Thanksgiving

Fresh cranberries are usually sold only from November through January. So freeze a few extra bags to make this anytime.

Maple syrup in the corn bread adds a touch of New England to this traditional stuffing. The leftover bread is also nice with scrambled eggs or omelets.

The following corn bread is not to be eaten on its own; it's meant for stuffing, so we've deliberately made it dry.

Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Assemble these four hours ahead, and rewarm them 20 minutes before serving.

Fresh pumpkin or squash puree is always delicious but not nearly as handy as canned pumpkin.

This dessert was inspired by my good friend and great Cajun chef Paul Prudhomme. He prepares his with sweet potatoes, which are available year-round, and hence, give his version a longer seasonal shelf life than mine. If there's anything better than pumpkin pie or pecan pie, it's the two of them together. The whiskey butter adds a thoroughly Cajun twist to this sweet ending.

Here, leftover cranberry sauce (or canned cranberry sauce) and boneless pork chops make a very contemporary little supper. Freshen up any leftover mashed white or sweet potatoes by stirring in chopped lemon and orange peel. A salad of bitter greens tossed with a cider vinaigrette, and a simple dessert of grape clusters and spiced bar cookies round things out.

Most supermarkets have at least one type of spiced sausage. If you don't have the time to make cornbread, it usually is sold at BBQ restaurants and diners. This recipe is an accompaniment for Maple Ginger Roasted Turkey.

From the Williamsburg Inn's Regency Room.

Can be made in 45 minutes or less.

Apple cider vinegar makes the crust extra flaky. Offer eggnog ice cream (or vanilla ice cream sprinkled with nutmeg) alongside.

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.