Classically Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just a week away. While some are already experiencing heartburn from the election, others are happy to gather with family and friends just to celebrate each other, happily gorging on some serious carbo-licious food. Being that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, I look forward to this annual sit-down and having never quite mastered this elaborate meal- OK, I have never cooked any elaborate meal to be honest- here are some favorite recipes offered from the New York Times. So, why don’t you- or perhaps your mom/private chef/friend/or anyone who can navigate the kitchen better than myself- attempt to liven up your table and tastebuds with these contemporary classics. These very sophisticated yet savory delectables may even inspire me to learn how to cook. Then again, maybe not. Oh, and don’t forget to hit the gym the next day. Hard.

Cheesy Hasselback Potato Gratin

This golden and glorious mash-up of potato gratin and Hasselback potatoes, from the acclaimed food science writer J. Kenji López-Alt, has been engineered to give you both creamy potato and singed edge in each bite. The principal innovation here is placing the sliced potatoes in the casserole dish vertically, on their edges, rather than laying them flat as in a standard gratin, in order to get those crisp ridges on top. Allow extra time for the task of slicing the potatoes, for which it’s helpful to have a mandoline (though not necessary, strictly speaking). And do buy extra potatoes, just in case; you want to pack the potatoes tightly and keep them standing up straight.

Featured in: In ‘The Food Lab,’ The Science Of Home Cooking.

Sweet Potatoes With Maple and Chipotles

This is a Bobby Flay recipe ginned up specifically for Thanksgiving in response to a request from The Times back in 2003. Mr. Flay came through in spades: The sweetness of the potatoes is amplified by maple syrup, then taken in a completely different direction by the addition of fiery chipotle sauce. Sour cream knits the dish together perfectly.

Featured in: Thanksgiving Dinner, With 12 Chefs On The Side.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Almond-Herb Sauce

This striking dish has become a modern classic, as chefs around the world are working out new ways to push vegetables into the center of the plate. It makes a lovely vegetarian main course after a pasta intro, or a gorgeous side dish for lamb or fish. Omit the anchovies in the sauce, and it becomes entirely vegetarian; replace the butter with more olive oil, and it turns vegan. Try using pale orange, green or purple cauliflower, or a head of spiky, psychedelic Romanesco. Carve it at the table, just like a roast, for maximum impact.

Featured in: How To Roast Cauliflower (The Whole Thing).

Red Wine Cranberry Sauce With Honey

What does a chef in Napa Valley do to jazz up her cranberry sauce? Add wine, of course. This recipe was inspired by Cindy Pawlcyn, the Napa Valley chef and cookbook author, and includes smashed fresh ginger for extra verve. It’s more tart than most cranberry sauce recipes, so if you like yours sweeter, feel free to add more sugar or a little more honey.

Featured in: Class Up Your Cranberry Sauce.

Dry-Brined Turkey

This fantastic turkey recipe borrows a technique perfected by the late Judy Rodgers, the chef from the Zuni Café in San Francisco, who had exceptional results salting chickens long before roasting them (also called dry-brining). No more fussy liquid brine that alters the texture of the meat — just crisp, golden skin and tender, moist meat. This turkey will be the talk of the table. Allow two days for the bird to season before roasting.

Featured in: After The Bird, Everything Else Is Secondary.

Thanksgiving Dressing/Stuffing

The question has dogged Thanksgiving cooks practically since Norman Rockwell painted “Freedom From Want” in 1942 and transformed the harvest feast into an American ideal: Is it stuffing or dressing? Grandmother knows: it is stuffing only if it is cooked inside the bird. Otherwise it is dressing. This classic version, made with bread, celery, onions, apples, chestnuts, thyme and sage, is relatively simple to execute. It would do well at almost any time of the year as an accompaniment to roast chicken or pork. Crucial is the copious use of turkey broth, or a good chicken broth, to help meld the flavors together. Also necessary is an understanding that the cooking should last long enough to crisp the exterior without burning it, while not going on so long as to dry out the dish. When in doubt, add a splash more broth.

Featured in: Thanksgiving Dressing.

Double Apple Pie

This recipe is a keeper. Gently spiced with cinnamon, tinged with brown sugar and loaded with apple butter, it’s as deeply flavored as an apple pie can be, all covered with a buttery wide-lattice top crust. Although it’s at its most ethereal when baked on the same day you serve it, it’s still wonderful made a day ahead. (Don’t let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)

Featured in: The United States Of Thanksgiving.

Brandied Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie made with canned pumpkin is all well and good, but pumpkin pie made with fresh butternut squash purée is even better. Thin-skinned and easy to cut, butternut squash turns soft and velvety if you roast it, and a quick whirl in the food processor or a blender quickly reduces to it to a luscious purée. Here we’ve kept the seasonings on the light side to best showcase the character of the squash. But feel free to amp up the cinnamon and ginger if you like a spicier slice. The brandy is optional, and if you’d rather not use it, you can leave it out (or substitute another spirit; bourbon is excellent). If you bake the pie a day ahead, keep it covered at room temperature until serving time — the refrigerator wreaks havoc on the crust. (Don’t let making your own pie crust intimidate you: our pie guide has everything you need to know.)

Featured in: The Trick To Great Pumpkin Pie.

Deluxe Cheesecake

Craig Claiborne brought this version of the classic dessert to The Times in September 1963, and it quickly became one of the paper’s most requested recipes. It makes an excellent backdrop for almost any ripe and sweet fruit. Feel free to play around with flavorings like vanilla, and spices like cinnamon or crystallized ginger.

Featured in: Craig Claiborne’s Classic Cheesecake.