Dolly Parton has reminded fans that age is just a number after putting on a halftime show performance in an iconic Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit. The country music legend, 77, performed on Thursday’s NFL game between the Washington Commanders and host Dallas Cowboys. For the Thanksgiving match, Parton took to the field to sing “Jolene”, “9 to 5” and her own rendition of “We Are The Champions” by Queen. While Parton put on a dazzling performance, it was her Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit that seemed to capture everyone’s attention. The singer was seen at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, wearing a modified version of the classic cheerleader outfit. Her look included the team’s signature blue cropped top, a white starry vest, and matching white mini shorts. Underneath the crop top and shorts, Parton was dressed in a sheer, bedazzled catsuit. Following her halftime show performance, fans immediately took to social media to share their thoughts on Parton’s memorable fashion moment. “If there’s one thing we can count on in this world, it’s that Dolly is going to give iconic looks and performances until the moment she ascends to heaven,” one fan wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “You know who’s a national treasure? #DollyParton. That’s who,” said another fan. However, it didn’t take long for some online trolls to criticise her Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit, as one user pointed out: “Some people are slinging insults at Dolly because she’s 77 years old and doesn’t act like an old lady.” In response, many people praised Parton for unapologetically dressing the way she wants - no matter her age. “Dolly Parton is 77 and wearing whatever the hell she wants. I love her,” said one fan. “Dolly Parton looks better at 77 than I have in my entire life,” someone else wrote. Some fans even noted how CBS commentator and former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo seemed to gush over Parton’s performance after the halftime show. “She looks amazing,” Romo said during the NFL broadcast. “She’s wonderful. Who doesn’t like Dolly Parton?” Throughout her career, the country music icon has been known to show off some unforgettable fashion - from her signature rhinestone jackets to her big, blonde tresses. In fact, Parton recently revealed that she was asked to “tone down” her style early on in her career. During the four-part series What Would Dolly Do? Radio on Apple Music and Apple Podcasts, she revealed that her “dear friend” and fellow musician Chet Atkins once suggested she soften her appearance. “He said, ‘Dolly, I really don’t believe that people are going to take you serious as a singer and songwriter unless you tone down your look,’” Parton recalled to host Kelleigh Bannen. “I said, ‘Well, okay. I’ll take that to heart, Mr Atkins. Thank you for your advice.’ And of course, I just got worse with it.” “Years later, after I became a star, he sidled up beside me and said, ‘Now ain’t you glad you listened to my good advice?’” she continued. When asked by Bannen what she would tell someone today if they asked her to change her appearance, Parton fittingly replied: “I’d say, ‘Go to hell. I ain’t doing it.’” The “I Will Always Love You” singer went on to express that someone’s personal style should simply be whatever “makes you happy”. “My true belief with most things, you’ve got to really find out who you are, what makes you happy, what you’re comfortable in, and if you feel like you look your best, according to your rules, then you are going to do your best,” Parton said. “I really believe that. And I think everybody has their own little things they love. To me, that is what fashion is.” Read More Birth of endangered rhino calf caught on camera at Chester Zoo Taylor Swift expertly recovers from wardrobe malfunction during Eras Tour in Brazil Mullets are officially back. And, no, we haven’t lost our minds Birth of endangered rhino calf caught on camera at Chester Zoo Taylor Swift expertly recovers from wardrobe malfunction during Eras Tour in Brazil Mullets are officially back. And, no, we haven’t lost our minds

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As the clocks go back and the days get shorter, we could all do with a boost in serotonin to fight the winter blues. One way to get just that is a spicy, vibrant, warming meal. Recent studies show that one in three Brits admit to being affected by seasonal affective disorder, with younger adults more likely to experience the mood disorder. In an attempt to lift moods through foods, I’ve created a dish that contains ingredients scientifically proven to boost your mood and warm the winter nights ahead. This beef cheek jungle curry brings the heat, with jungle curry being one of the spiciest curries to come out of Thailand. The chemical capsaicin, found in chillies, acts as an endorphin that makes our body release serotonin, which helps to lift your mood. Originating from northern Thailand, the dish is traditionally cooked out using only stock rather than coconut milk, adding to this fiery curry’s intensity and vibrant orange colour. Research has shown that bright colours can also trigger the release of serotonin to help fight those winter blues. The science Heat It’s reported that even a whiff of ginger can improve your mood. No Thai curry would complete without a healthy amount of ginger and garlic, but it’s fresh chillies that really pack a punch. Capsaicin, a chemical compound found in chillies, triggers the release of endorphins that can boost your mood, and may even reduce stress and anxiety. Increase the heat levels to give yourself a boost, and to keep warm when the cold weather kicks in. Colour Our brains respond to colour by stimulating glands which regulate hormones, including serotonin. Research has shown that bright colours can trigger the release of serotonin, which is responsible for making us feel happy and satisfied. The bright reds of my jungle curry signal excitement to the brain, whilst orange and yellow hues are the feel-good colours of the rainbow, eliciting feelings of happiness, optimism and hope. Lean proteins It’s no secret that protein is vital for a balanced diet. According to mental health charity MIND, diets high in protein can support your mental health. Protein contains amino acids which your brain needs to produce neurotransmitters – these help regulate thoughts and feelings. Beef cheek is inexpensive and packed with protein, it works perfectly in this jungle curry. Beef cheeky jungle curry recipe Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 pot jungle curry Payst 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tbsp coriander roots, washed and finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled 2 tbsp wild ginger, krachai, peeled and roughly chopped (regular ginger can be used instead) ½ tbsp coarse sea salt 200g beef cheek, trimmed (any slow cook beef can be used) 2 whole stick lemongrasses, bruised in a pestle 20g galangal, bruised in a pestle 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn slightly to release flavour 2 tbsp table salt 1 whole garlic head, sliced in two across the cloves 4 banana shallots, chopped in half 1 tbsp caster sugar 2 tbsp fish sauce 10g hot Vietnamese mint (optional) 10g betel leaves (optional, spinach can be used instead) 10g coriander 10g Thai sweet basil 10g fresh curry leaves 30g new potatoes, chopped in half 30g green beans 1 head pak choi, core removed and chopped into bite sized pieces. Fresh chillies to taste Method: 1. Firstly, braise the beef cheeks. In a large oven-proof pan submerge the beef cheeks in water and then add the lemongrass sticks, bruised galangal, lime leaves, banana shallots, table salt and whole garlic. Cover the surface of the liquid with parchment paper and the pan with tin foil to protect from the direct heat of the oven and then cook in a pre-heated oven at 100C for 8 hours (this is best cooked overnight). Check the beef cheeks before removing from the oven, they should easily be chopped with a spoon with tenderness. When cooked, remove from the oven and leave to one side to use immediately. 2. In the meantime, cook out the paste. When cooking a jungle curry, it is fried in 2 stages and then boiled, this is for depth of flavour. To start, pound the coriander root, wild ginger and garlic cloves to a paste, using the sea salt as an abrasive. 3. Next heat the vegetable oil in a wok or non-stick pan and then proceed to fry out the paste, scraping and stirring constantly. When the paste begins to darken slightly, add the jungle curry paste and continue to cook out the paste, making sure it doesn’t stick and burn, at this point add the kaffir lime leaves and the lemongrass from the beef braising stock. Continue to fry the paste until it begins to darken in colour and then add the sugar and fry for a further minute until the sugar has caramelised and the paste has darkened a little more. 4. Next de-glaze the pan with the fish sauce, 300ml of beef braising stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering add the potatoes and continue to simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are beginning to soften. At this point add the pak choi, green beans and beef cheeks and use a little more braising stock if needed, then continue to simmer until all ingredients are softened and edible. 5. Lastly add all the herbs and gently toss them through the hot curry and then serve immediately, the curry should be loose, yet rich and spicy with a salty edge. Serve the beef cheek jungle curry in bowls with steamed jasmine rice, if you like top with crispy garlic, shallots and fresh chillies. The winter Mood Boosting recipe has been created by Sebby Holmes, Head Chef and owner of Farang and PAYST Read More The Independent high street Christmas sandwich and drink taste test How to host a dinner party for under £2 per portion Three new cookbooks worth buying, from James Martin to the Hairy Bikers Pearly Cow, Margate, restaurant review: Go for the steak, but stay for the potatoes What does Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt cook at home? Don’t throw away Thanksgiving leftovers - here’s what you can do with them

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Thanksgiving feasts are about to begin, but there’s one important thing to consider when the holiday is done: What do you do with all the leftovers? Thursday is just one day away and many Americans are already in planning mode, from buying the turkey to decorating their home for guests. While much of the work begins on Thanksgiving morning, with the fast-paced schedule of cooking dinner, perhaps an even bigger task is trying to finish all the servings of stuffing, turkey, green bean casserole, steamed vegetables, and pies that were leftover from Thanksgiving. Some people may opt to eat their leftovers separately, but why not combine all the Thanksgiving food to create an even bigger dish? Here are five fun meals you can create with your Thanksgiving leftovers this year. Turkey Soup The cold months are fast approaching, so a warm bowl of soup is perfect comfort food for the winter. Begin this dish by bringing your broth to a boil and adding in different seasonings, such as salt and pepper. Then, spice up your soup by adding some of your Thanksgiving leftovers. According to Martha Stewart, one simple recipe for turkey soup calls for eight cups of turkey stock – which can be made with turkey bones and water. Then add one and a half cups of shredded cooked turkey leftover from Thanksgiving, as well as leftover vegetables and seasonings used to cook for the holida - lemon wedges, chopped dill, three small carrots, salt, and pepper. The recipe also calls for one non-Thanksgiving-related ingredient: three dried wide egg noodles. After the stock has been seasoned, add the noodles and carrots and return the pot to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are “tender” and the noodles are “al dente”, which will take about four minutes. Stir in the cooked turkey and let it simmer for about a minute, before sprinkling dill and serving the soup with a lemon wedge on the side. Pot pies A beloved pot pie dish usually consists of meat cooked inside a flaky pastry. However, this pot pie doesn’t necessarily have to be filled with chicken or veggies, as you can instead make the savoury meal with the help of some leftovers. One recipe from Bon Appetit - called the “Leftover-Turkey Pot Pie” - includes a range of Thanksgiving foods, such as half a cup of leftover vegetables, one and one-half cups of cooked turkey, one and one-fourth cups of turkey gravy, and the optional cranberry sauce for serving. Other ingredients include one tablespoon of unsalted butter; one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil; one cup of chopped onion; six ounces of button mushrooms; kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; one cup of thinly sliced, peeled carrots; one teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme; one-fourth cup of thawed, frozen green peas; one tablespoon of chopped, fresh Italian parsley; one large egg white; one nine-inch pie crust and all-purpose flour. For cooking, begin by putting one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, before adding a cup of chopped onion. Cook for for seven minutes, before adding mushrooms with the stems trimmed and caps cup in half. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and stir for about four minutes. The recipe then calls for adding carrots to the skillet and covering it for two minutes. After that, add the leftover cooked vegetables, cooked turkey, turkey gravy, and thyme. As you bring the mixture to a boil, season it with salt and pepper and mix in the parsley and thawed green peas. Then pour the mixture into a glass pie dish and wait for it to cool, which will take about 30 minutes. For the next step, gently brush the rim of the pie dish with one large beaten egg and a teaspoon of water. Now that the filling has cooled down, add the pie crust to the top of the filling and fold the edges of the dough. As you preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, brush the top of the pie with the egg mixture. Then make three to four small slits in the centre before pressing parsley leaves onto the crust. The pie will bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. Casseroles A casserole, whether it’s filled with green beans or sweet potatoes, is a fan-favourite dish for Thanksgiving. But when the holiday is done, why not create your own casserole out of the stuffing and turkey that’s left in the fridge? The Pioneer Woman, also known as foodie Ree Drummond, has one receipe for a casserole called the “Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole”. Luckily, it allows for all the Thanksgiving leftovers to be used in one dish. The ingredients include four cups of stuffing, four cups of chopped turkey, one and one-half cups of green beans, one and one-half cups of gravy, three cups of mashed potatoes, one large egg yolk, one cup of shredded Monterey jack cheese, and cranberry sauce for serving. Before cooking the dish, begin by preheating the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and buttering the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the stuffing into the dish to create a crust for the casserole. From there, layer the turkey and green beans over the stuffing and pour the gravy on top. Combine the egg yolk and mashed potatoes into another bowl, and pour the mixture over the turkey. Once you’ve sprinkled cheese onto the dish, cover it with foil, place it on the third rack of the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes have passed, uncover the dish and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes. After taking the dish out of the oven and letting it cool for 10 minutes, the casserole can be served with cranberry sauce. Sandwiches Whether it’s during a lunch break or at dinner with friends, any type of sandwich makes for a great meal. Instead of buying the lettuce and tomatoes for your usual sandwich, now you have the opportunity to turn your Thanksgiving leftovers into a delectable sandwich. In the recipe for Delish’s “Best Thanksgiving Sandwich” - which makes two sandwiches - the ingredients include two tablespoons of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of Dijon mustard, four slices of toasted sourdough bread, two cups of roasted turkey, half a cup of mashed potatoes, half a cup of cranberry sauce, half a cup of stuffing, one fourth cup of warmed gravy, and one fourth cup of baby spinach. To prepare the sandwich, begin by mixing mayo and mustard into a small bowl and spreading it on one side of the two pieces of bread. Add one cup of turkey, one-fourth cup of mashed potatoes, two tablespoons of cranberry sauce, and one-fourth cup of stuffing onto the bread slices. Finish off each sandwich with two tablespoons of gravy and spinach, before placing the second piece of bread on top - making the ultimate Thanksgiving sandwich. Quiches Although the savoury pastry is typically filled with cheese and meat, make the quiche your own with the help of Thanksgiving leftovers. According to the Food Network, one recipe calls for a nine-inch frozen pie shell. To make the quiche’s filling, assemble one cup of crumbled stuffing, one cup of chopped turkey, one cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, one-fourth cup of parsley leaves, kosher salt and pepper. For the custard in the dish, you’ll need one and one-fourth cups of half and half, three large eggs, one-fourth teaspoon of grated nutmeg, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. To make the quiche, begin by partially baking the empty pie shell without the filling - which you can do by following the directions on the package. Then, create your filling by sprinkling the turkey and stuffing into the pie shell, topping it off with parsley and cheddar. Next, season the dish with salt and pepper. For the custard, mix the half and half, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in one bowl. Finally, pour the mixture over the filling. Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let it bake for about 35 to 45 minutes. Give the quiche at least 30 minutes to cool, and serve! Read More Don’t throw away Thanksgiving leftovers - here’s what you can do with them Can you make a Thanksgiving dinner in an air fryer? We tried it out Does turkey really make you tired? Best time to host Thanksgiving dinner The Independent high street Christmas sandwich and drink taste test How to decolonize your Thanksgiving dinner in observance of National day of Mourning Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring

With the end of the year almost upon us and before you whip out the advent calendars and dress up the tree, it’s time to answer an all-important question: which Christmas sandwich and drink is best? Every year, supermarket stalwarts like Tesco, Waitrose and Co-op elevate their selections, resurrecting old favourites and introducing new flavour combinations to add a dash of joy to the winter gloom. Meanwhile, treasured working lunch spots like Starbucks and Caffe Nero put forth their best concoctions to keep you in the festive spirit until the holidays. But no one enjoys a sad sandwich or a cold coffee so we’ve done the hard work for you: by taste testing a selection of this year’s Christmas sandwiches and drinks and ranking them out of five. We’ve roped in some of the most discerning palates from The Independent office: editor Geordie Greig, food and drink editor Hannah Twiggs, video producer Harry Pagés and Culture and Lifestyle reporter Maanya Sachdeva. See our live reactions in the video, read our verdicts below and keep checking back as we try as many sandwiches and drinks as is physically possible before Christmas arrives. Sandwiches Co-op’s Christmas Market Sandwich Average rating: 3.75 The Co-op’s Christmas Market Sandwich made its mark with a combination of fried and sliced pork sausage, curry-seasoned cheddar cheese, mayo, cabbage, spinach, gherkins, mustard and black pepper, all nestled between slices of dark rye bread. The panel was mostly impressed. Geordie, with an generous 4, praised the sandwich’s size, appearance and flavours. He found it spicy, wholesome and very filling, and would come back for seconds. Maanya, also giving it a 4, declared this sandwich her favourite. She appreciated the healthier feel with the inclusion of more vegetables than the others and an interesting flavour. She, too, wanted more. Hannah, with a conservative 3.5, said: “This is a good looking sandwich.” While she said it didn’t feel particularly Christmassy, she found the pickle punch from the cabbage and gherkins and the curry-spiked cheese a welcome addition. Harry, initially sceptical, surprised himself by giving it a 3.5. If this is what a Christmas market tastes like, it tastes pretty good. Subway’s V.I.Brie SubMelt Average rating: 3.5 Verdict: The panel’s reactions to Subway’s newest melt, available for a limited time only, were as diverse as the ingredients themselves. Geordie, with an enthusiastic 4.5, described the sub as huge, enticing and delicious. He was impressed by the right balance of fillings and the warmth of the sandwich, and said: “That’s my lunch sorted.” Hannah, a self-declared “cheese fiend”, gave it a more reserved rating of 3, finding that the bacon and cheese didn’t shine as expected and there was an overwhelming amount of caramelised red onion. Maanya, rating it a 3.5, drew a comparison with Starbucks’ entry, noting that the Subway creation was sweeter and felt more decadent. A fan of Subway sandwiches in general, she appreciated this melt’s Christmassy flavour. Harry, coming in at 3 out of 5, thought that the “big boy’s” size alone made it good value for money. “You could knock someone out with that,” he suggested, though we definitely don’t. While he enjoyed the sharp flavour and Christmas theme, he felt that the star ingredient brie was lacking in punch, leaving the name somewhat misleading. Starbucks’ Festive Feast Panini Average rating: 3 Verdict: Starbucks’ Festive Feast Panini, filled with chicken breast, mature cheddar cheese, smoky bacon, pork, bacon and caramelised onion stuffing, cranberry chutney and turkey gravy, has returned for the 2023 Christmas season but was met with mixed reviews from our panel. The sourdough ciabatta panini went down well with Geordie, who handed out a solid 4 for the sandwich’s warm embrace and crisp bread – he’d happily come back for seconds. Maanya, on the other hand, was less impressed. It was “super cheesy” but just “fine” and lacking that Christmas sandwich sparkle. Hannah had high hopes but landed at 2.5, calling it “a bit nothingy” – not a flavour fiesta but the bread was a solid plus. Panini pundit Harry gave it a 4, welcoming the good consistency, generous filling and sauce that hit all the right notes. Asda’s Festive Feast Sandwich Average rating: 2.75 Verdict: Asda’s Festive Feast Sandwich, bringing turkey breast, sausages, smoked bacon, gravy mayo, stuffing and a spread of cranberry chutney to the table, earned mixed reviews from the panel. The sarnie’s highest score was 3.5 from Geordie, who said it “fills a hole” and appreciated the bread but found it a bit too sweet for his taste. Maanya, ranking it 3 out of 5, found it vastly improved after the first bite, with the cranberry giving it a good Thanksgiving or Christmas vibe. Hannah, less than impressed with a 2.5, likened it to the “bog standard” roast dinners you get at school, and found it too heavy on the stuffing. Harry, with a 2, was charmed by its good looks but suggested the cranberry sauce might be masking some shortcomings. Despite having a lot going on, it fell short of his expectations. Waitrose’s Pigs Under Blankets Average rating: 2.5 Verdict: Despite being the sandwich that’s “so good we’ve brought it back”, with pork sausage, smoked bacon, cranberry and redcurrant chutney and mayonnaise in sliced malted bread, Waitrose’s Pigs Under Blankets fell short of our panel’s expectations. Geordie, with a rating of 3, praised its substantial and firm structure but found it a little bland, falling short of becoming his favourite filling. Maanya, more optimistic with a 3.5, expressed excitement for the “pigs under blankets” concept, appreciating its one-dimensional charm, but noting that it was a little bit messy. Perhaps not the best choice for a date. Hannah, surprisingly impressed with a 4, found the sandwich better than expected. She appreciated the flavour of the sausages and the balance of ingredients, a departure from the overwhelming nature of some Christmas sandwiches. Harry, however, with a resounding 1, declared the Waitrose entry “pretty grim”. It didn’t meet the expectations associated with Waitrose, and, in his view, even had the potential to dampen the Christmas spirit. Ouch. Tesco’s Chicken, Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce Sub Average rating: 2 Verdict: Tesco’s offering, with chicken breast, sage and onion stuffing, smoked bacon, mayonnaise and cranberry chutney, faced a tough crowd – and our panel didn’t hold back. Geordie, with a rating of 2, felt the sub had an imbalance, with too much bread and not enough filling, leaving it to fall short of the festive mark. Maanya, initially predicting a bready experience, adjusted her expectations with a 2.75. While noting the bread’s softness, she, too, couldn’t get the right bite and found it lacking in festive flair, deeming it “just a normal chicken sandwich”. Hannah, giving it a 1.5, was firmly part of the “nope” camp. The visual appeal didn’t win her over, with a critique on poor proportioning and a congealed, cold filling; nor did the overall taste experience, which she described as “just not good”. Harry, with a rating of 2, asked: what are we even doing here Tesco? The bread wins points for softness, but it sorely needs a flavour overhaul. Drinks Starbucks’ Hazelnut Crunch Hot Chocolate Rating: 4.5 Verdict: The Hazelnut Crunch Hot Chocolate is the only new addition to Starbucks’ festive drinks menu this year. With an ingredients list that includes chocolate flavoured whipped creamy, sprinkled chocolate on top and a hazelnut brittle topping, you might expect it to be too rich or too sweet. But our reviewer Harry described it as “like drinking a Kinder Bueno”. Plenty of nutty and chocolatey flavours and not too much of either. Caffe Nero’s Panettone Latte Rating: 4 Verdict: Do coffee and panettone go together? It’s not an age-old question but it is one Caffe Nero is trying to answer with their Panettone Latte. It went down well with our reviewer Maanya, who described it as “Christmas in a cup”. With cinnamon and plenty of spice, it’s instantly warming and a great addition to the seasonal offerings. Starbucks’ Eggnog Latte Rating: 3 Verdict: Starbucks’ Eggnog Latte is another festive favourite to make a return in 2023. While not an eggnog fan, our reviewer Hannah was pleasantly surprised by its aroma. It was thicker than a normal latte, and “exceptionally sweet”, but if you’d rather swerve the cinnamon and caramel that so often permeate Christmas drinks, this is a good alternative. It could do with some booze in it, though, she added. Caffe Nero’s Millionaire’s Hot Chocolate Rating: 3 Verdict: With salted caramel syrup, chocolate cream and an extra drizzle of caramel, Caffe Nero’s Millionaire’s Hot Chocolate might prove too sickly for even the sweetest of tooths. For our reviewer Hannah, the aroma and flavour didn’t quite nail the brief. It goes big on chocolate, but one too many of these and you’ll have to pay a visit to the dentist. Caffe Nero’s Florentine Mocha Rating: 2 Verdict: Speaking of unusual pairings, do florentine biscuits and mochas go together? According to our reviewer Harry, perhaps not. “That’s a pretty bog standard mocha,” he says of Caffe Nero’s Florentine Mocha. It’s not a bad drink, with salted caramel syrup, panettone syrup, whipped cream and chocolate chips, but it doesn’t feel very Christmassy. The results Of the sandwiches, Co-op’s Christmas Market Sandwich, which brought pops of colour and unusual flavours to the table, was the clear winner. The diverse ingredients tick a lot of boxes and the chunky size means you’re getting bang for you buck. In last place was Tesco’s Chicken, Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce Sub. The reviews ranged from criticising the imbalance of ingredients to a plain “nope”. The panel agreed that it just didn’t have enough festive flair. On drinks, Starbucks’ new Hazelnut Crunch Hot Chocolate was the clear winner, packing in plenty of chocolatey and nutty flavours without overdoing it. Meanwhile, Caffe Nero’s Florentine Mocha is proof that not all flavours are a match made in heaven. This one might keep the sweet tooths happy, but it won’t keep the Christmas vibes going. Read More From a £22 bag of pasta to £28 sandwich – why do they cost so much? How to host a dinner party for under £2 per portion Three new cookbooks worth buying, from James Martin to the Hairy Bikers Pearly Cow, Margate, restaurant review: Go for the steak, but stay for the potatoes Three authentic Thai recipes to try at home What does Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt cook at home?

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Thanksgiving is almost upon us, a time when many Americans gather together to eat turkey and talk about what they’re most thankful for. Growing up in the United States, almost everyone can recall the “First Thanksgiving” story they were told in elementary school: how the local Wampanoag Native Americans sat down with the pilgrims of Plymouth Colony in 1621, in what is now present-day Massachusetts, for a celebratory feast. However, this story is far from the truth - which is why many people opt out of celebrating the controversial holiday. For many Indigenous communities throughout the US, Thanksgiving remains a national day of mourning - a reminder of the devastating genocide and displacement that occurred at the hands of European colonisers following their arrival in the Americas. Every year since 1970, Indigenous people and their allies have even gathered near Plymouth Rock to commemorate a National Day of Mourning on the day of Thanksgiving. “Thanksgiving Day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the erasure of Native cultures,” states the official website for the United American Indians of New England. “Participants in National Day of Mourning honour Indigenous ancestors and Native resilience. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection, as well as a protest against the racism and oppression that Indigenous people continue to experience worldwide.” This year, the 54th annual National Day of Mourning takes place on 23 November - the same day as Thanksgiving. While not everyone can support the event in person, there are still many ways people can raise awareness toward issues affecting Indigenous communities from wherever they are - by “decolonising” their Thanksgiving dinner. Decolonisation can be defined as the active resistance against settler colonialism and a shifting of power towards Indigenous sovereignty. Of course, it’s difficult to define decolonisation without putting it into practice, writes Eve Tuck and K Wayne Yang in their essay, Decolonization Is Not a Metaphor. Rather, one of the most radical and necessary moves toward decolonisation requires imagining and enacting a future for Indigenous peoples - a future based on terms of their own making. Matt Hooley is an assistant professor in the department of Native American and Indigenous Studies at Dartmouth College, where he teaches about US colonial powers and Indigenous cultural production. “Decolonisation is a beautiful and difficult political horizon that should guide our actions everyday, including during holidays like Thanksgiving,” he tells The Independent. “Of course, Thanksgiving is a particularly relevant holiday to think about decolonisation because the way many people celebrate it involves connecting ‘the family’ to a colonial myth in which colonialism is inaccurately imagined as a peaceful event in the past.” By decolonising our Thanksgiving, we can celebrate the holiday with new traditions that honour a future in which Indigenous people are celebrated. This year, we can start by understanding the real history behind Thanksgiving as told by actual Indigenous communities. While Americans mainly dedicate one day a year to give thanks, Indigenous communities express gratitude every day with the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address - often called: “The words that come before all else.” The Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address is the central prayer and invocation for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which comprises the Six Nations - Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora. When one recites the Thanksgiving Address, they’re giving thanks for all life and the natural world around them. According to Hooley, one of the most straightforward actions people can take to decolonise their Thanksgiving includes supporting Indigenous land acknowledgments and land back movements. Land back is an ongoing Indigenous-led movement which seeks to return ancestral lands to Indigenous people and the recognition of Indigenous sovereignty. While the movement is nowhere near new, it received international attention in 2016 during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline - which continues to disrupt land and water sources belonging to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. This year, sit down with family and friends to discuss an action plan and highlight the concrete steps you plan on taking to support Indigenous communities. “Another, even simpler way would be to begin participating in what’s called a ‘Voluntary Land Tax,’ whereby non-Indigenous people contribute a recurring tax to the tribal communities whose land you occupy,” said Hooley. Food is perhaps the most important part of the Thanksgiving holiday, with turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes taking center stage. However, there are many ways we can make sure our dinner tables honour Indigenous futurisms too. Donald A Grinde, Jr is a professor emeritus in the department of Africana and American Studies at the University at Buffalo. Grinde - who is a member of the Yamassee Nation - tells The Independent that crops such as corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, and potatoes are central to Indigenous history and future. “A good thing is to be thankful for the abundance in the fall and note that Native people created over 60 per cent of modern agricultural crops,” he said. “People can be thankful for the crops that Native people created, medicines created, and traditions about democracy, women’s rights and environmental rights.” Rather than buying food from major corporations this year, Hooly also recommended people consciously source their Thanksgiving dinner from Indigenous producers. “Industrial agriculture is one of the most devastating contributors to the destruction of land and water everywhere, including on Indigenous land,” he said. “Instead of buying food grown or made by colonial corporations, people could buy their food from Indigenous producers, or even simply make a greater effort to buy locally grown food or not to buy meat harvested from industrial farms.” Thanksgiving is just a day away. While it’s important that we’re actively working toward highlighting Indigenous communities on this special holiday, decolonisation efforts are something that should be done year-round. “People can also learn about political priorities of the Indigenous communities near them and support those priorities by speaking to their representatives, participating in a protest, or by making sure that their local school and library boards are including Indigenous texts in local community education,” Hooley said. Read More I made an air fryer Thanksgiving dinner so you don’t have to From turkey sandwiches to casseroles: What to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring I made an air fryer Thanksgiving dinner so you don’t have to From turkey sandwiches to casseroles: What to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring

Thanksgiving feasts are about to begin, but there’s one important thing to consider when the holiday is done: What do you do with all the leftovers? Thursday is just one day away and many Americans are already in planning mode, from buying the turkey to decorating their home for guests. While much of the work begins on Thanksgiving morning, with the fast-paced schedule of cooking dinner, perhaps an even bigger task is trying to finish all the servings of stuffing, turkey, green bean casserole, steamed vegetables, and pies that were leftover from Thanksgiving. Some people may opt to eat their leftovers separately, but why not combine all the Thanksgiving food to create an even bigger dish? Here are five fun meals you can create with your Thanksgiving leftovers this year. Turkey Soup The cold months are fast approaching, so a warm bowl of soup is perfect comfort food for the winter. Begin this dish by bringing your broth to a boil and adding in different seasonings, such as salt and pepper. Then, spice up your soup by adding some of your Thanksgiving leftovers. According to Martha Stewart, one simple recipe for turkey soup calls for eight cups of turkey stock – which can be made with turkey bones and water. Then add one and a half cups of shredded cooked turkey leftover from Thanksgiving, as well as leftover vegetables and seasonings used to cook for the holida - lemon wedges, chopped dill, three small carrots, salt, and pepper. The recipe also calls for one non-Thanksgiving-related ingredient: three dried wide egg noodles. After the stock has been seasoned, add the noodles and carrots and return the pot to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are “tender” and the noodles are “al dente”, which will take about four minutes. Stir in the cooked turkey and let it simmer for about a minute, before sprinkling dill and serving the soup with a lemon wedge on the side. Pot pies A beloved pot pie dish usually consists of meat cooked inside a flaky pastry. However, this pot pie doesn’t necessarily have to be filled with chicken or veggies, as you can instead make the savoury meal with the help of some leftovers. One recipe from Bon Appetit - called the “Leftover-Turkey Pot Pie” - includes a range of Thanksgiving foods, such as half a cup of leftover vegetables, one and one-half cups of cooked turkey, one and one-fourth cups of turkey gravy, and the optional cranberry sauce for serving. Other ingredients include one tablespoon of unsalted butter; one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil; one cup of chopped onion; six ounces of button mushrooms; kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; one cup of thinly sliced, peeled carrots; one teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme; one-fourth cup of thawed, frozen green peas; one tablespoon of chopped, fresh Italian parsley; one large egg white; one nine-inch pie crust and all-purpose flour. For cooking, begin by putting one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, before adding a cup of chopped onion. Cook for for seven minutes, before adding mushrooms with the stems trimmed and caps cup in half. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and stir for about four minutes. The recipe then calls for adding carrots to the skillet and covering it for two minutes. After that, add the leftover cooked vegetables, cooked turkey, turkey gravy, and thyme. As you bring the mixture to a boil, season it with salt and pepper and mix in the parsley and thawed green peas. Then pour the mixture into a glass pie dish and wait for it to cool, which will take about 30 minutes. For the next step, gently brush the rim of the pie dish with one large beaten egg and a teaspoon of water. Now that the filling has cooled down, add the pie crust to the top of the filling and fold the edges of the dough. As you preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, brush the top of the pie with the egg mixture. Then make three to four small slits in the centre before pressing parsley leaves onto the crust. The pie will bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. Casseroles A casserole, whether it’s filled with green beans or sweet potatoes, is a fan-favourite dish for Thanksgiving. But when the holiday is done, why not create your own casserole out of the stuffing and turkey that’s left in the fridge? The Pioneer Woman, also known as foodie Ree Drummond, has one receipe for a casserole called the “Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole”. Luckily, it allows for all the Thanksgiving leftovers to be used in one dish. The ingredients include four cups of stuffing, four cups of chopped turkey, one and one-half cups of green beans, one and one-half cups of gravy, three cups of mashed potatoes, one large egg yolk, one cup of shredded Monterey jack cheese, and cranberry sauce for serving. Before cooking the dish, begin by preheating the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and buttering the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the stuffing into the dish to create a crust for the casserole. From there, layer the turkey and green beans over the stuffing and pour the gravy on top. Combine the egg yolk and mashed potatoes into another bowl, and pour the mixture over the turkey. Once you’ve sprinkled cheese onto the dish, cover it with foil, place it on the third rack of the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes have passed, uncover the dish and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes. After taking the dish out of the oven and letting it cool for 10 minutes, the casserole can be served with cranberry sauce. Sandwiches Whether it’s during a lunch break or at dinner with friends, any type of sandwich makes for a great meal. Instead of buying the lettuce and tomatoes for your usual sandwich, now you have the opportunity to turn your Thanksgiving leftovers into a delectable sandwich. In the recipe for Delish’s “Best Thanksgiving Sandwich” - which makes two sandwiches - the ingredients include two tablespoons of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of Dijon mustard, four slices of toasted sourdough bread, two cups of roasted turkey, half a cup of mashed potatoes, half a cup of cranberry sauce, half a cup of stuffing, one fourth cup of warmed gravy, and one fourth cup of baby spinach. To prepare the sandwich, begin by mixing mayo and mustard into a small bowl and spreading it on one side of the two pieces of bread. Add one cup of turkey, one-fourth cup of mashed potatoes, two tablespoons of cranberry sauce, and one-fourth cup of stuffing onto the bread slices. Finish off each sandwich with two tablespoons of gravy and spinach, before placing the second piece of bread on top - making the ultimate Thanksgiving sandwich. Quiches Although the savoury pastry is typically filled with cheese and meat, make the quiche your own with the help of Thanksgiving leftovers. According to the Food Network, one recipe calls for a nine-inch frozen pie shell. To make the quiche’s filling, assemble one cup of crumbled stuffing, one cup of chopped turkey, one cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, one-fourth cup of parsley leaves, kosher salt and pepper. For the custard in the dish, you’ll need one and one-fourth cups of half and half, three large eggs, one-fourth teaspoon of grated nutmeg, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. To make the quiche, begin by partially baking the empty pie shell without the filling - which you can do by following the directions on the package. Then, create your filling by sprinkling the turkey and stuffing into the pie shell, topping it off with parsley and cheddar. Next, season the dish with salt and pepper. For the custard, mix the half and half, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in one bowl. Finally, pour the mixture over the filling. Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let it bake for about 35 to 45 minutes. Give the quiche at least 30 minutes to cool, and serve! Read More Five delicious dishes to make using your Thanksgiving leftovers Can you make a Thanksgiving dinner in an air fryer? We tried it out Does turkey really make you tired? Best time to host Thanksgiving dinner How to decolonize your Thanksgiving dinner in observance of National day of Mourning Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring Best wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner

I haven’t turned on my oven since I was given an air fryer three Christmases ago. This may seem unbelievable, but, living in New York City, where the kitchens are closet-sized and a dishwasher is the thing of dreams, it’s a reality I’ve become resigned to. In the last three years, my air fryer hasn’t let me down once, whether it be cooking salmon or zucchini fries. If anything, I’d say I’ve become a better cook because of its existence. Because I love my air fryer more than anything, or at least more than any other kitchen appliance, I happily offered to host a Friendsgiving dinner this year for my nearest and dearest. After all, armed with my miniature oven, I’d be able to whip a traditional feast up in no time. To my dismay, after I’d informed my friends (all three of them) of my planned cooking method, they all decided to cancel. One was more upfront about it, citing a fear of salmonella, while the other two suddenly remembered conflicting plans. I wasn’t deterred. Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday, and I am one of the few people who actually loves Thanksgiving food. Is there anything better than smothering a plate of beige foods with beige gravy? This air fryer Friendsgiving would be a dinner of one. After deciding on the menu, I headed to the grocery store, where I picked up a teeny, tiny Cornish hen as a turkey replacement, a sweet potato and some mini marshmallows, a can of crescent rolls, seasoned bread crumbs and chicken stock for stuffing, Brussels sprouts, gravy, pumpkin pie filling for a premade pie crust, and some tinfoil. I felt like a TikTok chef, ready to be the star. My first mistake, of which there would end up being many, was timing, as I didn’t consider exactly how long this dinner would take if I were air-frying all of the components separately. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I did. If you do embark on a similar journey, I’d say this is the most important thing to consider. Like any other Thanksgiving meal, creating a spreadsheet of what needs to go into the oven when would have helped immensely. At 6pm, I promptly set out on my dinner preparation. By 6.15pm, I was bleeding and covered in BBQ sauce after a jar fell out of my cupboard and smashed on my kitchen floor while I was reaching for spices to season my chicken - a step I recommend avoiding. My faith in my ability to successfully make this meal had already begun to wane. Despite the setback, I seasoned my chicken and plopped it in the air fryer breast down, as recommended by a recipe I found online. According to the instructions, I was to set the air fryer at a temperature of 380F for 20 minutes, and then flip the chicken and cook it for an additional 10 minutes. When the 30 minutes were up, I opened my air fryer with glee to find a perfectly crispy chicken. I was beyond impressed with myself. If I could make this mini Thanksgiving main course, I could make anything. As it turns out, the mediocrely cooked chicken was the extent of my good luck, and even that was pushing it. When it came to the stuffing, which I decided to make next, the air fryer turned it nearly as hard as rocks when the recipe instructions promised it would come out a golden brown. The pieces that weren’t hard enough to crack my teeth were somewhat tasty though, so I’d say that was almost a win. The sweet potato, which was meant to be sweet potato casserole, proved to be one of the biggest disappointments of the meal, with me solely to blame. Although I’m not sure exactly how I would have cooked canned yams for the base of the dish in the air fryer, attempting to cook a rock-solid sweet potato didn’t work either. By the end of 30 minutes at the highest temperature, my potato was still mostly raw. I finally just covered it with marshmallows, which crisped up nicely in the air fryer, and called it a day. If you are going to follow my lead, I do think canned yams would make more sense, or at least cutting up the sweet potato into smaller chunks so it takes less time to cook. The Brussels sprouts were, thankfully, easy to make in the air fryer, and one of the only components that didn’t turn out completely terrible. It turns out it’s pretty hard to mess up Brussels sprouts, even for the worst chefs among us. I’d even go as far as to say this is a quality replacement for a true, oven-roasted Thanksgiving side, and a way to cut down cooking time on the actual holiday. I assumed the most foolproof part of the meal would be the crescent rolls, which looked nearly perfect when I took them out of the air fryer, where they’d cooked for a mere six minutes on a bed of foil. Unfortunately, my first eager bite resulted in a mouthful of raw dough. As someone who has relied so frequently on my air fryer for sustenance, I was both surprised and disheartened by the massive failure the endeavour was turning out to be. By this time, after an hour and a half of going at it, I had just two components left: gravy, which I confidently assured myself I could heat in the air fryer, and a miniature, makeshift pumpkin pie that I’d made. After creating a little gravy boat from tin foil, which I assured myself was safe to put in the air fryer, I poured the premade gravy in and wished for the best. After five minutes, during which I’d stopped to stir the goopy mixture, I removed the gravy to find that, for all intents and purposes, it had worked. The gravy was lukewarm, which seemed like a win. However, a quick taste test proved that it was one of the grossest accompaniments I’d ever tried, but I’m unsure whether this was due to error on my part or Whole Foods. At this point, at 8pm, I plated my Thanksgiving air fryer meal. And, to my surprise, it looked absolutely perfect. It was one of the most beautiful meals I’d ever made myself, and looked like it would be at home on any Thanksgiving table. My pride slowly seeped out with each bite, however, as I gave the meal an overall rating of two out of 10. The chicken that I’d so painstakingly seasoned and then flipped? Both extremely crispy and dry, while also a concerning colour of light pink. I ate a leg before I reminded myself that I didn’t have time to get sick from salmonella this holiday season. I moved onto the sweet potato, which had hardened on top from the marshmallows and, it turns out, was not even a little cooked inside. I ate the marshmallows, but begrudgingly. Fortunately, the edges of the crescent rolls were cooked enough to be edible, so I nibbled on those while I contemplated whether or not pouring the disgusting gravy on top of the rock-hard stuffing would make it more palatable. I sat in disappointed silence as I ate my Brussels sprouts, which are obviously the worst part of any Thanksgiving meal, but which were the only edible part of mine. As for the pie, I put it in the air fryer to cook while I ate my dinner, only to be too concerned by the pie tin setting on fire, or worse, ruining my air fryer, and removing it while still raw. My air fryer Thanksgiving dinner was disgusting and time-consuming and, ultimately, inedible. But, did I have fun? Also no. If you do follow in my footsteps, maybe pick just one Thanksgiving component to air fry, such as the vegetables, or a turkey breast, rather than an entire bird. With a day to go before Thanksgiving, I’ve travelled home, where I will happily enjoy a Thanksgiving feast made in an oven. Read More Mayo slander doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring Best wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner Three easy cranberry sauce recipes to try this Thanksgiving Mayo slander doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring Best wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner Three easy cranberry sauce recipes to try this Thanksgiving