Melissa Clark

The Thanksgiving turkey conundrum: How to keep the breast meat from drying out while the dark meat finishes cooking? By roasting a bone-in turkey breast by itself, we've eliminated the stress and cut the cooking time by several hours. What you get is perfectly moist, tender white meat with crisp, salty skin—all in under an hour. If you don't have time to make the gravy, skip it. This succulent bird doesn't need it.

Every good party needs a Champagne punch recipe. Pomegranate juice adds a sweet-tart note—not to mention, a festive color.

This quick stock, which uses the turkey's neck, heart, and gizzard to enrich purchased turkey or chicken stock, makes enough for the stuffing, mole sauce, and turkey and gravy.

This dense and savory stuffing resembles the filling inside a tamale. This recipe makes enough to stuff the Mole-Roasted Turkey with Masa Stuffing and Chile Gravy, or to serve eight people when baked as a side dish.

Use this classic Mexican mole sauce to marinate the Mole-Roasted Turkey with Masa Stuffing and Chile Gravy . You'll be left with plenty of extra, which can be served alongside the turkey or frozen for later use. (Try it on turkey sandwiches, roasted chicken, or as a sauce for turkey or chicken tamales.)

This gorgeous bird emerges from the oven nearly black and very deeply flavored. However, don't look for crisp skin; the mole keeps both the flesh and skin tender and moist.

Be sure to start the turkey at least one hour and up to eight hours ahead to allow for marinating time. The easiest way to do this is to spread on the mole before you go to bed and let the turkey marinate in the fridge overnight.

Baking flan slowly in a water bath gives it a silky, confection-like texture. Be sure to begin making this recipe one day ahead so it has time to chill overnight. For optimal flavor, remove the flan from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before serving to allow it to come to room temperature.

If pecan pie is a crowd pleaser at your Thanksgiving table, try this delectable chocolate and cashew variation.

If your dried cranberries aren't plump and moist, cover them with boiling water and let soak for 5 minutes. Drain them and pat dry before using.

If you prefer, walnuts or hazelnuts can be substituted for the pecans.

The secret to this recipe's rich, nutty flavor is the browned butter. Watch the butter carefully as it cooks to make sure it doesn't burn. If you can't find slim, delicate haricots verts, substitute green beans and cook them for an extra minute or two. You can also substitute fresh mint for the oregano for a different flavor.

A touch of fragrant honey in this dish complements the potatoes' inherent sweetness. Don't be afraid to roast them to a dark golden brown—the chewy caramelized edges will add flavor.

Slow-cooked, jammy shallots are an elegant and unexpected addition to these buttery mashed potatoes. Making the shallots several days ahead will allow the flavors to deepen and save you time on Thanksgiving Day.

This sweet and spicy salsa takes the place of the more traditional cranberry sauce. To retain the peppers' subtle smokiness, avoid rinsing them after they've been peeled. Instead, dip your fingers in a small bowl of water to help remove any clingy seeds or skin.

For a pretty garnish, sprinkle this light and refreshing salad with hulled, toasted pumpkin seeds.