Every time I host Thanksgiving, it feels like a debate between what to repeat from last year and what to do differently this year.

Should I cook that turkey recipe again, or try a new one? Should I decorate the table with mini gourds again, or shake things up with a big sunflower centerpiece?

Let Life Kit help you decide. As you plan your Thanksgiving, friendsgiving or harvest-themed dinner party menu and decor, here are a few fresh ideas to add flavor, color and calm to the day. That includes two foolproof turkey recipes, advice on how to stay present while hosting, and directions on how to create a stunning floral arrangement with supermarket flowers.

Crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving recipes 

Combine these recipes with sides and desserts — and you’ve got a whole feast. Don’t forget to make Mama Stamberg’s cranberry relish!

Easier roast turkey and gravy. Chef and writer Lan Lam shares the recipe she developed for America’s Test Kitchen. It involves roasting the turkey on a pre-heated pizza stone to avoid the dreaded task of flipping the piping hot bird midway through the cooking process. It’s the perfect recipe for first-timers. Get the recipe here. 

Salt-and-pepper roast turkey breast. Don’t feel like fussing over a whole bird? Try a bone-in turkey breast. It’s “significantly easier to cook, it takes a fraction of the time and it still feeds a group comfortably,” says New York Times food writer Eric Kim. Get the recipe here.

Stuffing with a cheesy pizza twist. Kim’s fun spin on traditional stuffing is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Day-old bread gets tossed and baked with tomato paste, oregano and mozzarella cheese. Get the recipe here.

Pane criminale, or pull-apart garlic bread. This is one of chef and writer Samin Nosrat’s favorite things to bring to a group meal. In this recipe, the bread is sliced vertically instead of horizontally, guaranteeing that each slice of bread has garlic butter. Once you set it at the center of the table, “everyone just starts pulling it apart,” she says. Get the recipe here.