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Thanksgiving is coming (so soon!) and whether you’re a host or a guest, eating an offbeat Friendsgiving or a traditional spread, you probably have a heart full of wishes for this most food-centric of holidays.

And to help you achieve all your heart’s desires, we have a very important task for you: It is time to discover your celebrity Thanksgiving soul mate. That’s right — from Ina Garten to Alton Brown, discovering an as-yet-unknown kinship will give you deep insights into the depths of the Thanksgiving corner of your soul, and guide you to peak turkey day satisfaction.

Who are you, deep down? Are you an Alton? A Ree? A Martha? There’s only one way to find out.

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We will never turn down a good butter-basted turkey drumstick on Thanksgiving, but sometimes…well, we wonder if turkey has the potential to be even more. Whether you feel the same or whether you’re just looking for something new for your Thanksgiving table this year, check out these non-traditional takes on roast turkey.

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Though Thanksgiving certainly has the potential to be incredibly stressful, it doesn’t have to be. I have lost so much sleep trying to decide what type of pie my relatives will like the most, but there’s really no reason that you should do the same. Just follow the guidance of our favorite cooking mavens and celebrity chefs. For instance, these are Ina Garten’s top ten favorite Thanksgiving recipes, and this is what Martha Stewart would bring to Friendsgiving. And now Gordon Ramsay, king of the restaurant makeover show and mentor to aspiring cooks, has weighed in with the Thanksgiving dishes that are always a hit at his house.

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There’s something to be said for the convenience of frozen pies. You can buy them well ahead of time, they’re supremely affordable, and some require nothing more than a few hours on the countertop to thaw. But can these frozen versions compete with their fresh-baked counterparts? Will the crust be as flaky? Will the filling be as creamy?

I tried six frozen pumpkin pies, the ones you’re most likely to find in a supermarket. I compared them based on price, ease of preparation, and taste (of the crust and filling). I looked at whether any unpronounceable ingredients were used, considered if I could finish a slice, and weighed how people would feel if I brought this as my contribution to a holiday party.

After sampling all six pies, there were a few I’d definitely toss in my cart again — and a few that are better left to freeze.

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Just months after Northern California withstood the devastating effects of the Carr Fire, the state is once again battling massive wildfires consuming hundreds of thousands of acres, destroying countless homes and businesses, and displacing thousands of residents. The fires, which broke out last weekend, have officially been declared the most destructive in state history, wreaking immense damage spanning north to south.

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In the hierarchy of all the ways to cook a sweet potato, perfectly roasted chunks of sweet potato will forever sit at the top of my list. I’m not talking about a quick flash in a screaming-hot oven when you’re in a hurry to get dinner on the table. I’m talking about those perfectly roasted, substantially sized cubes with well-browned, caramelized edges that crackle when you bite through the crisp surface and into the creamy center. The kind so impossibly irresistible you can’t help but risk burning your fingertips and tongue to pop a few into your mouth the second the baking sheet comes out of the oven.

Whether you prefer plain roasted sweet potatoes with just a sprinkling of salt or like to give them an extra sweet or savory twist, they’re easy to make once you know the few key steps to success. Here’s how to do it.

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I’ll be honest: I don’t get hyped about kitchen wares very often. Sure the occasional blender or zoodle-maker will come along and get me hyped for a week or two, but rarely does a non-traditional utensil stay in my lone kitchen drawer for long. (I know, one drawer — New York City kitchens are crazy.)

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It turns out that Thanksgiving dinner can be pretty divisive. Sure, it’s based around turkey, but should you brine it, stuff it, sous vide it, or make gravy from it? Do the cranberries go in relish, salad, or sauce? Is it dressing or stuffing, and is there cornbread involved? Where do the green beans, sweet potatoes, and squash fit in?

We had a look at the Google searches from every state at the beginning of November — peak planning time — and got a preview of what each state was thinking about making for Thanksgiving dinner.

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This is the most wonderful time of year for pumpkin-lovers because just after Halloween and before Thanksgiving, canned pumpkin is everywhere — and is incredibly cheap. Now is also the best time to stock your freezer with homemade pumpkin purée, and we’ve got a few tips that will give you more bang for your pumpkin buck. And don’t worry — these tips will help you if you just find yourself with a bit of canned pumpkin that you don’t want to waste.

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On November 11, the world said its final goodbyes to professional eater and the most insightful, influential world traveler to ever appear on television: Anthony Bourdain. In final episode of his long-running docu-series Parts Unknown, Bourdain revisited his dark past as a drug addict living (and cooking) on New York City’s Lower East Side. He revisited some of his old haunts on the episode, including the home of his friend, musician John Lurie. Lurie served Bourdain a dish that prompted an appreciative response from the former chef: hard-boiled eggs.

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