Nut

"In a Southern family, there's always someone who makes one dish, one thing they're truly great at," says Tandy Wilson of City House, in Nashville, Tennessee. "These recipes tend to be 'talked,' passed down from cook to cook." That's the case with the chef's favorite sweet potato casserole, a dish inherited from his grandmother. Instead of the standard marshmallow topping, the recipe uses sorghum syrup for a rich, deep sweetness, and chopped roasted peanuts for a pleasing crunchy contrast. "Now every Thanksgiving," Wilson says, "it's my job to make Nana's sweet potato casserole."

Yes, a press-in crust is easier to make and handle than a buttery dough that you have to roll out, but there's still some technique to doing it correctly.

Forgot to dry out the challah for this pecan-crusted brunch dish? Lay out slices on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in an oven set to 425°F until dry (about 8–10 minutes).

Dukkah—a rich nut and spice blend—is easy to make and lends a zesty kick to this gorgeous crisp salad.

Who needs cranberries when you can have pomegranate juice?

A press-in crust, short bake time, and do-ahead option liberate you (and your oven) on Thanksgiving Day.

Pears and walnuts are delicious together; walnuts and bacon make total sense. When you combine them all, it's magic.

This sauce, inspired by Spanish romesco, uses cherry tomatoes, which are usually the best-tasting type in the market this time of year.

Any combination of nuts and seeds will be fine, so feel free to finish up any odds and ends you have around.

You're going to want to keep making this wholesome vegetarian soup all winter long.

Dates and bananas naturally sweeten this wholesome breakfast smoothie.

Earthy and sweet with molasses, rich with cream, and bittersweet with dark chocolate, this sophisticated pie is a breeze to make.

Walnuts add a bitter, earthy element to this simple dessert—and a scoop of vanilla ice cream wouldn't hurt.

Don't let the humble name fool you. These little cookies are bursting with flavor. They're reminiscent of those fig cookies you had as a kid-raised to the third power. The cream pastry is tender and flaky, and the honey-kissed filling, just sweet enough, is deepened by plump Medjool dates. They're also bite-size and adorable.

Blanching fresh basil leaves before blending is the key to this vibrant, ultra-herby pesto. Perfect for pasta, it also dresses up pizza, scrambled eggs, and more.