Although many elements go into celebrating Thanksgiving, the one that is most often thought of is food. However, the usual dishes that grace the dining table year after year can start to become boring and repetitive and may lose the appeal that should accompany Thanksgiving dinner. This year, try out some new recipes to spice up old, familiar tastes.

Here are taste-testers’ opinions of some of these recipes.

White Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

Served as an appetizer or a dessert, this delicacy offers the classic Thanksgiving taste of pumpkin spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon. The white chocolate chips moisten and sweeten each slice of bread so that every bite melts in one’s mouth.

“If fall had a taste, this would be it,” senior Morgan Machado said.

Ingredients:

3½ cups sifted flour

3 cups sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. nutmeg

4 eggs beaten or mixed

1 cup oil

⅔ cup water

2 cups cooked mashed pumpkin (canned)

1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all dry ingredients together: sifted flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt.
3. Combine all liquid ingredients together: eggs, oil, water, pumpkin.
4. Stir dry mixture into liquid mixture.
5. Add white chocolate chips.
6. Pour into three medium loaf pans.
7. Bake for one hour.

Observer opinion:

“Gordon Ramsay himself would be proud to taste a delicacy half as good as this,” Observer public relations manager Hannah Yasharoff said.

Raspberry Jam Bars

These jam bars will have mouths watering in no time. Sweet but not too sweet, they are a perfect alternative for those who are too full for rich pumpkin pie, making them a perfect end to a delicious meal.

“It has a good flavor balance of tart and sweet,” athletic director Scott Rivinius said.

Ingredients:

3 cups of flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 cup of sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 sticks of butter

1 pound of jam

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add egg and vanilla.
3. Add sifted flour and baking powder and mix together.
4. Saving about a fifth for the topping, spread and press the rest into greased pan.
5. Spread jam on top.
6. Mix ⅕ remaining with flour to make streusel topping (optional: add a little cinnamon).
7. Sprinkle on top.
8. Cook for about 25 minutes at 350 degrees.
9. Cool and enjoy.

Observer opinion:

“It was like floating on a cloud of sugary goodness,” senior Editor-in-Chief Katie Gauch said.

Pecan Pie Cups

This pecan pie with a special twist provides the perfect sugary end to a savory Thanksgiving meal.  With all of the same pecan taste as a regular pecan pie, each pie cup is the perfect serving for one person.

“It was an explosion of joy on my taste buds,” sophomore Judy Johnston said.

Ingredients:

Graham cracker crust:

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs

⅓ cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Pie mixture:

1 cup corn syrup

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups pecans, whole.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. To make the graham cracker crust, mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and cinnamon with a mixer.  Mix well.
3. Spray muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Fill muffin tins with graham cracker crust mixture, patting the mixture down around the edges.
5. Bake the graham cracker crust for seven minutes, and then cool completely.
6. To make the pie mixture, mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla extract well.
7. Add 1½ cups pecans into mixture.
8. Pour mixture into muffin tins with graham cracker crust.
9. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees, then cool completely.
10. Put final pecan pie cups in microwave.

Observer opinion:

“I like that they’re sweet but not too overly rich,” senior news editor Gil Jacobson said.

While Thanksgiving is stuffed with sweet and savory foods, both traditional and novel, it is also filled with memories and appreciation of family and friends.

“For me, Thanksgiving is all about the three F’s: family, football and food,” junior Matthew Lipson said.