Thanksgiving is — count ‘em — only 7 days away! Every day from now until then, we’re sharing our favorite Thanksgiving Side Dishes. Sweet potatoes may have been absent from the first Thanksgiving, but since then they’ve established their place on the Thanksgiving table next to green bean casserole, stuffing and/or dressing and mashed potatoes.

Traditional sweet potato casserole and honey-baked yams are great, but this year I’m adding a twist (or, rather, a kick) to the table with Bobby’s spicy scalloped potatoes. To make, just layer thinly-sliced sweet potatoes (a mandolin works wonders here) with chipotle-spiked cream and bake until tender and crisp on top. Bonus: This dish serves beautifully and travels well, so it’s ideal for a Thanksgiving potluck.

TELL US: Are you going traditional or with-a-twist for this year’s feast?

For hundreds more ideas, recipes and menus for your feast, check out FoodNetwork.com/Thanksgiving

I’m definitely on Team Cornbread when it comes to Thanksgiving stuffing specifics, so I was intrigued when I came across a 5-star recipe for the World’s Best Cornbread Stuffing. What, I wondered, makes it so special? What makes it good enough that one reviewer exclaimed “So sorry, Grandmum. After generations of yours, this is tastier!”?

I had to find out. I don’t know if it’s the sweet corn muffins in place of the typical savory cornbread, the hot Italian sausage or the earthy fresh sage, but the combination of flavors is enough to make me (almost) swear off my family recipe.  This stuffing has definitely earned its place on my Thanksgiving table this year.

For hundreds more ideas, recipes and menus for your feast, check out FoodNetwork.com/Thanksgiving.

The age-old question remains: What’s the difference between stuffing and dressing? Traditional wisdom holds that stuffing is actually cooked inside the turkey, while dressing is cooked separately and served alongside. Makes sense, right? But in my experience, it really comes down to geography. My family (from New York and Pennsylvania) never stuffs the bird, but we always call our savory bread pudding-style side dish ”stuffing.” Go further South, and everything is “dressing,” as I learned at my first Thanksgiving with my fiancé’s family in Louisiana.

I’m not sure why Food Network Magazine decided to call this one dressing—maybe there was a Southerner in the room. Call it what you wish; it’s filled with many ingredients I love—kale, fennel sausage, focaccia—and is definitely going to show up on my spread this year.

TELL US: What stuffing and/or dressing will be on your Thanksgiving table?

For hundreds more ideas, recipes and menus for your feast, check out FoodNetwork.com/Thanksgiving