Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year? Whether you've done that a lot over the years or this is your first time, we hope these planning-ahead tips will help you enjoy the holiday with less stress.

My first Thanksgiving of making pretty much the entire meal by myself (in our first small apartment), I was stressing out about how everything would be ready at the same time (seemed like so many things needed to be in the oven for different times and some at different temperatures). How was I going to make it all work?

My husband helped me sit down and make a list of all that I wanted to make, including cooking or baking times and temperatures, etc. Then we started working backwards and planning which items could be made ahead a day or two, what could be reheated easily after cooking earlier in the day or the night before, and which items could be in the oven at the same time. It worked so very well!

Except, of course, that I messed up the cornbread dressing that first year - misunderstood the handwritten recipe I had from my mom and put in a can of something instead of a cup of something, and ended up with dressing that came out fairly runny. But overall it was a great success and we enjoyed our meal; and I figured out why the dressing was messed up so I didn't make that mistake again -- a good life lesson, always learning from our mistakes.

So, here we go with three tips to make your special day easier.

1. Pies and desserts are the easiest thing to make a day or two in advance and check those off your to-do list early. Additionally, while made-from-scratch desserts are so good, taking shortcuts like using mixes or refrigerated pie crusts can definitely help make your life easier; give yourself some grace and take shortcuts when possible.

2. If you are making cornbread dressing, bake up the cornbread a couple of days beforehand, crumble it, and store in an airtight container until you are ready to use it. Chop up the other ingredients the night before as well.

3. Put your crockpot to use, especially if you are low on oven or stove space. Choose a potato, sweet potato, or green been casserole type dish that can be prepared in the crockpot instead of the oven on the big day.

Don't be afraid to delegate tasks that are not in your comfort zone. Ask others to bring part of the meal or hand off the table decor to another family member (or keep it simple with a tablecloth and a few votive candles or mini pumpkins).

For conversation around the dinner table, I love these printable Thanksgiving dinner conversation starters from The Pinning Mama (or search around the internet for other ideas). It's a fun thing to add to your traditions this year.

Grab your free downloadable printable complete Thanksgiving Dinner Planner with plan-ahead and make-ahead steps starting with the week before Thanksgiving, including full recipes, decorating tips, and detailed instructions to take the stress out of your Thanksgiving dinner and holiday weekend and take the stress out of your holiday.

What are your favorite Thanksgiving dinner traditions (or maybe one of your most memorable Thanksgiving dinner fails)? I love hearing your stories!

Dish Dish is excited to offer a great special discount on this Mother's Day gift - save 30% with code MOMSDAY.  Give Mom the unique gift of her own online cookbook account and recipe organizer, where she can digitize recipes, organize recipes online, and easily access them any time she needs them - at work, in the kitchen, while out shopping, planning meals or shopping lists, or visiting with friends.

Wouldn't you love to help Mom take her cluttered recipe box or drawer (or her mom's recipe box) and convert it into a useful, searchable, easily accessible electronic online cookbook - eliminating clutter, being ecologically friendly by reducing paper use, and bringing a smile to her face every time she looks up one of her recipes and shares it so easily?  Send us 30 of her favorite recipes (just scan or take pictures of the recipes and email or fax) and we'll enter them for her to get things started!  (See what Dish Dish members are saying)

Our Concierge Offer includes her pro account for one year as well as our beautiful bamboo cutting board (eco-friendly and naturally anti-bacterial), and we'll include a handmade Mother's Day card just for her.  Take advantage of this special offer for your Mom (or foodie friend) this Mother's Day!  Use code MOMSDAY and order soon to allow shipping time for the cutting board and card.

Wishing our Moms a Happy Mother's Day - a blessed, joyful, relaxing day to recharge and enjoy!

It’s the gift giving season once again.  Are you having trouble deciding on which gifts to purchase this holiday season?  See our 5 top edible holiday gifts, perfect for making yourself and giving as gifts for neighbors, teachers, community volunteers, or even friends and family!

These edible gifts are so easy to make, require only a few, simple ingredients, and can be made in large volumes so you can give generously this year.  Making edible holiday gifts especially makes sense if you’re on a tight budget and looking for ways to rein in the spending.

1. Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
Super easy and inexpensive – include a tag with the printed recipe and directions for the gift recipient.

•  3-1/2 cups sugar
•  2-1/4 cups cocoa
•  1 tablespoon table salt

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except milk, and use a whisk to stir and mix well.  Store the mixture in an airtight container until ready to share.

Fill a decorative lidded jar with the mix, wrap with a ribbon and attach a tag with the printed directions for mixing up a cup of hot cocoa.

2. Hot Chocolate or Coffee Stirrers
Make a batch of these and tie with pretty ribbon or string for a delightful gift.

•  18 hot drink straws or stirrers (found near coffee filters in the store, usually)
•  9 peppermint swirl candies
•  9 wrapped caramels
•  parchment paper and cooking spray (for baking)

For peppermint stirrers: Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray.  Heat oven to 300 degrees F.  Unwrap candies and stagger 8-10 peppermint candies on the baking sheet (don’t bake too many at use or they’ll cool before you can get them on a stick).  Bake for 7 minutes. Remove from oven; stick straw ends into candy using a twisting motion.  Let cool completely, and then peel off the baking sheet.

For the caramel stirrers, simply press one caramel onto the each of each straw.

Wrap the stirrers individually (or in pairs) in a small plastic food bag or plastic wrap and tie with a ribbon or string.  Voila! Ready for giving.

3. Chocolate Dipped Pretzels
These take only a few minutes and look like you spent all afternoon.

•  thick pretzel sticks
•  white melting chocolate
•  dark melting chocolate
•  wax paper

1. In separate bowls, melt both the white chocolate and the dark chocolate in the microwave (in 30 to 60 second bursts, so you don’t burn it, stirring in between).  Spread some wax paper out on the cabinet or a baking sheet.

2. Dip some of the pretzel sticks into the white chocolate and lay on wax paper to harden; dip some in the dark chocolate and lay on wax paper to harden.

3. After a couple of minutes (as soon as chocolate appears to be setting), use a fork to drizzle some of the white chocolate over the dark chocolate pretzels and vice versa, for a colorful and festive look.  Once chocolate has completely cooled and set, pick up pretzels, wrap in a plastic foodie gift bag, and tie with colorful ribbon for a quick, easy, delicious gift.

4. Holiday Cookie Mix in a Jar
Press this mix into a jar and cover with a decorated lid for a festive gift with attached baking instructions.

•  One 2-quart glass jar
•  2-3/4 cups flour
•  1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/2 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 cup dark cocoa powder
•  1 cup packed light brown sugar
•  1 cup granulated sugar
•  1 cup milk chocolate chips
•  1 cup white chocolate chips
•  1 cup red and green M&M’s mini’s

1. Combine 1 and 3/4 cups of flour with the baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.  Combine the cocoa with remaining cup of flour.

2. Pour half of flour-cocoa mixture into jar; press down firmly.  Add half of plain flour mixture and press down.  Repeat this step.

3. Top with brown sugar and then granulated sugar; pressing down each layer.  Top off with chocolate chips and M&M’s.

4. Print baking directions to attach: Blend 2 sticks melted and cooled unsalted butter with 3 eggs, 1/3 cup milk and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.  Stir in cookie mix until well blended.  Drop by tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until firm.

5. Sweet Roasted Pecans (or Walnuts)
Toast up these nuts with sweet seasonings and package nicely for family and friends this holiday season.

•  2 egg whites
•  1 tablespoon vanilla
•  2-1/4 cups pecan (or walnut) halves
•  1/4 cup white sugar
•  1/4 cup brown sugar
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.  Lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.

2. In a small bowl, combine egg white and vanilla; beat until fluffy.  Fold in nuts and coat them evenly.

3. Combine sugars, salt and cinnamon in a lidded shaker or cup; dust nuts evenly with sugar mixture and spread nuts on prepared pan.

4. Bake until toasted and fragrant, stirring every 15 minutes, for about 1 hour.  Cool on pan, then store in airtight container.

You might also want to try these other ideas –  homemade seasonings and rubs, infused vinegars, or some of these popular breads.

Please leave us a comment with your own thoughts, ideas, or suggestions.  We love to hear what you like to make or would prefer to receive.  And remember to save all your favorite recipes along with photos here at Dish Dish in your own online cookbook account.