• 6 medium sweet potatoes (more or less, depending on size) Skin-off or on per choice
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Marshmallows

Do-ahead option: pre-roast the sweet potatoes: Wrap them in foil and bake them whole for 1 hour at 400 degrees before slicing them - this provides a softer texture.

Alternatively, slice the raw potatoes thin and add them directly to the casserole; this method results in a firmer texture.

This Yotam Ottolenghi recipe was amazing. The balance of the sweet currants with the curry-spiced chickpeas was surprising and delightful and the fried onions sealed the deal. Yes, it's got a lot of components, but it is totally worth it. I have halved the proportions to serve 8 as a side or 4 as a main.

These rolls from the The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook are deceptively easy to make and great par-baked and frozen. We make these for Thanksgiving - they're one thing we can check off our list a few weeks in advance.

Dough Recipe

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This recipe from Bon Appetit uses raw kale and brussels sprout to make a delicious, nutty salad.

Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side.

For the salad:

1/2 bunch of Tuscan or lacinato kale (about 1/4 lb), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced or shredded in food processor
1/2 pint of brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely sliced or shredded in food processor
1/2 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup finely grated Pecorino

For the dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper

This is Jon's Mom's Sour Cream Cake recipe

1 cup butter (softened)
3 c. sugar
Cream together until well blended.

Sift together in a large bowl:
3 c. flour
¼ t. baking soda
½ t. salt

6 eggs (may be separated, beat egg whites until almost stiff and fold in last) Or just add one whole egg at a time (this is what I do)
1 c. sour cream
1 t. vanilla

Add one egg at a time to butter/sugar and beat well after each.

We tried making pumpkin pies from scratch (like, starting with a pumpkin scratch), but we never quite got it to come out right. We've reverted to Jon's grandmother's closely-guarded recipe, which comes from the side of a Libby's can:

1 can Libby's pure pumpkin
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
2 large eggs
¾ cup sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp cloves
¼ tsp allspice (optional)
1 pie crust

Mix together sugar and spices in a small bowl.

Audrey's family's latke recipe with a few process tips taken from Cook's Illustrated and the Los Angeles Times.
See also the kitchn for an actual recipe. Closer to hashbrowns than pancakes. Serve with applesauce and sour cream.

This is a modified version of the turkey and dressing recipe that Jon got from his Mom, who learned from hers. We buy a fresh (non-frozen), free-range turkey and dry brine it for 2-3 days. In years past, we have also wet-brined it for three days, but this is much messier (though it can save fridge space if you use a cooler). We have recently been doing simple injections to improve the juiciness of the breast meat