Thanksgiving is right around the corner and, with it, time to get in the kitchen with your kids and cook up some mouth-watering treats. To help provide inspiration, we reached out to six chefs, restaurateurs and food experts and asked them to share their favorite seasonal dishes. Click through for some tasty inspiration for Turkey day — and beyond!

To Mix Things Up on the Pie Front

Debbie Koenig
Author, Parents Need to Eat Too: Nap-Friendly Recipes, One-Handed Meals, and Time-Saving Kitchen Tricks for New Parents
debbiekoenig.com

Mom of Harry, age 10

Thanksgiving Thoughts: "My Thanksgivings changed forever when I discovered dry-brined turkeys. Instead of soaking a turkey in a giant vat of salted water to keep it juicy and flavorful, you rub a shocking amount of salt all over the bird and leave it in the fridge for a few days. It’s so much less messy, and it doesn’t take up any more room that the turkey itself. This year we’re going to my brother-in-laws’ for the holiday, and I’m shlepping a dry-brined turkey to roast when we get there!"

Recipe

Cranberry-Apple Oatmeal Crumb Pie

1 prepared pie crust
1 egg white, beaten
5 medium-size tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs

3/4 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 375°F and position rack in lower third.

1.     Lightly brush bottom and sides of piecrust with egg white. Refrigerate until egg white is no longer sticky, about 30 minutes.

2.     While the crust chills, combine the sliced apples, cranberries, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl. Place the pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet, then sprinkle gingersnap crumbs in an even layer on the bottom of the crust. Transfer the apple mixture into the crust, mounding the filling in the center. Press down lightly.

3.     In another bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, and salt. Use a pastry blender or your hands to mix in the butter until small clumps form. Sprinkle over the filling, covering completely—don’t be afraid to use it all, but if you have a little extra filling and crumble, bake them in a ramekin and consider it a chef’s treat.

4.     Bake until apples are tender and juices bubble, 60 to 75 minutes. Check the pie after 30 minutes—if the crumb coating is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Transfer pie to a rack and cool for at least 2 hours.

photo: Debbie Koenig

Share your favorite holiday recipe below!

— Lambeth Hochwald

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