Lee Hefter's Family Thanksgiving

Lee Hefter loves the spices used for pumpkin pie, so he makes this silky, fragrant soup with them.

Even though he’s lived in Los Angeles for 11 years, Hefter gravitates to people from the East Coast, who, like him, might have seen the fall foliage every year and watched maple syrup being tapped. “When you grow up with these memories,” he says, “you want to share them.” He thinks adding maple syrup to gravy makes it go better with all the traditional Thanksgiving side dishes.

The pleasantly bitter brussels sprouts sautéed with chestnuts and smoked bacon are a perfect side dish.

Hefter gets so caught up in cooking Thanksgiving dinner that he hardly has time to eat it. He has a turkey-and-stuffing sandwich on these biscuits while he’s cleaning up.