Thanksgiving

With its use of dried porcini in the turkey rub and fresh shiitakes in the light gravy, this recipe from the late food writer Michael McLaughlin is a fine example of his signature style: deeply flavorful seasonal cooking. You can make the turkey stock for the gravy up to two days ahead.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 5 hr If you decide to use fresh pumpkin purée for this cake, be sure you drain it for the full eight hours we recommend in the procedure.

Serve this curry with condiments such as dried currants, sliced green onions, shredded coconut and toasted slivered almonds.

"I have never been a bread-pudding fan," writes Marie Hernandez of Chicago. "But after trying the pumpkin bread pudding at Wildfire restaurant in Oak Brook, Illinois, I think I've changed my mind. Had I know that this dessert could be so good, I would have started eating it long ago." Do as the restaurant does, and serve this with sweetened whipped cream.

The cranberries add tartness, color and texture. Serve the pie with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, if you like.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 4 hr

The dried figs add a chewy sweetness to this delicious sauce.

So good — and no cooking required. Prepare the relish at least a day ahead, and add more cardamom before serving if you'd like a stronger flavor.

Apples bring a mild sweetness to this rich soup, which can be made a day ahead.

Multi-grain breads can vary widely in density. As a result, the 10 cups diced bread called for below may weigh a little more or less than 1 pound. We preferred a light-textured seven-grain bread for this stuffing.

This super-easy pie from the Harvest Market is loaded with maple flavor.

Lightly sweetened whipped cream is a nice addition to this delicious dessert.

Dried cherries and fresh cranberries pair beautifully. Cloves are a festive touch.

The sweet bread called for here was introduced to Hawaii by nineteenth-century Portuguese immigrants. The stuffing can also be cooked inside the turkey, provided the bird is roasted immediately after being stuffed. For more flavor, rub the turkey with a mixture of salt and pepper and two tablespoons each of sesame oil, orange juice and lime juice, and let it marinate overnight.

Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.