It’s that time of year again. My favorite part of winter? Baking season! Christmas cookies, hot cocoa, fudge, candy canes, and more. I love the smell of baking and spices floating through the apartment, and the warmth of the oven filling the kitchen. I’m looking forward to incorporating new ingredients and spices into my baking this year, such as hazelnuts, peppermint, and butterscotch.

Some holiday spices to look for (adapted from MyRecipes.com):

Allspice: Not a combination of spices, as the name implies, but a spice produced in Jamaica. Its flavor, however, is a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.

Cardamom:A spice from the same family as ginger and turmeric (and you know how found I am of those), this has an orange-like favor that lends itself to both sweet and savory dishes. This spice is the main ingredient in Chai tea.

Cinnamon: This common spice isn’t always given its due. Cinnamon is a common ingredient in gingerbread, mulled wine and cider, and pairs well with chocolate and coffee flavors. It also works great with fruit such as apples, bananas, and pears.

Cloves: More bitter than the rest, cloves should be used sparingly as it can overpower other spices and flavors. Lends itself well to sweet and savory dished, especially gingerbread and ham.

Ginger: Warm and fragrant, ginger is very flexible and adaptable to a variety of dishes. Think gingerbread, fruitcake, molasses cookies, and fruits for this potent spice.  

Mace: A close cousin to nutmeg, with an orange-like color similar to saffron. Not quite the same as the self-defense weapon.

Mint: The definative partner to chocolate, usually used as liquid extract but can also be used as a fresh or dried herb. A cool after taste, look for peppermint or spearmint.

Nutmeg:Sweet and musky, this spice is warm and inviting in any dish. It doesn’t get the same notoriety as cinnamon and ginger, but it is perfect for cakes, cookies, and milky drinks such as Chai.

Saffron: Very expensive, but very much worth it and a little goes a long, long way. Though best known for rice and savory dishes, Saffron works well with honey, ginger, cardamom, and fruit such as pears. As the blog Vanilla Garlic demonstrated, it also goes great with white chocolate.

Star Anise: Like anise seed, star anise has a flavor similar licorice. This works great with poached fruit such as apples, pears, and plums.

Vanilla Bean: One of the most popular flavorings in the world, and vanilla extract is a popular ingredient in baking. Try adding to hot cocoa, chocolate, and tea for a sweet, woodsy flavor.

Got leftovers? Here are a few ways to eat up the leftover Thanksgiving dishes, such as mashed potatoes, gravy, vegetables, biscuits, and of course turkey. Enjoy these 10 dish ideas to eat up your Thanksgiving favorites without getting bored.

Breakfast: Turkey-Egg Biscuits
Layer leftover turkey, fried eggs, cheese, and even gravy inside warmed biscuits.

Lunch: Turkey Wraps
Roll turkey, mustard or mayo, and chopped spinach in to a whole-wheat wrap.

Afternoon Snack: Pumpkin Pie Treats 
Top leftover pumpkin or apple pie with whipped topping and leftover cranberry sauce.

Dinner: Turkey Shepard’s Pie
Combine stuffing, gravy, chopped turkey, and vegetables in a 2 or 3 quart baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes or pureed sweet potatoes. Bake at 325F until warmed through.

Late-Night Snack: Turkey-Cranberry Sandwich
Using leftover biscuits or bread, stack cheese slices and turkey then top with cranberry sauce. Serve cold.

Breakfast in Bed: Biscuits & Jam
Toast leftover biscuits and top with cranberry sauce or sweet potatoes.

Next-Day Lunch: Hot Turkey Sandwiches
Simmer turkey and gravy in a small saucepan. Spoon over biscuits or a layer of stuffing. Top with mashed potatoes and more gravy.

Super Snack: Sweet Potato Pie
Puree sweet potatoes with maple syrup, cinnamon, and butter. Pour into a prepared pie crust. Bake until warmed through and golden brown. Top with whipped topping or cranberry sauce.

Dinnertime Side Dish: Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Stir leftover corn, peas, and other vegetables into mashed potatoes. Top with butter or gravy.

Dessert For Two: Pie Crust Mix-Up 
Scoop pieces, crust and all, into champagne flutes or dessert dishes, mixing flavors. Create layers with whipped topping and cranberry sauce or sweet potatoes.

Want to give your turkey something a little but extra? Try this maple roasted recipe from Everyday Food magazine. The turkey stayed very moist, without constant basting. I used store-bought stuffing made with chicken broth (use a little extra than the package indicated for moist, more flavorful stuffing). You can add a little homemade touch to your stuffing by adding chopped onions, celery, and/or apples. Apples would also go great with this maple glaze.

1 turkey 12-14 lbs, thawed  
salt and pepper
butter
1/3 cup maple syrup
ready made stuffing

Preheat oven to 350F

Remove neck, giblets, and liver from turkey as package describes. Rinse turkey and pat try. Place stuffing in turkey and secure appropriately. Place turkey on a rack/roasting pan. Pour 2 cups water into roasting pan.

Brush turkey with melted butter and season generously with salt and pepper. Tent turkey with aluminum foil and roast for about 1 hour.

After about an hour, baste turkey with pan drippings or additional butter. Add more water to pan as needed. Repeat this process again in an hour.

After 3 hours, remove aluminum foil and baste turkey with maple syrup. Continue to baste with syrup every 15-20 minutes until turkey reaches 180F (about 3 1/3 to 4 hours). Continue to add water to pan as needed. Let turkey rest 15-20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving the meat.

The start of a tradition: my first Thanksgiving! The menu is a mix of store-bought sides and original creations. Here’s the menu, as planned:

Hot Apricot Cider (made in a slow cooker!)
Maple-Glazed Turkey with store-bought gravy and stuffing, jazzed with some fresh celery
Sour Cream & Rosemary Whipped Potatoes
mixed canned corn
bread from Panera
Gingersnap-Pear Cheesecake

Dinner is at 4 pm, followed by dessert & wine around 6 pm.

Here is a sneak peak at my Thanksgiving dessert, a cheesecake recipe from Real Simple magazine made with fresh pears and crushed gingersnap cookies. This dessert can be made up to 2 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until after the turkey dinner. Remember to keep a pan filled with water in the oven to keep the moisture and prevent cracking, althought the sweetened sour cream topping will disguise any small cracks in the cheesecake.

Tips: Crush the gingersnaps in a zip-locked bag using a rolling pin or empty wine bottle. Save leftover cookies for garnish. Do not use reduced-fat or fat-free cream cheese or sour cream, and be sure ingredients are room temperature. The recipe does not specify what type of pear to use, but I used Bartlett.

This recipe calls for a 9 inch springform pan. I used a 9 1/2 inch pan, which worked fine, but my crust did not extended up the sides of the pan.

6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 40 small cookies)
2 small, ripe pears (any kind), peeled, cored, and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 bars (16 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs, room temperature
3 tsp vanilla extract, divided
1 cup sour cream, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare springform pan as necessary (nonstick varieties may need cooking spray or parchment paper).

In a medium bowl, combine melted butter and crushed gingersnaps. Press mixture into pan, working the crumbs over the bottom and then up the sides. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

In a small bowl, toss the pear slices with ginger. Line the cooled crust with the pears, overlapping the slices slightly. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream cheese for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and beat until combined. Stir in 2 tsp of vanilla. Pour mixture over the pears.

Bake until the top is barely set but still slightly wobbly, about 30-45 minutes, depending on your oven. Transfer pan to a wire rack but keep oven on.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and remaining 1 tsp of vanilla. Pour over cheesecake and bake an additional 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

Slice the cheesecake just before serving, running the knife under warm water after each cut. Serves 8 to 12.