Thanksgiving

This recipe is inspired by a cranberry pie from Sarah Chase's book Cold Weather Cooking. My friend Barbara Liberman calls it "easy cake"—I call it delicious. When cranberries are in season, serve it with vanilla ice cream and your friends will love you.

"Au gratin" is a term that, in America, is usually associated with cheese. But the term may refer to any light but thorough topping of fine fresh or dry bread crumbs or even crushed cornflakes, cracker crumbs, or finely ground nuts on scalloped dishes or casseroles. These dishes, usually combinations of cooked shellfish, fish, meats, vegetables, or eggs, bound by a sauce and served in the dish in which they were cooked, are then browned in the oven or under the broiler to form a crisp golden crust. Set the casserole dish or baking dish on a piece of foil, shiny side down to deflect the heat, or just set it on a baking sheet.

This is a basic not-too-sweet dough that can be used for variously shaped dinner rolls.

When the cranberries in this buckle bake, they split open just enough to absorb the cake batter while retaining a firm outer shell and a slightly tart bite. Half are folded into the batter and half are distributed on top with the Vanilla Crumb, creating a red-jeweled delight. This recipe is great for a holiday breakfast or brunch.

I make this for a holiday dinner or when I'm planning to have a large group of friend and family over. The outside of the turkey is encrusted with a baked-on pepper rub. Inside, the meat is juicy and tender.

Very versatile and not too sweet, this fruit tart is perfect to serve at breakfast or brunch or with wine and cheese after dinner.

This scrumptious dessert serves up sweet, seasonal fruit in filling, foolproof portions. And whole-grain oats top it off with a fluffy cobbler cap that's lusciously lowfat.

These individual desserts feature layers of tender spiced chiffon muffins; a mix of caramelized apples, pears, and cranberries; and a rich custard laced with apple brandy. To show off the pretty layers, assemble the trifles in clear bowls or dessert glasses. Enjoy the extra muffin for breakfast the next day.

Guests won't leaf these alone! A yogurt dressing and plenty of produce keep the tangy mouthfuls light.

Consider these "beauty" bites: They offer up 26 percent of your daily dose of vitamin A, which keeps skin and hair healthy.

The key to this deeply flavored cheesecake? Reduced maple syrup. The sweet-tart compote is a delicious—and pretty—accompaniment.

This nutty, satisfying puree— enriched with chicken fat for tradition's sake or pareve margarine—makes a nice bed for the roast duck.

Aim to get your fully thawed turkey into the turkey brine 12 hours before cooking.

For many, Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie is unthinkable, but that doesn't mean you can't jazz up the old standby.

Food editor Andrea Albin, who developed this menu, says that her mom, Veronica, who lives in Houston, should get all the glory here. Raw celery and toasted almonds lace cooked cranberries with terrific crunch.

This is not the cloying, candylike sweet potato side dish that is so often topped with marshmallows. Here, the vegetable's distinctive, mellow sweetness (as well as that of the acorn squash) is augmented by hints of brown sugar and nutmeg, so that the ingredients speak for themselves. Slicing the vegetables rather than puréeing them also imparts a lovely presence—the squash looks like happy smiles, the sweet potatoes like shining coins.

A roast turkey glazed with a buttery cider syrup is burnished outside and juicy within. You'll have more than enough gravy to ladle over the stuffing, the smashed potatoes, and tomorrow's leftovers.

A towering dessert on the holiday sideboard always gets attention. And the oohs and aahs will only get louder when you cut in to reveal its moist crumb dotted with ruby-red cranberries and topaz-colored pear. Its scent of vanilla and spices is very inviting, while the brown sugar and cinnamon glaze is, of course, the icing on the cake.

When it comes to the Thanksgiving centerpiece, most people aren't looking for a lot of bells and whistles—they simply crave a big, juicy bird with golden skin. This recipe delivers. Cream gives the gravy, which is equally straightforward to prepare, a velvety lushness that your guests won't soon forget.