Oven Bake

Make or buy a favorite pumpkin pie for dessert. What to drink: A fruit-forward Zinfandel or Malbec.

If your Thanksgiving dinner is a formal affair, serve the crostini on small plates with the frisée salad. If your guests like to hang out in the kitchen until dinner is served, offer the crostini as passed hors d'oeuvres topped with a sprig of dressed frisée.

Why, we wondered, should traditional bread stuffing have to use white bread? Rye and pumpernickel stand up much better to the sweet caramelized onions and earthy turnips in this very autumnal version.

This stuffing uses polenta two ways—half of it is left creamy, while the other half gets browned, for a nice contrast of texture.

Creamy, cheesy, and light, this wonderful custard packs a few of the most delicious ingredients—sweet corn, earthy mushrooms, and spicy chorizo—into one amazingly satisfying dish.

Given the popularity of crème brûlée, this luscious side dish — with its not-too-sweet custard and crunchy caramelized sugar — is sure to be a hit. If you're making an entire menu in a single oven, you'll need to make the brûlée ahead and reheat it while the turkey stands (see cooks' note, below).

Unlike many stuffings, which are cooked inside the turkey and/or include chicken broth, this wild mushroom version is completely vegetarian. Packed with the robust essence of dried porcini, it will win the approval of everyone at the table.

This crispy crust won't flop over on you, so it's wonderful for cocktail parties. It's delicious simply brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, focaccia-style, or topped with 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 pound sliced mozzarella, and 2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil leaves.

These satisfying tarts may incite "vegetarian envy" in your meat-eating guests. The recipe makes 4 sizable main-course portions, but the tarts could be halved (or even quartered) to serve as a side dish. Either way, they are delicious with the roasted mushroom and barley gravy.

Frittata di Ricotta The best ricotta is a farmer's jewel—thick, tangy, and, contrary to health regulations, unpasteurized. But we eat it anyway, at room temperature with a spoon, like kids skimming cream off the top of milk. Around Garfagnana, the mountain town where my mom grew up, this frittata is a staple, but is never served as an individual dish; the frittatas they made were huge and were sliced into single servings. You can't beat it for a buffet. It's also great with tomato sauce on top. Make sure to use the highest quality ricotta you can find.

Every visitor to Paumanok Vineyards enjoys a warm welcome from owners Ursula and Charles Massoud. She learned viticulture in her parents' vineyards in Germany; he taught himself to make wine when his job with IBM took the family to the Middle East. Ursula, who is known for her outstanding comfort food, pairs Paumanok's semi-dry Riesling with an onion tart she makes at harvest time. "It's traditional in my hometown to serve it when the Riesling juice is still fermenting. The sweetness of the onions matches the sweetness of the new wine."

Farro is often said to be the Italian word for "spelt," but it is actually a different strain of wheat.

Chicken, not fish, is the star in this version of the hearty Provençal soup. IMPROV: Make this dish even more flavorful by adding a faux rouille. Combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika; season with salt and pepper. Top each serving with a dollop.