Thanksgiving is one of the best times of the year. We get to spend time with our family, watch some great football games, and eat delicious food. Emphasis on the food. My family takes this holiday extremely seriously, so I'm sharing some of my favorite dishes, in hopes you'll try a few and be able to the experience this culinary heaven with me.

1. Apple-Sage Glazed Grilled Whole Turkey with Grilled Apples.

Turkey in my house is like no other. It is not just a cooked bird, it is a poultry masterpiece. My mom makes it with a glaze that is pure delight, and it is cooked to tender perfection.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. canola oil, plus more for brushing on the turkey

1 small red onion, coarsely chopped

1 serrano chili, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup of apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped, plus 2 peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/2 thick slices

3 tbsp. chopped fresh sage leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 whole (20 lb.) turkey

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Heat oil in medium saucepan on the grates of the grill or on a burner. Add the onion and cook until soft (about 3 minutes). Add the serrano chili and cook for 1 minute. Add the vinegar and sugar, and cook until the sugar has melted. Stir in the chopped apples and cook until the apples are soft, and the mixture is slightly thickened (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place the apple mixture in the food processor and add the sage. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and let cool to room temperature.

Have a large drip pan filled with a little bit of water positioned under where the turkey will be placed on the grill. Brush the entire turkey with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the turkey on both sides until golden brown. Reduce heat of grill to medium to maintain a constant temperature of 350 degrees. Cook turkey until thermometer inserted into the thigh reads 170-175 degrees. Begin brushing entire turkey with the apple glaze during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Remove from the grill and brush with more of the glaze. Let rest for 30 minutes before carving. Grill the sliced apples for 2-3 minutes on each side and serve with the turkey.

*Keep adding water to turkey on grill as needed

*45 minutes first side, 30 minutes second side

2. Sweet Potato Casserole.

For anyone who likes sweet potato pie, this is basically the same, but not exclusive to dessert. So serve this at your Thanksgiving dinner, and when people ask for more, bring on the pie.

Ingredients for Casserole:

3 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup melted butter

Ingredients for Topping:

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup chopped pecans (can use whole pecans also)

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Combine first ingredients. Pour into a buttered 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole dish. Mix remaining ingredients together and sprinkle over top. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until hot and top is browned.

3. Green Bean Casserole.

Year's ago, my mom found a recipe for this casserole from French's, the company that makes those delicious french friend onions. Naturally, it became a part of our yearly Thanksgiving feast. French's fried onions have always been a favorite of mine, so why not incorporate them into one of my favorite holidays?

Ingredients:

1 10 3/4 oz. can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup

3/4 cup milk

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 9 oz. packages frozen cut green beans, thawed

1 1/3 cups French's French Fried Onions

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Mix soup, milk and pepper in a 1 1/2 qt. baking dish. Stir in beans and 2/3 cup French Fried Onions. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot. Stir. Top with remaining 2/3 cup onions. Bake 5 minutes until onions are golden brown.

4. Baked Brie.

My favorite cheese in the world is brie, so this appetizer makes my stomach unbelievably happy. Its warm, sweet, gooey, and best of all, wrapped in puff pastry.

Ingredients:

1 large sheet of puff pastry dough or 1 tube of refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 round of wedge of Brie cheese

Raspberry or other sweet jam

Brown sugar

1/4 cup of maple syrup

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. On a non-stick cookie sheet, lay out the puff pastry or crescent roll dough flat. Cut brie wedge along the equator, spread jam on one half of the wedge, place the other half on top. Fold dough over the top. Use any leftover pastry for cutouts, using cookie cutters; place on top of wedge. Drizzle maple syrup and place a handful of brown sugar on top. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with apple slices and crackers.

5. Cranberry Orange Relish.

This take on a classic part of Thanksgiving is one of my favorites. Instead of just serving plain old cranberry sauce, we mix it with orange marmalade and sugar to give it a tangy (but sweet), citrusy flavor.

Ingredients

1 can cranberry sauce

1 jar orange marmalade

1-2 tbsp. sugar, according to taste

Cooking Instructions:

Put ingredients into a pot and heat on low, till boiling, then let cool. After it is cooled, put in bowl, cover, and refrigerate

6. Broccoli and Cheese Casserole.

I definitely have too many favorites, but they're all just SO good. This dish is the ultimate comfort food, and it'll definitely be on our table this year.

Ingredients:

1 10 3/4 oz. can Campbell's Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup milk

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

1 bag (16 oz.) frozen broccoli florets, thawed

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Italian-seasoned dry bread crumbs

2 tsp. butter, melted

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Stir soup, milk, broccoli, and cheese in a 2-qt. casserole dish. Mix the breadcrumbs and butter in a small bowl and sprinkle over broccoli mixture. Cook for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot and bubbly.

7. Candied Carrots.

This is my all time favorite dish, Thanksgiving or otherwise. The kitchen staff of my sorority makes them, and that was some of the best news I ever received. Honestly, I can't even describe how heavenly these are. You just have to trust me and try them for yourself.

Ingredients:

1 lb. carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces (or, use 2 lb. baby carrots)

2 tbsp. butter, diced

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 pinch salt

1 pinch ground black pepper

Corn starch to thicken sauce

Cooking Instructions:

Place Carrots in a pot of salted water. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to a high simmer and cook about 20-30 minutes. Do not cook the carrots to a mushy stage! Drain the carrots, reduce the heat to its lowest possible setting and return the carrots to the pan. Stir in butter, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, until sugar is bubbly. If sauce is not thick enough, add cornstarch until desired consistency. Serve hot.

8. Baked Corn Casserole.

Another one of my favorite dishes, this one is an amped up version of your typical canned corn, and so much better.

Ingredients:

1 15 1/4 oz. can whole kernel corn, drained

1 14 3/4 oz. can creamed corn

2 cups sour cream

1 8.5 oz. box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Place in an 11-by-7-inch baking pan and bake for 1 hour. Let sit 10 to 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

9. Apple Pie.

Last but definitely not least, apple pie. A staple of fall, this dish makes every Thanksgiving complete. Just warm it up, serve with some vanilla ice cream, and you have instantly happy guests. Now as much as I'd love to share the deliciousness that is my mom's apple pie, the recipe is a family secret, and she's probably never let me come home if I gave it out. But no worries, I won't leave you hanging. Here is a recipe from Rachel Ray to substitute:

http://www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-m...

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do, and even put your own twist on them! Happy Thanksgiving!