The Clusters That Made Us Argue Over The Last One 🥨
Salty, sweet, crunchy… gone in minutes!
• Holiday décor talk…when do YOU put up your tree?
• The candied yams I can’t shut up about 🙈
• Cornbread, cornbread, and more cornbread
• Three dangerously addictive treats (including the clusters!)
• Dutch Apple Pie mission update
• A Panera sandwich that might get its own copycat
• A handful of must-make recipes for the season
Annnnd just like that, Halloween is over! I’ll be honest, the day after Halloween always hits me right in the feelings. But…my countdown app is officially re-set and I’m already dreaming about Halloween 2026.
I finally packed away all my Halloween decor, but Christmas isn’t up quite yet. We usually decorate pretty early because it takes forever, and I want to enjoy it longer. Plus…I don’t really have any “Thanksgiving decor.”
It’s been a fun week in the test kitchen. I worked on candied yams/sweet potatoes and I’m not kidding…I’m obsessed. You know my love for sweet potatoes, so adding another one to the site right before Thanksgiving made my week!
I also meal prepped a batch of my fave roasted sweet potatoes. I literally snack on these all week long like they’re candy 😂
Top Tips For Roasting Sweet Potatoes: High oven temp and SPACE, SPACE, SPACE! Spread the sweet potato cubes out so they have room to roast and caramelize. If they’re packed together, they’ll steam instead of roast and lose a lot of flavor. And if you want to keep the seasoning simple, here’s my favorite mix: salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Add it generously with a good drizzle of olive oil and you’re set!
I’m curious: How do YOU do sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving? Roasted, casserole, candied, or do they not make the cut?
I just shared my Disneyland copycat cornbread. Disneyland released their recipe after the restaurant closed, so of course, I had to make it. It was a little too sweet at first and I felt like it needed a bit more flavor, so I made a few changes and WOW it is so good. Especially with honey butter. OMG. Honey butter is my fave 😍!
This guide walks you through Thanksgiving from start to finish with clear steps, smart prep, and a game plan that actually makes hosting feel doable. You’ll find an easy menu lineup, what to tackle each week, how to stay ahead, and exactly what to do on the big day. I’m SO excited about this post and I hope you love it and find it helpful!
And speaking of cornbread, I finally perfected my chili cornbread bake. I’ve been working on this one for weeks and struggled getting the ratios and flavor balance just right. I’m obsessed with how it turned out. Add all the toppings because they take the casserole from good to GREAT.
Something about November and December switches on my “bake everything” mode. Here’s what came out of the kitchen this week:
When I lived in Ohio, I became obsessed with buckeye candies. So I smashed one between two graham crackers, dipped it all in chocolate, and honestly? PLEASE MAKE THESE. I can’t explain how good they are.
I gave some to my sister and got a text just a few hours later with a picture of the empty plate, “sis we finished all of them omg i can’t wait for recipe.” And here it is!
Name pending because…what even ARE these? But wow. Pretzels, Rice Krispies, toffee, white chocolate, peanut butter. So dangerous.
They’re salty, sweet, crunchy…truly just everything you want in a little treat.
I made a batch thinking they’d last a few days and nope. They barely lasted an afternoon. The kids were literally arguing over who got the last one, and I can’t even blame them. I was right there with them trying to sneak an extra. They’re that good. Recipe here!
I’m normally a pumpkin-or-triple-berry girl, but my dad is a pecan pie person through and through. So I made a cheesecake base, topped it with gooey pecan pie topping, and now… I think I’m a pecan pie person, too. This dip is insane. Serve with cinnamon grahams, Nilla Wafers, pretzels, or tart apples. Here’s the recipe!
Oh, and it looks STUNNING in this snack stack bowl!
I’m deep into Dutch apple pie testing using versions of my pie and crumble recipes as a development starting place. Not perfect yet, but I’m getting closer. Stay tuned because I will NOT rest until I crack it.
I grabbed lunch with Alyssa from The Recipe Critic (we also went to Paris together…still one of my favorite trips ever). We met at Panera and I finally tried their famous Bacon Turkey Bravo sandwich. The spread on it? SO good.
Should I do a copycat? My Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup copycat has been blowing up again lately, so maybe it’s time.
Here are a few fun finds I’ve been loving lately:
One of my favorite reads: The Scythe Series.
A giant Thanksgiving coloring banner that doubles as a tablecloth for the kids’ table.
Snack stack bowls to hold dips and appetizers for Thanksgiving.
Fleece jacket I’m loving!
Grabbed a couple of new pie pans and they’re perfect for Thanksgiving baking.
The Ugg slippers I live in this time of year!
Shredded Beef Tacos in the crockpot
Hot Apple Cider that makes your whole house smell incredible
The ultimate comfort meal Shepherd’s Pie Soup
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes that are a must for Thanksgiving dinner
Feel-good Pastina Soup
My no-fail Oreo Pie Crust Recipe
And that’s the week! Thanks for being here and letting me share all the fun kitchen updates, recipe wins, and holiday excitement with you. This season is one of my favorites to cook through, and I can’t wait to bring you even more recipes, treats, and ideas as we inch closer to Thanksgiving and Christmas.
If you make anything from this week’s roundup, send me a pic — it seriously makes my day!
Until next week!
xoxo, Chelsea
I love that you and Alyssa can grab lunch together! ❤️👯♀️