Planning the Thanksgiving menu is not rocket science. You basically make every carb under the sun to go along with the turkey. Every year I have fantasies of roasted root vegetables or braised leeks — and every year I fall back to what I know.

Which is not to say I haven’t tinkered a bit with my mother’s menu. My brother upped the ante years ago when he took over the Thanksgiving meal. His turkey was brined, his broccoli was capered, and his homemade cream of mushroom soup was to die for.  And I have my own spins on the seasonal classics: a cranberry salad with cream cheese dollops, and herbed stuffing with walnuts and (this year) dried cherries.

But somehow, no matter what I prepare, the meal always ends up being one big mess of carbs. Tis the season, I guess!