I am one of those people that really love the holidays. Not just this particular time of year, but actually every holiday. I think each holiday has its purpose and it’s our job to relax and enjoy them for what they are. However, topping my list of holiday fun is Thanksgiving. Simply put, I love this holiday because I love spending time with my family. It is too infrequent that we all come together, the crazy lot of us, and just be…without all the pretense of gift-giving and tree-decorating, which quite frankly, tires me out.

I never actually cook Thanksgiving dinner, but I fall in love with all the wonderful recipes that I find in my favorite magazines and websites. While I like tradition, I really like to shake things up a little and this is one of the reasons that I love going to my mom’s house for this particular dinner. She is an amazing cook and always manages to pull off the perfect combination of new and old. She’s not afraid to venture outside of tradition, but will also keep a few favorites untouched.

When I do prepare my menu for these kinds of spreads (usually around Christmas time for me), I love spending the time to find my recipes, there are always so many to choose from, and they’re all over the place. I thought I’d put this list of fabulous recipes I’ve found this season together in one place (a mere 73 of them), so if something sounded good, it’s only a click away. I hope you’re inspired by some of this wonderful food and that your Thanksgiving is as crazy, loud and happy, as mine will be. Bon Appetit!

A few fun cocktails to get things started off right:

Pomegranate-Rosemary Royale, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Winter Sangria, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Crimson Spice Champagne Cocktail, Sunset, myrecipes.com

Gingered Pear and Brandy Cocktail, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Bite-Sized Appetizers:

Brussels Sprout and Prosciutto Skewers, Sunset

Smoky Salmon Chive Spread, Sunset

Endive Spears with White Bean Radicchio Salad, Sunset

Starters are one of the hardest things to come up with before a big meal like Thanksgiving, here are a few that keep it light:

Citrus, Fennel, and Rosemary Olives, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Wild Rice and Celery Root Soup, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Butternut Squash Soup with Spiced Seeds, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Candied Walnut, Pear, and Leafy Green Salad, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Spinach, Arugula, Cranberry and Walnut Salad, Life’s Ambrosia

Cranberry-Strawberry-Jicama Salad, myrecipes.com

Brussels Sprouts Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

The main event and the best part, the Turkey:

To start, here’s a Turkey Roasting Guide, Sunset

Classic Roast Turkey and Giblet Gravy, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Sage Butter-Roasted Turkey with Cider Gravy, Bon Appetit

Grilled Turkey with Toasted Fennel and Coriander and Fresh Thyme Gravy, Bon Appetit

Clementine-Salted Turkey with Redeye Gravy, Bon Appetit

Ojai Roast Turkey with Rosemary, Lemon, and Garlic, myrecipes.com

Deep Fried Turkey, MomsWhoThink.com

Roasted Turkey with Bourbon Butter Glaze, MomsWhoThink.com

Homemade Turkey Broth, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Dressing/Stuffing, the possibilities are endless:

Bacon Cranberry Stuffing, Laura’s Best Recipes

Laura’s Sausage, Wild Mushroom and Sourdough Stuffing, Laura’s Best Recipes

Wild Rice and Mushroom Stuffing, Bon Appetit

Whole Wheat Stuffing with Pancetta, Chestnuts and Parmesan, Bon Appetit

Sweet Potato Stuffing with Bacon and Thyme, Bon Appetit

Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing, Sunset, myrecipes.com

Cornbread and Gorgonzola Dressing, Sunset, myrecipes.com

Potatoes, not all mashed:

Mashed Potatoes with Lavender and Honey, Laura’s Best Recipes

Peggy’s Sensational Gravy, Laura’s Best Recipes

Buttermilk, Parmesan Mashed Potatoes, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Mashed Potatoes with Ranch Dressing, Bon Appetit

Cheesy Baked Mashed Potatoes, Life’s Ambrosia

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon, Onions and Sage, Bon Appetit

Scalloped Potatoes and Fennel, Bon Appetit

Potato and Autumn Vegetable Hash, Bon Appetit

Sage-Infused Mashed Potatoes and Parsnips, Sunset, myrecipes.com

Fontina-stuffed Potato Skins, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Garnet Yams with Maple Syrup, Walnuts and Brandied Raisins, Bon Appetit

Chili-Glazed Sweet Potatoes, Sunset, myrecipes.com

Sweet-Potato Gratin, Sunset, myrecipes.com

Mouth-watering sides, forget the rolls:

Brussels Sprout with Parmesan and Pine Nuts, Sunset, myrecipes.com

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Apples, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Saute of Winter Greens and Shiitake Mushrooms, Bon Appetit

Green Beans and Walnuts with Lemon Vinaigrette, Bon Appetit

Thyme-Roasted Apples and Onions, Bon Appetit

Sauteed Carrots with Sage, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Roasted Root Vegetables with Sorghum and Cider, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Creamed Leeks, Gourmet

Roasted Chestnuts, Gourmet

Thanksgiving isn’t complete without some sort of Cranberry Relish and Gravy:

Cranberry, Apple and Walnut Sauce, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Cranberry Sauce with Red Wine, Pomegranate Molasses and Mediterranean Herbs, Bon Appetit

Cranberry Sauce with Pecans, MomsWhoThink.com

Thyme-Infused Gravy, Real Simple

Pan Gravy, Real Simple

Classic Gravy, Real Simple

And always…save room for dessert:

Toasted Almond and Cherry Scones, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Salted Chocolate Ganache Cake, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Vanilla-Bourbon Pumpkin Tart, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Caramel Apple Pie, Cooking Light, myrecipes.com

Four-layer Pumpkin Cake with Orange-Cream Cheese Frosting, Bon Appetit

Harvest Pear Crisp with Candied Ginger, Bon Appetit

Bourbon-Pecan Tart, Bon Appetit

Brown Sugar-Pecan Cupcakes with Caramel Frosting, Bon Appetit

Pumpkin Ice Cream Torte with Ginger Crust, Sunset, myrecipes.com

Chocolate-Caramel Trifle with Raspberries, Sunset, myrecipes.com

Roasted Sweet-Potato Cheesecake with Maple Cream, Sunset, myrecipes.com

Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting, Gourmet

Poached Pears with Quince Paste in Parmesan Cloaks, Gourmet

Sour Cream Apple Pie, Gourmet

Warmest of holidays to you and your family, have a beautiful Thanksgiving Day!