Turkey can be too much, but it certainly is Traditional.
I bake the ‘breasts only’ ahead of time, then slice and put in the crock pot with homemade chicken stock to keep it moist.
I always ‘fake’ the gravy, but no complaints so far. Gotta have stuffing, though. And sliced cranberry sauce from a can, LOL!
The 2026 National Gardening Reports Are Here!
(A few excerpts for you all...)
A Smaller Audience. A Record-Spending Market.
For the first time since 2019, the U.S. gardening audience contracted — and yet total spending hit an all-time high. The 2026 reports tell the full story behind the paradox.
Renters Now Out-Buy Homeowners in Seed
Renters who garden out-purchase homeowners in vegetable seed (43.5% vs. 36.6%) and herb seed (32.7% vs. 22.0%) — the leading signal of where small-space, container-driven demand is showing up first.
Under-35s Are Replacing Lawns with Wildflowers
Households under 35 are converting lawns into natural or wildflower landscapes at nearly 4× the rate of the 65+ cohort (19% vs. 5%). 38% of under-35 gardeners buy natural or organic fertilizer, vs. 14% of those 65+.
The Home Garden Is Now a Household-Economy Strategy
Among households planning to garden more in 2026, roughly two in three cite inflation as an important reason. Home centers won 2025, raising spend share +5 points to 43.0%, while online delivery hit a record 45.9%.
My assigned dishes for Thanksgiving are green bean casserole & sweet potato casserole. With my dietary issues, if I make these casseroles myself, I will be able to eat them (lactose free, etc.).
I know the feelings some have regarding green bean casserole, but if made with fresh green beans & a sauce from scratch, it won’t be mushy like the original recipe using canned mushroom soup & canned green beans.
On to the sweet potato casserole ... my SIL’s mom always made this, but she passed away some years ago. I found out today that my SIL doesn’t like it so she doesn’t assign it to anyone. My mom wants sweet potato casserole some kinda’ bad so I am on the hook to make it this year. What topping to use? I personally love the pecans & brown sugar option while others love marshmallows. What to do, what to do ... Pioneer Woman to the rescue! Her sweet potato casserole has a mix of both for the topping & it looks really good to me so that’s what I’ll be making :-)