Spotted: Polka-dot Cath Kidston paper plates in spring green, pink and blue

Good For: A cheery salad at the shower or a whimsical slice of birthday cake, of course. Polka dots don’t need explaining, do they?

Where: On Occasion (6910 S. Highland Drive #4, Cottonwood Heights)

How Much: Approximately $4 – $12, depending on size

What’s that you say? You’ve procrastinated and now Tom Turkey is coming your way? Have no fear. YHO is here with tips, tricks, recipes and more to make your Thanksgiving anything but an icky bore.

Cooking for a crowd? Don’t hesitate to ask guests to bring side dishes and desserts that complement the main attraction. Or pretty please your favorite local bakery into preparing some rolls, cakes or pies that you can pick up the day before. (You can always turn to Marie Callender’s for pies—but order in advance, and perhaps Great Harvest for rolls.)

Throwing in the Towel? There’s still time to have the whole shebang catered: a sometimes-pricey-but-oh-so-attractive option for those who want to be thankful for a day of good food coupled with relaxation. Check out Wild Oats and Pinon Market and Cafe, along with any of these others in a fabulous list compiled by the Tribbies. See here.

Wanna Eat Out? Rumor has it that Little America, Creekside Restaurant at Solitude, and The Paris are ready and willing to serve up your Thanksgiving feast. (Anyone else have any other favorites?)

Still Stumped? Check out Real Simple’s life-saving Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet. It’s loaded with time-savers, make-ahead suggestions, opinions on the best boxed recipes, 60-second centerpieces and other ways to simplify the ordeal.

Or get thee hence to Williams-Sonoma, where loads of Thanksgiving foods, decor and bakeware are already on sale (we especially love the pumpkin bakeware and turkey tureens.)

Good luck, turkeys lurkeys. If we can do it, you can do it.

As you may or may not know, we recently asked for submissions: photos of a shower you held or attended recently. We also asked for your ideas to be shared among all Your Heart Out readers. Hurry up, up, up; we want to brag about you and the deadline for entries is May 31. The winner (our favorite) gets a special shower-themed prize: think Martha Stewart. (Who else?)

Send entries to hello@yourheartout.com with “May Showers” in the subject line, pretty please.

We loved this one from Jamie Anne, so detailed it knocked our socks off:

I’m not a huge fan of theme-based parties (unless they’re simply carrying a lovely color theme throughout.) I just like fanciful, elegant, ribbon-adorned florally-abundant get-togethers that feel nice and sweet.

At such occasions, I often like to separate the meal table and the sweets and treats (aka dessert) table. I think a distinct separation between the two (if, of course, you are going with buffet-style serving) is the only way to go.

Here are my reasons:

• It makes it look like there’s a lot more food to be had.
• It shows more attention to detail and allows one to go into cute overload.
• If you only have one set of plates, and one buffet table, do you really expect people to sandwich their mint chocolate brownie and heart-shaped chocolate dipped cookie between the dressing-drenched salad and watery melon bits?

Mostly, I want things to pair up nicely: I’ve always wanted to create a dessert meal, if you will. Like some herbal tea with your lemon cookie. Or hot cocoa with your minty brownie. But, what to do in the summertime? Hot drinks will not do, and spritzy lemonade is gross with sweets. I think I found the ultimate solution: Drumroll, please: cupcakes (my specialty) and mini milkshakes. Who doesn’t love a good, fresh, fruity milkshake? And a cupcake to boot?

I’d do pink frosting with little white pearls or sprinkles—you could even do the cupcakes mini-size, just to make them more twee. Whip up some fruity milkshakes (for instance, strawberry) and pour them into small and skinny glasses. Top with a dallop of fresh whipped cream (or puff in a pastry bag), and insert color-coordinated straw. Ta-da!

A little web research taught me that I thought of the pairing (of course Martha was all over the mini milkshakes for a children’s party … and the doily, too, she really does think of everything). Still, since the combo of cupcakes and milkshakes is mine all mine, I’m claiming it as my own.

But thanks to Martha for the pictures!

There’s nothing like a little stinky cheese to bring a group together. It’s conversational, interactive, interesting, and best, tasty as all get out. Before you pull out the mozzarella and crackers, here are a few tips for the introductory cheese monger.

For starters, you’ll need to know that there are six different kinds of cheeses–and the savvy cheese party host should aim to have one of each in his/her spread. They include:

• Fresh: These rind-less cheeses should be enjoyed quickly. Examples include Ricotta, Burrata, and of course, Mozzarella.
• Bloomy: These are the cheeses that form a light white mold over a rind or skin. Examples include Brie, Triple Créme and Camembert.
• Washed Rind: Say hello to the stinkiest of the stinky cheeses. After developing a rind, these are usually washed in salt water or wine. Examples include Munster, Taleggio and Harvest Moon.
• Semi-Firm: These cheeses develop a healthy rind because they’re given a lot of time to mature. They sometimes have a wax coating. Examples include St. Nectaire, Pyrenees Brebis, Asiago and Ementhaler.
• Hard: These cheeses age even longer which gives them a sharpness and a crumblier texture. Examples include Parmigiano Reggiano, Grafton Cheddar and Goudas.
• Blue: This is a category unrelated to all the others. They age for about a month, and are then “needled,” which allows air inside so mold will form in the cheese’s interior. This gives Blue cheeses a punchy quality. Examples include Point Reyes Original Blue, Roquefort and Gorgonzola.

You’ll need about an ounce of cheese per guest, and we recommend using dessert plates so the unattentive cheese lover isn’t encouraged to take more than his fair share. Pull the cheeses out of the fridge about an hour before serving, and allow them to sit in their wrapping until just prior to show time.

Display your cheeses on a wooden cutting board or similar, and arrange them in a row or circle from lightest to darkest (white, yellow, orange), with the blue cheese at an end. Provide a separate knife for each cheese, and cut a “display” wedge that sets an example for the other soon-to-be cheese eaters.

Thinly slice a couple of baguettes to enjoy the cheeses with (these are a good match for almost any kind). Other nice complements include almonds, dried apricots, Craisins and naturally, red grapes. These can be arranged together on a platter or placed in separate bowls, rammekins or baskets.

For an extra bit of flair and educational value, label the cheeses with their name and type on a business-card-sized piece of paper (or smaller), and attach with a toothpick.

Sipping choices include Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Martinelli’s Apple Cider or Aerial’s non-alcoholic Zinfandel (available at Emigration Market, 1706 E. 1300 South).

If you’re looking for a cute and affordable invitation, try this option from Real Simple, best printed on deep yellow or soft orange paper and marked up at random with a hole punch.

And, to appear extra in-the-know, here are some words frequently used to behold the power of cheese (flash-card ready):

Texture: melting, sturdy, sandy, piquescent, striates, delicate, fudgy, luscious, ripe, mouthfilling, velvety, pillowy.

Flavors: grassy, tangy, lingering, fruity, nutty, buttery, mean, sweet, barnyardy, dominant, caramelly, gamey.

Great free cheese resources on the Web include Artisan Cheese and Murray’s Cheese. Local stores with great cheese selections include Caputo’s Market, Granato’s, Wild Oats and the “gourmet” deli section at your local grocer.