autumn with our Fall Seasonal Guide. You'll find information on cider mills, pumpkin decorations, fall recipes, and more.

Additionally, while you're out and about enjoying the season, make sure your vehicle is ready to take on the cold weather with our Fall Car Care guide! You'd be surprised at how many of your vehicle's components are affected by the changing weather, and it's always better to be safe than sorry, especially before the temperatures really start to drop! If you find anything that may require attention, contact us and schedule an appointment at our Service Center right away. We're more than happy to get your vehicle ready to face the fall and winter weather!

Hank Graff Chevy is located at 3636 Wilder Road, Bay City, MI 48706 and we are here to help our community grow to become an even better place to call home! For more information on Hank Graff Chevrolet, or for any questions call us at (989) 684-4411 or visit our website: www.GraffBayCity.com.

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