Bon Appétit

Toasted homemade croutons are tossed with a warm dressing for a stuffing that's lighter than the traditional Thanksgiving version.

For convenience, make the cornbread one day before preparing the stuffing.

Gerald Colapinto of Corona, California, writes: "My grandparents were born in Italy and were wonderful cooks, so I'm partial to Italian food. I especially love the cooking of Southern Italy. Fortunately, I often travel to Rome on business. Back home, I like to re-create the dishes I discovered."

Make or buy a favorite pumpkin pie for dessert. What to drink: A fruit-forward Zinfandel or Malbec.

The bold flavor of turkey is a natural with Mexican food. Fire-roasted salsa can be found in the refrigerated deli case at most supermarkets.

You don't need a panini machine to make these; use the low-tech method of weighting the sandwiches with a baking pan filled with canned goods. If you're making just one or two sandwiches at a time, you can cook them in a skillet and top them with another skillet weighted with cans.

Unlike most brined turkeys, this one can be stuffed because the apple-cider brine contains less salt than the typical recipe. Begin brining two days ahead.

Leftover ham in the fridge or sweet potatoes in the pantry? This clever brunch dish is the way to go.

Green Apple and Celery Salad with Walnuts and Mustard Vinaigrette Recipe

If your Thanksgiving dinner is a formal affair, serve the crostini on small plates with the frisée salad. If your guests like to hang out in the kitchen until dinner is served, offer the crostini as passed hors d'oeuvres topped with a sprig of dressed frisée.