Just wait until you see how easy it is.

Despite your most careful planning (did you make a detailed timeline?), cooking Thanksgiving dinner can still feel a little stressful once the big day rolls around. It holds true whether you’re having a small Thanksgiving dinner or hosting the whole extended family. That’s why we love getting a jump-start with one or several make ahead Thanksgiving sides.

All too often I buy a carton of heavy cream for a recipe and, after using a small portion, the leftovers get pushed to the back of the fridge and forgotten about. Sound familiar? I’ve learned that the best strategy for making sure I use up the leftovers is keeping a roster of easy ideas of what to do with heavy cream. It’s an extremely versatile ingredient, and can be used in a pretty wide variety of sweet and savory recipes.

Bonus: It’s so easy.

You only need three ingredients and two minutes to prep.

Any time there’s an occasion for appetizers, be it game day, New Year’s Eve, a backyard cookout, or a fancy cocktail party, my husband’s go-to is pigs in a blanket. And last year, after years of simply buying a box from the freezer aisle, I decided to try my hand at making them myself. So, I grabbed a can of crescent roll dough (hello, buttery, flaky goodness!) and a package of mini cocktail sausages and got to work. And you know what I learned?

There are some dinners that you just know are going to be automatic wins. Chili is absolutely one them. When chili night falls into your meal plan, you can expect a dinner that’s warming, hearty, and filling. Sure, a Dutch oven loaded with classic beef chili is certainly meal-worthy all on its own, especially when it’s packed with beans (or without, like in a Texas chili) and meat, but I always think having one simple side is the ticket to rounding out dinner.

This chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.

Bonus: There’s only 5 minutes of prep.

Bonus: They’re so easy to make.

Bonus: It’s ready in 30 minutes!

Editor’s Note: If you’ve cooked this beloved recipe before, it might look a little different these days! We recently improved it to make it even easier to follow and more delicious.If you like pork tenderloin, it’s time you try boneless pork loin. Consider it tenderloin’s larger, equally mild cousin.

This sauce is everything.

Editor’s Note: If you’ve cooked this beloved recipe before, it might look a little different these days! We recently improved it to make it even easier to follow and more delicious.If you love apple pie, you’ve got to make these salted caramel apple pie bars. With three impressive layers, plus a double dose of caramel sauce, they are the dessert of fall.

Anytime you find yourself with leftover baked chicken breasts, shredded chicken from the slow cooker, poached chicken breasts, or whole roasted chicken, consider it a very good thing. You can certainly go for a second round of last night’s dinner, but the wonderful thing about chicken is that it’s so easy to repurpose it into an entirely different meal.

Thanksgiving is a time for plates piled high with roast turkey, classic stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and much more. In short: it’s a day of feasting at its finest. But in the mix of all those ultra-comforting side dishes, we need something a little lighter — like a fresh and vibrant Thanksgiving salad — to balance out the heartier, heavier dishes.

They have the most incredible soft, tender texture.

Yes, you really only need one pot. And no, you don't need to drain the pasta!

My 5-year-old devours it.

It's a game-changer.

It’s easy to get caught up in planning the big Thanksgiving dinner and your dessert spread, so here’s your friendly reminder to not forget the appetizers. Because a pre-dinner nibble or two of something tasty is always a good idea (especially when partnered with a Thanksgiving cocktail!). As for what to make, we’re firm believers that Thanksgiving appetizers should look and taste totally impressive, but be shockingly easy to pull off.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy skillet meal, add this weeknight-friendly recipe to your dinner rotation immediately. With crumbled Italian sausage and creamy potatoes at the helm, it’s rooted in hearty, wholesome comfort and balanced by a light, bright twist from a handful of fresh parsley and a generous squeeze of lemon. When it comes to serving this skillet up, know that it works just as well for breakfast as it does for dinner!

And you only need four ingredients.

It's ready in 20 minutes and doesn't require turning on the oven.

It’s even better than the original — seriously.

It uses a full pound of zucchini.

A tomatillo is like a gift: It’s a tart green fruit (that’s sometimes confused with an unripe green tomato), wrapped in a crinkly husk. Peel the wrapping away and you’re left with a world of culinary possibility. If the first thing you think of when you see tomatillos is salsa verde, we don’t blame you. Us too!

When it comes to an easy dinner, a sandwich is always a good choice. However, there’s really only so much you can put between two regular ol’ slices of bread. Swap that sandwich bread for a pita, however, and it’s a totally different ballgame. Sure, you could fill a pita with cold cuts as you would your usual sandwich, but that’s really just the start: Your options go way beyond that.

Seltzer, soda, and iced tea are refreshing, but let’s be honest — they get a little boring after a while. Sometimes you just want something a little more fun to sip on. And as we head into fall, we’re ready to trade the cool, refreshing drinks we leaned on all summer for fall mocktails with hints of warm spices, seasonal fruits, savory herbs, and deep, rich flavors that come with the season.

Of all the things I make in my Instant Pot, there’s nothing more convenient (or versatile!) than a batch of sweet potatoes. Topped with a pat of butter and flaky salt, Instant Pot sweet potatoes are a quick side dish to partner with whatever I’m cooking. They’re also incredibly versatile. Loaded with beans and greens, they make a wholesome vegetarian dinner. Filled with Greek yogurt or nut butter, and fruit, I have a nutritious breakfast.

And it’s actually way easier to make than it looks.

Summer has given way to fall, and gone are the long days, trips to the beach, and perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes at the farmers market. But there are some pretty great things about fall as well — there’s pumpkin, for example, not to mention all the apples, hearty greens, and root vegetables that start showing up at the market.

And it cooks in just 20 minutes.

It's a must before summer's over.

Yes, you really can make baked ziti (well, “baked” ziti) in your slow cooker. And the result isn’t just good — it’s amazing. What it lacks in the crispy-edges department it gains in the ooey-gooey comfort-food department: tender noodles coated in marinara sauce and mixed with a double dose of melty cheese. Pasta in the slow cooker has a reputation for being overcooked and soggy — a result of too much liquid in the slow cooker or too long of a cook time.

You can prep it in under 10 minutes.

Calling all feta lovers.

And it cooks in under 15 minutes.

It should come as no surprise that chicken bites make a regular appearance on my dinner table. I’ve made garlic Parm chicken bites, bbq ranch chicken bites, and honey Dijon bites to name a few favorites, but these days my family only has eyes for these French onion dip chicken bites. Even my 5-year-old can’t get enough of this flavorful skillet.

Better than anything you'll buy at the store.

Calling all banana bread lovers.