Turkey

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.

Turkey soup may be the end of the line for turkey leftovers, but it doesn't have to be boring and predictable. The hearty essence of the roasted holiday bird is concentrated into a deeply satisfying broth, thick with noodles and laced with garlic, rosemary, and tomatoes. This is a guaranteed crowd pleaser whether it's just the family or a last minute gathering of friends. And thanks to the ready availability of turkey wings, executive food editor Kemp M. Minifie bets you won't want to wait until next Thanksgiving to make it again.

Possibly the most delicious turkey meatloaf we've come up with, this one is incredibly moist (dark turkey meat is key). Apricots show up three ways—in the finely chopped dried fruit (left over from our Prune, Cherry, and Apricot Frangipane Tart ) threaded through the meat, in the apricot preserves that help season it, and in the glaze brushed over the top—but the final result is not cloying, thanks to the healthy dose of ancho chile powder, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, which balances the fruitiness with savory depth. This meatloaf also makes terrific sandwiches, so hope for leftovers.

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

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.

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.

This is the “house” burger at Bobby’s Burger Palace. It’s a basic burger (I like it garnished with red onion, tomato, romaine lettuce, and horseradish mustard) with CRUNCH. The crunch factor comes from a big handful of potato chips layered between the burger and the bun. Some of you may have added chips to your sandwiches as kids, and if people ever told you that you were nuts, I’m here to say that you’re not! Oozing melted cheese becomes a part of the chips and those crunchy chips become a part of the burger—delicious. I love getting a mouthful of juicy burger and salty, crispy potato chips in one bite; it’s a way to get a true contrast of textures into your cheeseburger. In fact, I make it an option to have all of the burgers at Bobby’s Burger Palace “crunchified.”

We love the sweet-sour taste of classic veal scaloppini, but we have started using turkey cutlets in our peppery version. Turkey has such a rich taste, plus it’s leaner and less expensive than veal. This recipe is simple enough for everyday dinners, but it tastes special enough that you can eat it by candlelight, especially when it’s served with our almond rice pilaf.

Grilling the turkey frees up the oven for the rest of the feast. Learn how to turn out a perfect grilled turkey in PREP SCHOOL.

These empanadas are moist and full of flavor. If your gravy is thin, simmer to reduce and thicken it, then chill before using.

This can help use up all the leftover veggies, too.

A little bit of clementine peel adds a citrus note to the turkey. The smoky, slightly bitter southern-style gravy is terrific drizzled over the meat or over mashed potatoes. For a pretty garnish, decorate the platter with whole clementines.

Way better than the classic leftover-turkey sandwich.

Two quintessential autumn ingredients—sage and cider—flavor this turkey-gravy combo.

The stock would also make a good base for turkey soup.

Rich turkey-leg meat (about $2 a pound) is a foolproof stand-in for the traditional veal shank.

Living in the Pacific Northwest, with our bounty of berries, tree-ripened fruits, hazelnuts, and wild mushrooms, makes going to the farmers' market feel like a season-long treasure hunt. I'm especially rewarded when I stop at the mushroom forager's stand and see a basket chock-full of chanterelle mushrooms. At the peak of the season, I buy fresh chanterelles and use them as often as I can, as in this golden-hued mushroom gravy accompaniment to the holiday bird.

Editor's note: Use these instructions to make Diane Morgan's Juniper-Brined Roast Turkey with Chanterelle Mushroom Gravy This method involves brining the bird in turkey oven bags set in a roasting pan. The roasting pan will fit on 1 shelf in the refrigerator, saving critical space.