November is upon us. As soon as the Halloween decorations have been cleared away, I begin to think about Thanksgiving. I bet you are starting to think about it as well. Are you hosting this year? Traveling to see friends and family? As always, my mother and I are hosting Thanksgiving for friends at her house in Florida. My children are eagerly anticipating warm weather and swimming. I am eagerly anticipating cooking.

For a cook, Thanksgiving is THE holiday of the year, the day when the food takes center stage. My mother and I tend to stick to our tried and true menu — although she constantly tries to get out making the Balsamic-glazed pearl onions that are just so much work — but I am always tinkering around the edges. Of course we will have stuffing, but how can I make the stuffing moister and more flavorful? Apple pie is a given but how can I make the crust flakier than ever?

For the rest of the month, I will be sharing with you some of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes and tips so that you too can plan your menu and make this Thanksgiving the most delicious one in memory.

I’m going to start with this perfect fall salad featuring apples and dried cranberries with a sweet-tart apple cider dressing. I think most Thanksgiving menus could use something crisp and fresh and zingy, don’t you? I use Gala apples for this salad because of their thin skin and their resistance to browning.  Their creamy yellow background and scarlet-red and orange stripes also add a lot of visual appeal to the salad.

If your holiday menu is too full to include this beautiful fall salad, consider it as a perfect vehicle for your Thanksgiving leftovers: just top this salad with some cubed turkey and you have a satisfying yet light meal that will help you atone for any overindulgence. Although Galas resist browning well, if you plan to slice the apples in advance of serving the salad, toss them with some lemon juice to prevent oxidation.