Everything Thanksgiving
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Cranberry-Maple Jelly
Photo: Marcus Nilsson
Cranberry-Maple Jelly
For many, the real star of a Thanksgiving dinner is the assemblage of side dishes, not the turkey. To help you put together a showstopping selection for your table, we've rounded up our favorites. Though this jelly requires nearly nine hours to complete, there’s only 25 minutes of prep time involved. -
Hatch Chile Corn Pudding Photo: Marcus Nilsson
Hatch Chile Corn Pudding
Hatch green chiles, Monterey Jack cheese, corn, and scallions bring out strong flavors from this delectable side. -
Stuffed Pumpkin
This recipe calls for a cheese pumpkin, which is flatter and has a thicker texture than your typical sugar pumpkin. -
Cranberry-Pomegranate Gelatin
We made this gelatin in a turkey mold, adding to the festive vibe of the dish. -
Sausage-Stuffed Red Onions Photo: Marcus Nilsson
Sausage-Stuffed Red Onions
Don’t let the onions in this dish scare you away. Roasting them brings out their sweet side, which is balanced by savory, delicious sausages. -
Rutabaga-Pear Mash Photo: William Brinson
Rutabaga-Pear Mash
This unusual mash will leave guests intrigued. With only a one-hour cook time, there’s no reason not to get behind the stove and start cooking. -
Beet-Apple Mash Photo: William Brinson
Beet-Apple Mash
Granny smith apples mixed with beets make this colorful and seasonal mash a sweet side. -
Scalloped Oysters Photo: Marcus Nilsson
Scalloped Oysters
This three-step oyster dish is best served straight out of the oven. Use small or medium oysters, which mix well into the dish. -
Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Tarragon
Golden brown, caramelized onions amplify the flavors in this perfect-for-Thanksgiving, room-temperature side dish. Making it even easier for the host, you can trim the green beans and caramelize the onions a day in advance.Get the Green Beans with Caramelized Onions and Tarragon Recipe
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Creamed Onions with Sage Photo: Marcus Nilsson
Creamed Onions with Sage
You can prepare much of this delicious, savory dish ahead of time to minimize your Thanksgiving Day workload. -
Cauliflower, Red Onion, and Chestnut Tart
This side dish is more than just a side. The blue cheese béchamel gives this tart a deliciously rich flavor that will leave your guests pleasantly satisfied. -
Butternut Squash Mash Photo: William Brinson
Butternut Squash Mash
This simply made mash needs only 5 ingredients, almost all of which will already be in your kitchen. EVOO, coarse salt, water, and pepper combine with butternut squash to complete the dish. -
Maple-Whipped Sweet Potatoes
No need to peel and dice to prepare this dish: Simply roast the sweet potatoes and then scoop out the flesh. Blend it in the food processor with maple syrup and butter for an easy and colorful Thanksgiving side.
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Spiced Lemony Brussels Sprouts
Curry powder adds zing to roasted brussels sprouts. Top them with lemon zest and juice just before serving.
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Cornbread, Bacon, Leek, and Pecan Stuffing
The traditional Thanksgiving flavors in this stuffing are enhanced by cooking the vegetables in bacon fat. Use your favorite cornbread for this recipe, whether homemade or store-bought.
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Garlic Mashed Potatoes Photo: Mikkel Vang
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
The potatoes are cooked along with a whole head of garlic, adding a rich, savory dimension to this essential Thanksgiving side dish. To make your mashed potatoes even more luxurious, substitute half-and-half for the milk in this recipe.
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Dumpling Squash with Cream and Sage
Halved dumpling squash are perfect individual servings and neatly encompass the garlicky cream sauce. Baking the squash in a bath of broth makes them extra tender and flavorful.
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Farro Salad with Oven-Roasted Grapes and Autumn Greens
Put a seasonal twist on grain salad by mixing in juicy slow-roasted grapes. This hearty salad features farro, a chewy Italian grain, along with tender baby greens and sauteed red onions.
Get the Farro Salad with Oven-Roasted Grapes and Autumn Greens Recipe
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Roasted Carrots and Potatoes with Dill
Roasting carrots and red potatoes at high heat browns them to a delicious sweetness. Toss them with lemon juice and fresh dill right before serving.
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Bette's Braised Red Cabbage with Apple
Braised with apples and red currant jelly, this tender and flavorful side dish is a must for any holiday spread. Once cooked, it can sit out for up to an hour before serving.
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Turnip and Sweet Potato Gratin
Sweet potatoes and earthy turnips are perfect partners in this festive side dish. Bake the vegetables in chicken broth and white wine, then sprinkle Gruyere cheese over the top during the last 15 minutes.
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Broccoli Rabe with Garlic and Almonds
Bring a little something different to the Thanksgiving table with this Italian-accented side dish. Boil the broccoli rabe before sauteing it to cut down on the bitterness.
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Wild Rice with Dried Fruit and Nuts
Toss toasted pecans and dried cherries or cranberries with cooked wild rice to make this hearty pilaf. Scallions and red-wine vinegar add zing to the dish.
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Cherry-Pecan Cornbread Dressing
Baking this dressing in muffin tins maximizes crunchy edges but keeps it moist and tender. Flavored with dried fruit, nuts, and fresh herbs, these muffins are bursting with seasonal flavors.
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Cauliflower Gratin
Cauliflower is irresistible when baked in a creamy Parmesan sauce. Fresh breadcrumbs and more grated cheese make the golden, crunchy topping.
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Roasted Pears and Red Onions
The sweet-savory flavors of this out-of-the-ordinary side dish are an excellent match for turkey and gravy. Sherry vinegar and rosemary add brightness to the dish.
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Carrot Spoon Bread
Shredded carrots give sweetness and texture to this rich spoon bread. Steam the carrots in the microwave before stirring into the batter so they'll be tender.
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Parsnip-Apple Mash
Transform humble parsnips into a luxurious alternative to mashed potatoes. When pureed, simmered apples and parsnips take on a dense, silky texture. This recipe can be prepared up to two days in advance of Thanksgiving, and gently reheated before serving.
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Mushroom and Walnut Stuffing
Toasted walnuts add a surprise crunch to this mushroom-sage stuffing. Mix in beaten eggs to give it a slightly custardy texture.
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Muffin-Pan Potato Gratins
Stack russet potato slices in buttered muffin tins and pour cream over the top to create individual servings of golden-brown gratin. This recipe serves six but is easy to double.
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Sauteed Radicchio with Honey and Balsamic Vinegar
The slight bitterness of radicchio glazed with tangy balsamic vinegar is an excellent foil to all the rich flavors on the Thanksgiving menu. This easy side dish is ready in less than 10 minutes.
Get the Sauteed Radicchio with Honey and Balsamic Vinegar Recipe
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Savory Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding
This custardy bread pudding is packed with earthy flavor from smoked mushrooms, beer, Worcestershire sauce, and molasses. Fresh herbs and creole seasonings and some kick, and two kinds of cheese lend it extra richness.
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Green Bean Casserole
The classic green-bean casserole gets a makeover with fresh green beans and homemade mushroom sauce. A layer of breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and fried shallots form a wonderfully crisp and savory topping.
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Simple Stuffing Photo: David Loftus
Simple Stuffing
Treat this basic stuffing recipe as a base formula for your own personalized creation. In addition to the celery, shallots, and parsley, feel free to add sauteed mushrooms, cooked sausage, herbs, dried fruit, nuts, or any other flavoring components you desire.
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Butter-Pecan Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are roasted until tender, and then glazed with butter, brown sugar, and pecans. A little pinch of cayenne pepper adds a lively note to this sweet dish.
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Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing Photo: David Loftus
Cornbread and Sausage Stuffing
Fresh pork sausage and turkey giblets lend their rich, meaty flavors to this lightly sweet cornbread stuffing. The chicken broth and beaten eggs added to the stuffing soak into the soft, crumbled cornbread to create a custardy texture.
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Butternut Squash with Brown Butter
Using frozen pearl onions for this recipe cuts the prep time down to a mere five minutes. Sauteing the onions gently over low heat for an extended period of time makes them caramelized and incredibly sweet.
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Cranberry and Dried-Cherry Relish Photo: Mikkel Vang
Cranberry and Dried-Cherry Relish
Dried cherries bring depth and texture to this super-easy cranberry sauce. Once cooled, store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
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Fennel Sausage Stuffing
Fennel sausage, sometimes called finocchiona, provides the dominant flavor in this stuffing along with fresh fennel, sweet red onion, walnuts, and lots of fresh herbs. Sourdough bread is the perfect choice of a base for this boldly flavored stuffing.
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Mashed Sweet and Russet Potatoes with Herbs
Sweet potatoes, russet potatoes, and garlic cloves are roasted until tender, and then mashed together with low-fat yogurt. This is a flavorful and nutritious alternative to standard mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole.
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Spinach-and-Cheese Puff Photo: David Loftus
Spinach-and-Cheese Puff
This spinach and Gruyere cheese puff has a light, souffle-like texture but unlike a souffle, it can be make ahead of time. In place of the Gruyere, feel free to use cheddar or smoked Gouda cheese.
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Glazed Pearl Onions Photo: Clive Streeter
Glazed Pearl Onions
Using frozen pearl onions for this recipe cuts the prep time down to a mere five minutes. Sauteing the onions gently over low heat for an extended period of time makes them caramelized and incredibly sweet.
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Hearty Garlic Greens Photo: Kirsten Strecker
Hearty Garlic Greens
Bright sauteed greens with thin slices of fried garlic and a sprinkling of red pepper flakes are a welcome addition to the Thanksgiving table. Use a combination of kale, mustard greens, or any other hearty autumn greens in this recipe.
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Mushroom Stuffing
Sauteed mushrooms give this classic bread stuffing a savory flavor and varied texture. Use any variety of mushrooms you prefer, such as cremini, portobello, shiitake, or button mushrooms.
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Lemon-and-Thyme Potato Gratin Photo: Dana Gallagher
Lemon-and-Thyme Potato Gratin
Thin slices of Yukon gold potatoes are layered with fresh thyme, lemon zest, and a whisper of freshly grated nutmeg. The potatoes are covered with just enough milk to immerse them, and then baked until tender and bubbly.
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Whipped Sweet Potatoes With Caramelized Apples
These sweet potatoes are mashed with butter, cream, applesauce and fresh ginger. A layer of caramelized apples makes a sweet and beautiful topping for the finished dish.
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Oyster Brioche Stuffing
Buttery brioche, fresh oysters, and cream make this stuffing a special treat. Take care not to overcook the oysters, so that they maintain their tender texture.
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Herbed Mashed Potatoes Photo: David Loftus
Herbed Mashed Potatoes
Yukon gold potatoes are whipped with half-and-half and butter to make an especially creamy mash. Parsley and chives add bright notes of flavor and color.
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Cranberry-Orange Gelatin
This gelatin salad, made with cranberry juice and fresh orange sections, is just as easy to prepare as the boxed flavored gelatin mixes, and tastes so much better. To arrange the fruit in the gelatin, wait until it is partially set.
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Green Bean Casserole
For many families, the green bean casserole is a Thanksgiving must-have. This homemade version uses fresh green beans, a creamy homemade mushroom sauce, and a flavorful topping of crisp fried shallots.
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Cornbread Dressing
Buttermilk cornbread forms the base of this classic Southern stuffing. Plenty of fresh parsley, thyme, oregano, and garlic offset the rich sweetness of the dish.
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Sweet Potato Spoon Bread
This light and custardy spoon bread is made from sweet potatoes, cornmeal, cream, and eggs. The fragrant sweetness of honey, nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon perfume the dish.
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Braised Potatoes Photo: SANG AN
Braised Potatoes
A variety of baby potatoes is sauteed with onion, shallot, and rosemary until browned, and then cooked in chicken stock until soft. These potatoes can be made a day in advance and reheated in the oven before dinner.
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Cornbread and Biscuit Dressing Photo: Anna Williams
Cornbread and Biscuit Dressing
Traditional cornbread stuffing gets the addition of buttery biscuits and toasted pecans. Fresh sage and mild serrano chiles bring a Southwest flavor to this dressing.
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Collard Greens With Bacon
Collard greens braised with bacon, onion, and cider vinegar are a standard of Southern cooking. A long, slow simmer makes the greens very tender.
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Brussels Sprouts With Vinegar-Glazed Red Onions
Brussels sprouts become mild, tender, and nutty when blanched and then sauteed over high heat. Sweet and tangy balsamic-glazed red onions provide a nice contrast of flavors and color.
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Spicy Sweet Potatoes with Lime
Not all Thanksgiving sweet potatoes need to be covered in brown sugar! They taste marvelous in savory preparations such as this one with a combination of cumin, hot paprika, and ginger.
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Cranberry-Dried Fruit Stuffing
This bread stuffing gets sweet-and-tart flavor from fresh cranberries and dried pears, currants, and golden raisins. If you can't find quince at the market, use three soft-textured apples, such as Golden Delicious, in their place.
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Green Beans With Lemon Butter
Blanched green beans are tossed with butter and lemon zest to make a simple and elegant side dish. This is an easy way to prepare a variety of vegetables, including broccoli, wax beans, or cauliflower.
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Mashed Potatoes
No Thanksgiving dinner is complete without a generous serving of mashed potatoes bathed in turkey gravy. To make a luxury version of the dish, use cream instead of milk.
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Sauteed Spinach With Garlic
Slivers of toasted garlic bring bursts of savory flavor to sauteed spinach. By using prewashed spinach, you can cut the preparation time on this dish down to just a few minutes.
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Cranberry Sauce With Dried Figs
Dried figs contribute a full-bodied texture and a pleasing, gentle crunch to this simple cranberry sauce. A splash of red wine deepens the sauce's flavor and color.
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Haricots Verts With Hazelnuts
Toasted hazelnuts and sauteed shallots bring easy sophistication to lightly cooked haricots verts. If you prefer, you can substitute regular green beans in place of the slender haricots verts.
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Wilted Swiss Chard Photo: BEATRIZ DA COSTA
Wilted Swiss Chard
The deep green leaves and scarlet stalks of sauteed Swiss chard make an attractive addition to the holiday table. A simple saute with olive oil and garlic is all that's needed to make the chard tender and flavorful.
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Green-Cabbage and Red-Apple Slaw With Brussels Sprouts
Cool and tangy slaw is an excellent partner to all the other hot, rich dishes on the Thanksgiving menu. A mixture of cider vinegar, orange juice, mustard, poppy seeds, and fresh dill make a fresh-tasting dressing for the slaw.
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Porcini, Chestnut, and Sausage Stuffing
The distinctive texture of chestnuts adds dimension to this bacon and Italian sausage stuffing. A cup of dried, rehydrated porcini mushrooms brings a deeply savory backnote to the mixture.
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Roasted Curried Cauliflower Photo: Sang An
Roasted Curried Cauliflower
Toast the curry powder, cumin seeds and mustard seeds in a dry skillet to bring out their aromas before tossing them to the recipe. This easy Indian-inspired dish is a wonderful way to dress up mild cauliflower.
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Chestnuts in Soy Caramel
A sweet-savory caramel sauce made of brown sugar, lemon juice, sake, and soy sauce glazes fresh chestnuts. Try this sauce on other vegetables, too, such as carrots or butternut squash.
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Maple-Glazed Parsnips and Carrots
Carrots and parsnips become rich and sweet when roasted at high heat. A glaze of bacon, thyme, and maple syrup make these vegetables positively addictive.
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Mashed Sweet Potatoes Photo: José Manuel Picayo Rivera
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This easy side dish is made using the same method you'd use for mashed potatoes, except that the sweet potatoes are steamed rather than boiled. Half-and-half and butter make the potatoes extra-creamy.
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Cauliflower and Chestnut Gratin
Rich, slightly sweet and grainy chestnuts make an intriguing addition to this creamy cauliflower gratin. Horseradish adds a spicy bite that adds balance to the rich dish.
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Potato-Mushroom Pie
Thinly sliced Yukon gold potatoes are layered with wild mushrooms and Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses in this savory pie. Milk and cream mingle with the cheeses to make a rich sauce as the gratin bakes.
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Creamy Corn
Frozen sweet corn kernels are in season all year long and make colorful side dish for Thanksgiving. Reduced fat cream cheese, milk, and chives combine to form a super-easy cream sauce.
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Cranberry-Pear Chutney
Fresh cranberries, diced pears, golden raisins, lemon zest, and chopped dates make flavorful cranberry sauce like no other. This chutney will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
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Leek and Swiss Chard Tart
Mild, savory sauteed leeks and bright-green Swiss chard are combined with just enough bechamel sauce, egg, and Gruyere cheese to create cohesive filling in a buttery pate brisee crust. This elegant side dish doubles as a nice vegetarian main course.
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Cranberry Chutney
As a side dish or a hostess gift, this cranberry chutney brings a festive air to the holiday table. Cider vinegar, candied orange peel, red onion, cardamom, and apple provide a mouthwatering balance of flavors and textures.
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Apple Slaw with Grape Dressing
Fresh, crisp apples and a trio of Concord, red, and green grapes form the base of this sweet, refreshing slaw. Toasted walnuts and walnut oil add a touch of richness.
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Balsamic-Glazed Pearl Onions
Tiny pearl onions are simmered with white wine and butter until they are tender and sweet. Balsamic vinegar is added to the pan and reduced until it forms a rich, tangy glaze for the onions.
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Pomegranate Gelatin
This simple and sophisticated version of a homemade gelatin mold has the full-bodied flavor of real pomegranate juice. Add sliced fresh fruit to the mold if you like.
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Sweet Potato Cannelloni
In place of pasta, the "cannelloni" in this dish is made from sweet potato slices rolled around a mixture of mashed sweet potato, cottage cheese, and diced apple. This doubles as a marvelous vegetarian main dish.
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Tarragon Green Beans
The fresh, slightly licorice-scented notes of tarragon sets this simple green bean saute apart. Butter, sauteed shallot and a half-cup of white wine form a light, flavorful sauce for the beans.
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Warm Carrot and Lentil Salad Photo: Lisa Hubbard
Warm Carrot and Lentil Salad
Dried apricots, golden raisins, cumin, and cilantro flavor this unique and colorful warm salad. Substitute the chicken stock for vegetable broth to make this a vegetarian-friendly offering.
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Jerusalem Artichoke Gratin
Jerusalem artichokes, also known as sunchokes, look a little bit like ginger root but have a sweet, nutty flavor and a similar texture to potatoes. Here, they are baked in creme fraiche and Gruyere cheese with Yukon gold potatoes, shallots, and chestnuts.
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