Our menu is planned and I’ll be cooking my first holiday meal at the new winter nest in Hobe Sound. What fun trying to figure out where everything is and how all the appliances work!

So there will be turkey, stuffing, cranberry, mashed potatoes, gravy, squash, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, Mom’s cranberry orange bread, creamed onions, stuffed celery, oatmeal rolls, wine, and oh did I mention just a few oysters mignonette for an appetizer and then I am going to serve dessert?

Wishing you all (as opposed to y’all) a Happy Thanksgiving and be on the watch for next week’s column which will be all about the best part of a big, holiday feast — leftovers!

Sweet potato pie with marshmallow meringue

For the crust­:

• pastry for a single pie crust for 9 inch pie plate, baked blind at 400 F, set aside

For the filling­:

• 2-3 large sweet potatoes (you’ll need about 2 cups puree)
• 4 large egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue topping), lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• Finely grated peel of one lemon

For the meringue­:

• 4 reserved egg whites
• 10 oz. (2-1/2 cups) marshmallow crème

To prepare the filling: Bake sweet potatoes for 40-45 minutes or until very soft. Peel; place hot potatoes in food processor fitted with steel blade and puree until very smooth. Measure 2 cups potato puree into a mixing bowl. Add egg yolks, white and brown sugars, milk, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest; whisk just to blend. Pour filling into crust, smoothing the top. Bake in a preheated 400 F oven in for 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 325 F; continue baking pie for 20-30 minutes or until edges are puffed and the tip of a sharp knife inserted about 1-inch from the center comes out clean. Remove pie, but leave oven on.

To prepare the meringue: Beat reserved egg whites with a hand mixer in a clean bowl (do not use a plastic bowl) until soft peaks form. Gradually add marshmallow crème and continue beating 5-7 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie all the way to the edges, "spiking" it to make swirls and peaks.

Return pie to the oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until topping is golden, rotating it for even browning. Cool to room temperature before slicing. To cut, dip a sharp knife in hot water and slice through meringue­, dipping knife with each slice. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Special apple pie

For the crust:

• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 10 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup cold apple juice (or water)

For the filling:

• 1-2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• Dash of salt
• 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

To prepare crust: Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter using a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add apple juice and toss mixture gently with a fork until evenly moistened. Gather dough gently into a ball and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Roll dough into a circle slightly larger than a deep 10-inch pie plate. Fit pastry into pan and flute with a high edge. Set aside.

To prepare filling: Preheat oven to 450 F. In a large bowl, combine sour cream, sugar, flour, egg, vanilla, and salt. Mix until combined. Fold in apple slices, mixing well. Spoon mixture into prepared pie plate and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F. and continue baking until filling is slightly puffed and golden brown, about 40 minutes.

To prepare topping: While pie is baking, combine flour, both sugars, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl and mix well. Blend in butter, mashing with a fork until mixture is crumbly. Add chopped nuts and mix well. Spoon over cooked pie; return pie to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Yield: 8-10 servings

Pumpkin bundt cake with salted caramel frosting

For the cake:

• 3-1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus a bit for coating pan
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2-3/4 cups sugar
• 1 cup safflower oil, plus a bit for coating pan
• 4 large eggs
• 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin purée (about 1-3/4 cups)

For the salted caramel sauce:

• 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp. salt

To serve:

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

To prepare the cake: Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to blend; set aside.

Place the sugar and oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute or until the sugar is incorporated. Scrape down sides of the bowl; return mixer to medium speed and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Reduce mixer speed to medium low; add the pumpkin and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.

With mixer on low speed, slowly add the reserved flour mixture and beat 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in any unincorporated flour at the edges and bottom of bowl.

Pour batter into a 12 cup Bundt pan that has been coated with oil and dusted with flour, tapping excess flour out. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 60-70 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Place pan on a wire rack and let cool 15 minutes and then turn cake out to cool completely.

To prepare the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sugar, cream, and corn syrup and stir until smooth Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat and stir in the salt. Set aside to cool slightly.

To serve: Slice cake and drizzle with sauce. Dust with powdered sugar. Yield: 12 servings.

Eggnog custard

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 10 large egg yolks
• 2-1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2-1/2 Tbsp. bourbon
• 2 Tbsp. cognac
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Sweetened whipped cream (optional garnish)

Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, cream, bourbon and cognac in a large bowl. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Add nut­meg to taste.

Pour into eight (4-oz. each) custard cups or ramekins. Place cups in a roasting pan with a towel on the bottom to keep the cups from sliding. Pour enough boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the cups, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 325 F oven for 20-25 minutes or until firm. Chill several hours. Garnish with whipped cream if desired. Yield: 8 servings.