We're sharing our time-tested hosting tips and Thanksgiving recipes, as well as plenty from chefs, hospitality experts, celebrities, hosts and home cooks we love. Our goal – sending you into Thanksgiving with a confident smile on your face, and seeing you emerge on the other side with your sanity intact.
It might seem like a world away but sooner than you think, you're likely going to sitting down to a dinner with loved ones (and a stranger or two), and feeling exceptionally lucky to be doing so.
Buying | Cooking | Drinking | Hosting | Traveling
Gratitude is the watchword, and it's incredibly easy to lose sight of that while you're bogged down in the details of serving a dinner that packs a certain amount of expectation. So how about giving yourself a break?
This doesn't mean that you're not making your best effort to ensure that your guests have a great time, or that the dish you're bringing isn't as painstakingly made as it possibly could be. We're just saying that the warmth and welcome with which it's served will linger even longer than the leftovers.
Consider printing out these mantras and cross-stitching them on throw pillows or possibly taking them to the tattoo parlor:
1. Don't be a martyr, be a host.
2. You can never, ever have too much ice.
3. If they're your guests, they're very likely rooting for you.
4. Accepting offers of Thanksgiving help is a sign of sanity & inclusion not weakness.
5. There is no such thing as too much stock or too many containers for leftovers.
And a word to the wise - the sooner you get a beverage or appetizer into your guests' hands, or assign them the task of doing so, the more quickly they'll ease into the swing of things.
Un-buckle up, follow our ongoing Thanksgiving recipes and advice, and get set to have an absolutely delicious day.
If all else fails, repeat after us: "It's just a meal. It's just a meal. It's just a meal..."
– Buying and Planning
Buy right and don't waste food
The dishes America likes best
Thanksgiving dinner for 8 for $70
iReport - Thanksgiving for under $30
Stocking up for the big day
Prep for the day and keep it all safe and clean
Avoid these dreaded dishes
5 Reasons to buy a heritage bird
What if it's just Thanksgiving for two?
– Cooking
Get your prep work out of the way
– – Turkey
Defrost that bird!
Safe time and temperature for turkey
Philippe Cousteau's perfect turkey and gravy (and an ethical dilemma)
Turkey tips you wish you'd known sooner
5 Turkey don'ts
Thaw that bird!
Out of time? Spatchcock that turkey!
Stress-free brining
Deep-fried indoor turkey – for science
– – Appetizers and sides
Crowd-pleasing (and easy!) appetizers
Stuffpuppies. Stuffpuppies! STUFFPUPPIES! (The only side you'll need to serve)
Brilliant Brussels sprouts
Mastering mac 'n' cheese for Thanksgiving
Make cornbread dressing like a southern grandmother
Gravy lessons from a master
Quick, simple vegetable sides
Don't fear the vegan - feed them
Everything you need to know about squash
Squash the winter doldrums
Slim down your dishes
Thanksgiving: Skim calories, savor traditional flavors
A 5 ingredient Thanksgiving fix from a Food Network star
Tired of turkey? Make a bacon pig
Re-imagine traditional Thanksgiving dishes
Lechon: a Filipino family feast
Take care of your gluten-free guests
How to cook a country ham
Is it stuffing or dressing, and what ingredients does it need?
Pumpkin beyond the pie
– – Desserts
Master the chess pie
Make perfect pie
Best pies across the country
– – Leftovers
5 Tips for leftovers
Aaaaand even more leftovers
Can you get your leftovers through the airport?
Thanksgiving goes to the dogs (but is that OK?)
– Drinking
Hard cider to serve with the big dinner
Bubbles, bubbles solve your Thanksgiving troubles
Rosé for Turkey Day
Wine advice from our favorite bar
Bargain wines for Thanksgiving dishes
Brilliant cold weather beverages
Pitcher drinks and Prosecco are a host's best friends
The best wines for casseroles
When this is all over, you're going to want a drink - dessert wines
– Hosting
Dealing with difficult guests, vegetarians and surprise drop-ins - and not running out of food
Must 'Friendsgiving' be a thing?
Confessions of a cooking alpha
Round up the orphans and celebrate their traditions
When a picky eater comes to your Thanksgiving table
Embrace the chaos (and make excellent dairy-free mashed potatoes)
Remain calm in the face of Thanksgiving madness
How do you deal with family drama?
Last-second anti-freakout tips
Make your guests feel right at home
My first Thanksgiving with white people
el Dia de Las Gracias – Thanksgiving with a Latin twist
What to serve if Wolf Blitzer shows up
Where to eat if you're in Vegas
Thanksgiving stuck at your desk
Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant? Go big!
How to get a drunk guest out of your home (safely)
It's not Thanksgiving without...leftovers and strays
– Travel
The TSA won't swipe your pie – but will they take the cake?
Andrew Zimmern's top airport dining
Your must-eat places while you're at home for the holidays
Still stressing? Leave your question in the comments below and we'll do our best to get you back on track.
