Bon Appétit

The technique: In this recipe, we started with purchased rosemary-olive bread, a single ingredient that's packed with flavor. Fennel, Speck, and raisins round out this super stuffing.
The payoff: There's lots of cooking to be done on Thanksgiving, so why not save yourself some work? Speck—lightly smoked, cured pork—adds a rich flavor to the stuffing.

The technique: Sautéing is just cooking something quickly in a small amount of oil on the stovetop.
The payoff: The dish comes together quickly and the vegetables retain their texture.

The technique: Instead of rolling, just combine the crust ingredients and press the sandy, crumbly mixture onto the tart pan. Start in the middle and work outward, or—if you're concerned about running out of crust as you go up the sides—start with the edges and work inward. That way, you'll have plenty of dough to form edges of uniform thickness for a pretty presentation.
The payoff: Two fewer things to do: A press-in crust eliminates the (sometimes tricky) steps of rolling out the dough and transferring it to the tart pan. This rich, slightly gooey tart is golden from the browned butter, golden brown sugar, and golden syrup.

The technique: Any dish that's topped with breadcrumbs or cheese and then browned is considered a gratin.
The payoff: Layers of flavor and texture and a way to transform almost any vegetable into something special.

The technique: For crisp-tender vegetables, boil them quickly, then dump them into a bowl of ice water.
The payoff: The rapid boil cooks the veggies just enough; the ice water stops the cooking and intensifies the color of the vegetables.

The technique: To create a lattice top, roll out the dough, then cut it into strips. Make the lattice by draping half the strips in one direction across the filling, then draping the other half in the opposite direction, or weave the strips over and under for a classic basket-weave pattern.
The payoff: A professional-looking dessert that's sure to impress your guests. A perfect Thanksgiving treat for berry pie lovers.

The technique: When cooked at a high heat, some vegetables take on a deep, nutty flavor and golden brown color. In this recipe, the sugars in the pomegranate molasses enhance the caramelization process.
The payoff: Caramelized vegetables have that addictive sweet-savory taste and a lovely sheen.

The technique: Roasting is as basic as baking something uncovered, but this simple process does something magical to vegetables.
The payoff: Roasting caramelizes the sugars and creates veggies that are browned on the outside and tender on the inside.

The technique: Cooking veggies over moderate heat for a bit longer than you would for a typical sauté helps meld flavors while retaining texture.
The payoff: Side dishes cooked on the stovetop preserve precious oven space.

The technique: Who says stuffing has to be made with bread? Rice-based dressings are a good way to mix up the Thanksgiving lineup. Keep in mind that wild rice from different sources cooks at different rates. Check the package to get an idea of how long the wild rice should cook. The goal is tender rice that still retains its structure.
The payoff: The nutty, hearty texture of wild rice is fantastic with the turkey and all the trimmings. Plus, it's an indigenous American ingredient. A mix of wild rice and white rice is amped up with Middle Eastern flavors in this satisfying stuffing.

The technique: To show off the tangy freshness of cranberries, don't cook them at all. The payoff: Chopping the berries in the processor gives them a coarse texture, which is great alongside the turkey and the trimmings. Plus, the recipe comes together in 20 minutes.

The technique: Parboil sliced potatoes in whipping cream, then layer them with mushrooms and top with Gruyère.
The payoff: Great texture and flavor through and through—the cheese gets browned and toasty in the oven, and the layers of creamy potatoes and mushrooms are rich and satisfying.

The technique: No measuring, no mixing— just roll out puff pastry, trim to a circle, and transfer it to the pan. If you can find all-butter pastry, it's worth using here because of its superior flavor and texture.
The payoff: It couldn't be easier to use—or more flaky and buttery.

The technique: A single-crust pie requires only a bottom crust and is the best choice for a custard filling, like pumpkin pie.
The payoff: You have to make only one pie crust, and if it breaks or cracks it's easy enough to cobble the crust together in the pie dish. Most of the bottom crust will be covered with filling, so it doesn't have to look perfect. The topping mixture is sprinkled just inside the crust, leaving a circle of filling peeking out in the center of the pie.

These individual desserts have a spiced fruit filling that's a modern version of mincemeat.

The technique: High heat equals great flavor—roasting the new potatoes browns and crisps the skin, providing a little bit of crunch.
The payoff: Hearty potato taste and texture with only 25 minutes of prep.

The technique: Braising (sautéing, then cooking low and slow in a bit of liquid) is most often associated with meat, but it's also a great way to cook veggies.
The payoff: Fibrous vegetables like butternut squash are the perfect candidates for braising. The braising liquid infuses the squash with flavor and makes it very tender.

The technique: If you can roast other fruit, why not cranberries? High-heat cooking intensifies flavors, no matter what you put in the oven.
The payoff: Soft and caramelized berries.