As a food writer and sometime culinary student, I’m used to people having expectations of me around the holidays. They assume that I’ll cook (or at least eat) some fancy or unusual take on the classic dishes. And once upon a time, this was true.

In the early 2000s, just as I was beginning to get serious about my love of food and cooking, I was enamored of the new and the novel. Eschewing the holiday food traditions of my childhood — the only two times of the year when my mom spent any significant amount of time in the kitchen — I’d labor over turkey breast roulades with pancetta and chestnuts, Moroccan carrots, and roast cauliflower with feta and oregano.

But that all changed after my mom died.

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I was born in late November in the late 1960s in England. It is, in many ways, a wonderful place (thank you for Great British Bake Off, Stephen Fry, and The Smiths). But it is a country that doesn’t celebrate Thanksgiving.

So, when I met an American woman in an Irish bar in 1994, I didn’t know anything about the holiday. (I did learn, however, that the difference between Green Salad and Mixed Salad — according to the waitress who took our order — was that Mixed Salad “had some red in it.”)

I didn’t know that, four months later, when I arrived in New York, my birthday would no longer be my birthday, falling as it does on Thanksgiving Week. (I didn’t know that if I were to order a sandwich in a deli, it would come so over-laden with meats and cheeses that it could feed a family of four for at least a fortnight, not that “fortnight” was a word anyone used.)

I didn’t know that Thanksgiving would become my very favorite holiday, even now.

Here is what I am thankful for.

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Your last guest has departed. Dirty plates are piled in the sink, leftover food sits on every surface, and your tablecloth is stained with red wine splatters and gravy drips. It’s time to clean up, which, for some, is the worst part of hosting the Thanksgiving meal.

Fear not! We put together an upbeat, Motown-inspired playlist to liven the mood and make this dreaded chore fly by.

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If sandwiches are your go-to for tackling Thanksgiving leftovers, let this triple-decker sandwich be the one you reach for. Inspired by classic club sandwiches, this seasonal twist relies on fresh-cut turkey, and swaps the tomato for cranberry sauce and the lettuce for leftover Brussels sprouts.

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While the orange spuds get plenty of attention all year long, they come into their crowning glory on Thanksgiving. Because of their natural sweetness, they can be incorporated into every part of the Thanksgiving meal, from side dishes to dessert to breakfast the morning of. Here are 15 tasty ways to dig into sweet potatoes this holiday.

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As you get ready to finalize your Thanksgiving menu, I urge you not to forget the bread. Despite an already packed table, there’s always room for a bread basket. From classic, pillowy soft dinner rolls to a gluten-free version everyone will enjoy, here are 20 easy bread recipes that deserve a place on your Thanksgiving table.

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Bad news for anyone who thought they could pick up a couple tubs of hummus for pre-Thanksgiving snacks: Sabra Dipping Co. recently announced that they are recalling dozens of different products — including hummus — due to a potential listeria outbreak. The recall includes 57 different products, which is essentially most of the products that the company offers.

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I wear two hats — chef and mom — and the reasons I want my kids to have Friendsgiving are pretty much half cheffy and half mom-ish. This celebration is an opportunity to explore culinary freedom without any family drama, oven competition, or polite smiles that express, “I don’t like this.”

There is a second reason, though, beyond the culinary. There are days of the year for moms and dads, but friends — so often a backbone in the life of college students and young professionals — deserve a moment of recognition.

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We’re heading into Thanksgiving turkey season, and perhaps you’re already researching how to cook that big, intimidating piece of poultry. There are questions that immediately emerge: How much turkey should I buy? What’s the best way to cook it? Should I brine the bird?

Brining will help you cook the most succulent turkey you’ve ever had, and the smartest, easiest way to do it is with a dry brine. Even if you’re hosting Thanksgiving for the first time and are a bit nervous about cooking your inaugural turkey, here’s how to dry-brine your turkey like a pro and turn out an impeccably juicy, delicious bird.

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Pecan pie is an American classic. It’s been a cherished dessert for at least a century from north to south. Rich with brown sugar and a sweet syrup cooked into a thick jam-like treat, it’s topped with rings of pecans, all encased in a flaky, crisp crust.

The very best pies showcase the contrast of texture and flavor through a crisp crust, toasted nuts, and the soft, sweet filling. Here’s how to make that kind of pecan pie.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-classic-pecan-pie-237738′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>