Many of my neighbors put up their Christmas lights and trees the day after Thanksgiving. I admire their enthusiasm and love seeing the holiday lights glowing up and down the street. Unfortunately, I’ve never been that organized. Usually my tree doesn’t go up until well into December and one year it didn’t make an appearance at all. I’ll never live that one down.

These garlic-y soft breadsticks were the perfect complement to our Thanksgiving feast this year. There’s something about homemade bread that brings joy to the table and homemade breadsticks are pure happiness packed into a small package.

When a loaf of homemade bread is just out of the oven and the whole house is filled with the smell of freshly baked bread, it’s a kind of torture to wait to eat it until it’s cooled enough to slice. But you know it’s worth the wait when you spread fresh butter on a slice and take that first bite...a soft, warm, yeasty slip of heaven.

My nephew lives in a small town where the oak tree is protected and you’re not allowed to do anything to them without a permit. This makes the squirrels very happy.

Thanksgiving is the perfect time to celebrate the decorated cookie. No one really expects cookies for this holiday. They’re too busy looking for the pie, right? At least that’s the way it is in my family. This year, I just had to give in to the call of the turkey-shaped cookie cutter. The only reason I’ve resisted for the past few years is because of the color brown...yes, the color brown. Up to now, I haven’t been able to achieve the perfect shade of brown for the noble bird.

These simple, buttery Soft Amish Sugar Cookies are exquisite. They have crisp edges and a soft, chewy center. They’re easy to make and so satisfying to eat. If you’re not careful, you’ll eat three or four before you know it. They are delicious enough to be eaten plain, but you can’t go wrong if you dress them up with sprinkles or dip them in chocolate. They even travel well and make a welcome addition to my holiday packages. Butter and sugar never came together in a more satisfying bite.