Chains like Texas Roadhouse, LongHorn Steakhouse, and Outback Steakhouse felt similar in price point.

On average, it cost my party of four around $160 to eat at each, but the food at Outback was the hands-down favorite for everyone in my party.

Its complimentary brown bread was the best we've had, our steaks were melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and we loved the classic Bloomin' Onion appetizer.

My family of four got an appetizer, entreés, two glasses of wine, and two desserts for $165. At the time, we ordered more than we'd normally eat, so I know we could return and spend even less while still getting a really good meal.

Although Ruth's Chris was one of the more pricey steakhouses we've visited, our $500 meal felt worth it for the classy atmosphere, delicious food, and impressive wine list.

The chain's side dishes were particularly impressive. My favorite steakhouse side dish is creamed spinach, and the tasty version at Ruth's Chris was everything I could hope for.

The mashed potatoes we had there were also superb, as were the sauteéd mushrooms — another steakhouse staple.

We'd absolutely return here for a special occasion.

Our dinner at LongHorn felt like a great value because we enjoyed our generously-portioned meals so much — but a highlight of our dinner was a valuable tip.

LongHorn serves a $30 ribeye, and when my husband ordered his medium rare, the server took a moment to educate us about that particular cut of meat.

Because of the fat in a ribeye, he explained, the meat becomes more buttery and tender when it's cooked to a medium temperature.

My husband switched his order, and the resulting ribeye was delicious. Although we still order cuts like filet cooked medium rare, his tip stuck with us and we now cook and order our ribeyes medium.

Of the steakhouse chains I've been to, Texas Roadhouse had my least-favorite overall atmosphere. When we visited, it felt loud, crowded, and chaotic.

Several times during our meal, our conversation was interrupted by servers loudly clapping and singing to people who were there for a birthday dinner. We were also surrounded by many families with young children, who could understandably get a bit noisy.

Texas Roadhouse doesn't have a high-end atmosphere like Ruth's Chris or The Capital Grille, but I'd go a step further and say it's in a class below Outback and LongHorn.

Although the chain had a nicely varied menu, our group found the food to be just OK.

Overall, I think Texas Roadhouse is better suited for families with kids and groups who don't mind a noisier dining experience.

Of all the steakhouse chains I've visited, The Capital Grille was my favorite with its delicious food, extremely attentive staff, and relaxing-but-elegant ambiance.

From the moment we walked into the restaurant, my family felt relaxed and taken care of.

Through several courses — which included some of the best calamari I've ever eaten and a few perfect wine pairings — we kept chatting about what a wonderful experience we were having.

The service and atmosphere alone made this steakhouse my favorite, and the food only sealed the deal.

We tried everything from surf and turf to filet au poivre and loved every bite. My son, who always orders burgers at steakhouses, said The Capital Grille served the best he's had.

Our meal cost over $500 after tax and tip, so going here wouldn't fit into our weekly dining out budget. Still, I'd request dinner at The Capital Grille for a special occasion or return for date night with just my husband to save a few hundred dollars.

Garten's easy turkey lasagna is a simple take on the standard recipe with a few surprising ingredients — namely, goat cheese for the filling.

Her recipe calls for sweet Italian turkey sausage, but since I had trouble finding that at any grocery stores near me, I used regular ground turkey and seasoned it with Italian seasoning, red-pepper flakes, and a bit of sugar.

After seasoning the ground turkey, making the sauce was pretty straightforward.

When I simmered onion, fresh herbs, canned crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste together, I had a pretty standard, meaty sauce to work with.

I'd never made lasagna with goat cheese, but Garten's recipe meant I stirred 3 to 4 ounces of it into 15 ounces of ricotta.

The combination was tart and flavorful. The flavors of the goat cheese stood out in the dish, especially with the lightness of the ground turkey.

I really liked that Garten's recipe included fresh mozzarella cheese.

So many lasagnas lean on grated or shredded mozzarella, so slicing up a fresh log was a nice touch.

Garten's cheese-laden lasagna was a dairy lover's dream.

The goat cheese gave that layer some extra tang and flavor, and the fresh mozzarella provided layers of thick, cheesy goodness that made for a great cheese pull.

De Laurentiis' classic Italian lasagna made me question the standard recipe I've been following for years.

I'm used to ground meat, cheeses, and tomato sauce. But De Laurentiis' recipe requires 20 ounces of frozen spinach and a mixture of white béchamel sauce and homemade tomato sauce.

De Laurentiis' method puzzled me, but who am I to argue with a master of Italian cuisine?

I made a béchamel sauce and a standard tomato sauce to assemble the chef's lasagna and stirred the two together.

De Laurentiis also said to keep the ground beef separate, layering it into the dish on its own.

Before assembling, I followed the instructions and stirred together three large eggs and 1 ½ pounds of ricotta cheese.

I'm not a fan of a lasagna that's heavy on the egg flavor, but her recipe wasn't overly eggy in the end.

De Laurentiis' recipe had a lot of spinach, and there wasn't much seasoning to add flavor.

The spinach was my least favorite ingredient in any of the lasagna recipes, and I'm usually a big fan of the leafy green.

De Laurentiis' lasagna disappointed me, mostly because it wasn't very flavorful.

I don't think the many steps of the complicated recipe paid off in the end.

Drummond, better known as The Pioneer Woman, doesn't mess around with protein-filled meals.

Her simple lasagna recipe calls for 2 pounds of ground beef and a pound of hot breakfast sausage.

The chef also included cottage cheese instead of traditional ricotta and tons of fresh herbs, such as basil and parsley.

I eat a high-protein diet, so I was immediately drawn to Drummond's meat-heavy lasagna sauce.

Like Garten, Drummond's recipe relies on canned tomatoes and tomato paste to make up the rest of the sauce, along with lots of chopped, fresh herbs.

Cottage cheese is a staple for meeting my daily protein goals, but I'd never had it in lasagna.

Drummond completely did away with traditional ricotta, and in the end, I enjoyed the flavor the cottage cheese brought to the meal.

My son, the picky eater, didn't even notice the switch.

Tossing 3 pounds of meat into a lasagna felt like overkill, but I ended up loving it.

Lasagna can be carb- and dairy-heavy, so I liked how protein-packed Drummond's version was.

Drummond's meaty lasagna was my favorite.

I would make her recipe again — it just might replace the family recipe I always default to.

Drummond's lasagna was perfectly cheesy and flavorful, had the right ratio of sauce to noodles, and was incredibly simple to assemble.

Best of all, it was a hit with my entire family.

This story was originally published on December 21, 2023, and most recently updated on December 24, 2024.

Disney World is known for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, a ticketed event at Magic Kingdom, but this is the second year for Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios.

The after-hours event runs for five hours on select nights and includes perks like short ride times, party-exclusive food, and the opportunity to meet rare Disney characters.

It also requires a separate ticket, but it can be slightly more affordable — Magic Kingdom's event costs between $180 and $220 for adults, and Jollywood Nights goes for $160 to $180.

This is all separate from daytime park admission. One-day, single-park tickets for this month start at about $150.

Universal's holiday tour is a must-do for me every season.

My $100 ticket included five hours with a tour guide, special meet-and-greets, dinner, dessert, and more. It's the only way to meet Santa at Universal Orlando, although he does appear nightly in a holiday parade.

The tour is less expensive than the Disney events, but unlike those, it requires a park ticket — a one-day, single-park ticket costs about $120 right now. Luckily, I have an annual pass, so I was able to use that and skip this added cost.

I also spent time at Universal before check-in to explore some of the holiday offerings on my own.

Getting photos with characters is one of my favorite parts of visiting theme parks, so I was sure to line up for some of the party-exclusive meet-and-greets at Jollywood Nights, like Disney's Duffy Bear dressed as Santa.

However, you don't have to have an event ticket to meet holiday-themed characters. Some characters, like Chip and Dale and Woody, are out in their holiday best all day at Hollywood Studios.

Universal goes full Grinch during the holiday season, with offerings like a Grinch meet-and-greet, a character breakfast with the mean one himself, and the "Grinchmas Who-Liday Spectacular" show.

From sweet treats to merchandise, you'll see the green guy all over the park.

Earl the Squirrel, a Universal character inspired by a real-life squirrel who used to live in the park's Christmas tree, is also a main figure of the season.

There were Jollywood Nights-specific entertainment offerings at my event — like a "Nightmare Before Christmas" sing-along — there are also holiday happenings for daytime park guests.

The popular "Frozen Sing-a-long Celebration" show gets a special holiday revamp, and Santa also greets guests at It's A Wonderful Shop.

There's no greater holiday joy for me than watching the "Grinchmas Who-Liday Spectacular" show, starring the Grinch, every Who down in Whoville, and a real-life version of Max (the dog).

Anyone with a regular park admission can see the Broadway-quality performance, which features songs by Mannheim Steamroller. It runs several times every day throughout the holiday season.

The park also has a special holiday parade that features Dreamworks characters, floats, entertainers, and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons.

The holiday food at Disney truly can't be rivaled.

I noshed on lots of things you can only get during Jollywood Nights, like kimchi-pimento-cheese dip and tot poutine, but festive foods are available at the park during the day as well.

From a red-velvet holiday shake to a winter-spiced whoopie pie, Disney has plenty of only-seen-at-Christmas foods to try.

Universal has some holiday-themed treats, like Max-shaped cookies and a roasted-turkey-dinner crepe, but I didn't think there were too many options.

If you're looking to really experience delicious festival food at Universal, you'll want to visit during Mardi Gras or Halloween Horror Nights, when the park is filled with stands selling tasty themed bites.

Choosing a theme-park souvenir is tough on any vacation, but it's even harder for me during the holidays.

Almost every Hollywood Studios' giftshop was taken over by Mickey ornaments and cozy holiday sweatshirts. There were also special pop-up areas selling even more festive items.

Like Disney World, Universal goes all out with holiday-themed merch.

This is especially true for the themed lands, like Seuss Landing and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Both "Grinchmas" and "Holidays at Hogsmeade" release fun limited-time offerings this time of year.

Disney goes all out, adorning Hollywood Studios with vintage Hollywood-glam decorations like star-lit lamp posts and sparkly ornaments and lights.

You'll even find fake snow made of soap, dubbed "snoap." It's really beautiful to watch it fall over the decorated theme park without having to feel freezing cold — a win-win.

From the 80-foot tree in the New York area to its Holiday Tribute Store filled with limited-time merchandise, Universal's Christmas decor is truly something to behold.

It also produces plenty of snoap, so you don't have to worry about missing out on that magic.

Disney and Universal hold special places in my heart after years of building family memories in both.

Still, I think Universal is a better value during the holidays since a regular park ticket gets guests way more seasonal activities for their money.

Although I added on the VIP tour and recommend it, it's not actually necessary. Everyone can meet characters like the Grinch and Earl the Squirrel, watch the "Grinchmas Who-Liday Spectacular," and catch the parade.

Disney keeps many of its best holiday activities in its separate, ticketed events, which can be costly, especially if you're also planning on spending the day at the parks.

The Melting Pot first opened in Maitland, Florida, just outside Orlando in 1975. At the time, it sold just three fondues: Swiss cheese, beef, and chocolate.

Over time, the chain began serving more varieties of fondue, plus things like craft cocktails and salads.

As its menu grew, so did its reach. Today, The Melting Pot has almost 100 locations throughout the US and one in Canada.

We started our meal at The Melting Pot with a round of drinks.

My husband chose an old-fashioned cocktail ($15), my daughter and I selected alcohol-free mixed drinks ($8 each), and my son ordered a soda ($5).

As someone who stopped drinking alcohol months ago, I was impressed with the restaurant's spirit-free menu, which went beyond Shirley Temples and club soda with creative options involving fresh ingredients.

Later in the meal, my husband had two $12 glasses of red wine, and I ordered an additional $8 alcohol-free drink from the bar.

The menu at The Melting Pot can feel a bit overwhelming at first.

The chain does a great job organizing a few fondue-for-two meals at a pre-fixe price, but its à la carte menu of separate cheese, entrée, and dessert courses can be hard to navigate with a larger party.

For example, the cheese course alone starts at around $30 for two people, but the cost goes up for additional diners or add-ons like charcuterie or gluten-free dippers.

Thankfully, our server helped us decide how much we needed to order so everyone got enough to eat without us having tons of leftovers.

Our Alpine cheese-fondue course for four cost $56.

Alongside the cheese, which was a blend of gruyére, raclette, fontina, white wine, and garlic, we were served dippers like crusty bread, apples, and a blend of carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli.

This course was incredibly delicious. Having made fondue at home many times before, I can say having someone assemble the dish and clean it up afterward was well worth the price.

Plus, the portion was large enough that we could've been pretty happy ending our meal here.

Although salad is typically the last thing on my mind when a fondue spread is on the table, our server told us there was one on the menu he loved and suggested we order one to try.

His pick, the bacon-and-blue-cheese spinach salad ($8), came with spinach, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, tomato, and blue cheese. It was pretty incredible — so much so that I'd consider ordering it again the next time I visit The Melting Pot.

At our server's suggestion, we also shook a bit of the restaurant's garlic-and-wine seasoning on top. The flavorful blend added a lot to the already tasty salad.

For our entrée course, we chose the coq-au-vin cooking style, a yummy blend of burgundy wine, mushrooms, scallions, and garlic.

Since we were already a bit full from our cheese course and salad, our server suggested we split two entrées among the four of us.

We ordered the $34 Pacific Rim selection, which included proteins like shrimp, ahi tuna, and chicken, and the $38 classic, with meats like pork and steak.

We enjoyed cooking the proteins in our fondue, but the real star of the entrée course was the array of sauces paired with them. It was fun to taste the dips, which ranged in flavors from teriyaki to curry.

To end our meal, we ordered the chain's yin-and-yang chocolate fondue for the table ($56).

The pretty mixture of white chocolate and dark chocolate made for some great photos and was a delicious way to try two flavors of fondue.

At the time of our visit, my daughter and I were on a special diet for medical reasons, so we asked for gluten-free dippers.

We were charged $8 for an extra plate with things like gluten-free brownies and cookies.

The extra cost was worth it, as she and I were able to fully enjoy the course without having to stick solely to dipping fruit into our melted chocolate.

Although I remember previous dinners at The Melting Pot taking a long time, it only took us about two hours to move through cheese, salad, dinner, and dessert courses.

The experience felt perfectly timed: We could take as long as we wanted for each course but were readily ushered into the next one as soon as we were ready.

Our meal cost $268 before tax and tip — a price that felt worth it for the food, service, atmosphere, and overall fondue-making experience.

For me, The Melting Pot's unique dining experience alone made this meal worth the cost. There aren't many restaurants where you can dine out while having the feeling of cooking together as a family.

My husband and I loved having our kids at the dinner table with us for a few hours. We had easy conversations as we all busied ourselves with picking up food and dipping it in cheese, broth, and chocolate.

Next time, though, we might save money by skipping the entrée course and only ordering cheese and chocolate fondue.

They were the highlights of our meal, and we'd have been plenty full with just those two courses. I'd still order that amazing spinach salad to go with them, though.

A Christmas Eve tradition in my house is to give my kids new pajamas, cozy socks, and a board game we can all play together after dinner.

At Target, I found the softest, cutest holiday socks for about $3 a pair, and I got a few for each kid.

My teenage daughter loves to wear festive accessories to holiday parties and church services throughout December, so I toss new ones into her stocking each year.

At Walmart, I found a display of super-affordable holiday accessories, such as light-up tree earrings and candy-cane-printed hair clips.

Most of the accessories were under $5 — and the display looked a bit picked-through — but I still found cute stuff for me and my daughter.

During my shopping trip, Target was running a sale offering up to half off on board games like Disney Villainous and Tetris.

The sale seemed to be so good that lots of spaces on the shelves had been cleared out, and many games were out of stock.

Still, I was able to snag a few board games at low prices to put away as holiday gifts.

Walmart's board-game aisle was well-stocked, but there weren't any sales going on when I visited.

Still, I appreciated the broad selection, which included everything from dice and card games to a local version of Monopoly specific to my Florida town.

Target had fewer games in stock, but I expected that given the sale that was happening while I was shopping.

Both of my teens have a lot of insulated water bottles, but I know they'll each love getting a new one for Christmas.

At Target, I found lots of popular brands of insulated bottles and tumblers, including Stanley and Owala. I appreciated finding big-name bottles in a variety of colorways — plus, many of them were on sale.

I definitely didn't experience the same Stanley-shopping zen at Walmart as I did at Target.

I struggled to find trendy big-name brands in Walmart's water-bottle section, but I did see unique offerings, like Cirkul ones with flavor pods.

For the most part, though, I was surprised at how disorganized and messy this section felt at my store. A lot of the bottles and tumblers were tipped over or shoved where they didn't belong.

We're big on holiday pajamas in my family, so I couldn't wait to see the offerings at both stores.

Target felt like the perfect spot to grab matching holiday pajamas for everyone in my family … even our pets.

My local store had a huge section filled with pajamas at a few different price points. I passed a well-stocked display with $15 sets for the whole family and found some pricier, super-soft Christmas pajamas for women.

At my local Walmart, I was able to locate a cardboard display that seemed to once have holiday pajamas in a range of sizes, but it was empty.

I found festive pajamas in different sections of the store for women, men, kids, and babies, but no matching sets for families.

My teen daughter and I love to shop at Target for makeup and skincare products, especially since the chain carries nicer lines like Versed and La Roche-Posay.

In its beauty section, I found numerous holiday-themed skincare and makeup sets along with stocking-stuffer-sized minis of face masks, lip glosses, and more.

I picked up a beauty advent calendar and a few different holiday-edition Nyx Cosmetics products for my daughter, and I know she'll love them.

I was excited to find an entire endcap of festive toiletry sets for men at Walmart with products from brands like Every Man Jack and Duke Cannon.

It's rare that I find men's skincare or body-care sets during the holidays, so I picked up a deodorant-and-body-wash set for my son.

I love putting festive versions of candies my kids already love, like Reese's and Swedish Fish, in my kids' stockings.

It's always a bit whimsical to see beloved snacks packaged up in special ways for holidays, and both Walmart and Target had plenty of these kinds of items.

I could stop by either store to fill my kids' stockings, whether I want hollow candy-cane shapes filled with Hershey's Kisses or seasonal Pez dispensers,

In general, I found Target's and Walmart's prices to be pretty comparable on things like pajamas, accessories, and beauty sets.

However, Target had an advantage with its seasonal sales on board games, Lego sets, and video games.

The Lego section of my store looked especially picked-through, but that's probably because sets were 20% off. At Walmart, the Lego sets appeared to be full price.

Although Target changes its offers weekly (or sometimes daily), they appear to be coming up more often than Walmart's right now.

Both stores had excellent offerings, but Target impressed me more.

A lot of people consider Walmart to be the cheaper of the two chains, but I actually found way more sales and deals at Target — many of which made its prices much lower than Walmart's.

Target is also doing a holiday price-match offer that's hard to beat. Shoppers can request a price adjustment if any item they buy there becomes cheaper before Christmas.

Lastly, my local Target felt cleaner, brighter, and better organized than Walmart.

I'll be heading to Target for the remainder of my holiday needs, but I still swear by shopping at Walmart for groceries for the best deals on food.

When we arrived at Capa for a Friday-night dinner, we noticed the restaurant had a sleek, modern layout with minimalistic Spanish decor.

The dining area's floor-to-ceiling windows displayed breathtaking views of the resort, a few Disney World theme parks, and the Florida sunset.

The main dining room also had an open kitchen, where customers could watch staff cook meat and seafood on a wood-fired grill.

To start our meal, my kids and I ordered mocktails, and my husband got the In Spanish Fashion ($18) — a whiskey- and brandy-based cocktail.

My kids chose the Lavender Haze ($10 each), made with butterfly-pea tea, and I ordered the Spa Day ($10), a refreshing cucumber-based drink.

Throughout the course of the night, my husband also ordered a glass of wine ($28) and a vermouth ($12).

For our appetizer, we got the pan con tomate — crusty bread topped with a tomato pulp. We opted to add Manchego cheese and ham to the dish ($24) and were not disappointed.

Each bite burst with the salty flavors of the cheese and ham, and the bread tasted fresh and delicious.

For my entrée, I chose the Miyazaki wagyu beef, which had a top-grade A5 quality score and was made from purebred Japanese cattle.

I ordered 5 ounces of the tender beef, priced at $32 per ounce ($160 total), and was blown away by its preparation.

The medium-rare wagyu, which was served atop a hot-pink salt slab, melted in my mouth like butter. It was the most tender beef I've ever eaten.

My 14-year-old daughter ordered the 8-ounce filet ($72), served with a piquillo-pepper purée. The medium-rare steak was perfectly cooked, and she ate every bite.

A filet is my daughter's go-to at any steak house, but she said her meal at Capa was the best she's ever had — which is high praise from a kid who often dines out with her food-writer mom.

At our server's recommendation, my husband ordered the bone-in cowboy ribeye ($91).

The steak, cooked to a medium temperature, was perfect when I tried it. Each bit of fat marbling turned into a melt-in-your-mouth tender bite.

To accompany our steaks, we ordered a selection of five sauces for $22.

The bernesa sauce was buttery and creamy, the verde version was tangy with hints of Greek yogurt, and the cilantro-horseradish option had a perfect blend of herbs and spices. The peppercorn sauce was just as good as au-poivre-style sauces I've had at other steak houses.

However, my favorite was the Capa steak sauce, a vibrant, spicy option that tasted way better than store-bought condiments. 

During our meal, our server also brought a complimentary flavored-sea-salt tray.

My daughter and I loved one salt that tasted truffle-infused, and my husband was so inspired by a smoky flavor that he made his own version at home later that week.

My son is a picky eater, so even though he's 16, he ordered two $10-entrées from the kid's menu: a grilled-cheese sandwich and chicken fingers.

Even at a fancy, Michelin-starred restaurant, the standard fare tasted like any other kid's menu items.

The setas ($16) — mushrooms with a caramelized-onion sauce — were earthy and savory. We also tried the maíz, a corn-and-polenta dish topped with goat cheese ($14), that was so good we said we'd try recreating something similar at home.

The true star, however, was the perfectly crisp patatas bravas ($12) — spicy fried potatoes topped with cornichons, chipotle aioli, and a paprika-tomato sauce. 

For dessert, we got two orders of the $15 churros de Madrid.

The dish, served with chocolate and dulce-de-leche dipping sauces, was a hit with everyone at the table.

When we made our reservation, we checked the firework schedules for both Epcot and Magic Kingdom so we could watch the nighttime shows from Capa's veranda.

After dessert, we headed outside to watch back-to-back fireworks displays at the two theme parks. It was a great way to see the shows without battling the crowds or buying theme-park tickets.

With tax and without the tip, our meal cost $580, which we felt was a good value. The Michelin-starred food was incredible, and the prices didn't seem too far off from those of other major steak-house chains I've visited.

The award-winning restaurant also did an amazing job accommodating families, as I noticed lots of younger kids and parents dining at other tables.

For me, this delicious, elegant dining option opens up a different kind of Disney adventure — one with fine dining and spectacular cuisine.

Walking into Hobby Lobby felt like entering a home fully adorned in its holiday best.

The entrance had a bed with seasonal quilts and throw pillows and large ceramic figurines of Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The displays were so beautiful that I immediately felt inspired to try new things in my holiday decor this year.

My local Michaels' entryway didn't feel festive at all. Although there were some artificial wreaths and garlands, there wasn't much else.

I like to feel enveloped in holiday spirit as soon as I enter a store during this time of year, so I was disappointed.

Hobby Lobby had several entire aisles dedicated to tableware, all grouped together for easy shopping. The variety was nice, too, with items ranging from poinsettia table runners to wine glasses adorned with cardinals.

We're big entertainers during the holiday season, so I love stocking up on different cloth napkins, kitchen towels, and other items that add to my kitchen and dining-room decor.

At Hobby Lobby, the options felt endless, and the displays felt organized.

Michaels had seasonal tableware, but it felt harder to find.

Many aisles at Michaels were divided by theme, from nutcracker ballet to reindeer. Each section grouped all items from a certain theme together, from serving plates to wall decor.

This layout would be fantastic if you were shopping for lots of pieces that matched a certain aesthetic, but I prefer to see all of the plates or dish towels together so I can pick the ones I like.

My family has used the same Christmas stockings since my kids were small. Still, Hobby Lobby made me feel tempted to buy a new round of stockings just because.

I found designs with ballet slippers, snowmen, unicorns, candy canes, and so much more. It felt like there was truly a stocking design for every member of the family.

There's something quaint about those traditional chocolate-filled advent calendars with little doors that open each day leading up to Christmas to reveal a tasty prize.

Michaels had a pretty impressive selection of themed advent calendars featuring recognizable characters from Marvel, Nintendo, and other huge franchises.

Since Hobby Lobby is a Christian-owned retailer, it's no surprise that it had a huge selection of more faith-based holiday decor.

I found beautiful angel tree toppers and ornate nativity sets on display. Michaels had a few nativity items, too, but not nearly as many as Hobby Lobby.

Another iconic part of the holiday season, Elf on the Shelf was on full display at Michaels.

My store had several varieties of elfs, plus accessories, books, and other merchandise to pair with them.

If your family is big on Santa's scout elves and their antics, Michaels is the place to shop for everything you need this year.

Hobby Lobby's holiday-craft section was really impressive.

There were aisles upon aisles of supplies perfect for holiday crafters, from beads and glitter glue to scented markers and stickers.

Michaels had a few endcaps set up with holiday crafting supplies, from colorful jingle bells to beads to craft kits for kids.

Although I didn't spot as many festive supplies at Michaels as I did at Hobby Lobby, both stores carried enough of a selection that any holiday crafter could keep busy all season long.

Hobby Lobby excelled at stocking entire collections of merchandise for beloved characters.

I found full sections filled with linens, crafts, baking supplies, and more adorned with the familiar images of iconic characters, like the Grinch and Hello Kitty.

Michaels had an endcap that contained a few Hanukkah items like chocolate gelt coins and themed paper goods.

Hobby Lobby had nothing of the sort, making Michaels the winner for representing other winter holidays besides Christmas.

Since discovering the @blacksantaexists Instagram account several years ago, I've tried to diversify my own Santa collection at home, so all of my guests see themselves represented in my holiday decor.

Although I didn't find many Black Santa items at Hobby Lobby in 2023, the chain seemed to improve on its selection's diversity this year.

I was pleased to find mugs depicting Black Santa and Mrs. Claus and Black angel tree toppers.

Michaels also sold numerous Black Santa items as well, from throw pillows to wooden signs.

Although Michaels seemed to have more Santa representation last winter, both stores seemed to have pretty equal footing this year.

Both stores had a great, broad selection of ornaments for gamers, home cooks, and even shark enthusiasts like my 14-year-old daughter — I got her two glittery glass sharks at Hobby Lobby.

In addition to themed glass ornaments, there were also large packs of shatter-resistant ball ornaments at both stores.

Both stores also stocked many options for artificial Christmas trees.

Either retailer would be a great place to look if you're in the market for one this year. I found a variety of options for heights, widths, price ranges, and colors.

Although I certainly don't need another holiday item to collect, I was tempted by the cute display of gingerbread people at Hobby Lobby.

Gingerbread characters in different poses and outfits were scattered throughout the store in all sizes, styles, and heights.

I love buying a nutcracker at Michaels each year since I've found the retailer typically has unique collections of them.

This year, I spotted nutcrackers skiing, wearing biker jackets, and even holding cookies. I added a zebra nutcracker with a pink jacket and drum to my collection.

As a huge fan of Hobby Lobby's holiday decor, I only wish the store was a bit closer to my home. The nearest one is about 40 minutes away, so I don't visit as many times as I'd like to during the holiday season.

Still, whenever errands take me to that part of town, you can bet your candy cane I'll be stopping into Hobby Lobby to peruse its gorgeous aisles of holiday decor and pick up a few new items.

Although my local Michaels' selection of holiday decor felt less organized and a bit smaller than what I found at Hobby Lobby, it's still a great spot to shop this season.

In fact, since my side-by-side comparison visit to both stores, I've run back to my closest Michaels (a five-minute drive from my home) twice for some last-minute items I needed to put up this year's holiday decor.

I'm a self-proclaimed aspiring Martha Stewart, so I've always prided myself in cooking elaborate Thanksgiving dinners for my family from scratch.

I'd spend days doing food prep and writing out a detailed plan of when to make certain dishes, how to store them, and which time each needed to go in the oven.

Last year, after cooking a full Thanksgiving meal from Ina Garten recipes for an assignment ahead of Thanksgiving, I was ready for a break. That's when we first tried ordering a heat-and-serve Thanksgiving meal instead.

Because my family had eaten at Cracker Barrel for the first time last year and enjoyed it, we decided to order its heat-and-serve Thanksgiving dinner last year.

The $130 meal included everything from turkey to dinner rolls and actually cost way less than what I'd normally spend on Thanksgiving groceries.

Even better? The dishes tasted just as good as my homemade menu items and saved us hours in the kitchen.

Our Cracker Barrel meal last year included turkey, gravy, and essential sides like mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and green beans — plus a few extras.

This year, we ordered a full Thanksgiving meal from Costco for an early Thanksgiving celebration with my visiting mother-in-law. We were treated to a full spread for eight guests for $180.

The dinner included staples like green-bean casserole, cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, corn, mac and cheese, and pumpkin pie. There was nothing we missed having on our dinner table.

Although I could make mac and cheese from scratch the day before the holiday and pull out Crock-Pots from storage to keep mashed potatoes and gravy warm on Thanksgiving, it's nice not to have to.

In fact, I wish I could've told myself about this amazing holiday hack 10 years ago, as it would have saved me so much time in the kitchen.

Instead of cooking elaborate Thanksgiving meals, my family all pitches in with heating up our premade dinner, which takes a matter of minutes compared to the days of cooking in years past.

With that out of the way, we can spend time doing things as a family, like running Turkey Trots, playing board games, or even going to the movies.

My kids are teenagers now, and with their busy schedules, we rarely get a day all together in the house. I'm thankful that I don't have to spend the day cooking and can actually hang out with my teens instead.

Although I may return to cooking family recipes on Thanksgiving in the future, there's something lovely about letting an outside party handle the meal so I can focus on my family instead.

While my kids are teenagers with jobs, school schedules, and social lives, I'd prefer to spend the holiday being present with them instead of frantically managing the kitchen.

For this reason, I'll continue to order Thanksgiving dinner from chains for the foreseeable future. After all, homemade pies and mashed potatoes can wait — but making memories with my kids can't.

For the first recipe, I utilized all of my Thanksgiving leftovers to make a sandwich from The New York Times.

Our typical Thanksgiving leftovers include mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, and green-bean casserole, so I bought a few store-bought versions for my test.

I also grabbed thick sandwich bread and turkey gravy.

I began by mixing the mayonnaise and cranberry sauce to create a cranberry mayo and combined the chopped turkey and gravy to make a sauce.

Next, I made a box of stuffing, pressed it into a square pan, and refrigerated it until it hardened.

Once it was solid, I fried each side in a bit of oil. This step took the longest to prepare and required some planning ahead.

The sandwich recipe called for stacking layers of cranberry mayonnaise, gravy, mac and cheese, stuffing, green-bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and the turkey between two slices of bread.

I knew it would be a messy disaster before I even put the two pieces of bread together.

Overall, the sandwich was messy and difficult to eat. When I tried to take a bite out of it, all of the ingredients slid out onto the plate.

I ended up eating everything with a knife and fork, which made me wonder why I went through the hassle of stacking it all into a sandwich.

The easiest dish to make was the turkey salad, which was similar to chicken versions I've made in the past.

The ingredients were simple: celery, green onion, paprika, mayo, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and finely chopped leftover turkey.

I don't like the crunch of celery or onion, so for this turkey salad, I changed things up a bit.

Instead of adding diced celery, green onion, and salt, I just added celery salt to flavor the dish without adding a harsh crunch to the salad.

I love chicken salad, so I was excited to try the turkey recipe in the form of a sandwich.

It tasted great, as it had plenty of flavor from the mustard, paprika, and celery salt while showcasing the turkey.

Overall, I thought it was simple to make and, as an added bonus, required ingredients I already had in my pantry and refrigerator.

I'd make this turkey-salad recipe again if I had leftovers on hand.

I'm a fan of hearty fall meals, so I was happy to find a recipe for leftover turkey soup.

Out of the three recipes, the soup had the longest ingredient list, including long-grain wild rice, chicken broth, and diced carrots, celery, and onions.

After some chopping, I was ready to try the recipe out.

I love a soup dish that starts with cooking aromatics like carrots, celery, and onions.

Simmering the chopped vegetables in a bit of butter immediately set the tone for the savory soup I was about to enjoy.

After sautéeing the chopped vegetables, I added chicken broth and a box of long-grain wild rice to the pot. Then, I let it simmer until the grains were cooked through.

I also added the half-and-half the recipe called for, though I think you could forgo it to make a lighter soup.

Once I added the half-and-half, the soup was creamy and ready to serve.

I thought the finished dish was so delicious, hearty, and savory. I loved the flavor of the vegetables and turkey.

My family returned for seconds, so we hardly had any leftovers the following day.

I wouldn't mind cooking turkey breast again just to make the soup.

Of all three recipes, the one I'd be most likely to make again is the creamy, delicious turkey-and-wild-rice soup.

Though the Thanksgiving leftovers sandwich and turkey salad were good, I wouldn't go out of my way to cook another bird for either dish.

If I were looking for a way to use pieces of a leftover Thanksgiving turkey, I'd make the wild-rice soup.

This story was originally published on November 23, 2023, and most recently updated on November 27, 2024.

Each recipe called for trimmed, fresh green beans that had been blanched in boiling water for a few minutes and cooled in an ice bath to stop the cooking process.

The boiling times varied between two and five minutes. But since I like my green beans extra smooshy in the casserole, I blanched all the beans for five minutes before moving them to an ice bath.

Brown's green-bean casserole most closely resembled the dish I've been making my entire adult life.

The ingredients included breaded onions, green beans, and a mushroom sauce. Everything was pretty simple and straightforward.

Brown's recipe involved creating a sauce that seemed a lot like cream-of-mushroom soup to me. It included chopped mushrooms, butter, chicken broth, and half-and-half.

The sauce was simple to make and tasted amazing. I immediately knew it would be similar to the canned version I typically use, but fresher and more flavorful.

For the crunchy garnish, Brown called for yellow onions, halved and sliced thin.

I coated the slices in flour, panko, and salt and baked them until they were nice and crispy.

After all the components were ready, I started assembling the casserole by combining the green beans, mushroom sauce, and ¼ of the onions.

I topped everything with the rest of the crispy onions and baked it for 15 minutes at 475 degrees Fahrenheit.

It was obvious from looks alone that Brown's casserole was the most traditional of the three. It looked like the green-bean casseroles I've made for years, and it had the same flavor profile.

But Brown's version was better than mine. It was an elevated, fresher, more flavorful version of what I've been serving for years.

I just might start making it for future Thanksgiving dinners.

There were lots of familiar ingredients in Guarnaschelli's casserole recipe, like mushrooms, green beans, and onion.

But the chef called for a red onion, and the sauce for the casserole contained tangy Dijon mustard.

Like Brown, Guarnaschelli had specific instructions for preparing the onion in her recipe. It was to be sliced into super-thin rounds before coating and frying.

I was more than a little nervous to fry the rings of red onion in several cups of canola oil, but the process was easier than I anticipated.

After tossing the onions in flour, I fried them in batches, allowing them to drain on paper towels before salting them.

Of all three casserole toppings, these were the crispiest, tastiest, and most flavorful.

Other than the addition of Dijon, Guarnaschelli's sauce was familiar and straightforward to make.

Once I had everything ready, I garnished the top with the crispy onions and baked everything for about 10 minutes at 350 F.

I may save traditional green-bean casseroles, like Brown's, for Thanksgiving dinner. But I'd make Guarnaschelli's version as a side dish for any elevated meal at home.

The tanginess of the Dijon mustard combined with the salty crispiness of the fried red onion would make this a perfect side for everything from grilled steaks to barbecued meats.

Drummond's casserole abandoned traditional inclusions like crispy onion and mushrooms, and instead called for bacon, diced red bell pepper, and a creamy cheddar-cheese sauce.

I was immediately intrigued by how it would turn out.

I followed the recipe to a T, but I couldn't help but wonder how it would compare to my traditional and beloved green-bean casserole.

Most of the steps involved mixing the ingredients for the cheesy sauce in a pan on the stove before adding in the cooked bacon and blanched green beans.

Instead of crispy onions, I topped the casserole with breadcrumbs before baking it for 30 minutes at 350 F.

The bacon-y, cheesy dish was surprisingly delicious, although it tasted nothing like any green-bean casserole I've had before.

Next time, I'd add a few pats of butter to the breadcrumb topping to get it a bit more golden brown.

I particularly liked the flavors brought into the dish by the sharp cheddar cheese and red bell pepper — I could see this being a fun side dish to serve at a summer barbecue.

My husband preferred this one and said if you're trying to take a standout dish to a Thanksgiving potluck, this would turn heads.

Right out of the oven, Guarnaschelli's crispy, salty, oniony dish was my absolute favorite. The creamy mustard sauce gave it an elevated and decadent vibe, and the onions were packed with flavor.

But I think the best part of any holiday meal is the leftovers. The following day, Brown's green-bean casserole emerged as the best of the three.

As the traditional creamy, mushroom-laden sauce sat with the green beans, the flavors got even better. For Thanksgiving, I think Brown's recipe is the winner here.

Drummond's recipe was delicious, but it just didn't seem like a green-bean casserole to me. If I make it again, it'll likely be at other times of the year.

This story was originally published in November 2023 and most recently updated on November 26, 2024.

Fresh green beans, elbow macaroni, and goat cheese were on the ingredient list, which felt fresh, simple, and easy to acquire.

Still, since I was following recipes from a pro, I thought I'd probably have to go to five different stores to gather up all of the ingredients.

To my surprise, I found all the groceries I needed at Walmart in only one trip. 

Garten's deep-dish apple pie was to be our dessert, so I made it a day in advance to save time on the big day.

The recipe called for a lot of citrus zest, but it was simple to get the amount I needed from oranges and lemons using my microplane grater.

I am pretty die-hard about following recipes, but I cheated a little on this one by using a store-bought pie crust rather than making my own. I was glad I did, as the meal was still plenty of work.

I prepped Garten's make-ahead cranberry sauce the day before, too.

I've made cranberry sauce from scratch before, but I prefer the canned variety, so I was curious how Garten's would stack up.

The recipe called for tart Granny Smith apples and lots of citrus zest, which required a lot of grating and chopping.

Garten's sausage-and-herb stuffing was next on my to-do list. I prepped this a day ahead of time as well.

It was easy to brown sausage, cook down ingredients such as apples and onions, and mix everything in a pan with toasted bread pieces. Using the straightforward, simple recipe, the stuffing came together easily and was a breeze to make.

Day one of cooking also involved making Garten's goat-cheese mashed potatoes.

Since the mashed-potato recipe was full of creamy butter and milk, adding goat cheese seemed odd to me, but who am I to argue with Ina?

I prepped the entire recipe in advance, whipping my potatoes with a hand mixer. Then, I loaded the cheesy mixture into a baking pan and topped it with butter and Parmesan cheese.

My kids would riot if mac and cheese was not part of our Thanksgiving meal, so I chose a recipe that involved a fresh tomato topping to mix up our normal side.

In addition to topping the Gruyere-and-cheddar-based mac and cheese with fresh tomatoes, the recipe also called for a fresh breadcrumb topping.

I'd never made fresh breadcrumbs before, but I quickly learned it's easy. I just put slices of bread into a food processor and pulsed. 

One of my favorite ways to keep things organized while cooking a big dinner such as Thanksgiving is to cover each pre-assembled dish with aluminum foil and write the cooking time and temperature on top with a permanent marker.

That way, when it's time to cook, I can easily see what needs to go into the oven at which time and I won't be searching for the recipes again to find the information.

Garten's green-beans gremolata recipe is a big jump from my normal casserole, but I was excited to try a fresher, less creamy approach to the vegetable side. 

Like a lot of Garten's Thanksgiving recipes, the gremolata required lots of citrus zest, along with pine nuts, fresh herbs, and Parmesan.

After blanching the green beans and tossing them into an ice bath, I set them aside for when they'd be sautéed and tossed with the gremolata before serving.

In recent years, my husband and I have spatchcocked our turkey, a technique where you open the bird up, remove the backbone, and lay it flat for cooking.

We were a bit hesitant to try Garten's oven-roast turkey, as it was a way more traditional approach. After prepping the bird and stuffing it with garlic, herbs, onion, and lemon, we popped it into our oven and hoped for the best.

Although Garten's Thanksgiving dinner didn't look like my normal one, it was stunning when everything came out of the oven and was laid out on my kitchen island.

Everything looked delicious and elegant. I immediately thought it was one of the most beautiful meals I'd made in my life.

I spent about 10 hours in the kitchen in total prepping our Thanksgiving menu, and when I saw everything put together, I knew the time was well worth it.

Garten's oven-roast turkey was beautiful and looked like something out of a Thanksgiving movie.

Still, I find the spatchcocking method allows for better planning when it comes to cooking time. With the bird laid flat, I think it's easier to predict how long it'll take to reach the correct internal temperature.

I'm a canned cranberry sauce girl through and through.

Garten's recipe was the most involved cranberry sauce I've ever made from scratch with its citrus zest and chopped apples. It took a lot of work and I don't feel it was worth it. 

It was a bit tart, and in the future, I'd stick with canned cranberry sauce.

I'm a big fan of traditional green-bean casserole made with cream-of-mushroom soup and crispy onions.

Garten's green-beans gremolata was a different dish entirely — fresh and citrusy instead of creamy and full of umami. Still, it was delicious. 

I'd definitely make the side again, just not on Thanksgiving.

I wasn't sure about topping mac and cheese with fresh tomatoes, but it worked.

The homemade breadcrumbs and elbow macaroni provided enough carbs that, when combined with cheese and tomato, it gave everyone at my dinner table grilled-cheese-and-tomato-soup vibes. 

 I loved Garten's mashed potatoes, but adding an ingredient as creamy and tangy as goat cheese definitely changed the flavor profile.

These were not your classic mashed potatoes. Instead, they were a more creamy mash with pungent notes from the goat cheese.

Although they didn't scream "Thanksgiving" to me, I would make them again as a side dish for a different meal.

I've never been into stuffing, as it's always seemed to lack flavor and take up valuable real estate in my stomach — which I'd rather fill with the aforementioned green-bean casserole.

Garten's stuffing recipe, however, made me a convert.

The savoriness of the sausage and herbs combined with the tartness of the apples was perfection and I loved the freshly-made toasted cubes of bread we'd prepped the day before.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed Garten's deep-dish apple pie, so much so that it was the only menu item we didn't have leftovers of.

Made with tart Granny Smith apples, the pie was the perfect balance of sweet and tangy, combined with a crispy crust. We served each slice with a scoop of vanilla-bean ice cream, the perfect accompaniment.

Going on a 10-hour adventure through some of Garten's most iconic recipes was a lot of fun. Looking back, I'm still proud of my hard work and the beautiful menu I served my guests as a result.

I spent $132.77 on ingredients, which felt like a solid deal considering I was able to feed a dozen people, with leftovers. My usual Thanksgiving meals typically cost me more to prepare.

It was a lot of work,  but there are some great recipes I plan to make again throughout the year or for our next holiday feast. 

This story was originally published on November 9, 2023, and most recently updated on November 25, 2024.