Only the Best of the Best: Our Favorite Thanksgiving Recipes

Salty, full of rosemary flavor, and sweet with demerara sugar, these toasted pecans double as a great party appetizer and holiday gift idea.

Few are strong enough to resist diving into a spicy, garlicky cheese ball while the ovens are occupied with bubbling casseroles.

Who says dessert shouldn't come first? Combine brie with caramel sauce and toasted almonds, and prepare to see hungry wolves feast!

Apple brandy, cranberries, and brown sugar: The Normandy is the Fall cocktail to serve after the Thanksgiving feast is over.

Big families with large appetites will appreciate mushroom and brie bruschetta, seasoned with fresh thyme and garlic.

Don't bake them; serve them raw! Shred brussels sprouts and kale, and toss them with maple vinaigrette in a Fall salad that won't wilt.

Toss together a kale and hazelnut salad with pomegranate dressing ahead of time to let the vinegar tenderize the hearty greens.

Make authentic, buttery Southern biscuits to serve with the turkey, because the dough is quick and easy (no rising required) and the little biscuits freeze incredibly well. We recommend preparing them now and freezing them until the main day. Toasting them a second time in the oven gives them a crumbly, crunchy crust that is truly unbeatable.

If green bean casseroles are not your thing, go for a simple sautéed green bean dish topped with sweet, golden-hued caramelized onions.

A Southern recipe meets Western ingredients in this cheesy squash casserole, topped with gremolata breadcrumbs.

For an easy way to get a vegetable on the table, serve celery root puree, topped with earthy, nutty hazelnuts and hazelnut oil.

A cross between turnips and cabbage, mashed rutabagas are slightly astringent in flavor, which will help balance all the items on your plate that are full of cream, butter, and cheese.

Spice up your cranberry routine by making a caramelized onion cranberry sauce.

There's nothing less appetizing than can-shaped cranberry gel. Make the real deal with this homemade cranberry sauce with orange zest.

A graham-cracker-crusted sweet potato pie comes with a warning label: it's very addictive due to the souffle-like texture with a crunchy candied nut cream topping. Mmm-hm.

Michelle Obama's apple cobbler is more like an apple pie, because it's made with pie crust. The trick is letting the apples marinate in their juices overnight, then slow baking it for three hours.

Southerners love adding bourbon in dessert, and the whiskey bundt cake with Jack Daniel's icing will leave you buzzed and with a full belly.

Top pies and cakes with a hefty spoonful of homemade whipped cream.