question of the week: party prep

This question of the week includes its own answer. It's the day after Thanksgiving — relax, have some more pie, we'll do all the work for you.

The question: How do you make sure you don't repeat mistakes from holidays past?

How many times have you thrown a party and ended the night thinking something like, "Next time, I have to remember to buy [superimportant party essential that's easy to overlook]"? Or, as you're leaving someone else's party, thought, "At my next party, I have to remember to do that [supercool party activity/food/drink you'll totally forget]"?

It happens, and it's not worth getting upset about. But it is worth taking a few moments to assess what worked and what didn't, so you'll be better prepared for your next parties. How? Just make a list of things that you-from-the-past want to make sure that you-in-the-present do, say, buy or wear to maximize your party enjoyment.

This is a little trick I picked up from my mother, who sits down the day after my parents' annual holiday party to jot down the quantities of all the items she bought and what she needed more/less of as well as all the time-saving, money-saving and space-saving tips she's concerned about forgetting. This helpful list gets tucked into her calendar for the following November, so she finds it right when it's time to start planning the next holiday bash. Smart.

keep it simple

Want to give someone a special holiday hello? Send this Evite eCard.

Happy Thanksgiving! In the spirit of the holiday, we'd like to give a big, smiley thanks to our friends at Real Simple for inviting us to be a part of their Holiday Blogathon.

Up until Christmas, Real Simple is posting helpful holiday tips — gift ideas, time-savers, organizing tips, money-savers and more — from your favorite bloggers around the Web. Holiday survival made real simple? That's definitely something to be thankful for.

While you're over at the blogathon, be sure to check out Lindsay's gift ideas for friends who love to entertain!

take two: turkey leftovers

We all have our favorite way to eat turkey leftovers. Maybe you like to sneak in to the fridge and pick pieces off the bird, or maybe you're like Ross from Friends and covet a turkey sandwich complete with The Moist Maker (aka a gravy-soaked piece of bread in the center of your sandwich).

But whatever your preference, there's usually more turkey than inspiration after Thanksgiving. If your old standby starts to seem, well, old, here are some great ways to dress up that leftover turkey, courtesy of our amazing Grace: Spicy Penne with Turkey, Turkey Salad with Rosemary.

As an added holiday bonus, please enjoy this video of Ross's best Moist Maker moments. My sandwich? Myyyyy sandwich??!!

take two: DIY centerpiece

Elizabeth's Thanksgiving centerpiece from last year offers all sorts of things to be thankful for:

• It's both unique and inexpensive.
• Looks impressive but is easy to make.
• Works as a holiday centerpiece or to light the way to your home.
• Your jack-o'-lantern tools (and skills!) should be easy to locate this soon after Halloween.
• Makes a great activity to keep guests occupied while you tend to the bird.

last-minute recipe ideas

Where's the question of the week? Look for it on Friday. We're mixing things up so we can bring you more Thanksgiving tips.

As everyone who's served kitchen time on Thanksgiving knows, it's easy to get stumped on certain dishes.

The questions I'm asked most often are: What can I make for a veggie entree that isn't bland or boring? And, what kind of stuffing should I make?

Thanks to our own top chef Grace, we have some great answers, just in time for you to add them to your own Thanksgiving spread.

• Dazzle the vegetarians at your table with this spicy, hearty polenta and black bean dish (delicious serving above).
• Celebrate the variety of fresh mushrooms available this time of year with a rich, peppery mushroom casserole.
• Stove Top stuffing + bacon = Thanksgiving showstopper. And the best part? It comes together in about 15 minutes.

Sweet potato gnocchi recipe

There are lots of delicious ideas for a turkey-less Thanksgiving: squash lasagna, veggie stew, your favorite stuffing as a main dish and now — drum roll, please — sweet potato gnocchi.

I have always loved any type of dumpling. When I was little, my mom’s Italian friend Isabella would always make gnocchi for me and her daughter Sara if we were well-behaved (sadly, that didn’t happen too often). The only ingredients were potatoes, flour and salt, and the sauce was just plain old melted butter. Sounds boring but so not!

The sweet-potato version here, flavored with brown sugar, is a little more elaborate, but it just seems sooo right place, right time. It’s vegetarian, hearty and has that simple butter sauce that’s like a taste of freakin’ heaven! Plus, wouldn't these be pretty on a Thanksgiving table?

o come to my party

Yes, it's already time to start thinking about your holiday party. Look at it this way: The sooner your invitation goes out to your guests, the more likely they are to go to your party instead of someone else's. How, you ask? If they've said yes to your invitation first, they'll have to say no to whomever is also having a party that night. It's practically bulletproof!

The first hurdle to getting your party off the ground is choosing the right invitation, so we thought we'd help you out with that. (You're welcome.) These are some of our favorite invites for just about any kind of holiday party.

Take, for instance, the invitation above. It's simple, elegant and not specific to any one holiday. If you're throwing a fancy party for coworkers or any diverse crowd, this is the invitation for you.

hip to be square

Remember when we told you about the trend involving unusually shaped desserts? Well, hold on to your rectangular pie and get a load of this square muffin pan from Kitchen Krafts.

Your cubist cupcakes will be the talk of the dessert table, and your edgy muffins will stand out at any brunch buffet. Plus, brownies? No cutting required.

Novelty not enough for you? Then consider all the other great uses for muffin tins when you're cooking for a crowd, the way many of us will be on Thanksgiving.

I like making my cornbread in muffin pans because cut cornbread squares dry out too quickly. Coworker Rachel recommends using the pans to make individual portions of stuffing — so every serving has a nice, crispy top.

And if you have leftover red wine, use the cups to freeze the wine for future use in sauces and stews. Just pour ¼ cup of wine into each cup, freeze the pan, and then transfer the wine cubes (no licking!) to a large plastic bag. When a recipe calls for wine, just pop in a pre-measured cube instead of popping the cork on a new bottle.

Tater Tot casserole recipe

What’s up with casseroles? It seems every party these days has some fabulous, gooey casserole on the menu. They are making a comeback big-time, and the more retro the better — something we should all give thanks for!

For a fun and satisfying side on Thanksgiving, here’s a version that combines the beloved food of my youth, Tater Tots, with cheese and other sinfully delicious stuff, namely bacon, onion and sour cream. It might not scream "Thanksgiving," but you will be truly floored at how pleased your family will be.

For those who are taking the veggie path on Thanksgiving, you can leave out the bacon and it will still be just as tasty, and worth every minute on the treadmill.

question of the week: thanks a mill

We all know this has been a tough year. So with Thanksgiving on its way (yahoo), let's take a moment to think about what we're really thankful for. Please add your own thoughts in the comments....

poll by twiigs.com