Apple Cider

Even if you love dark meat, you won't be disappointed with this easy alternative to serving a whole turkey. Roasting the turkey breast at high heat for a short time locks in tons of meaty juice, and the filling combines stuffing and cranberry sauce in one dish. Pan juices, whisked together with apple cider, top it all off.

The secret to this simple recipe is using the best carrots you can find; taste them to make sure they are sweet and full of flavor.

Cider made from fresh apples creates a full-bodied glaze for these tender chops.

Chef-owner Shawn McClain of Custom House restaurant in Chicago created this recipe for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program. He recommends using a creamy, mild blue cheese like Fourme d'Ambert.

Lentilles du Puy are lighter than other lentils and hold their shape especially well during cooking.

This fruit butter makes a quick dessert. It's also a great snack on bread or toast. We use it in a low-fat recipe for a moist and chunky apple butter spice cake. We have found preserving in half-pint (250 mL) jars convenient, since that recipe calls for that amount of apple butter. But if you use larger jars, you'll have lots left for other uses.

Nils Noren, executive chef at restaurant Aquavit, in New York, pairs this smoky hot drink with venison, but it works well with almost any wintry game preparation. He uses Assam tea, a full-bodied brew from India. For a richer, molasseslike flavor, use muscovado sugar.

Unlike most brined turkeys, this one can be stuffed because the apple-cider brine contains less salt than the typical recipe. Begin brining two days ahead.

Be sure to remove (or score) the membrane on the underside of the ribs so that the seasonings can penetrate and fully flavor the meat. Even better, ask the butcher to remove the membrane. What to drink: Kenwood Vineyards 2003 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($17).

The milder flavor and softer aroma of Turkish bay leaves are preferable in this dish.

Heat leftover apple cider with a cinnamon stick on the stove top. It makes a great warm drink—and instant aromatherapy.

Star anise, cinnamon, and apple cider give this dish the flavors of fall. Add some wilted greens and a nice Zinfandel, and you've got a sophisticated dinner party.