1. Add fresh sage to your favorite stuffing recipe. Dried herbs don't hold a candle to fresh.

2. The best way to make sure you have enough stuffing is to not limit yourself to what you can stuff into the bird. An unstuffed bird cooks faster and more evenly -- so I prefer to make a fabulous moist, spicy stuffing and bake it on the side until golden and crusty. And don't limit yourself to turkey -- you can make a great stuffing and bake it to go with any holiday main dish, including ham, pork roast or chicken.

3. To get a glossy brown skin on roast turkey I like to brush the bird at the end of the cooking with a brown glaze of pomegranate molasses. The juicy, sweet-sour flavor always reminded me of cranberries, so it makes perfect sense in Thanksgiving recipes.

4. Fresh cranberry relish is one of the easiest holiday dishes to make from scratch. Fresh orange and ginger add zing!

5. If you like cornbread stuffing, consider making it with andouille, a smoky spiced sausage from Louisiana -- they make a great flavor combination. Use day-old cornbread for stuffing that is moist but not mushy.