The Wild(card) Side: Unique Thanksgiving Dishes Your Guests Will Love

Is yours among the families that have a special Thanksgiving Jell-O recipe? Your gelatin mold may be packed with fruit, nuts, coconut, or mini marshmallows; it may have the creamy, dreamy additions of whipped topping or sour cream; whatever treasures lie within its quivering walls, it's just not Thanksgiving without it. Try Martha's from-scratch version, dressed for the occasion thanks to a turkey-shaped cake pan.

Peaches in stuffing? Why not! Editorial director of Food, Sarah Carey, says her mom Susan has been making this stuffing for Thanksgiving for years and it is always a hit though many are skeptical before they try it.

Marshmallows: mandatory or monstrous? Discuss. The families that stake out the pro-marshmallow side of the fence may add other sweet supplements to the casserole as well, such as crushed pineapple, or, as in this recipe, shredded coconut and lime zest.

Sweet persimmons and tart pomegranates, both autumn staples in the backyards of California, are nicely complemented by bitter chicories in this salad. (Yes, Thanksgiving salad is a good idea.)

It doesn't have to be casserole. It takes just a few minutes over high heat to transform green beans into crisp-tender, blistered beauties. Bonus wild card points for this dish because it includes field peas.

Marylanders love their Old Bay seasoning. If your family falls into the anti-marshmallow camp, you may just love these sweet-savory morsels.

Butternut squash lasagna, flavored with sage and grated nutmeg and layered with sheets of homemade pasta, is autumn in a baking pan. The dish serves the dual role of paying tribute to Italian heritage and satisfying the vegetarians in the clan. If you prefer something more traditional, try our exquisite Lasagna Bolognese.

In 19th-century Massachusetts, this creamy casserole of crumb-topped bivalves was made with common crackers, once available in any general store. Our recipe subs in crunchy breadcrumbs and is brightened with parsley and celery.

Early German settlers brought us this sweet-sour-savory recipe, made with apples and bacon. It's still a favorite among the Pennsylvania Dutch and in the northern parts of the Midwest.

Is any Thanksgiving dinner really complete without the ambrosia? This updated version blends fresh tropical fruits with Greek yogurt.

A truly decadent roll for the Thanksgiving table, that's these sweet Scandinavian buns with a potato dough and a cardamom-orange filling. They can be made, sliced, and frozen up to three months ahead. Defrost them in the refrigerator overnight before finishing them on Thanksgiving day.

For an Irish interpretation of mashed potatoes, try this beloved traditional dish that combines the spuds with leeks, cabbage (or kale if you prefer)—and plenty of sweet, fresh butter.

Because a little heat is good on the Thanksgiving table, try this Monterey-Jack-topped casserole made with green chiles from New Mexico's Hatch Valley.

In the South, it's a vegetable, so go ahead and indulge! This holiday-worthy version of mac and cheese gets its heavenly richness from white cheddar, Havarti, and Muenster cheeses but feel free to substitute your three favorite melting cheeses.