Inside the November 2014 Issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine

Take a look at the November 2014 Issue of Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, on newsstands Oct. 21. 

Your Thanksgiving Weekend Survival Guide, Party Ideas for Autumn Afternoons, Edible Gifts for the Season, Easy and Delicious Pumpkin Recipes, plus…The Totally Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dinner Plan

A Totally Make-Ahead, Thoroughly Modern Thanksgiving (Page 106): Let this Thanksgiving be your most delicious yet - with an extra side of stress-free. Recipes like maple sage turkey, cream cheese mashers with kale pesto, garlic rosemary dressing or sweet potato cauliflower fritters might sound complicated – but we’ll let you in on a little secret. These delicious dishes and more can be made anywhere from a day, to a week, to a whole month in advance. Faith Durand, make-ahead master and editor of thekitchn.com, refreshes the menu and shares the tips and tricks that make it possible.

Serve Up Thanksgiving Weekend (Page 55): Thanksgiving isn’t just about dinner - there’s a long weekend of togetherness to be had. Start by creating the perfect guest room with the coziness of home and the conveniences of a five-star hotel. Turn to-do lists into assignments for kids to make set-up simple and keep everyone busy. Serve up a buffet of activity options on game day – like puzzles, trivia, and board games - for even non-sports fans to enjoy. Make the most of your leftovers with our twists on turkey sandwiches, frittata recipes, and back seat eats to send with guests on the road. Our family activities and hosting strategies will make your holiday weekend manageable, memorable, and most of all, fun!

Easy Holiday Baking (Page 154): Pumpkin season has arrived, and we can’t get enough. Blogger Joy the Baker spotlights the canned good that keeps on giving with a delectable collection of treats all made from your pantry shelves. Whip up mouth-watering recipes like pumpkin pie with pecan praline topping, salted pumpkin caramel thumbprints, dark chocolate and pumpkin swirl loaf, and pumpkin bars with marcona almonds.

Make and Share (Page 86): Share homemade deliciousness all season long with a few simple gifts you can make in a pinch. Toasted sea salt in a mason jar looks gourmet – but takes minutes to make and requires just a few pantry staples. Accompaniments like herbed nuts in honey or spiced bourbon cherries pair well with appetizers – and easy-to-make syrups like candied ginger, pomegranate-herb, or vanilla-jalapeno varieties can be bottled for cocktail mixers. Add glass jar containers, handwritten tags, a ribbon or kitchen string – and these homemade gifts will look almost too pretty to eat.

Harvest Cheese & Cider Tasting (Page 17): What’s the best recipe for a delicious autumn afternoon? Good friends, a table full of cheese, and a few crisp ciders to pair. Create a casual affair where guests feel comfortable trying a little bit of everything. Place clip-on blackboard signs on a cheese board to let friends know what they’re tasting. Accompany cheese with toppers like chutney, jam or honey that guests can pair with crackers. Pick your ciders wisely, and mix up house specialties like popcorn tossed with dried blueberries, cranberries, roasted hazelnuts, and powdered blue cheese. Artisanal cheese maker and co-owner of Rogue Creamery, David Grimmels, shows us how to set the scene.