THE LAST WALTZ AT 50.

Makes: one 14–16 lb (6.4–7.3 kg) turkey; roughly 10–12 portions

Prep: 20 minutes | Dry-brining: 24–48 hours in the refrigerator | Roasting: about 3¾–4¼ hours at 325°F; check internal temperature

What you need

• 1 plain whole turkey, 14–16 lb (6.4–7.3 kg), fully thawed
• 3 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, about 27 g; weigh the salt if using another brand, because brands vary a lot by volume
• 1½ teaspoons dried thyme, sage and rosemary mixed together
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil for roasting
• Optional: 1 quartered lemon and a few onion wedges for the cavity

How to do it

1. Check the package before you start. If the turkey is kosher, self-basting, enhanced or already injected with a salt solution, skip this brine.
2. Take out the neck and giblets. Pat the turkey dry. Don't rinse raw poultry. Put a rack in a rimmed roasting tray, with room on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
3. Mix the salt, dried herbs and black pepper. Carefully loosen the skin over the breasts and thighs. Rub some seasoning directly on the meat and spread the rest evenly across the skin and legs.
4. Refrigerate the turkey on the rack, loosely covered at first if needed, for 24–48 hours. Leave uncovered for the final 12 hours to dry the skin.
5. When you're ready to roast, brush with a little oil. Do not rinse the salt off or add another heavy layer of salt. Roast unstuffed at 325°F (163°C). An optional lemon or onion in the cavity is for aroma, not stuffing.
6. Begin checking before the estimated roasting time is up. The breast, innermost thigh and wing must all reach 165°F (74°C). Rest briefly before carving.

Before you start: allow about 24 hours per 4–5 lb (1.8–2.3 kg) to thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator, then allow another 24–48 hours for the brine.

Turkey cooking guidance · Dry-brining method

Serves: 8–10 | Prep: 25 minutes, plus bread drying | Bake: about 45–55 minutes

Equipment: 9 × 13-inch baking dish

What you need

• 14 oz (400 g) day-old sturdy white or country bread, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
• 1 lb (450 g) raw sage or mild Italian pork sausage, casings removed
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, plus a little for the dish
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, finely chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or ½ teaspoon dried
• 2–2½ cups (480–600 ml) low-sodium chicken or turkey stock
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• Black pepper and salt to taste

How to make it

1. If the bread isn't properly dry, spread the cubes over a tray and bake at 275°F (135°C) for 30–45 minutes, stirring once or twice. They should be dry all the way through, not dark brown. You can do this a day early.
2. Set the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter the baking dish.
3. Brown the sausage in a large skillet, breaking it up small. Cook it through. Add the butter, then onion and celery. Cook 7–10 minutes until softened. Add garlic, sage, thyme and black pepper for the last minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning before adding the eggs.
4. In a large bowl, fold the dry bread with the sausage mixture. Whisk the eggs with 2 cups of stock and pour over the bread. Gently turn everything until evenly damp. Add a little more stock only if the bread still feels dry. The bottom shouldn't be swimming in liquid.
5. Transfer to the dish without packing it down hard. Cover with foil and bake about 25–30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue 15–25 minutes until the top has browned and the centre reaches 165°F (74°C). Finish with parsley.
6. Let stand five minutes before scooping.

Make-ahead: Dry the bread and cook the sausage/vegetable mixture a day ahead. Refrigerate the cooked mixture and keep the bread separate. Assemble with eggs and stock when ready to bake.

Stuffing technique · Cooking temperature

Serves: 6–8 | Prep: 15 minutes | Roast: 30–40 minutes

Equipment: one large rimmed baking sheet and a small skillet

What you need

• 2½ lb (1.1 kg) orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1–1¼-inch chunks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter
• 10–12 fresh sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ⅓ cup (35 g) toasted chopped pecans, optional

How to make it

1. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Dry the cut sweet potatoes with a clean towel. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread across a large baking sheet with space between pieces. Use two trays if you have to; crowded potatoes steam.
2. Roast 30–40 minutes, flipping after roughly 20 minutes, until tender in the middle and dark golden along the edges.
3. In the last five minutes, melt butter in a small light-coloured skillet over medium heat. Swirl occasionally until the milk solids turn nut-brown and smell toasted. Add sage for about 30 seconds, just long enough to crisp, then take the skillet off the heat.
4. Stir the maple syrup and cider vinegar into the warm butter carefully; it may sputter. Toss the hot potatoes with the butter and sage, then scatter the toasted pecans over top. Taste for salt.
5. Serve hot. If making ahead, roast the potatoes and rewarm them uncovered in a hot oven; add the brown butter, maple, vinegar and pecans just before eating.

Sweet potato roasting reference

Serves: 6–8 as a small side dish; doubled from the original recipe

Approximate time: 15–20 minutes; serve immediately

What you need

• 12 oz (340 g) dry elbow macaroni
• 12 fl oz (360 ml) evaporated milk, NOT sweetened condensed milk
• 12 oz (340 g) medium cheddar, freshly grated
• A pinch of salt and just enough water to cook the pasta

The short version

1. In a wide saucepan, barely cover the macaroni with cold water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, stirring often, until the pasta is nearly cooked and very little water remains.
2. Add the evaporated milk, bring it just to a simmer, then turn the heat low. Stir in the cheddar gradually until the sauce is smooth. If dinner is running late, loosen the sauce with a splash of water or milk.
3. Eat it fresh. This is the side you make last.

Recipe by J. Kenji López-Alt at Serious Eats.

Makes: 12 rolls | Active time: about 25 minutes | Rising: about 1½–2½ hours | Baking: 18–23 minutes

Equipment: a large mixing bowl or mixer with dough hook, and a buttered 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking pan.

What you need

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, plus a small amount for the work surface
• 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) instant yeast
• 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar
• 1 teaspoon (6 g) fine salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) milk, warmed to about 100–110°F (38–43°C), not hot
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 tablespoons (43 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 tablespoon extra melted butter, for brushing

How to make them

1. Mix flour, instant yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add warm milk, beaten egg and the 3 tablespoons melted butter. Stir until a soft, shaggy dough forms.
2. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, or about 6–8 minutes in a mixer with a dough hook. It should become smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. Add flour a teaspoon at a time only if the dough is unmanageably wet. Too much extra flour makes dry rolls.
3. Put the dough into a lightly buttered bowl, cover and leave in a warm, draft-free spot for about 60–90 minutes, until roughly doubled in size.
4. Tip out the dough, divide into 12 equal pieces (around 60 g each) and round them into smooth balls. Arrange in a buttered 9 × 13-inch pan in three rows of four. Cover loosely and let rise another 35–60 minutes, until puffy and close to touching.
5. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) while the shaped rolls finish rising. Bake for 18–23 minutes until the tops are golden and the centres are baked through. If checking with a thermometer, the centre of a roll should be about 190°F (88°C).
6. Brush the warm tops with the extra tablespoon of melted butter. Give them ten minutes to settle, then pull apart and serve.

Make ahead: Bake the rolls the day before, cool completely and store airtight. Reheat in the same pan, covered with foil, for 10–12 minutes at 300°F (150°C) just before dinner. These can also be frozen after baking and cooling, then thawed before warming.

Roll-making technique: King Arthur Baking

Makes: one deep 9-inch (23 cm) pie, 8 slices

Prep: 20–30 minutes plus crust chilling | Bake: roughly 75–90 minutes total | Cooling: at least 2 hours plus refrigeration

What you need

• Pastry for one 9-inch single-crust pie, homemade or a good ready-made shell, in a pan at least 1½ inches deep
• 1 can (15 oz / 425 g) plain pumpkin purée, NOT sweetened pumpkin pie filling
• ¾ cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Lightly sweetened whipped cream for serving, optional

How to make it

1. Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with a rack in the lower third. Put the chilled pastry in the pie pan, line with parchment and pie weights, and bake about 20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment, then bake another 8–10 minutes until the base looks dry and lightly coloured. Let the shell cool while you make the filling.
2. Reduce oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk pumpkin, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and salt until smooth. Add eggs and yolk, then whisk in the cream and vanilla just until combined. Do not whip a lot of air into the custard.
3. Pour into the crust. If you have more filling than fits safely below the rim, bake the extra in a small ramekin. Set the pie on a baking sheet in the lower third of the oven. Check after about 40 minutes; it usually needs 45–60 minutes after filling, depending on pan and oven.
4. Take it out when the edges are set and only the centre has a gentle wobble. If using a thermometer, aim for about 160–170°F (71–77°C) in the middle rather than baking until stiff and cracked. Shield the crust rim if it browns too quickly.
5. Cool completely, then refrigerate until serving. Serve with barely sweetened whipped cream.

Pumpkin pie doneness: King Arthur Baking