Dressing or stuffing? No matter what you call it, these 3 recipes will be your new favorites

First, let's address the elephant in the room: Is it stuffing or is it dressing?

Technically, if it's not cooked inside the turkey, it's dressing. For some unknown reason, though, over the past decade or two, stuffing has become the term of choice, no matter how it's cooked. So that's what I'm calling these three delightful versions of the holiday staple.

Over the years, I've taken many informal polls around the Thanksgiving dinner table. Hands down, stuffing always wins the "favorite dish" category, which makes me wonder why I don't make it more often.

Typically, stuffing is made with ingredients you're likely to have on hand, like bread, onions, broth and lots of butter. And it's usually fairly easy to pull together.

While most recipes call for "stale" or "day-old" bread, I find it to be too tough and leathery. I prefer bread that has been dried in the oven, as it has a crispier texture.

How much broth is added can be a controversial topic. Some people like their stuffing very moist. If you're one of those people, feel free to add extra broth.

No matter how you like your stuffing (or dressing), I think we can all agree, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it.

Serves 8 to 10.

When most people think of stuffing, this is the version that comes to mind. Using fresh herbs gives this iconic dish an added flavor boost that will also make your entire home smell like Thanksgiving. From Meredith Deeds.

• 1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking dish

• 1 1/2 lb. baguette loaf or hearty Italian bread, torn into 1-in. pieces (about 10 c.)

• 1 lb. bulk breakfast sausage

• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped

• 1 c. thinly sliced celery

• 3 tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage

• 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

• 1 1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 3 to 4 c. low-sodium chicken broth, divided

• 2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Place bread pieces on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Stir and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the bread is crispy, but not browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up clumps with the back of a spoon, until no longer pink. Add the onions and celery and continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened. Add the sage, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute more. Remove from heat.

Place the bread in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture to the bowl. Drizzle 2 cups of broth over the mixture and toss gently, to combine.

Whisk eggs with 1 cup broth in a small bowl. Add to bread mixture; fold gently until thoroughly combined. Add more broth if mixture is too dry. Transfer to prepared baking dish, cover with foil, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees, about 30 minutes.

Continue to bake, uncovered, until set and top is browned and crisp, 30 to 40 minutes longer. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Serves 8 to 10.

Roasted butternut squash brings a hint of sweetness to this Southwest-inspired stuffing. Making your own cornbread ensures a hearty texture and not-too-sweet flavor. From Meredith Deeds.

For the cornbread:

• 1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

• 1 1/2 c. cornmeal

• 2 tbsp. sugar

• 1 tbsp. baking powder

• 1 tsp. salt

• 1 3/4 c. whole milk

• 3 large eggs

• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the stuffing:

• 2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-in. cubes

• 2 tbsp. olive oil

• 1 1/4 tsp. salt, divided

• 6 tbsp. butter

• 1 lb. fresh chorizo sausage, casings removed

• 2 medium onions, chopped

• 2 large poblano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and chopped

• 3 chipotle chiles, finely chopped (from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce)

• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 2 1/2 c. low sodium chicken broth

• 1 c. whole milk

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

To prepare the cornbread: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. In another bowl, whisk together milk, 3 eggs, and melted butter. Whisk milk mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter into prepared dish. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 15 to 20 minutes. Leave oven at 425 degrees.

Turn out hot cornbread onto rimmed baking sheet and immediately break into 1 1/2-inch pieces with two forks. Set aside. (Cooled, crumbled cornbread can be transferred to zip-top bag and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours.)

To prepare the stuffing: Place butternut squash in a large bowl. Drizzle with oil, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Arrange on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake in 425-degree oven for 20 minutes. Stir and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes, until tender and lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo sausage and cook, breaking up clumps with the back of a spoon, until no longer pink. Add the onions and poblano peppers and continue to cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until softened. Add chipotles, garlic, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Transfer crumbled cornbread to a large bowl with sausage mixture and butternut squash. Add the broth, milk, and eggs and stir to combine. Transfer stuffing into the greased 9-by-13 baking dish (you can use the same one you baked the cornbread in).

Bake (with the oven still at 425 degrees) until browned and crisped on top and heated through, about 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Serves 6 to 8.

Savory, earthy and a little tangy, this plant-based stuffing is sure to please the vegans and meat eaters alike at your Thanksgiving table. Chestnuts can be found in the shell in the produce section of many grocery stores. For a shortcut, look for roasted and peeled chestnuts in some gourmet stores or online. From Meredith Deeds.

• 1 (14- to 16-oz.) sourdough loaf, torn into 1-in. pieces (about 9 c.)

• 1/2 c. vegan butter, plus 1/4 c. melted vegan butter

• 8 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut into 1/4-in. slices

• 10 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage

• 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme

• 3/4 tsp. salt

• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 c. dry white wine

• 5 oz. roasted, peeled chestnuts, roughly chopped

• 1/2 c. chopped toasted pecans

• 2 1/2 to 3 c. vegetable stock

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Place bread pieces on a large, rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Stir and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the bread is crispy, but not browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, melt 1/2 cup vegan butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Add shiitake and cremini mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add wine, thyme, sage, salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl, combine bread and 1/4 cup melted vegan butter and toss to coat. Add mushroom mixture, chestnuts and pecans to the bread. Drizzle 2 cups of vegetable broth over the top and gently toss to combine. Add a little more broth if the mixture is too dry.

Transfer to prepared dish and bake until top is browned and crisp, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

In our experience, Thanksgiving wines tend to go one of two ways: Either someone overthinks, overspends and ultimately opens an array of bottles with mixed results, or somebody shows up with a box of a ubiquitous brand of wine that's been chilled outside in the snow.

This year, we're taking an egalitarian and budget-minded approach and suggest being a turkey-day hero by buying a box of really good wine.

Easy to self-serve, each of these handy bags-in-a-box contains a thoughtful blend that pairs beautifully with what's on the table and appeases a wide array of tastes. Plus, at 3 liters of wine, the equivalent of four bottles, these are all built for big gatherings, like our favorite feast day.

Here are our top picks, in order of lightest to heartiest taste — plus a bonus pick for sophisticated sipping by spirit-free drinkers.

This one is admittedly a bit spendier than some of our other selections, but it's a fantastic party trick if you have a couple of self-professed wine geeks at the table. This Grüner Veltliner is such a bright, crisp and clean sip that it'll wash away even the most unsavory of dinner conversations (we've all got that one family member). Organically produced in a cool climate near the Czech Republic, this wine has a bright minerality that contrasts some of the rich foods on the table and the herbaceous nose pairs splendidly with traditional turkey herbs like sage, thyme and rosemary.

Suggested retail $40; available at Solo Vino, St. Paul; Zipp's Liquors, Minneapolis; Thomas Liquors, St. Paul; France 44 Wines & Spirits, Minneapolis; and Kowalski's, several locations.

Beaujolais and Gamay are grapes that love a big party. In this blend, they show up dressed to the nines and are ready for a good time. Plus, guests will be charmed by the adorable box adorned with a festive hedgehog. The light tannins and fruitiness are begging to be paired with fat turkey slices decorated with zingy cranberry sauce.

Suggested retail $44 for 3 liters; available at Solo Vino; South Lyndale Liquors, Minneapolis; and France 44.

Sangiovese has a solid and very long history as the red wine that gets plopped onto the center of the dinner table, ready to be shared. Sandy is a total people pleaser and ready to bend to the whims and needs of most around the table with an affable flavor that balances red cherry pops of fruit with a gentle twist of acid that enlivens the palate for the next big bite of something doused in gravy.

Suggested retail $35 for 3 liters; available at France 44; South Lyndale Liquors; Thomas Liquors; the Vine Shop, Hopkins.

This Spanish blend is a juicy red with big, round berry and black pepper anchor notes and is perfect for sipping in the heart of cozy season. It's an ideal box if there's a wine fan in the group that tends to reach for the Apothic or Bota blends. Edge them into the wonderful world of Garnacha, a slightly higher-brow sipper that would never alienate an avowed deep, red wine die-hard.

Suggested retail $21 for 3 liters; available at Total Wine, several metro locations.

It's always wise to keep something special on hand for the N/A crowd. Not only does it make the gathering a more welcoming place for those who skip the alcohol, it's also a nice treat to intersperse into the evening to help avoid any heady alcohol consequences that pop up later alongside the leftover sandwiches. 3Leche is a local maker of incredibly sophisticated beverages, stocked by many of the top bars in town. The layers of bitter, sweet, bright and sultry flavors are decidedly adult and make excellent food pairings. Stock up on these cans to serve in fancy stemware over ice and savor the smug satisfaction of drinking sophistication sans alcohol.

$4 each; available at Marigold bottle shop, Minneapolis and St. Paul.