Traditional roasted turkey with chestnut brown pan gravy and sage-bread stuffing at Thanksgiving never gets boring. The roast fills the house with a holiday aroma. Spirits rise and mouths water. We don’t mess with a tradition.

Sides, however, let us keep things interesting. We draw inspiration from our travels and a pantry shelf full of foodie gifts. This year, a present containing sumac from a friend’s Mediterranean cruising seasons mashed sweet potatoes. The bright, tangy flavor of dried sumac cuts the sweetness of the potato. Plain yogurt does the same, while a hunk of butter keeps the mash feeling very holiday indeed.

Sweet potato love has grown. There are more varieties than ever in produce markets — everything from white fleshed to deep orange. I like the deeper orange as part of a holiday meal. Since they vary so much in size, weigh the potatoes. Six to eight ounces per person is more than enough as part of a Thanksgiving spread.

Since our fall travels to Greece, we’ve been adding olive oil and Greek oregano to everything. Little wonder then that we’re roasting potatoes and cauliflower with ample amounts of both. A generous addition of oil-cured olives and briny capers keeps the roasted veggies from tasting too rich.

Both dishes can be made a day or two in advance — always a bonus for the time-stressed cook. Mashed sweet potatoes reheat beautifully either in the microwave oven or a conventional oven. If using the microwave to reheat, select a microwave-safe dish. When the potatoes are fully hot, top with the cheese, then return to the oven to soften the cheese.

The roasted vegetables also reheat well. Hold off on adding the olives and capers and let everything cool. Then, refrigerate in a covered container. Return to the sheet pan and heat in a hot oven. Add the olives and capers, then add fresh herbs at the last minute.

This year, we give thanks for travel, and friends who venture to new places and bring us innovative foods and ideas.

Mashed Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Sumac and Yogurt

Makes 8 servings

Note: Select potatoes that are similar in shape so they cook at the same time.

4 to 6 medium-large sweet potatoes, about 3 pounds total

Avocado oil or vegetable oil for high heat cooking

Coarse (kosher) salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup plain yogurt or creme fraiche

1/2 teaspoon each: sumac, basil

1/4 teaspoon each: oregano, black pepper, thyme

1 teaspoon fine table salt

1/2 to 1 cup (4 to 6 ounces) crumbled soft goat cheese or feta cheese

1/4 chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Put potatoes onto a baking sheet. Rub the potatoes with oil and then sprinkle generously with coarse salt. Use the tip of a paring knife and pierce each potato in several places. Bake until potatoes are tender when pierced with the knife, about 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

2. When potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh away from the skin and place in a large bowl. Mash until smooth, then mash in the butter, yogurt, sumac, basil, oregano, pepper, thyme and fine salt. Transfer to a well-buttered baking dish. Complete Step 3 right away or let stand at room temperature up to 30 minutes or refrigerate covered up to two days.

3. To serve, heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake potatoes until hot, about 30 minutes (increase time to 45 or 50 minutes if refrigerator cold). Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven to soften cheese, about 10 minutes. Serve.

Roasted Potatoes and Cauliflower with Olives and Rosemary

Makes 8 servings

Note: You’ll need two rimmed baking sheets to allow ample room for vegetables to brown nicely.

4 medium-sized russet potatoes, about 2 pounds total, scrubbed clean

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 large head cauliflower, about 2 pounds, cored, separated into florets

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried

1 tablespoon ground sage

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 to 1 cup halved, pitted oil-cured black olives or pitted Kalamata olives

1/4 cup drained capers or chopped green olives

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, chives or cilantro or a combination

Fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cut potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Put onto a large rimmed baking sheet. Add 4 tablespoons of the oil and stir to coat on all sides with the oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Roast, stirring twice, until golden and tender, about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, put cauliflower on a second rimmed sheet pan so vegetables are not too crowded. Add remaining oil; stir to coat cauliflower with the oil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; stir to coat. Roast, stirring twice, until cauliflower is golden and fork-tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Mix rosemary, sage and pepper in a small bowl; stir in garlic. Add half of the mixture to each baking sheet. Roast about 5 minutes more. Combine potatoes and cauliflower in a large serving bowl. Stir in olives and capers. Serve sprinkled with parsley and garnish with rosemary springs.

(JeanMarie Brownson is a James Beard Award-winning author and the recipient of the IACP Cookbook Award for her latest cookbook, “Dinner at Home.” JeanMarie, a chef and authority on home cooking, Mexican cooking and specialty food, is one of the founding partners of Frontera Foods. She co-authored three cookbooks with chef Rick Bayless, including “Mexico: One Plate at a Time.” JeanMarie has enjoyed developing recipes and writing about food, travel and dining for more than four decades.)

©2025 JeanMarie Brownson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.