Christmas

You've encountered a million potato-bacon-cheese combos in your lifetime, but in retrospect they all seem to be rehearsals for this one, a classic of Miraglia Eriquez's Calabrian grandmother Mary Pacella, who immigrated to Brooklyn in 1934. Crispness abounds, from the bacon to the slight crust on the roasted potatoes, yielding to creamy, very potatoey interiors.

Kumquats and cranberries turn out to be a perfect match, since their flavors are similar in intensity: The former contributes a pleasant citrusy bitterness to the latter's signature tartness.

This recipe was created by chef Traci Des Jardins of San Francisco's Jardinière. It's part of a special menu she created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

This recipe was created by chef Traci Des Jardins of San Francisco's Jardinière. It's part of a special menu she created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

This gorgeous bird emerges from the oven nearly black and very deeply flavored. However, don't look for crisp skin; the mole keeps both the flesh and skin tender and moist. Be sure to start the turkey at least one hour and up to eight hours ahead to allow for marinating time. The easiest way to do this is to spread on the mole before you go to bed and let the turkey marinate in the fridge overnight.

A moist, deeply flavored confection studded with rum-soaked raisins and crunchy pecans, this streamlined one-bowl cake will get compliments even for novice bakers. Plus, it keeps for days. To dress up each serving, why not use store-bought eggnog, which has the consistency of custard sauce.

This is a dessert to remember: chocolaty cookie crust, creamy mascarpone filling, and a glistening cranberry topping.

If you've never cooked with quince before, here's a great intro. It tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear.

Kumquats, small, oval citrus fruit with an edible peel, start turning up in markets this month. They're candied here for a gorgeous cheesecake topping.

Chestnuts play deliciously against roasted grapes. Roasted chestnuts in jars can be found at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and online at markys.com or mastercaviar.com.

Squash is often sold already peeled and seeded, making this recipe even easier.

Thinly sliced brussels sprouts are sautéed with shallots in this comforting hash.

Over-the-top delicious.

Deliciously sweet, savory, and salty.

A great way to use the liver from your Thanksgiving turkey. (The turkey liver alone won't be enough—you'll have to mix in a few chicken livers.)

These classic candies (called sweetmeats by the British) look sinful but are little more than dried apricots, figs, and plums dusted with nuts, cocoa, or sugar.

The soft, slightly sweet bread called pulla is made with plenty of butter, which results in tender pieces that can be pulled apart, bite by bite.

The sweetness of this brittle is balanced by a sprinkling of salt.