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Cornbread Stuffing Muffins with Ham and Sage, from 'Bon Appétit'. The recipe is just ho hum but the idea that every person maximizes their stuffing crispy bits due to the muffin tins is amazing.

I could stick my whole face in the pumpkin pie brulee right now.

Honey brined and smoked turkey for me. I live on the seventh floor of an apartment house so I gave my brother a smoker for Christmas last year so he could smoke me some turkey.

The Pioneer Woman's Sweet Potatoes sound very tasty.

I'm in love with pumpkins this season. So naturally I would pick Pumpkin Pie Brulee. I love cracking the sugar on top!

the pumpkin cheesecake, and any combo of dessert and pumpkin

Pumpkin pie brulee - I must try this!!!!

I like the Cook's Illustrated's Roasted Brined Turkey, but I'd substitute a Weber for the oven.

I do a lot with maple syrup - most recently crinkly, crunchy, chewy cookies.http://therunawayspoon.com/blog/2009/11/maple-spice-crinkles/

I make my own vanilla yogurt and sweeten it with maple syrup - 1/3 cup of maple syrup plus 1 tsp. vanilla extract per quart of yogurt.

I also use it as a glaze/sauce for a pork tenderloin - 1 cup maple syrup, 1/4 tsp. cinnamon, a generous pinch cayenne pepper, and a tiny pinch ground cloves. I heat that to a simmer, pour it over the top of the tenderloin, cover with foil, and bake at 325 to an internal temperature of 170. Several times, I turn the tenderloin to keep coating it with the syrup.

If I only had a small amount I wouldn't use it in any way that disguised it's taste, which happens most of the time when it's used as an ingredient, instead of as a topping. I speak from experience since I usually have plenty around and do use it as an ingredient. I even make a little of my own, from a backyard maple tree. (Though this year I mostly froze the sap, which is what I like best and isn't available commercially).

Besides the pancakes, waffles, French toast, I agree with using as a topping on oatmeal.

Maple syrup has an incredible affinity for sausage, and for peanut butter. I put a thin layer of pb on my french toast before adding maple syrup.

If your friend brought you fancy, then sipping a couple of tablespoons as a cordial is the best way to savor the delicate flavor.

In the summer when I make corn fritters, my family loves it as a topping. We also drizzle it in a puddle of corn grits.