Thanksgiv
10 recipes found
Sweet Potato Layer Cake
Taking an old recipe and making it new, without compromising its comfort and nostalgia, can be a real joy. Howard Conyers Jr., a legacy sweet potato farmer in South Carolina, did what all good minds do: He got creative with what he had an abundance of. Using his mother Hallie’s carrot cake recipe, he replaced the grated carrots with sweet potatoes, introducing a deep and warm flavor to a classic recipe. The sweet potatoes play well with the spices, bringing in an appealing vegetal note that is a true delight with the cream cheese frosting. This is an easy cake to put together for a lazy Sunday, yet it feels regal and elegant enough for special occasions.
Pignoli Cookies
Pignoli cookies are the royalty of Italian cookies, not only because they’re encrusted in toasty pine nuts on the outside and feature next-level chewiness on the inside, but also because pignoli (pine nuts, for the unacquainted) and almond paste aren’t the cheapest ingredients on the shelf. They’re worth the investment, though, especially in a recipe as simple as this one, which is adapted from my cookbook “Let’s Party” (Union Square & Co., 2025).
Nonalcoholic Negroni
It can be difficult to find a nonalcoholic version of the classic Negroni that captures the complex flavor notes without involving the use of pricy nonalcoholic spirits. This recipe, adapted from my cookbook “Let’s Party” (Union Square & Co., 2025), cracks the code by using a common pantry ingredient: hibiscus tea. It features grapefruit juice for bitterness, tea for floral and tannic notes, a little sugar for sweetness and black peppercorns for that subtle, satisfying tingle.
Charred Broccoli With Anchovy Vinaigrette
Adapted from my cookbook “Let’s Party” (Union Square & Co., 2025), this recipe is a celebration of charring food to extreme crispiness, embracing the briny flavor of anchovies and eating giant chunks of cheese. Peeling the tough outer layer from the broccoli allows you to cut extra-long florets that reach about halfway down the stem; deeply charring them gives them an almost smoky flavor. Cutting the Parmesan into large chunks instead of grating it gives the dish bulky, textural bites. A bold anchovy vinaigrette gives everything a bright and briny coating.
Roast Squash With Crispy Chickpeas and Feta
When it comes to squash recipes, butternut tends to get most of the attention. This recipe, adapted from my cookbook “Let’s Party” (Union Square & Co., 2025), is an unabashed celebration of the lesser-used members of the squash family: delicata, acorn and kabocha. When roasted, all three have a dense and creamy texture, with stunning orange flesh that looks gorgeous stacked on a platter. Roasted chickpeas add a crispy crunch, and a mixture of lightly pickled shallots, cooling mint and salty feta will make you see squash in a whole new light.
Pumpkin Blondies
Fudgy like a brownie but slightly cakey (and light) from the pumpkin purée, these delightful brownies are the ultimate fall sweet treat. They’re a riff on a Martha Stewart recipe, tweaked by Annie Marshall of Everyday Annie to include butterscotch chips and white chocolate. (If white chocolate’s not your thing, don’t worry: It’s not cloying, but adds perfect little pockets of sweetness.) Add nuts or don’t, but do chill a bit before cutting if you have the time, as it helps ensure clean, even squares.
Carrot-Orange Olive Oil Cake
Carrot cake has always felt like a fall-winter dessert due to its warming spices, dried fruits, and nuts. This version, inspired by Italian citrus cakes made with olive oil, feels lighter and brighter and is incredibly quick to put together because there is no grating required. The carrots are tossed in a blender along with the wet ingredients, creating a smooth texture and a much lighter cake without those bits of carrot, fruit and nuts weighing it down. (Another light, fluffy carrot cake made with a blended batter, called bolo de cenoura, is also popular in Brazil.) Orange zest and juice brighten things up, and cardamom brings in that warmth you want in a carrot cake while keeping it distinct from the classic.
Cranberry Pecan Cookie Bars
Soft and buttery pecans and cranberries are a perfect pair in these low-effort cookie bars. Packed with dark brown sugar and browned butter, they have a depth of flavor that you may not expect at first glance. You could make these bars with untoasted pecans, but it’s worth it to seek out the toasted kind at the store or take the extra time to toast them yourself for deeper flavor. Try popping them in the oven while it preheats until they’re fragrant, for richer results.
Pommes Dauphinoises (Creamy Potato Gratin)
A perfect dish to ease the transition from summer to fall to winter, this satisfying and comforting gratin can easily be the centerpiece of your meal, served with a bright, plucky salad and some roasted vegetables. As the colder months approach, it can be served more traditionally as a side dish to braised or roasted meat, providing a truly sturdy winter or autumn meal. However you choose to serve it, it brings a sophisticated yet superbly cozy touch to any table.
Serious Potato Skins
There’s no trick to these loaded potato skins, and making them is a breeze. Pile them high with toppings and broil until they look like something you may have eaten at an Irish bar in the bad part of town during college, the game playing on a big screen above the bathroom doors. That bar was pretty good, you know.