Thanksgiving

For chewy texture, undercook the biscotti slightly in the second baking.

Vanilla is arguably one of the best scents in the world, and it permeates this tender cake in the form of a simple vanilla sugar. A zesty cranberry filling lies beneath the crumble top.

A fun twist on tradition— cornbread stuffing molded into muffins.

Add broth 1/4 cup at a time, stirring, to avoid sogginess.

This is easy to make and everyone loves marshmallows on top.

Cranberries add sparkle to the meal.

As the pumpkin roasts, its skin becomes gorgeously burnished, while inside, slices of baguette, Gruyère, and Emmental coalesce into a rich, velvety concoction that is utterly fabulous served with a scoop of tender pumpkin flesh.

In this chutney-like compote, quince lends a ripe-pear creaminess, and pearl onions a lush sweetness, to tart cranberries.

The secret to this succulent bird is an inexpensive metal pan. We used the kind of old-fashioned oval roaster found in most supermarkets, not fancy cookware stores. These lightweight enameled pans with lids simultaneously roast and braise the turkey, so it stays moist even as it cooks quickly. Simply uncover it at the end to crisp the skin. Ample pan juices add a fragrant richness to our easy gravy.

No matter how fast you prepare Thanksgiving dinner, you must have gravy, and you must have stuffing. And both need homemade turkey stock. This one is fast, even with the time it takes to brown the giblets, neck, and wing tips. You can mostly ignore it while it simmers, but you won’t be able to deny its enriching, ennobling presence in your finished gravy and stuffing.

You can’t go wrong with a traditional bread stuffing, especially when it’s enlivened with fresh sage and celery leaves. Broad chunks of baguette, golden and crisp on top, soak up turkey stock and buttery juices from the sautéed onions and celery.

Though these delicately spiced soufflés reach toward the skies, they capture the fragrant earthiness of pumpkin.

To the traditional orange-cranberry combination, we’ve added Mediterranean touches: dates for their honeylike sweetness and a splash of balsamic vinegar to balance the flavors.

For too long, vegetarians have passed the turkey-gravy boat at the table and swallowed spuds plain. No longer. The rich accompaniment to these creamy smashed potatoes is bolstered by soy sauce, which adds a welcome dose of umami to the vegetable stock. Fragrant with roasted garlic, this gravy delivers.

What started as an arepa recipe evolved into a play on traditional American corn-bread stuffing. Chorizo takes the place of fresh sausage, and garlic adds punch to a buttery base. Imagine all of the classic textures with Latino flavors—it’s that good.

To make the most of the turkey's giblets and neck, we first brown them to give the resulting stock (and later, gravy) depth of flavor.

Cranberries might seem out of place in a salsa, but their zesty crunch anchors this mix of roasted pineapple, onion, and cilantro. Besides, what would Thanksgiving be without cranberries?

Your guests will wonder what makes this purée so silky. You can either look away demurely, hoarding your secret, or confess that it’s parsnips. Here, the floral subtlety of these ivory tubers is bolstered by the bite of whole Brussels sprouts leaves.