You Can Get Microsoft 365 on Sale for $50 Right Now

You can get a 1-year subscription to Microsoft 365 Personal, including 1TB OneDrive storage, on sale for $49.99 right now (reg. $69.99) for a limited time. This subscription includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more available on multiple devices. You can download each app on Windows or Mac machines, and compatible apps are also available for mobile devices. The subscription comes with 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage. It also includes Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Editor, and Clipchamp video editor, and can be used on up to five devices at the same time.

You can get a 1-year subscription to Microsoft 365 Personal on sale for $49.99 right now (reg. $69.99) for a limited time, and prices can change at any time.

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AirBuddy Is the Ultimate AirPods Companion for Your Mac

AirPods have simplified the way you connect to headphones, but there's some room for improvement in how they work on Mac. Whenever I connect my AirPods to my MacBook, I still have to press the Bluetooth button in the menu bar and select my AirPods, despite how easily they can connect to an Apple TV or iPhone. It's also hard to quickly check the battery level of my AirPods or their case. Installing AirBuddy ($13) made all of these complaints a thing of the past. The app lets you connect to AirPods quickly, reliably shows their battery level, and even lets you set up keyboard shortcuts to switch listening modes, mute or unmute, and more. Plus, it's not limited to working with AirPods.

Setting up AirBuddy

Credit: Pranay Parab

Once you've installed AirBuddy, you'll need to take a few minutes to go through setup. The app will ask for Bluetooth permissions, which it needs to see your AirPods and other Bluetooth accessories. Once granted, the app will quietly settle into your Mac's menu bar. Click the menu bar icon and select the gear icon to open AirBuddy's settings.

In the General tab, you can select what happens when you click AirBuddy's menu bar icon. You can either make it show a list of available Bluetooth devices or just immediately connect to your favorite headset. You can also enable the Increase font size option here—I think the default size for battery percentage stats is a bit too small. 

Credit: Pranay Parab

Next, go to the Proximity settings page and select Enable Status Window. This is among AirBuddy's best features—it shows a small floating window whenever you open your AirPods' case near your Mac, with the battery percentages of the case and each individual AirPod listed, plus an option to connect them to your device. You can select the size and position of this window, and set up a keyboard shortcut for it, too.

To set up more shortcuts, go to the Shortcuts tab and click the + button. I've added one for switching between noise cancellation and transparency modes, and another one to mute or unmute the AirPods mic, which is useful for video calls.

Lastly, you can go to the Devices tab and enable AirPods Firmware Update Notifications. Usually, your AirPods will automatically update themselves, but you can use AirBuddy to receive a notification when Apple issues an update, which can sometimes include interesting new features. With this, your basic AirBuddy setup is complete, but feel free to look around in settings to tweak a few more things as you see fit.

Get notifications when your AirPods are low on battery

Credit: Pranay Parab

Quite often, I've realized that my AirPods are dead right after I've left the house. Luckily, AirBuddy also lets you set up notifications when connected accessories are low on power. Go to the Devices tab in AirBuddy settings, right-click any device from the list, and select Create Battery Alert. You can set up separate alerts for the case and the AirPods themselves. This is also where AirBuddy's support for other Bluetooth accessories comes in, since you can use this feature to set up battery alerts for each of them. This includes other headsets, your mouse, keyboard, etc. (AirBuddy can also work with Shortcut automations or transfer Apple's Magic accessories to other devices with a single click.)

Ever since I've set up AirBuddy, I find myself using my AirPods a lot more with the Mac. It's made me a lot less anxious about leaving the house with a dead pair of AirPods (or worse—with one AirPod that's failed to charge for some unknown reason). As someone who likes to use apps in full-screen mode, AirBuddy's keyboard shortcuts have saved me a fair bit of time, too. Now, I no longer need to long-press my AirPods themselves or fiddle with the menu bar to control my AirPods' listening modes. 

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This Thanksgiving, Call on Help From Your Air Fryer

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

Much of Thanksgiving cooking is tradition: traditional dishes made in the traditional style served on the traditional tablecloth your family has used since before you were born. Allow me to challenge tradition with a modern upgrade to cooking part (or all) of your feast. Not only will you end up with excellent results, but you’ll save time and effort, and thus stress less. Instead of roasting everything in the oven, put some faith in your air fryer.

Why the air fryer rules on Thanksgiving

I feel lucky to live in a time when the convection oven was made compact and cute for home use. Thanks to the high velocity winds and petite stature, you can count on fast roasting with no preheating necessary. Not only that, but the air fryer is fully capable of cooking a variety of items, which frees up your oven for other dishes. While you're unlikely to fit larger items in your air fryer, like a 22-pound turkey or 13 by 9-inch casserole dish, you can certainly cook a variety of smaller sized items. (That includes main dishes.) Below are some Thanksgiving classics you can make in the air fryer.

Which air fryer is suited for the job?

Any air fryer can speed up cooking; your only limitation might be size. For large roasts, you might want to consider a bigger oven like the Cuisinart below. If you plan on making multiple different items at once, consider something with two baskets and two separate, independent cooking zones, like the Ninja.

• Cuisinart Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven

• Ninja DoubleStack XL Air Fryer

Turkey breast and other roasts

Although I wouldn’t recommend air-frying a whole turkey, you absolutely can roast part of a turkey. Many stores sell solo turkey breasts, and a small one of those can fit into an air fryer. It’s not a bad idea to measure the interior of your air fryer (accounting for at least two inches of buffer space from where the fan is) to know your limitations.

The air fryer can roast other main-dish meats too, like a juicy pork tenderloin, broiler chicken, boneless leg of lamb, porchetta, ham roast, or a show-stopping beef Wellington. Make sure to brine or marinate your meat the night before. Depending on the roast, you may achieve more even browning by flipping the roast for the last third of the cooking time.

I recommend keeping a reliable thermometer on hand so you can easily check for doneness, as the timing will vary depending on the animal you’re roasting and its size. I like the Thermapen One for this job, and the ThermoWorks website often has holiday sales, so keep an eye out. 

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, No. 1 Recommended Instant-Read Thermometer - Cayenne Pepper Red

$115.00 at Amazon

$115.00 at Amazon

Small casseroles

Small casseroles that can fit into baking dishes around six to nine inches across will do just fine in an air fryer. Naturally, it depends on the size of the air fryer, but once again, measure it to find out. 

To air fry a given casserole, you can use the recommended oven directions, just reduce the temperature by 25°F and check on the casserole about halfway through the instructed cooking time to assess how much longer it needs to go for. Toaster-oven-style air fryers are ideal for this because the door hinges open for easier removal, but you can still use a basket-style air fryer. Just be careful lowering casserole dishes in, and especially careful when taking them out.

Where the air fryer really shines for casseroles is achieving crispy or melty toppings, and for reheating. My friends often contribute small casseroles to our Friendsgiving meal, and this year I’ll be using my air fryer to reheat. It’ll keep my oven more available and reduce the bake time significantly.

Roasted veggies

I think the best side dishes consist of flavorful, hearty winter vegetables. Many of my favorites happen to be dense root veggies, squashes, or stalky crucifers which can take hours to cook in the conventional oven. The air fryer will absolutely save you with all of your vegetable sides. Since they’re so important, I’ve put my favorites in a separate post here.

Crescent rolls and other tube breads

Little else is more traditional than cracking open a can of instant bread for Thanksgiving. Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or biscuits have an honorary seat at many tables, and if your oven is loaded to the gills with a turkey and two 13 by 9-inch casserole dishes, these little cuties might get scorched. Better to give them a space to themselves in your mini convection oven.

If you have a toaster-oven-style air fryer, perfect; you can use the flat baking tray. Most basket-style air fryers come with a little grate that fits into the bottom. The rolls can sit on that, but you’ll get a textured bottom. Personally, I think the air circulation is better like this, but if that lumpy bottom bothers you, you can get air fryer basket liners like these to make a straight surface, or cut a piece of parchment to fit on the grate, and that’ll smooth things out. Simply put the rolled dough or biscuits into the air fryer (with an inch of space between neighbors) and air fry for five to seven minutes at 325°F. They’re done once puffed and well browned. Do check the bottoms before you pull them out; depending on the air fryer, they might need to be flipped and cooked for a few minutes longer.

Garlic bread

Rest assured, if you’re not interested in compressed tube bread for the big feast, you can make garlic bread instead. I like to use garlic confit to make a mellow garlicky mash, and you can make this recipe days ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for when you’re ready to use it. 

Split a long loaf, like Italian bread or a baguette, and spread a thick layer of salted butter and garlic confit into the center. Place the bread into the air fryer upside down and cook it for about three minutes at 325°F. Flip the bread and brush on more of the garlic and butter mixture; cook it for another three minutes. Take it out and slice the loaf into smaller serving sizes.

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Lean on Your Slow Cooker for Hands-Off Help This Thanksgiving

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

Cooking an epic Thanksgiving meal requires a lot of moving parts and planning. You can’t do it all yourself, but it’s also annoying to have others fumbling around in your cooking zone. Since cloning yourself isn’t an option (yet), you should consider leaning on your slow cooker—the queen of hands-off, set-it-and-forget-it appliances. Delegating the right things to this machine can be your ticket to a less stressful Turkey Day.

What is a slow cooker?

If you’re unfamiliar with this clever contraption, a slow cooker consists of two parts: the heating element and housing, and the inner ceramic container. There’s a lid, and maybe yours came with some plastic spatulas, but those two parts are the major players. The ceramic container sits inside the greater appliance housing, which is mostly lightweight aluminum, and the heating element is inside the base. You use the control panel to choose the cook time—usually in increments of two hours—and temperature—usually along the lines of low, high, and "keep warm." It’s also worth mentioning that a dependable slow cooker can easily be under $80 and last you a decade or more.

Slow cookers ready to undertake the honor of Thanksgiving cooking:

• For the traveling guest: Crock-Pot 6-quart Cook & Carry

• For smaller portions: Crock-Pot 4-quart

• For large households and dinners: Crock-Pot 8-quart

Why a slow cooker can help

Let’s begin with cleanup because that’s the dark side—but reality, nonetheless—of every Thanksgiving. The slow cooker’s simple build is clutch for cleaning. Unless you experience some sort of horrible overflow, everything is contained in the ceramic vessel. Once it’s empty and cool, you can easily wash it with soapy water. The ceramic is smooth and should wipe down like any dish or bowl. The rest of the slow cooker remains clean and ready for the next batch. 

Besides cleanup, there’s ease. This is the original appliance that lets you dump stuff in and magically unveil a scrumptious dish six hours later. Slow cookers come in a variety of sizes, so this can be the sort of thing that keeps your two-person stuffing warm, or cooks 18 servings of gooey mac and cheese. It’s hands-off cooking that frees up stovetop burners and leaves oven space available for other dishes. The results are reliable every time, but I recommend practicing a recipe once or twice before Thanksgiving so you can really feel comfortable. 

The cherry on top is that a slow cooker is good-looking enough to be service-worthy, if you so choose. You can scoop straight from the slow cooker, or take the ceramic container out of the slow cooker housing (it’s extremely hot, so use mitts or pot holders) and put it on a trivet on the table. 

What can you make in your slow cooker for Thanksgiving?

Once you get the wheels spinning, you’ll realize there’s a lot you can cook in the slow cooker. You might even start to think you need more than one slow cooker—and that’s OK, too. Use the slow cooker to take care of anything that will fare well with humidity and long cooking times. Vegetables that need to break down, or dishes that should be soft or creamy work best in the slow cooker. Here’s a list of popular Thanksgiving sides to start things off: 

• Mashed potatoes

• Stuffing

• Whole sweet potatoes

• Collards and ham hocks

• Creamy mac and cheese

• Corn pudding

• Corn bread 

• Easy cranberry sauce

• Gravy

• Green bean casserole (if you’re into that)

• Or gently heat frozen peas or corn with butter

What you probably shouldn’t put in the slow cooker

You shouldn't use a slow cooker for any side dishes that should be crispy on the outside or edges—like roasted vegetables, rolls, or the turkey—or vegetables that should maintain a bit of crunch—Brussels sprouts, green beans, or broccoli. Any greens that’ll get sulfur-y or break down too much under long cooking times should stay out of the slow cooker. As you can see, I put green bean casserole on the “yes” list and plain green beans on the “no” list. Thanksgiving is a time to eat comfort food, so if green beans that are reduced to a pudding-like consistency with crunchy onions on top is your safe place, by all means. I’m on Team Crunch, so I blanch, or even faux blanch. 

Really tough leafy greens like collard greens, mustard greens, and kale are good candidates for slow cooking. True, they’ll dull in color, but they also become more digestible after slow cooking, and will certainly be easier on the teeth. 

Some recipes will develop lovely crisp edges in the slow cooker, but anything that you’d like to put a crispy top on before serving, like mac and cheese or sausage stuffing, can be spooned into an oven-safe dish and either popped under the broiler, or lightly blow-torched. 

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Microwaving Part of Your Thanksgiving Feast Is Smart and Good

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

The microwave has been subject to harsh criticism when it comes to cooking, but this reliable appliance is actually a great partner when you’re preparing for a large dinner party, like Thanksgiving. I don’t have to tell you that it’s great at reheating fridge-cold dishes, but you can actually cook a few things in there as well. Nope, it’s not inferior-tasting, and it’s not dangerous to cook that way. Your microwave can actually help you Thanksgiving better.

Your microwave is safe, actually

If your first reaction to this article is, “microwaved food is bad for you,” this post probably isn’t for you. But I know one that is. If you’d like to read about why microwaves are just fine for cooking, Lifehacker’s Senior Health Editor is busting microwave myths right here. I think my favorite quote from the article is, “Actually, since microwave cooking happens so quickly, it is considered to be one of the best methods for preserving the nutrients in food.” Now then, back to lovingly nuking food for our families.

Your microwave gives you breathing room

The main trouble in the Thanksgiving Foods Venn diagram of “quantity” and “long cooking times” is the giant overlapping center. Since every dish has multiple servings and that extra volume requires both longer prepping and cooking times, you can easily run out of cooking surfaces and time, and you have no margin for error. I’m not saying you should microwave everything. Hardly that. What you need is something to speed up part of your menu so you can cook the other stuff—non-microwavables like turkey—in the oven. 

It’s not the soulless cooking appliance it’s been made out to be—you can microwave with love. And what shows love more than not stress-snapping at your mother-in-law?

Cook ahead, reheat, and crisp

This is basically the “Keep calm and carry on” of dinner party cooking—just cook ahead and reheat. Now, I wouldn’t tell you to microwave for Thanksgiving if it would result in bad-tasting food, but there is a right way to do this. After all, cheating at Thanksgiving implies that you’re trying to pass off the food as freshly made that day. Let’s make it taste that way.

The trick is to make one or two dishes the day before. Before dinner time, reheat them in the microwave. The best candidates are foods that have plenty of included moisture. That might be the mashed potatoes, certain fresh vegetables for steaming, well-hydrated stuffing, and some casseroles. 

Make sure the item is in a microwave-safe serving dish. Add a teaspoon or two of water to the dish; sprinkle with your fingertips or spritz it around. Cover the dish with a slightly ventilated lid or wrap and microwave it in bursts of 30 seconds or a minute, depending on the dish. Check on it, stir the edges inward if you can, and evaluate if it needs more time. If it’s a casserole or stuffing and you want it to have a crisp top, take it out of the microwave and pop it under the broiler in the oven for two or three minutes just before serving.

Oddly, mac and cheese isn’t my favorite for reheating in the microwave. In my experience, it gets very dry after spending a night in the fridge and reheating it makes the mac noticeably greasy.

Microwave from scratch

Beyond reheating, you can use the microwave as an actual cooking appliance. Here are a few Thanksgiving sides and desserts that can be whipped up in a fraction of the time in the microwave, compared to classic preparations.

Make the roux for soups and sauces

A roux is the flour-and-butter base that makes gravy thick and silky. It can also lend flavor if you brown the roux with a little extra cooking time. Doing this in the microwave can cut down on your stovetop cooking time by around 50%. Add the fat and flour to a microwave-safe measuring cup and microwave it for an initial four to six minutes, then whisk and continue heating with one-minute blasts until you’ve achieved your desired color, from blonde to chocolatey brown. Go here for more details on the method. Use this roux for gravy or soup cooking on the stove—or keep it going in the microwave as follows.

Complete gravy

Once you have a roux, you’re more than halfway to gravy. Pour in a cup or so of warm turkey stock (or milk for béchamel sauce, or another broth or liquid you’re using to make sauce) into the measuring cup. Whisk it in well and heat it for another 30 seconds in the microwave. It will start to thicken. Keep heating and adding liquid to reach your desired consistency, and heat the gravy in intervals of 30 seconds to one minute until you have your desired gravy consistency. Stir in seasonings, cooked meat bits, and herbs as you normally would. 

Steam veggies

I generally do this with sides of peas and corn (mashed potatoes’ two best friends). If you’re steaming other veggies, make sure they’re all cut about the same size, then put them into a bowl or serving dish with a splash of water. Stir in salt and seasonings, but err on the light side; you can add more if necessary after tasting. Cover the dish with an off-set lid to vent it, and microwave. The amount of time depends on what you’re cooking and how long, but I’d start with about a minute for two cups of vegetables. Take it out and stir, cover the dish and go for another round if needed. The veggies are done when cooked to your liking. I like to add a pat of salted butter and stir it in while they’re still hot.

Curds and custards for dessert 

The microwave is the last place anyone expected to make something soft and often rather finicky, but the joke is on all of us for stirring custard over a hot stove top for 15 minutes. It turns out, if you microwave the ingredients for citrus curds and some custards in one-minute increments (whisking in between heating sessions), you’ll arrive at the target temperature in around five to seven minutes and have a silky, cooked emulsion ready for the nearest tart shell. You’re unlikely to overcook it if you’re pausing every minute, but I suggest stopping while the mixture is slightly looser than you want because it’ll thicken and set as it cools. If you’re at all concerned about stray coagulated egg bits, as a fail-safe, pour the finished custard through a sieve.

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I Insist You Roast These Veggie Sides in Your Air Fryer

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

The air fryer is the single appliance that has had the biggest impact on my Thanksgiving cooking. This countertop convection oven increases cooking speeds, and takes some of the pressure off of my oven while it’s packed with poultry, pies, and casseroles. While you might be familiar with its crisping power for French fries and pizza rolls, the air fryer can do a lot more than that. It’s actually the best thing you can use for roasted-vegetable side dishes, and I must insist you do so. 

Even if you don’t love the idea of “cheating” your Thanksgiving, you can certainly appreciate a bit of help—this is just from a less-traditional cooking machine. The air fryer can speed up the lengthy roasting time of root vegetables, and cook softer plants in the time it takes you to answer the door four times. Here are my favorite Thanksgiving veggie sides that air fry like a dream.

Stuffed mushrooms

Credit: Tatiana Volgutova/Shutterstock

I would gladly eat a plate of these sausage-and-cheese stuffed mushrooms for a meal. (It's not hard to do.) They’re good any time of year, but the fungi really evokes the coziness of harvest season. Buy the whole creminis, or white button mushrooms that look rather large. If you can hand-select your batch from a bin, even better. (You can still stuff small mushrooms, but some of the itty-bitty ones are just ridiculous.)

Here’s my recipe for air-fried stuffed mushrooms. They’re great as a snack or appetizer, but a warning for Thanksgiving: It’s hard to eat just one. And unfortunately, you risk spoiling appetites before the big meal. Instead, add them to the roster of side dishes. Be sure to make a double batch or hide a few for yourself. You’ll thank me later.

Brussels sprouts

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

One of my favorite cruciferous veggies is Brussels sprouts. They’re fibrous, hearty, and a nice break from all the soft casseroles and mashed sides. To make a gorgeous display of roasted Brussels with delicate, charred outer leaves and tender centers, start by cleaning up your sprouts. That might be trimming down the dried woody stem, removing busted outer leaves, or if your Brussels are especially chunky, cutting them in half lengthwise, trying to split the stem so all the leaves stay attached. 

Put the prepared sprouts in a bowl with a bit of salt and enough cooking oil to lightly coat each piece. I usually pour a tablespoon of oil into a palm, rub my hands together and then go through the batch, coating and tumbling sprouts all the way around until I feel like I got them all. The salt should evenly coat the sprouts, too, after all the tossing. Put the sprouts into the air fryer in an even layer so they cook evenly (do two batches if you have to) and put it on the “air fry” setting for 10 to 15 minutes at 400°F. The Brussels are done when some of the outer leaves are crisp and blackened and the centers are easy to pierce with a knife. Toss them with a squeeze of lemon, roasted garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, and flaky salt.

Sweet potatoes

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

The air fryer makes relatively quick work of these sturdy gems, and depending on the size of your taters and air fryer you can probably do about six at a time. Both whole sweet potatoes or peeled and cubed will cook quickly. 

For whole ‘taters, pierce the skin with a fork a few times and toss them in the air fryer in a single layer, it’s okay if they’re close together; they’ll shrink as they cook. Set the air fryer to 375°F and cook the sweet potatoes for 20 to 35 minutes, depending on their size. They’re done when you can easily pierce the potato to the center with a paring knife. 

For sweet-potato cubes, peel them first and cut them into one-inch cubes. Toss them in a bowl with enough cooking oil to coat them well, and scatter salt over top. Put the cubes into the air fryer in a single layer and cook them at 375°F for about 10 minutes. The sweet potatoes are finished when they’re fork-tender.

Green beans

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Green beans might look scrawny, but they stand up to the hot winds of your air fryer quite well. That said, they’re also easy to over cook if you walk away from the kitchen, so check on them early and see if you need to add a minute or so. In an effort to keep the beans tender, I like to use a hot and fast air fry technique.

Trim your green beans as needed, and put them in a bowl with a sprinkle of salt and enough oil to thinly coat the beans. Toss them with your hands to thoroughly coat each bean. Put the green beans in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook them at 400°F for about five minutes and check their progress until they’re finished to your liking.

Chestnuts

Credit: YamisHandmade / Shutterstock.com

Great mixed into stuffing, as a lovely appetizer, or a nice way to end the meal, air-fried chestnuts are simple and easy to make. You can read all the nutty details here, but here’s the TL;DR. Score the chestnuts with one long cut that goes across the entire length or width. It’s nothing too dramatic, but make sure you cut deep enough to go through the outer shell and the fuzzy inner skin. 

Put the chestnuts into the air fryer, cut side up. Air fry them at 400°F for about 10 to 15 minutes. They’re ready to eat when the shells have peeled back and you can see the faintest blush of browning on the exposed inner flesh. When they’ve cooled, squeeze them on the side that opposes the cracked open part and the shell should peel off easily. 

Squash

Credit: EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

Cold-weather squashes are one of my greatest vegetable loves. Their dense, sweet flesh, usually brightly hued, is at its best after roasting, and needs only a swipe of salty browned butter with sage to take it right over the top. 

Split the squash (delicata, butternut, and kabocha all work well) and de-seed it. Squash skin is perfectly edible, but some can remain thick and less palatable, so use your discretion if you’d like to peel it or leave it on. Slice the squash into rounds, strips, or chunks of about the same size and thickness. Put them in a bowl with a bit of salt and enough cooking oil to coat the pieces well. Toss it all together with your hands and put the squash hunks into the air fryer in a single layer. Air fry them at 400°F for eight to 20 minutes, depending on the squash and how large the pieces are. They’re done when they’ve picked up some color and they’re fork-tender.

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These Are My Three Favorite Appliances to Cook Thanksgiving Dinner (Besides the Oven)

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

While the conventional oven might be the most traditional way to prepare a Thanksgiving feast, we have a few transformative modern appliances available now, and it would be silly to leave them on the sidelines. The three that I’ve incorporated into my holiday routine are the slow cooker, air fryer, and microwave. Supporting the leadership of my conventional oven, this team of appliances spreads out the tasks and makes an overwhelming menu almost feel light. 

How to use a slow cooker for Thanksgiving dinner

I have two slow cookers: a large one (an eight-quart) and a small one (a two-quart). You certainly don’t need two but I like having the little one around for warming sauces. I use the large slow cooker to handle any large side dish. It has changed from year to year: One time I used it to take care of the stuffing, and another time I did the mashed potatoes in the slow cooker. For me, the point is that large side dishes are often the most annoying to have in a pot on my stovetop burner or the most cumbersome to try and puzzle into the oven. It helps to get that one high maintenance dish out of my hair, and the slow cooker is exactly the appliance to get the job done. You dump the ingredients in, and hours later, finish it off. No need to stir, whisk, boil, or tend to it.  

For a dinner party like Thanksgiving, I recommend a large one like either of these to handle popular sides because you’re probably making a large batch.

• The Crock-Pot Large 8-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

• The Hamilton Beach 10-Quart Slow Cooker

Crock Pot 8 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

$74.99 at Amazon

$99.99 Save $25.00

$74.99 at Amazon

$99.99 Save $25.00

How to use an air fryer for Thanksgiving dinner

You’ll hear me go on and on about the air fryer. It’s the latest to join my roster of Thanksgiving worthy appliances, and it’s my star player. It’s a countertop convection oven, which is the type of oven many restaurants and bakeries use for fast, even cooking. Not only does it give you restaurant-grade cooking power, but they’re mobile, and every year they get more and more affordable. 

Since I have a rather small kitchen, I might not have space to cook one dish while I prepare another. With an air fryer, I can actually move it to a different plug, counter, or different room entirely if I need the kitchen space. I can toss the veggies in the air fryer in the living room, and free up the kitchen counter to cool two pies. Plus, it speeds up the cooking of anything you put in it. You can crisp, roast, and air fry half of your side dishes in the time it takes you to bake a single casserole in the conventional oven. When I’m done, I unplug it and store it away to set up the table for guests. 

I like the Instant Vortex for a small kitchen where you see yourself moving the appliance around, and the Ninja DoubleStack for cooking multiple things independently and simultaneously.

• Instant Vortex XL 6-Quart

• Ninja DoubleStack XL 2-basket

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How to use a microwave for Thanksgiving dinner

She isn’t new on the everyday scene, but for Thanksgiving, the microwave is often forgotten. It’s literally the fastest cooking machine, and most people already have one. While you shouldn’t be cooking roasts from scratch in the microwave, you can be smart about how you use it for planning ahead. Knowing you can reheat in the microwave allows you to pre-cook sauces or side dishes. I use my microwave for quick solutions when it’s crunch-time—heating broth or milk for a roux-thickened sauce, melting butter for numerous uses, or cooking crispy bacon for my Brussels sprouts. 

The best microwave for Thanksgiving is definitely the one you already have. If you don’t have one or you’re looking to upgrade (besides finding one that’s the right size), you can check out the following, or spring for a combi microwave—a mashup of a microwave and an air fryer.

• The Cuisinart Stainless Steel Microwave Oven

• Toshiba 6-in-1 Inverter Microwave Oven Air Fryer

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Welcome to the Cheater's Guide to Thanksgiving

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, and that means it's time to begin feast planning, folks. That’s either music to your ears, or an ominous summoning to the kitchen.

I expect those of you already polishing your turkey-shaped napkin rings can hold your own this year—this is a series for the the rest of you. To the reluctant cooks, the overwhelmed multitaskers, and anyone who has ever wondered why scratch-made everything is such a big freakin’ deal, welcome to the Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. 

I truly believe anyone can make a delicious, satisfying, multi-course Thanksgiving meal from scratch, but that doesn’t mean it’s always a good idea. As devoted as I am to cooking and baking, Thanksgiving still stresses me out. And if the pressure of cooking the big meal outweighs the pleasure you get from doing so, then something’s got to change. That is where this helpful guide comes in. 

The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving is a handy cooking resource that tells you when and how you can fake a dessert, fudge a classic cooking method, or forgo preparing your own turkey. It’s a reminder that you have a lot more at your disposal than the limited stove top and slow-poke conventional oven. This guide can help you plan ahead, decide where to delegate side dishes, and understand which modern appliances are best for a given job. 

More than anything else, I hope that the Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving can take some of the pressure off. Thanksgiving is a time to eat and catch-up with the best folks in your life—which is hard to do if you’re attached to the stove. This series, publishing throughout the day, will take you through the key areas of cheating the Thanksgiving feast—and I mean “cheating” in the cleverest, most resourceful way possible. Via unconventional cooking methods, sneaky side dish recommendations, and perfectly plated store-bought desserts, I want this series to give you some breathing room in the kitchen. 

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You Can Get This HP Stream Laptop on Sale for $120 Right Now

You can get this HP Stream laptop on sale for $119.99 right now (reg. $195). This budget-friendly laptop is a good choice for kids or students, running on a Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, and Windows 10 Home, providing enough power and quick boot-up times for everyday tasks. The device also features an 11.6-inch anti-glare display, 32GB of storage, up to 14 hours of use on a full charge, and USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and SD ports. The device is so affordable because it’s refurbished, in grade “A,” near-mint condition, meaning is has only minimal cosmetic wear and a minimum of 80% battery health.

You can get this HP Stream laptop on sale for $119.99 right now (reg. $195), though prices can change at any time.

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The Best TV Series to Stream This Week

If you're looking for a new show to watch this week, the vast landscape of streaming networks will provide plenty of them. Some of them are even good!

The Diplomat, season 2

If you're thinking, "Oh, great, a television drama about global politics and diplomacy—sounds fascinating," you're not getting what people liked about the first season of The Diplomat. Yes, Keri Russel plays the U.S. ambassador to the UK, but the show is a pot-boiler packed with snappy dialogue that uses geopolitics to raise the stakes on over-the-top situations. In other words, it's fun, I swear.

Streaming on: Netflix

Special Ops: Lioness, Season 2

In Taylor Sheridan's Special Ops: Lioness, Zoe Saldaña, Nicole Kidman, and Laysla De Oliveria play agents of the Lioness Program, an all-female CIA operation designed to infiltrate global criminal organizations. Season 2 begins with a new mission: A Texas congresswoman is kidnapped and taken to Mexico. Expect more of the morally murky, "who are really the bad guys here?" action that made season one a hit with critics and fans alike.

Where to stream: Paramount+

Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 5

Star Trek is awesome, but its best-and-brightest starship crews full of infinitely capable officers with straight white teeth make me ask: "Aren't there any screw-ups in the future?" Enter Star Trek: Lower Decks. This canonical animated series adds much needed irreverence to the Star Trek's sometimes self-serious universe. It follows the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos, the ship where Starfleet sends its problem children to make "second contact" with alien lifeforms. This is Lower Decks' final season, so check it out while it lasts.

Where to stream: Paramount+

Last week's picks

What We Do in the Shadows, Season 6

The supernatural comedy series What We Do in the Shadows has been putting out weird, funny episodes for five seasons and built up a loyal fanbase of weirdos eagerly awaiting every one. Sadly, season 6 marks the end of the series, but happily, we have these new episodes to look forward to. This season sees Nadja facing the horrors of the corporate world, and the ghoulish gang getting a new roommate, Jerry, who's been sleeping since 1976.

Where to stream: Hulu

Somebody Somewhere, Season 3

In a television landscape dominated by larger-than-life character and situations, it's cool that there's room for a gentle, emotional dramedy about regular folks and their regular lives. It's even cooler that people like it: Somebody Somewhere's second season earned a rare 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The show tells the story of Sam (Bridget Everett), a middle-aged woman with no superpowers, and her deep friendship with Joel (Jeff Hiller), who is not a billionaire with a tragic secret. Instead of unraveling international conspiracies, Sam cares for her aging parents and tries to figure out how to live her life with grace. Nothing explodes.

Where to stream: Max

Before

Is there anything Billy Crystal can't do? America fell in love with him as Mitch Robbins in City Slickers 2: The Legend of Curly's Gold, and now, he's playing a straight role as Eli, a child psychiatrist, in the 10-episode supernatural drama Before. Eli is a recent widower whose new patient, Noah (Jacobi Jupe), has some serious psychiatric issues and a strange connection to the Eli's past. Intriguing! Before also stars Judith Light and Rosie Perez.

Where to stream: Apple TV+

Beauty in Black

Tyler Perry's new series shows what happens whens worlds collide. In Beauty in Black, Taylor Polidore Williams plays Kimmie, a struggling exotic dancer at Atlanta's Magic City strip club. Mallory, played Crystle Stewart, is the head of a hair care dynasty and matriarch of a very wealthy family. When these two cross paths, their fates become entangled and things get sexy and dangerous.

Where to stream: Netflix

Breath of Fire

I have an equal level of respect for all religious and spiritual traditions, even the brand of "Kundalini yoga" taught by Guru Jagat (aka Katie Griggs), whose mastery of social media propelled her to the heights of fame and wealth to which all spiritual leaders aspire. This HBO docuseries portrays Jagat as a master manipulator who lied as easily as she assumed the lotus pose, so watch Breath of Fire for all the dirt on Jagat and Kundalini yoga itself.

Where to stream: Max

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Why You Cough When You Exercise in the Cold

It's great to go for a run on a crisp fall day. There's a chill in the air, a spring in your step, and—what's this?—a hacking cough. Maybe a little wheezing. No, you're not suddenly out of shape. Coughing after exercise in the cold is more common than you'd think, and you're not the only one.

I'm going to discuss a couple of reasons this coughing can happen, but chief among them is exercise-induced asthma. Don't stop reading! This is far more common, and more underdiagnosed, than a lot of athletes and recreational exercisers realize. Surveys have found that 8% or 16.5% of Olympic athletes (depending on the study) have asthma, with the condition being more common in the sports that you would think trigger asthma symptoms the hardest. So if it turns out you're among them, you're in good company.

(As an aside, scientists have plenty of competing theories for why elite athletes so commonly have asthma. One theory is that exercise itself triggers them to develop asthma, which seems backwards from other studies that find exercise tends to improve asthma symptoms. Another possibility is that asthma gives athletes an edge somehow. My own pet theory is that elite athletes have the same prevalence of asthma as the general population, but they're just more likely to get a diagnosis. Us regular folks tend to assume we're just out of shape and might as well not bother exercising if we're going to cough every time we do it.)

You might have asthma (even if you are sure you don't have asthma)

All my life, I would cough after hard exercise, especially in the cold, but I had never been diagnosed with asthma. I certainly wasn't one of those kids who had to carry an inhaler around. I could exercise just fine in the summer, and the cough didn't slow me down much in the winter. Clearly not a medical issue, so I figured I was probably just more out of shape than I thought.

It wasn't until I was in my thirties that it dawned on me that maybe I did have asthma. I discovered this thanks to a cough, unrelated to exercise, that was lingering even after I'd recovered from the infection that caused it. My mother suggested asking my doctor for an inhaler. Not only did that clear up the illness-related cough, I also realized that I could use my inhaler to relieve, or even to prevent, the coughing I would get after running hill repeats. Huh.

I asked a doctor about this later, and laid out my symptoms: I cough and wheeze (hearing a whistling sound as I breathe) after exercise that is very hard, or that happens in the cold, and it's worse if those two factors are combined. It's less likely to happen if I take a long time to warm up, or if I cover my mouth and nose with a scarf. It tends to happen less often when I'm in the habit of running often. Bingo—that's a perfect match for exercise-induced asthma.

Doctors will debate the best name for this condition. You might be told you have exercise-induced asthma (EIA), exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB), or they might just say it's asthma, no extra adjectives needed. The way I usually describe it, when asked, is that I have mild asthma that gets triggered by exercise in the cold.

What exercise-induced asthma (EIA or EIB) looks like

The typical symptoms of this type of asthma, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, include:

• Wheezing after exercise

• Coughing after exercise

• A feeling of tightness in your chest after exercise

• Shortness of breath after exercise

• Chest pain (although this is rare) after exercise

Chest pain and shortness of breath can be signs of other, more serious conditions, so please get checked out if your symptoms are severe or if you have other health concerns.

The symptoms of exercise-induced asthma typically show up five to 20 minutes after exercise (so you may feel fine at first, and then start coughing) but they can also happen during exercise, as I've experienced in the back half of some of my longer runs.

What triggers exercise-induced asthma

Many people with exercise-induced asthma don't have asthma symptoms in any other part of their lives, and only see it show up during exercise. Others, like me, might have other triggers (like allergies or respiratory infections). And, of course, if you have asthma that affects your whole life you may find that exercise makes it worse. Whichever you are, you may find that these are the things that cause or worsen your symptoms, again according to the AAAAI:

• Cold weather, especially when the air is both cold and dry

• Dry air (I learned the hard way not to do HIIT on an airbike)

• Intense intervals, especially without a warmup

• Being out of shape

• Poorly controlled nasal allergies

• Vocal cord issues

You may find that you're more likely to experience symptoms when air pollution or pollen count levels are high.

How to keep asthma symptoms from flaring up during exercise

First, talk to a doctor if at all possible. They may test you for asthma, and you may end up discussing allergies as well (since removing allergy triggers may help your asthma symptoms). For some of us the office visit may be as simple as describing what you experience and going home with a prescription for an inhaler to see if that helps. If your asthma is more involved, there may be other medications discussed.

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Regardless of what happens at the doctor's office (or whether you've visited one yet), here are some things that tend to help prevent or manage the coughing and wheezing:

• Cover your mouth and nose when you exercise in the cold (a cloth face mask is great for this, or use a scarf or a buff).

• Breathe through your nose instead of your mouth, as much as possible. (Your nose warms the cold air before it hits your lungs.)

• Do a thorough warmup before attempting any hard exercise. Think 20 minutes gradually ramping up, with some brief sprints toward the end of the warmup. (These sprints may actually prevent you from wheezing later in the workout.)

• Keep an eye on the air quality index, and consider exercising indoors when pollution, pollen, or smoke levels are high.

• Avoid very cold or dry weather.

• Use your inhaler as prescribed. You may be advised to take two puffs of your blue/rescue inhaler about 20 minutes before exercise.

This one isn't in the official tips, but I personally tend to avoid anything that will blow air in my face during exercise. That means no airbikes, especially for hard exercise like Tabata sprints, and I'd rather use a handheld fan on my neck than point a box fan directly at my face while I'm on a treadmill or spin bike.

Other conditions that can make you cough during exercise

There are also other reasons you might cough and wheeze during exercise. Here are some of the others that may help you, that are not the same as exercise-induced asthma.

• Track hack. A “pursuiter’s cough” or “track hack” is coughing that occurs after exercise, but doesn’t include wheezing and usually isn’t severe enough to require treatment. If you just get an occasional phlegmmy cough that doesn’t really bother you, no biggie. Keep on running.

• If you have a cold, or if your allergies are acting up, that can also interfere with your breathing. (It can also trigger exercise-induced asthma if you’re already prone to it.)

• Exercise-induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) occurs when your vocal cords block your airway, instead of moving to keep the airway open like they’re supposed to do during exercise. Cases of EILO are sometimes misdiagnosed as EIB, so speak up if your EIB treatment isn’t working, because it may not be EIB after all.

• Some heart conditions can cause symptoms including shortness of breath and pressure in the chest. Get checked out if there’s any chance this is the case.

If you have exercise-induced asthma, you probably recognized yourself in the descriptions of the symptoms above. If not, consider whether your cough might be caused by one of the causes above. And please, if you have any doubts about what it is (or if you think you could benefit from medication), seek medical care so you can get things sorted out.

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The Best Movies to Stream This Week

Looking to settle in with a good movie? Me too. That's why I've pored over release schedules to bring you the best original and new-to-streaming movies you can watch on Netflix, Prime, Max, Hulu, and other streaming platforms this week.

Janet Planet (2023)

A24 has cracked the code for making emotional movies for smart people; movies like Janet Planet, in which precocious 11-year-old Lacy (Zoe Ziegler) spends the summer of 1991 splitting time between living in her rich internal world and quietly worshipping her otherworldly mother Janet (Julianne Nicholson). Writer/director Annie Baker's carefully crafted film explores the subtly and intensity of a mother-daughter relationship with rare grace.

Starts streaming Nov. 1.

Music by John Williams

Star Wars wouldn't be Star Wars without its theme music. Raiders of the Lost Ark wouldn't be Raiders, Jaws wouldn't be Jaws, etc. Composer John Williams' scores are that iconic. Music by John Williams features interviews with Williams and GOAT filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Ron Howard. It offers a ton of the music that defined cinema over the last 50 years or so.

Where to stream: Disney+

Coen brothers collection

It's impossible to be a "guy who writes about movies" and not mention the Coen brothers collection streaming on the Criterion Channel this week. Joel and Ethan Coen make the best movies, end of discussion. Whether you want to watch a re-imagined western like 2010's True Grit or a slapstick comedy like screwball comedy like 1987's Raising Arizona, the Coen brothers have your back. Here's the full list of Coen bros. bangers coming to Criterion:

• Blood Simple (1984)

• Raising Arizona (1987)

• Miller’s Crossing (1990)

• Barton Fink (1991)

• The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

• The Big Lebowski (1998

• A Serious Man (2009)

• True Grit (2010)

• Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Where to stream: The Criterion Channel

Hallmark Christmas movie collection

Attention should be paid to Hallmark's Christmas movies. The greeting-card-company-turned-cable-network-for-some-reason churns out Christmas-themed romantic comedies with the ruthless efficiency of a German industrial plant. They're usually not bad either, if you're into that sort of thing. I haven't seen any of the movies Netflix is streaming in November, but I assume all are perfectly serviceable background movies for wrapping presents and putting lights on the tree. Here's the list.

• A Biltmore Christmas (2023)

• A Merry Scottish Christmas (2023)

• A Heidelberg Holiday (2023)

• Christmas Island (2023)

• Christmas on Cherry Lane (2023)

• Christmas with a Kiss (2023)

• Miracle in Bethlehem, PA (2023)

• Christmas in Notting Hill (2023)

• Haul Out the Holly (2023)

• Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up (2023)

Where to stream: Netflix

Last week's picks

Don’t Move

Don't Move aims at suspense stripped of everything but its most basic elements. Kelsey Asbille plays Iris, a young woman (the hero) hiking in an isolated forest (the closed arena). A stranger, played by Finn Wittrock (the villain) injects her with a paralytic drug, and explains how, in 20 minutes, she'll be completely unable to move (the ticking clock). If you're into nail-biting suspense, give this movie a shot.

Where to stream: Netflix

Late Night With the Devil (2023)

In October, lots of casuals say, "what's a good horror movie?" The answer this year is Late Night With the Devil, and I'm not the only one who thinks so: The movie is sitting at 97% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Late Night purports to present the videotape of a 1970s TV talk show where a spooky-themed Halloween episode goes terribly, demonically wrong. The pacing is taut, the performances solid, and the period details are absolutely perfect. It's scary, too, but in a fun way.

Where to stream: Hulu

Canary Black

In Canary Black Kate Beckinsale plays Avery Graves, a CIA operative so undercover her own husband thinks she has a normal job. When he's kidnapped by terrorists, Graves must choose between saving his life and betraying her country. Cut off from everyone, Graves must rely on training, her wits, and her fighting skills to deliver the ransom and save her husband.

Where to stream: Prime

Hasan Minhaj: Off With His Head

A lot of standup comedy isn't about anything beyond surface-level observations about the minutia of modern life, but Off With His Head offers something deeper. Comedian Hasan Minhaj's promising career—he says he was once tapped to host The Daily Show—was derailed when a New Yorker journalist fact-checked some of the details in his comedy routines last year. Needless to say, the guy has an interesting story to tell. Plus, he's really funny. So if you're looking for something more thoughtful than "what is the deal with hats?" check this one out.

Where to stream: Netflix

Carved

Remember back in the '80s and '90s, when horror movies with preposterous premises like Uncle Sam and The Gingerdead Man gathered dust on video store shelves? Carved feels like a throwback to those days. The movie asks, "what if there was an evil killer pumpkin that wanted revenge for all the pumpkins we eviscerate on Halloween?" It's silly, but knowingly silly, so if you want an over-the-top horror comedy B-movie, check out Carved.

Where to stream: Hulu

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