There are countless things to be grateful for in 2012, but let's face it: the best way to be thankful on turkey day is to kick back, bond, and have a drink (or three) with loved ones. To take Thanksgiving entertaining to the next level, match your courses with deserving wines and start off with cocktail hour. Don't forget to refill your ice trays, because we've got 10 tipples that are guaranteed to be magnificent with your meal.
Everyone has a favorite part of Thanksgiving: for Michael Voltaggio, it's the turkey; for Fabio Viviani, it's decidedly not. José Andrés made a pecan pie, and Art Smith couldn't do turkey day without ambrosia and Lady Baltimore cake. As for me? It was all about our deep-fried turkey! What was the highlight of your meal yesterday?
Source: Flickr User VirtualErn
Happy Thanksgiving, and welcome to the most ambitious food day of the year! Now that you've done all the planning and cooking, you can relax and enjoy yourself.
Why not begin by soaking up some turkey-related statistics? Dunkin Donuts recently commissioned a survey about how Americans will spend this Nov. 25. Can you guess what the most popular answers were? Take our quiz to find out!
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The cornucopia that is the Thanksgiving day spread always seems to translate into a massive amount of leftovers. To avoid getting palate fatigue, be sure to create new dishes that introduce entirely fresh flavors. In dire need of some ideas? KitchenDaily offers suggestions from rich and creamy casseroles (turkey-cheddar Tetrazzini) to portable ethnic eats (turkey banh mi). For more inspiration and recipes, head over to KitchenDaily.
Thanksgiving is just about here. Besides the delicious turkey and elaborate centerpiece, do you have your outfit ready? If not, don't worry, I've tracked down 10 amazing outfits inspired by the latest fashion spreads. They run the gamut from super polished to kick-back cool to equestrian chic. Step inside to get inspiration for your fabulous Thanksgiving ensemble.
Ah, Thanksgiving. A holiday filled with family, gratitude, and food, food, food! An interesting statistic about the day: an average plate of Thanksgiving classics contains anywhere from 1,600-3,000 calories — that's over most people's recommended daily allowance. While I am not trying to deter anyone from enjoying a great meal that can take hours, even days, to make, there are ways to make sitting down at the Thanksgiving table healthier.
See more healthy Thanksgiving eating tips when you read more
For the best Thanksgiving ever, I'm trying a new strategy and letting all of Thanksgiving's star ingredients shine on their own. There won't be any green beans shrouded in mushroom cream or turkey overpowered by Cajun spices. Instead of having a marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole, I'm highlighting the tubers with honey and seasoning to let their true flavor take over.
I could only locate the thin, yellow-skinned sweet potato variety, although any sweet potato or yam works. Roast them until they're crunchy and caramelized with a lovely sweet-savory flavor. Then you can eat them with virtually anything: a poached egg and harissa for breakfast, curried cauliflower for lunch, and, of course, turkey. Get the easy recipe when you read more.
I don't much like to compare myself to bovine creatures, but when it comes to traveling at the holidays, I can't help but feel like a hot iron rod is coming to brand my gate number on me in the security line. I'm just hoping I don't manage to get mad cow disease on my way to grandma's house. That may be a stretch but I genuinely do hope I can avoid any sort of illness — common cold, flu, or stomach bugs be gone. To safeguard myself from my neighbors and their potential bugs, I'm pulling out all the stops to stay as squeaky clean and healthy with these few tips:
Want to see the rest of the tips? Just read more
Thanksgiving is only a few days away, and I'm already excited about the food: mashed potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce top my list. Oh, and let's not forget my favorite — pumpkin pie for breakfast! I've been eating ridiculously clean for the last two weeks, and am starting to worry that I may go overboard by the time Thanksgiving dinner hits. 
I'm usually one to say that the holidays deserve a free pass when it comes to food, but the average Thanksgiving plate contains 3,000 calories. Not too surprising when you consider that the whole day is centered around carb- and fat-laden foods with an absence of fresh fruits and veggies. And it doesn't end on Thanksgiving either. That meal usually stretches into days of leftovers, which bleed into holiday parties until Christmas and another big dinner hits, which is capped off by an (often) alcohol-fueled New Year's Eve.
But, again, it's the holidays, a time to celebrate. So which side of the food argument are you on — OK to splurge, or does portion control rule the day?
Source: Flickr user ckelly
Are all of you turkeys ready to trot? Many folks take off on a 5K run on Thanksgiving morning to do some proactive calorie burning. While the workout is a great idea for physical activity, it's also a good time to think back on the year and take stock of everything you are grateful for in your life. When you meet up with your family and friends for the festive feast, your head will be clear, your heart full, and your appetite raring to go. If you need some help getting into the celebratory mood or getting your motor running, look no further than these songs.
Safe travels and happy trotting!
Source: Flickr user pixonomy
