Written by Margie of More Please by Margie

Thanksgiving is a celebration of home and harvest, family and food. The holiday meal is steeped in tradition, with the turkey sitting plump and proud at the center of the table. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a little daring with the rest of your Thanksgiving menu.

For a bit of inspiration, the Daring Kitchen compiled this list of recipes for side dishes and desserts that are right at home on your Thanksgiving table. All the recipes are traditional with a twist and all are from the kitchens of Daring Bakers and Daring Cooks. Just click on the recipe links in this article to find the original blog posts. (Click on the blog titles to go to the most recent post.) So go ahead, roast the turkey and pour the gravy, but then click through and whip up something new.

If you’re roasting a turkey, then you’re probably making stuffing. For many, stuffing is nearly as iconic as the bird and every family has their own version. But it’s a dish that easily adapts to new flavors. Elle of Feeding My Enthusiasms shares her mom’s Stuffing recipe that combines time-honored ingredients like celery, sage, and cornbread with fresh new flavors of apples, rosemary, and multi-grain bread. It’s a contemporary twist on a familiar favorite, and it’s pictured above in all its glory.

Cranberry sauce perks up the Thanksgiving table with a welcome dash of bright flavor and color. Everyone knows the ruby-red spread is indispensible in the much-anticipated leftover turkey sandwich. Gareth of Stumptown Savoury presents a trio of cranberry sauces that just might steal the show: Cranberry Pear Salsa, Cranberry Apple Chutney, and Cranberry Orange Relish. Every recipe pairs fresh (or frozen) cranberries with unexpected flavors like serrano chile or crystallized ginger.

Soup may not be standard Thanksgiving fare, but there’s no better season for it than Fall. Try souping up one of your usual side dishes this year. Three Daring Cooks offer recipes that transform the flavors of autumn harvest into luscious bowls of goodness. Charmian of Christie’s Corner suggests Roasted Tomato and Sage Soup, and her crème fraiche garnish takes it over the top.

Ms. Bliss of Kitchen Bliss makes a Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger that perfectly balances savory and sweet.

Mary of One Perfect Bite delivers a Caramelized Corn Chowder that is delectable even before the crisp bacon garnish.

Don’t worry, we’re not forgetting about those starchy sides. And there’s not a marshmallow in sight. Not that there’s anything wrong with that! Charli of The Berry Bushel makes a convincing argument for Cheddar Chipotle Grits
and her smoky and spicy recipe certainly passes the test.

Jenn of Jenn Cuisine serves Mashed Sweet Potatoes with a sweet and sophisticated drizzle of Rosemary & Honey Balsamic Reduction.

LK of Healthy. Delicious. fills her Southwest Stuffed Acorn Squash with black beans, smoked paprika and chorizo, before topping it off with a melting cap of queso.

Kelly of Sass &Veracity pairs sweet roasted squash with peppery arugula and salty prosciutto in her Warm Winter Salad with Butternut Squash and Hazelnuts.

Before moving on to desserts, I’d like to make a pitch for some under-appreciated vegetables. Zegliano of The Last Bite should win a prize for her simple and elegant Brussels Sprout Salad of the future – shredded raw Brussels sprouts mixed up with pecorino, pine nuts, and balsamic (not pictured). Margie of More Please thinks Buttermilk Dressing with Feta & Mint on roasted beets is just right for a holiday salad.

Sandy of Eat Real encourages us to try Rutabaga with Caramelized Onions and Apples and her step-by-step photo tutorial is as entertaining as it is educational.

No holiday meal is complete without the sweet stuff, preferably with a dollop of whipped cream on top. Your Thanksgiving guests will gobble up these tempting treats, all classics with a bit of a twist. Una Donna Dolce of Vanilla Basil spices up the classic pumpkin pie with her Gingered Butternut Squash Pie in an all-butter crust.

Angela of Isolated Foodie pairs cranberries with classic lemon squares in her luscious Lemon-Cranberry Bars, a sweet-tart exclamation to the feast, and yes of course she picks her own cranberries!

Lis of La Mia Cucina reveals the Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake that has replaced pumpkin pie on her holiday table (just scroll down the post to the second entry for the delicious details).

Hopefully our recipe round-up has inspired you to add a new dish or two to your holiday repertoire. The Daring Kitchen wishes all of you a delicious and happy Thanksgiving, without any challenges!

Photography Credits
1.Stuffing by Elle of Feeding My Enthusiasms
2.Daring Kitchen logo from Daring Kitchen website
3.Cranberry Pear Salsa, Cranberry Apple Chutney, and Cranberry Orange Relish by Gareth of Stumptown Savoury
4.Roasted Tomato and Sage Soup by Charmian of Christie’s Corner
5.Butternut Squash Soup by Bliss of Kitchen Bliss
6.Caramelized Corn Chowder by Mary of One Perfect Bite
7.Cheddar Chipotle Grits by Charli of The Berry Bushel
8.Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary & Honey Balsamic Reduction by Jenn of Jenn Cuisine
9.Southwest Stuffed Acorn Squash by LK of Healthy. Delicious.
10.Warm Winter Salad with Butternut Squash and Hazelnuts by Kelly of Sass & Veracity
11.Buttermilk Dressing with Feta & Mint on roasted beets by Margie of More Please
12.Rutabaga with Caramelized Onions and Apples by Sandy of Eat Real
13.Gingered Butternut Squash Pie by Una Donna Dolce of Vanilla Basil
14.Lemon-Cranberry Bars by Angela of Isolated Foodie
15.Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake by Lis of La Mia Cucina