Thanksgiving

There are a lot of things that have changed about me since becoming a single mom. I'd hate to admit it, but my parenting standards have become fairly low.

Looking for a fun cake idea for your Thanksgiving table this year? This Pilgrim Cake makes a fabulous Thanksgiving table decoration, in addition to a great dessert to conclude Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe isn't hard to make, even if you don't have much cake-decorating experience. You don't need any fancy pans, all you need is 1 round and 1 rectangular cake pan.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love the rustic, cozy, comfy atmosphere the day brings to my home along with the family and friends—and a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, of course! I try to set my table with Thanksgiving decor that invokes a sense of rustic warmth. I don't use one large centerpiece because it has to be removed when the turkey is placed on the table. Instead, I make a pretty DIY for each place setting.

Here is a super-simple Pinecone Turkey craft you can make with kids for fall or Thanksgiving. This is a low-cost DIY, especially if you can find the pinecones in your yard, or on a nature walk. Make several of these and put one at each person’s plate for Thanksgiving dinner, add a name card and you can use them for placecard holders. Try this Thanksgiving craft this year!

Thanksgiving is almost here! Making these simple little pins to wear on turkey day as a fun Thanksgiving craft. Chalkboard paint makes this DIY customize-able: write what you're thankful for, write your name, or write just a hearty "gobble gobble!" Your Thanksgiving dinner guests are sure to love them!

Fall is such a colorful time of year! I wanted to recreate that feeling in an autumn wreath for a fall front door, to welcome friends and neighbors to my home. You could also use this Fall Wreath to bring the beautiful fall colors from the outside into the house by hanging it on an inside door, or on the wall. This makes a great Thanksgiving decor idea, or keep up all season long!

Looking for a fun DIY to do this Thanksgiving? This Pilgrim Hat is inexpensive and easy to make and it's great craft to do with kids. When you're done, the kids can wear it on Thanksgiving Day, or you can use it as part of your Thanksgiving table decorations. Try this Thanksgiving craft this year!

Looking for a cool Thanksgiving decor idea? Use some leftover candy corn from Halloween to make a super easy and fun Candy Corn Garland! After all, candy corn is a Thanksgiving appropriate treat, too! This DIY takes just mintues to make.

Topping your cupcakes for Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be difficult—it can even be fun! Working with gum paste is like working with playdough for grownups. (The best part is it’s even edible when you get done!) This is part Thanksgiving recipe and part Thanksgiving DIY, but it's 100% fun and delicious. Try this recipe/DIY this year for a great dessert to make the occasion really festive!

Need some good side dishes for your Thanksgiving dinner? Here are 9 ways to prepare potatoes on Thanksgiving (or for any dinner!). These innovative recipes give standard, tired dishes a kick!

When it comes to Thanksgiving it is always helpful to have a few Thanksgiving recipes on hand that are surefire hits and take just few steps to make. This way you can spent more time on the food that require extra attention like turkeys, pies, and sauces. This simple recipe is one of my favorite holiday side dishes. These potatoes are such a cinch to make and can be made several hours, or even a day ahead of time. Simply reheat on Thanksgiving day!

This year for Thanksgiving, I set up a Thanksgiving Side Table/Bar to give myself some extra room to put out drinks and extra plates. On the side table, I set up a  DIY Chalboard Menu that featured all my Thanksgiving dishes. This is a fun holiday DIY and it adds something special to your Thanksgiving decor. Learn how to make your own here.

Fall and Thanksgiving decor brings a feeling of festive warmth and coziness to your home. This Thanksgiving, make a few of these easy DIY pumpkins to decorate your table. This is a fun Thanksgiving craft you can even do with kids—this yarn pumpkin craft makes the perfect compliment to your Thanksgiving gourds and Indian corn. Learn how to make it.

Preparing your home for holiday entertaining? When Thanksgiving rolls around, you want decor that captures a cozy feeling of wamth and family to make your Thanksgiving feast special. You may be focusing on the centerpieces, but try creating and decorating a Thanksgiving Sidetable. This makes a perfect bar, use it to hold extra serving dishes, set up a buffet-style dinner, or to make it a holding area for food platters so they don't crowd the dining table. It also makes a great space to display a Thanksgiving Chalkboard Menu.

Side dishes are as important as the turkey on Thanksgiving Day. After all, what's a star without its supporting characters? This is one of my favorite fall recipes, and I love using it as a Thanksgiving recipe—guests won't soon forget it! There's nothing quite like creamy layers of thinly sliced potatoes mixed with spices and pumpkin. Try this recipe at your table!

As a child, every fall, I looked forward to doing this autumn craft with my mom. We'd gather the prettiest fall leaves and press them with a hot iron between pieces of wax paper. We used the leaves to create fall  and Thanksgiving craft projects throughout the entire season. The pressed leaves won't last forever, but they will last several months, and these Pressed Fall Leaf Placemats make a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving table.

Pumpkin pie is a must-have dessert on Thanksgiving. Those creamy fall flavors perfectly round a dlelicious Thanksgiving dinner. I just love pumpkin recipes and the graham cracker crust on this scrumptious pie imparts a cinnamon-y cookie crunch to make this a crowd-pleasing recipe.

I love everything about Thanksgiving, especially the food! It's a great time to showcase all your old, favorite holiday recipes and to try new ones! The turkey is the star player at your Thanksgiving feast, so you want to make sure it's absolutely succulent and delicious. Wrapping your turkey in bacon and sausage, frees you up in in the kitchen, because this intensely flavorful covering serves as an automatic, moisture-making baster!

This is one of my very favorite desserts. It doesn't even have to be Thanksgiving for you try this recipe; it's an amazing, sweet conclusion to any dinner. This pie is delightfully smooth, incredibly rich and the flavor is beyond belief! When salty caramel unites with creamy pumpkin and flavorful spices, the result is a delicious Thanksgiving dish your guests won't soon forget!

Cranberry sauce is a staple at Thanksgiving dinner—it's the perfect tangy-sweet compliment to a succulent turkey and stuffing. This Thanksgiving recipe only takes 15 minutes to make, which gives you just another thing to thankful for on the holiday! Try this luscious recipe this year! 

This inventive recipe for Brussels Sprout Cranberry Slaw is an excellent, quick and easy side dish to accompany your Thanksgiving dinner. Even people who normally dislike brussels sprouts (I've two small boys in mind) should enjoy this. In fact, my sons didn't even know brussels sprouts were in it, so try this delicious recipe this Thanksgiving. 

I love a lot of things about Thanksgiving, but my mom's famous Thanksgiving Bagel Stuffing is number one. She is a fantastic cook and this recipe is really something special, it's flavorful, aromatic, making it the perfect accompaniment to standard Thanksgiving dishes like turkey, cranberry sauce, and green beans. Best of all: it's quick and easy and you make it up to four days ahead of time!

I wrote on Wednesday about the moment of panic I had with the realization Christmas is almost here. That's nothing compared to the knowledge Thanksgiving is next week.

Are you looking for a cake recipe for your Thanksgiving dinner this year? This recipe for Turkey Mini-Cakes will get your guests talking. They can make a fabulous table centerpiece, and do double duty as your Thanksgiving Day dessert. Use melted chocolates to make an easy tail and head that will impress your guests.

In my house, we love Thanksgiving leftovers even more than Thanksgiving dinner. Here's a fun recipe using leftover stuffing that's going to make you look foward to the day after Thanksgiving, too! These Stuffing Burgers are great between slices of bread with lettuce, cheese and tomatoes. Or, try sans bread with a dollop of tangy Cranberry Sauce!

Sides dishes are nearly as important as the main course when it comes to Thanksgiving or really any dinner! Our Thanksgiving feast always includes turkey surrounded by large dishes of vegetables and potatoes. This uncomplicated recipe for Marinated Green Beans packs a flavor punch in each bite and the straightforward preparation is perfect for the hectic kitchen atmosphere of Thanksgiving day.

I like the day after Thanksgiving even better than Thanksgiving itself! Why? One word: leftovers. I love using all these delicious fall foods to come up with creative recipes for after-holiday snacking. This Thanksgiving Quesadilla Recipe has all the flavors of my scrumptious Thanksgiving dishes in every bite. Best of all, it's flexible so you can incorporate your fave fall flavors!

Nothing says fall like the arrival of pumpkin puree in the super market to use in absolutely fabulous autumn desserts. This is a classic recipe to round out a delicious Thanksgiving dinner; it is my absolute favorite recipe for Homemade Pumpkin Pie. It is simple and unfussy, and I hope it has a place at your table on Thanksgiving this year.

When it comes to making bread for our Thanksgiving feast, I nearly always skip standard (boring) white rolls in favor of fresh cornbread. I adore how the slightly sweet bread tastes when dipped in gravy and topped with Thanksgiving turkey. There are many delicious variations, but this recipe for Cheddar Cornbread is a family favorite. It is perfectly savory and scrumtious—just the thing to make our Thanksgiving dinner complete.

Getting stressed out about Thanksgiving dinner? Thanksgiving is a lot of work, and there are tons of recipes to choose from, but I'm going to suggest you brine your turkey for the most delicious dinner. Find out why!

With the rise of celiac disease, it's good to be prepared with gluten-free options during Thanksgiving and throughout the fall. Delicious pumpkin recipes abound this season, and those who can't tolerate gluten shouldn't miss out! This makes a great fall recipe and a fabulous side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner (this bread is so flavorful and moist your guests will have no idea it's gluten-free!). Try this recipe today!

Looking for side dish ideas for your Thanksgiving dinner? This recipe for Classic Twice-Baked Potatoes is very easy, and makes the perfect accompaniment to your turkey on Thanksgiving. Make these once and you (and your guests!) will be hooked.

Soup makes an excellent first course for your Thanksgiving feast. This recipe is easy enough to make for every day and elegant enough to serve during the holidays. This Root Vegetable Pear Soup is packed with flavor, it's incredibly healthy, and it's easy to make! What more could you ask for? Make this delicious fall recipe for your family this season!

Need a super-simple, quick, and easy recipe for Thanksgiving? When it comes to holiday recipes, you want a delicious crowd pleaser that won't have you slaving away in the kitchen—these Apricot Cranberry Brie Hors D'Oeuvres fit the bill! After all, who doesn't love melting Brie with a touch of sweetness?

My kids and I love making cut-out cookies, especially for Thanksgiving and the Christmas. Not only does this recipe make a delicious dessert, it super-fun to make with kids. Using your child's hand instead of a cookie-cutter is fun and provides the perfect shape for these Turkey Handprint Cookies, a perfect Thanksgiving treat.

Want a recipe for comfort? There is nothing more soothing than a hearty, hot bowl of soup on a chilly fall day. Soups are the greatest comfort foods; they satisfy cravings, and keep you full longer. In this fall recipe, sweet, velvety squash and nutrition-packed red lentils blend together to make a perfectly delicious and nutritious lunch. This is simple recipe is even elegant enough to serve on Thanksgiving.

Do you love the fall? Take a nature walk with your child, and while enjoying your time together outside, gather free objects that nature provides to decorate your Thanksgiving table! Once you get home, fill glass vases with your finds to bring a rustic touch to your table setting.

Remember our Apricot Cranberry Brie Hors D'Oeuvre for Thanksgiving? So good, right!? That's exactly why I'm suggesting turning them into a delicious, quick and easy meal!

The holidays are here, a time for family, friends…and an abundance of food.  So here's a strategy that will alllow you to enjoy yourself, without letting unwanted weight gain creep up on you.

Tomomrrow is Thanksgiving and you've gathered everything you need for a beautiful feast.

Thanksgiving is all about the wonderfulness that we are blessed with - it is also about the FOOD. Let's put together an outfit that addresses both - and leaves room for dessert!

Are you braving the crowds tomorrow to hit the Black Friday sales?

Thanksgiving conjures up warm, fuzzy, delicious thoughts for me.

As Thanksgiving approaches, it seems as if we are bombarded with an urgency to encourage thankfulness in our children.

If you are lucky enough to have been invited as a guest to someone else's house this year for Thanksgiving, be sure you don't show up empty handed when you arrive for dinner!

Place cards can add a lot of personality to any table setting.  

Thanksgiving is just around the corner so we've rounded up our favorite recipes to make your planning easier.

Last week my focus was on the Thanksgiving meal and this week I've got apps for the big get together itself. 

Thanksgiving is almost here and I am deep in the planning and organizing stages.

It's Tuesday, so here's your list of the best stuff popping up around the web.