A Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner

New Media PublishingWhen it came time to plan KitchenDaily's traditional Thanksgiving menu (get the recipes for the roast turkey, gravy, stuffing, pies and sides below), I remembered the first real Thanksgiving dinner I cooked. I say "real" because it was for my boyfriend's large family (we were expecting 15+ people), and I was working at Gourmet magazine at the time, which meant our guests would be expecting something special, right? I was quite certain I was going to be mercilessly judged on my cooking skills.

One of our food editors at the time, Lori Powell, had developed a stunning menu for the magazine, and I wanted to make the entire thing, dish per dish, all by myself – there were hors d'ouevres, a soup course, the main meal (turkey plus five other sides) and multiple desserts. All the dishes were super colorful, traditional but with something unexpected about each, either in flavor or presentation.

New Media Publishing

Roast Turkey

This turkey recipe delivers exactly what everyone wants most on their Thanksgiving table: a juicy, beautifully browned bird. There's a variation, too: Olive Oil and Thyme basted Turkey.

New Media Publishing

Herb Stuffing

There's nothing like the savory flavor of homemade stuffing. This version gets moisture and texture from sauteed mushrooms. It's great on post-Thanksgiving day sandwiches, too.

New Media Publishing

Classic Gravy

This rich gravy enhances the turkey without hiding it under a cloak of leaden liquid. If prefer your gravy a bit thicker, you can add a touch more flour or let it reduce longer. There's a variation too: Herbed Gravy.

New Media Publishing

Cranberry Relish

If you're looking for a cranberry sauce with zing, you've found it. Lively citrus and fresh ginger give the sweet-tart berries extra dimension.

New Media Publishing

Chive Mashed Potatoes

Yukon Gold potatoes are perfect for mashed potatoes, because of their smooth, creamy flesh. Tangy sour cream, chives, and a liberal dose of butter make these a sure-fire favorite at the table.

New Media Publishing

Classic Creamed Onions

The secret to these amazing onions is to dry them thoroughly before cooking. This allows them to brown up in the hot skillet, giving them a deep, caramelized flavor.

New Media Publishing

Roasted Brussels Sprout and Rosemary Red Onions

Forget the Brussels sprouts you knew as a kid - when roasted, they become addictively sweet and tender.

New Media Publishing

Butternut Squash Wedges with Maple Butter

Leaving the peel on these sweet, buttery wedges makes preparation a snap, and results in beautiful pieces that won't fall apart during roasting.

green beans with pecan brown butter recipe

New Media Publishing

Green Beans with Pecan Brown Butter

Green beans shine when they're set free from their mushroom soup purgatory. A quick dip in boiling water leaves them crisp and vibrant green, a perfect foil for a garlicky sauce studded with crunchy pecans.

New Media Publishing

Sweet Potato Gratin

The combination of white and sweet potatoes in this gratin creates a lovely balance of flavor and texture. Add in golden bread crumbs and rich, gooey Gruyere cheese and you have a side dish guests will be clamoring for every year.

New Media Publishing

Bourbon Pumpkin Pie

A touch of bourbon gives this pie depth, while a pretty sprinkle of maple-glazed pepitas echo the pumpkin flavor and adds sweet crunch.

New Media Publishing

Apple Pie

If you keep just one recipe on hand for apple pie, make this it. This pie is everything you want in the American classic. A hint of vanilla and a touch of lemon juice give the towering mound of tart and sweet apples extra flavor.

Getty Images

WINE PAIRINGS

• Try a pale Rose like 2009 Chateau D'Esclans "Whispering Angel" (Provence, France) as it will complement the herbaceous flavors that the sage and lemon introduce to the turkey. The wine, which is 85% Grenache and 15% Rolle, has a creamy yet tart bite.

• For whites, Riesling is also a great match, like 2008 Seven Hills Winery Riesling (Columbia Valley, Washington). The wine has a crisp acidity and is more mineral-y than its German counterparts.

• For red wines, Zinfandels go great with turkey. Try a lighter-bodied Zin, like 2007 Ravenswood Winery Old Vines Zinfandel (Lodi, California), with sweet cherries on the nose, nice balance and structure, and a lingering finish that simply slips away. Or sample a Syrah or Pinot Noir, like 2006 Maycas del Limari Winery Syrah (Chile), with blackberry notes and a caramel bouquet, or 2008 Gnarly Head Cellars Pinot Noir (California).

• With the desserts, the 2008 The Stump Jump GSM (South Australia) is jammy and fruity, with a mix of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre grapes. An explosion of raspberries and bing cherries on the finish, and nutmeg throughout, will make that pumpkin pie taste even more indulgent. The 2007 Amity Vineyards Late-Harvest Riesling (Willamette Valley, Oregon) is sweet and honeyed, with notes of apples that are about as sweet as those in an apple pie, along with peach flavor.

Getty Images

BEER PAIRINGS

• A nice antidote to the heavy feast is a palate-cleansing pilsner such as Lagunitas Pils or perhaps Stoudt's Pils. Both beers are light and refreshing.

• Alternately, a food-friendly brew is the bière de gardes ("beer for keeping"), which are French farmhouse-style ales. The nutty, toasty copper-toned brews are earthy and slightly caramel-sweet; they play well with sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, crunchy poultry skin and herbs. Several widely available examples of these brews are Two Brothers' Domaine DuPage and Brewery Ommegang' Bière De Mars.

• Another pairing option is going big with a Belgian-style ale, such as Avery's the Reverend or Victory's V-12. Their supercharged alcohol content makes them slice through the meal's starches and fat. The beers have complexity and a current of sweetness that goes great with dishes such as the squash.

• If you're game to serve beer with dessert, try Bruery's Autumn Maple to go with that pumpkin pie. Brewed with yams and spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and maple syrup, the robust brew has a sweet, Belgian-spicy profile. Also excellent: North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout and Deschutes' bourbon-hinted Abyss stout, which could pull double-duty with the pumpkin pie.