A layer cake is like a fanfare: It blares “Celebration!” Full of flavor, this cake is based on nuts, cranberries and grated parsnips, a vegetable that might not spring to mind immediately when you’re thinking cake.
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Sheet Pan Bread Stuffing with Sausage + Spinach
Since stuffing rarely appears separate from Thanksgiving, it’s an inherently nostalgic and meaningful dish. I bake my stuffing on a sheet pan so the crispy-to-soft ratio is basically one to one.
Roast Turkey Breast + Onions with Mustard + Sage
This is my go-to recipe for turkey breast that is the opposite of dry and boring and also cooks so quickly, which is the antithesis of most Thanksgiving turkey.
Carole Peck’s Apple and Endive Salad with Pumpkin Seed Vinaigrette
This gorgeous salad is one of the reasons Carole Peck’s Good News Restaurant & Bar just celebrated its 25th year as one of the best places to eat in Connecticut.
Ina Garten’s Red Wine–Braised Short Ribs
This may be my favorite recipe ever. In the winter when it’s really cold, a hearty stew of beef short ribs simmered with a whole bottle of red wine, a bottle of Guinness, and lots of vegetables, is about the most comforting dinner you can possibly imagine.
Ina Garten’s Butternut Squash Gratin
I cook the squash with garlic and a little nutmeg, then put it in a gratin dish with a topping of crunchy bread crumbs and Gruyère cheese. This is serious comfort food on a cold winter night.
