Before I was married Thanksgiving was hands-down my least favorite holiday. I called it an “old people holiday.” I thought it was boring, depressing, & dull. But something happened after I got my very first casserole dish at a wedding shower. I fell in love with the potential that it held. Thoughts of french fried onions and cream of mushroom soup danced through my head. I longed for a chance to use that dish.

Fast forward 8 years (has it really been that long??) and Thanksgiving has become one of my favorite holidays.

And one of my favorite pre-Thanksgiving traditions we have is our Thanksgiving Warm-up party. Every year we have a party for friends & family to come and practice their favorite dishes before the big day. It’s a Thanksgiving pre-quel of sorts. Thomas usually cooks two turkeys trying out different recipes while everyone else brings salads, sides, breads, & desserts. It’s a full fledged Thanksgiving dinner. Because our theory is that the only thing better than celebrating Thanksgiving is celebrating it twice.

This year I’m extending Thanksgiving Warm-up to my blog. From now until Thanksgiving I’ll be posting recipes, tips, & various guides to all things Thanksgiving. Not to mention, I’ll be asking for some advice, recipes & entertaining tips from you guys as well!