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    7 Recipes for an Un-Boring Thanksgiving Dinner

    By | Shine Food – Mon, Nov 16, 2009 11:38 PM EST

    Candied yams are to Thanksgiving dinner what fruitcake is to Christmas treats - we're sick of it already! But your Turkey Day meal doesn't have to be similar to the snooze-fest that follows shortly after everyone has cleaned their plates.

    From fruit-inspired stuffing to mashed potatoes with a touch of bacon, here are a few recipes to add some pizazz to your dinner. Give guests the perfect finishing touch by serving up our new spins on classic desserts, and they are sure to leave with satisfied bellies.



    THE BIRD:

    There's really no competition for the centerpiece of any Thanksgiving table - the turkey. But there is a way to make sure the main event is a crowd-pleaser...

    Tired: just basted or brined
    Inspired: This Pomegranate-Lacquered Roast Turkey recipe is a little sweet, a lot juicy, and with only five ingredients, totally takes the fuss out of the feast.


    THE SIDES:

    Tired: Roasted carrots
    Inspired: Their similarly hued brother, our Roasted Garlic Squash with Crispy Sage Brown Butter, will make for a refreshing stand-in.

    Tired: Plain ol' mashed potatoes
    Inspired: Our Golden Mashed Potatoes with Fried Onions and Bacon, a savory side dish with onions sautéed in bacon drippings (!) and topped with crumbled bacon.

    Tired: Traditional green bean casserole
    Inspired: Roasted Green Beans with Preserved Lemon and Pine Nuts, made with anchovies, garlic, honey, and Quick Preserved Lemon.

    Tired:     Onion and celery stuffing
    Inspired: This Herbed Chestnut, Cranberry, and Apple Stuffing, made with warm chestnuts, cherry-flavored dried cranberries, and sweet Granny Smith apples.


    THE DESSERT:

    Tired: Apple pie
    Inspired: Our Best-Ever Apple Cake! (With a title like that, your guests just might not be able to stop at one slice.    )

    Tired:     Pumpkin pie
    Inspired: Pumpkin-Ginger Cheesecake is a dessert heaven on a plate. Made with a walnut and gingersnap cookie crust, its warm, comforting flavors are a perfect complement to this tasty season.


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    Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.

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      My after-school snack was a sacred ritual. I sat on the carpet in my parents' bedroom at a low table, the television turned to "I Dream of Jeannie," and ate a peanut butter and honey sandwich cut into neat squares. I wasn't fussy about crusts. I just loved the sticky pairing of creamy peanut butter with syrupy golden sweetness drizzled from a honey bear in diagonals across the soft white bread. Nothing else--save for maybe apples and peanut butter in a pinch--could have made for as sweet an