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Learn how to avoid these 4 common Thanksgiving dinner mistakes

Thanksgiving is one of the most daunting meals of the year, and can challenge even the most accomplished cook. To help, Dana Cowin, editor in chief of "Food & Wine" magazine Cowin joined TODAY's Erica Hill, Lester Holt and Sheinelle Jones to share some of her trick to solving some of the most common Thanksgiving meal mistakes.1. The problem: dry stuffingTurns out, many of us are using the wrong k

Thanksgiving is one of the most daunting meals of the year, and can challenge even the most accomplished cook. To help, Dana Cowin, editor in chief of "Food & Wine" magazine Cowin joined TODAY's Erica Hill, Lester Holt and Sheinelle Jones to share some of her trick to solving some of the most common Thanksgiving meal mistakes.

1. The problem: dry stuffing

Turns out, many of us are using the wrong kind of bread. Rather then nutty, dense bread that won't absorb well enough, use light and airy bread, which will retain the most moisture. If your stuffing still ends up a little dry, drizzle it with chicken stock.

And if you're still looking for a stuffing recipe, try this multigrain bread stuffing with sausage and herbs

2. The problem: tough Brussels sprouts

The trick to avoiding tough Brussels sprouts is using fresh, firm and on-the-stalk sprouts, which should then be thinly sliced in the food processor (you can hand-slice them, but a food processor will get them super thin). A tip: scrunch or massage the Brussels sprouts right after slicing, while they're dry. Works great for this escarole and Brussels sprout salad!

3. The problem: lumpy gravy

To avoid lumps of flour in your gravy, all you need is some sifted flour. As Cowin demonstrated with her bacon and shallot gravy, a fine-mesh sieve will help you evenly distribute flour into your gravy, like a dusting of snow, making it impossible to create lumps.  

4. The problem: congealed cranberry sauce

This one's pretty easy: if your cranberry sauce congeals (assuming you're skipping the can and going with a homemade version), add more liquid. It can be water, orange juice, apple cider, or even a little port. Anything to loosen up the texture.