Local food writer Nina Barone knows a thing or two about cooking for a crowd.

Sister to Lloyd Taco Trucks co-founder Pete Cimino and daughter to food aficionados with a bright culinary heritage, there must be a lot of pressure to produce mouth-watering dishes for family meals. Lucky for Barone, she has a knack for cooking and a love for the local food scene.

Never one to show up to a dinner party empty-handed, Barone has amassed a healthy collection of recipes for dishes to pass. She was kind enough to share a couple of those recipes—perfect accompaniments for turkey—just in time for Thanksgiving.

Everything But The Kitchen Sink Cranberry Sauce

“Enjoy the aroma of the fruit and spices in this edible fall potpourri,” Barone said in her blog post.

1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 package fresh cranberries
1 large orange, peeled and diced
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 pear, peeled, cored and diced
1-2 cups assorted dried fruits (cherries, blueberries, strawberries, apricots, etc.), roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Bring water and sugar to boil until sugar dissolves.

Reduce heat to simmer and stir in cranberries and all other ingredients.

Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Sweet Potato-Pecan Casserole

“For those with nut allergies, you can easily eliminate the pecans,” Barone said in her blog. “It is also completely gluten-free and vegetarian.”

Coconut oil (or butter or cooking spray)
3 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (~5 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1/3 cup honey
1 large egg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Sea salt
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 F. ”Butter” an 8-inch square baking dish with coconut oil.

Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a pot with a large steamer basket in place. Put the sweet potatoes in the basket, cover and steam until tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and let cool slightly. Add the honey, egg, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, the nutmeg, ginger and ~1/2 teaspoon salt; whip with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread the sweet potato mixture in the prepared baking dish.

Mix the brown sugar, pecans and the remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle over the potatoes. Bake until hot and beginning to brown around the edges, 40 to 45 minutes.

Like what you see? Follow Barone on Twitter and Pinterest.

Barone also shared with us a few Thanksgiving dessert options which appear to be almost hassle-free, and most definitely delicious.