Feel free to vary the flavorings as desired. Omit ginger and thyme and replace with other herbs or spices (orange zest works well, as does star anise, fennel, chilies, etc.). For tips on how to cut carrots, check out our Knife Skills: Carrots, and for ginger, our Knife Skills: Ginger guides. More

[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt] About the author: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt is the Managing Editor of Serious Eats where he likes to explore the science of home cooking in his weekly column The Food Lab. You can follow him at @thefoodlab... More

This Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie from Lyniece North Talmadge's The Sweet Potato Lover's Cookbook takes the classic mashed potato topping and swaps it out for mashed sweets. The super savory filling is a mix of ground beef or turkey sautéed with tomatoes, thyme, and an umami blast of Worcestershire and shiitake mushrooms, rich and meaty enough to stand up to the sweetness of the sweet potato topping. More

This festive recipe makes a fitting holiday side dish. You can prepare it through step three a day in advance. Reheat the components separately and combine them shortly before serving. More

The good news is that the dish is comparatively light for Turkey Day, and the spuds themselves cook beautifully. Essentially braised in vegetable broth and milk, they hold their shapes well and come out in creamy, tender little disk. The texture is a nice alternative to standard mashed potatoes, especially if you're serving multiple mushy sides. More

I suppose that while paging through Alton Brown's Good Eats 2: The Middle Years, I was looking for a glazed carrot recipe that had a little more oomph than the standard combo of butter and brown sugar. This recipe subs in ginger ale as a sweetener, and depending on which brand you choose it can lend a significant kick. I chose a super strong ginger beer, which reduced to a lovely glaze and left the carrots plenty spicy and gingery enough to wake you up. The sprinkling of chili powder adds a bit more warmth and spice, taking these carrots out of the realm of sleepy side and into the side dish spotlight. More

This Beet Green Gratin ended up filling in for my beloved green bean casserole perfectly, treading the line between kitschy (Ritz cracker topping) and classy (ricotta and beet greens). More

If seasons were paired with regional cuisines, summer's partner would be Latin, with its bright ceviches and piquant salsas. Cool weather calls for slow-cooked Nordic flavors, like Martha Stewart's braised red cabbage dish with caramelized apples. The traditional Thanksgiving table... More

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