Thanksgiving dinner: It’s an annual American tradition celebrated in millions of homes throughout the country with standard comfort foods that, over the years, have come to represent home, hearth, and gathering with loved ones.

Many of us count on enjoying that meal of turkey and stuffing with gravy, mashed potatoes, all manner of autumnal vegetables, breads, and assorted pies arrayed on the dining table for a feast like no other.

But if you’re in charge of, or taking part in, organizing and preparing the feast, perhaps you’re looking to put a new spin on those traditional holiday ingredients.

I’m not talking about wandering too far off the path here. Or spending even more money on groceries, or more time than you already do in the kitchen. I’m talking of a few tweaks here and there to glow up “the usual.”

We asked a trio of local professional chefs for advice, and true to form, they were generous with delicious, innovative recipes that focus on seasonal bounty and delectable flavors. Those chefs, from Fish Bones Grill in Lewiston, Sedgley Place in Greene and Flux in Lisbon, have brought their expertise and imaginations to this twist on the traditional with some delicious options.

Like . . . lasagna layered with butternut squash, spinach, and cheeses; stuffed delicata squash with cranberries and goat cheese; Brussels sprouts combined with apples and candied bacon; and even an elegant preparation of Maine scallops perched on sweet potato puree and finished with bacon onion jam and apple cider reduction . . . is your mouth watering yet?

Add a luxuriously creamy pumpkin cheesecake to replace that usual pumpkin pie and you’ve elevated your holiday dinner to a five-star meal.

So if you’re thinking about adding a little variety this Thanksgiving or upping your game, there’s something for everyone right here!

Sedgley Place Executive Chef Ray Shepherd, left, and owner Ali Desjardin present butternut squash and spinach lasagna. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Let’s start off with Chef Ray Shepherd at the Sedgley Place with his Thanksgiving-themed lasagna and cheesecake. He notes, “Butternut squash and spinach lasagna is not only a delicious vegetarian choice but also a cozy, comforting dish that even non-vegetarians will love. And we enjoy celebrating the flavors of the season with our featured cheesecakes. We’re embracing the essence of fall with luscious pumpkin cheesecake that’s creamy, rich, and bursting with autumn spices.”

Butternut squash and spinach lasagna

Recipe courtesy of Chef Ray Shepherd at the Sedgley Place. You can make all the components ahead — the butternut and spinach mixtures — or you can assemble the lasagna itself ahead and bake it off on Thanksgiving.

Butternut mixture:
1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the squash with the olive oil, then arrange in a single layer on a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 45 minutes, or less, until tender, stirring once or twice. Remove from oven and mash the squash in large bowl, adding salt, pepper and nutmeg. Set aside.

Spinach mixture:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds fresh spinach, well-washed
1 pound ricotta cheese
8 ounces shredded Swiss cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Warm the olive oil in a large pot. Add the garlic and shallots and sauté a few minutes until fragrant. Add the spinach and cook until completely wilted, which doesn’t take long. Remove the spinach from the pot and press in a colander to drain excess liquid.

In a large bowl, mix the wilted spinach mixture with the ricotta and Swiss cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Additional Ingredients:

8 sheets oven-ready (no-boil) lasagna noodles
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

To assemble the lasagna, use a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, and start with a layer of squash mixture, then add a layer of pasta. Follow with a layer of the spinach mixture, then another layer of pasta. Repeat making layers until all mixtures and pasta are used, finishing with a layer of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 45 minutes, then uncover and bake for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly. Allow to cool for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

Yields 6-8 servings

Sedgley Place Executive Chef Ray Shepherd’s pumpkin cheesecake. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Pumpkin cheesecake

Recipe courtesy of Chef Ray Shepherd at the Sedgley Place. This is a great make-ahead dessert for Thanksgiving, because it must be refrigerated at least 4 hours before you can eat it, but overnight is fine, too. The cheesecake bakes a long time at a low temperature.

Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons amaretto syrup
4 ounces (1/2 cup) butter, melted, plus more if needed

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs, sugar, and amaretto syrup.

Gradually add melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand. Use additional melted butter if necessary. Press mixture evenly into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan lined with parchment paper.

Filling:
2 pounds (four 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash of allspice
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

In a mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth and creamy.

Beat in pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and whipping cream until smooth.

Pour filling into prepared crust. Place the springform pan in a larger baking dish and fill the dish with hot water halfway up the sides of the springform pan to create a water bath.

Bake for two-and-a-half hours or until the center is set and the top is slightly golden.

Remove cheesecake from the oven and allow to cool in the water bath for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Before serving, run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan. Remove the sides of the springform pan and transfer the cheesecake to a serving platter.

Yields 8 servings.

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Candied bacon Brussels sprouts offered by Flux Restaurant chef and owner Jason LaVerdiere include apples for a distinct taste of fall. Submitted photo

Flux Restaurant chef and owner Jason LaVerdiere offers his apple-boosted bacon Brussels sprouts. “Engage all your senses when cooking,” he says. “We can’t depend on just time and temperature and expect everything to come out right, especially while undertaking the task of preparing a feast like Thanksgiving dinner.

“Put on some great music, tune your mind, body, and soul into the experience, and enjoy the privilege of being able to give your family and friends their most important human need — food.”

Candied bacon Brussels sprouts

8 ounces thick-cut smoked bacon
1/3 cup brown sugar
Juice of 2 limes
1 Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apple, peeled and diced
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise with outer leaves removed
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1/4 cup toasted pepitas or chopped nuts of your choice, optional
Fresh herbs or finely cut scallions, optional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut bacon into thin, even strips across the direction of the slices then place in a small mixing bowl and evenly coat with brown sugar.

Spread bacon evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until crispy and caramelized. Remove from oven, but keep the oven on as you’ll be roasting the Brussels sprouts. Remove bacon from baking sheet, reserving the drippings. Set bacon aside on a paper plate to drain (do not drain on paper towels or it will adhere to the paper). When cool, break bacon apart if needed.

Squeeze lime juice over diced apple and toss to coat. Set aside.

Carefully pour the reserved drippings from the rendered bacon over the Brussels sprouts in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Place sprouts on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and roast for about 15 minutes, or until they are caramelized and tender, but still firm.

To assemble the dish, toss half the macerated apples, half the candied bacon and half the toasted pepitas or nuts in a serving dish with the roasted Brussels sprouts. Use the remaining bacon, apples and pepitas to garnish, as well as fresh herbs or scallions, if you desire.

Yields 6-8 servings.

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Chef Floyd Goding cooks scallops at Fish Bones Grill in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Chef Floyd Goding of Fish Bones Grill presents a very Maine Thanksgiving side dish with two dishes. His scallops with sweet potato and apple cider are for the more ambitious cook. The squash boats with cranberries and pecans are simpler. His philosophy: “Keep your Thanksgiving meal simple and make it all about the fall harvest.”

Scallops with sweet potato puree and apple cider reduction

FOR THE SWEET POTATO PUREE

3 pounds sweet potato, peeled and cubed
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, in pieces
1/4 cup brown sugar
Salt and pepper

Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and fill with water to cover. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a fast simmer and cook the sweet potatoes until tender. Strain, place the cooked sweet potatoes in a blender or food processor and whip until light and fluffy. Transfer the whipped potatoes to a bowl and fold in mascarpone cheese, butter and brown sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

FOR THE APPLE CIDER REDUCTION

1 gallon apple cider
2 cinnamon sticks

Pour the apple cider into a large pot with the cinnamon sticks. Place on the heat and set a wooden spoon in the pot to prevent it from boiling over. Boil the cider mixture until reduced to two-thirds of the original volume. Be patient. Set aside.

FOR THE BACON-ONION JAM

1½ pounds bacon, finely chopped
2 large Spanish onions, finely chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup Jack Daniel’s whiskey

Add bacon to a large sauce pan and cook. When the fat is rendered, add the onions, brown sugar and maple syrup. Cook until the onions are translucent, stirring often. Add the Jack Daniel’s to the bacon-onion mixture and set the mixture on fire to burn off the alcohol. Be careful!

Stir over the heat until the mixture reaches the desired jam-like consistency. Set aside.

FOR THE SCALLOPS

3 pounds 10-20 scallops (4 per person)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter
6 sprigs fresh thyme
Salt and pepper

Remove the connector muscle from the scallops and discard. Place the scallops on a clean dry towel to remove surface moisture. The dry surface will help ensure a golden sear when cooking. Dry both sides of the scallops, place on a plate and season with salt and pepper.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat with the olive oil and, in batches, sear both sides of each scallop for about 2½ minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan or the scallops will steam. As the scallops are finished, remove them to a clean plate.

Turn the heat to high. Add the butter and thyme sprigs to the pan in which you seared the scallops. When butter sizzles, return the scallops to the pan, pushed to the side, and baste the scallops with the butter until it turns brown.

To plate, add a dollop of the sweet potato puree to the middle of the dish and top with 4 scallops. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the Bacon-Onion Jam over the scallops. Drizzle the Apple Cider Reduction decoratively over the shellfish and around the plate.

Serves 8-10 people with 4-6 scallops per person.

Delicata squash with goat cheese, cranberries and pecans. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Delicata squash with goat cheese, cranberries and pecans

6 delicata squash, semi peeled, halved lengthwise, cored and seeded
Salt and pepper, to taste
5 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cubed
About 1/4 cup olive oil (Use your judgment regarding the amount. You want to lightly coat the squash before roasting it.)
2 teaspoons nutmeg
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
Honey

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Coat delicata squash halves lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, place on a large sheet tray and roast 30 to 45 minutes until tender, flipping squash halfway through. When cooked through, remove from oven and set aside. Place cubed butternut squash on a sheet tray and drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place in the same oven and roast 30 to 35 minutes until tender.

Place the roasted butternut squash in a blender or food processor along with nutmeg, cinnamon and mascarpone and whip until light and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper.

To plate, fill the delicata squash cavities with the butternut squash puree and sprinkle with goat cheese, dried cranberries and pecans.

Finish with a drizzle of honey.

Serves about 8 people.