Thanksgiving

This cheesecake is silky, tangy, and mousselike, thanks to Creole cream cheese. (You can sub a mix of sour cream and buttermilk.) The tart-and-sweet apple topping makes it perfect for fall.

This isn’t your typical super-puffed Dutch baby; it’s creamy and custardy on the inside and airy around the edges, thanks to the inclusion of canned pumpkin purée.

This scalloped potatoes recipe is a classic from Gourmet, simply made with softened onions, an easy roux, and thinly sliced potatoes.

When I was growing up, my mother served a lot of canned vegetables, but the one thing she always made from scratch was acorn squash, which she roasted with butter and maple syrup. When I revisited her old method, I found it was just as good as I remembered. The sweet squash filled with a big puddle of melted butter and sweet syrup is so irresistible!

A simple fall dessert.

Toss grilled carrots and fresh avocados with a chile-ginger dressing that's sweetened with honey for a simple side that can easily double as a light lunch.

These tender, fluffy cornbread muffins skip the butter and call for creamy whipped corn instead. A side of homemade jalapeño pepper jelly adds some spice.

Since the crunchy apple and kohlrabi are so refreshing, it would make the perfect palate cleanser between heavier courses at dinner, but most often I eat it for a light lunch.

This versatile condiment brings a balanced mix of sweet, salty, acidic, and herbaceous flavors that complement virtually any pizza. If it’s not pizza night but you’ve got leftovers, drizzle this over roasted vegetables, cooked chicken, or a crispy-skinned piece of fish.

Sour cream isn’t just a gimmick. Used in place of the more typical cream or buttermilk, it adds a rich, tangy flavor, and its acidity helps make the biscuits incredibly tender.

Hate pouring excess sourdough starter down the drain? Instead, use it in this biscuit recipe, where it takes the place of buttermilk, adding tang and just a bit of lift. Milk-based starter (yeah, that’s a thing) is our preference, but for a delicious and totally dairy-free biscuit, use water-based starter and vegan butter.

This salad evolved from my father’s favorite road-trip snack—carrot sticks with roasted almonds, lemon juice, and salt. I’ve punched it up with fresh ginger, lots of parsley, and dates.

For most drinkers of a certain age, Jägermeister is the unofficial source of many bad decisions. But here it acts as the base of a bone-warming drink that combines the herbal notes of the liqueur with apple brandy for a decidedly adult way to fortify oneself after a day out in the cold.

In our cold-weather version of the mojito we sub out white rum for rich, brooding blackstrap and mint for muddled rosemary.

When roasted at high temperature, humble cabbage becomes sweet and incredibly satisfying. In this recipe, the cabbage ‘steaks’ are a base for crispy chickpeas, herby croutons, and a rich and lemony garlic sauce.

Miso and a paprika-packed squash purée makes this dairy-free risotto hearty and satisfying. Double or triple the squash purée, and use it in other meals throughout the week.

Pairing the tangy fruit with Scotch—plus oolong tea that’s been steeped forever—gives a whisper of smoke and a bitter, malty edge to the drink.

This recipe calls for a whole leg of ham, with the bone in, that has been pre-cured and pre-cooked. If you can’t buy a pre-cooked ham, ask your local butcher for a cured leg and follow their cooking instructions before glazing.

Imagine a pumpkin pie with pecan pie’s best feature: the candied nut topping. Now spike the custard with rye whiskey, up the flavor of the crust with rye flour, and voilà.