Thanksgiving

Dense, moist, and delicious, this bread is great as a quick snack or with a bit of whipped honey butter for afternoon tea.

A rich paste of roasted garlic and fresh rosemary is rubbed under the skin and over the bird. It also gives a boost to the gravy. See how to carve a turkey.

A quick bread that's full of seasonal flavors.

Bright, fresh flavors star in this holiday salad.

Riesling gives the dressing a delicate flavor. Crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts are sharp-crunchy contrasts with appeal.

Spiced cranberries top chilled orange slices for a sweet-tangy contrast in this colorful salad.

All-American apple pie cannot be ascribed to any single region of the United States, of course. But this straightforward pie--no raisins, no spirits, no creamy accompaniments--is a heartland basic.

The sweet-tart filling and the flaky crust add up to one terrific pie.

Sprinkle a ring of chopped toasted walnuts around the edge of the pie before serving.

Serve this stuffing alongside your Christmas turkey, ham, goose or duck. Add an extra dose of chestnuts to your meal by offering the Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Bacon.

If you think novelists do research only in libraries, think again. Culinary mystery writer Diane Mott Davidson has a different approach: She caters. Far-fetched? Not when your perennial protagonist is one Goldy Schulz, a caterer who has cooked her way through such delicious mysteries as Dying for Chocolate and Killer Pancake, stories that include the author's own enticing recipes and mentions of cranberry and orange, both significant flavors in her comfort-dessert memory file. "My husband was in the Navy and was often away at sea, so there was little opportunity to cook," she says. "One day I was with some Navy wives, and somebody set out a cranberry-orange bread. I raved about it. Not long after that, I drove to Norfolk to meet my husband's ship, and stayed with the woman who had baked the bread. While I was there, she slipped another loaf of it into my suitcase. It was the nicest thing anybody could have done." Prepare the cranberry glaze for this lovely orange layer cake a day ahead to allow it to firm up and chill. And consider presenting the finished cake as a gift; you're sure to make someone's day.

The name Newman was once a staple only in Hollywood; today, it's a staple in kitchens all across the country. That is largely the result of the efforts of two people: Paul Newman, who founded the Newman's Own line of food products in 1982, and his daughter Nell, who expanded the brand with Newman's Own Organics 11 years later. All profits of both companies go to charities. And what dessert gives this giving family the greatest comfort? "Pecan pie," says Nell, whose mother—actress Joanne Woodward—grew up in the South. "I've always loved pecan pie and the smell of toasting pecans and burnt sugar that goes with it. My aunts Betty Lane and Nina still send their pecan pies up from Georgia at the holidays." This update on the sweet southern classic has the true taste of maple and some whole wheat flour in the crust.

Janet Fletcher, food writer, says,"My grandmother could never seem to make enough of her creamy giblet gravy; everyone always wanted more. We poured it over the mashed potatoes, dressing and turkey, then over open-face sandwiches the next day. Of course, it's great with this turkey, too: The bird gets its incredible moistness from being soaked overnight in a brine enhanced by thyme, garlic cloves and honey."Because of the brining process, we don’t recommend stuffing this turkey.