Squash

California is among the four leading honey producers in the country. And Texas produces some of the finest pecans. This pie has a touch of honey in the filling, in the topping and in the crunchy coating for the pecan garnish. An extra batch of the honeyed pecans is a great snack or holiday hostess gift.

Ella Brennan, who has been called the "queen of Creole cuisine," tasted her first bread pudding long ago. "It was my mother's," she says. "You never had anything like it." These days, people say the same thing about the bread pudding at Brennan's famous Commander's Palace restaurant in New Orleans. "Our bread pudding soufflé outsells all of our other desserts by ten to one, maybe a hundred to one," she says. "We see people swoon over it." Here's a new take on this hall-of-fame comfort dessert: a pumpkin bread pudding that is served cold, except for the sugar sprinkled on top and browned under the broiler just before the sensational dessert goes to the table.

Nutmeg adds nice flavor to this soup.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. May require additional sitting time.

This recipe is based on a delicious dish made by Laura DaMiano, a Quebecois chef. She loves the flavor of butternut squash paired with Oka cheese, a mild, semisoft cow's-milk cheese. Mild Cheddar can be used as a substitute. If you are making this entire menu in a single oven, and you are not making the scalloped squash ahead, you can bake the squash while the ham is standing after braising.

Serve this with roast turkey, lamb, or pork.

This dish is delicious over couscous, which will absorb the flavorful broth.

Dollops of cinnamon-flavored sour cream top this luscious soup.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

This recipe works best with thin-skinned lemons because the slices, having less pith, will not be as bitter.

Fay Felicitas, San Jose, Calif.
If you don't have margarine, 2 to 3 additional tablespoons of olive oil will do, as the sausages release some fat. Two ounces of cheese is a small amount, but that's all you'll need to tie the dish together.

With its crisp sugary topping, this creamy dessert combines the best of two worlds: pumpkin pie and crème brûlée.

Though not a traditional Thanksgiving spice, curry powder lends a wonderful and subtle flavor to this lovely side dish.