Thanksgiving Menu

Here is my menu for Thanksgiving, along with all the links to the recipes. I'm still on a quest for the perfect Thanksgiving menu. I grew up in a house where the food was rather bland and unimaginative, and I am really working on changing that. I will try to post pictures while I am cooking.

Spice-Rubbed Roast Turkey (I hope following Martha Stewart's recipe can help me along the path to a turkey that isn't raw at the bone.)
Cornbread Stuffing (From a box. That's the way it's always been made at my house. The kids love the crap. And the wee tyrant will eat tons of it. And I will do anything to get extra calories into him.)
Tamales (Made by a neighbor. She has quite the thriving business going.)
Baked Sweet Potatoes with Orange Caramel Glaze
Green Beans with Lemon and Oil (Will somebody please explain green bean casserole to me. I just do get the onion bits. Or even worse, I saw a recipe on television where they used corn flakes. Yuck!)

Collard Green Pie (This goes along with the tamales. I like to remind the family that we are ethnic.)
Sweet Potato Pie (Another great southern dish. My grandmother has spent the last two days baking them.)
Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (Either mini cakes or cupcakes. Update: I added a pinch of saffron to the oil.)
Oven Baked Toffee Apples
Pear Crostata (I don't have a recipe. I will try to post directions with pictures. I think I will be using Asian pears.)