This is my Thanksgiving signature dish. It's from my book, The Healthy Oven Baking Book, Doubleday, 1999, copyright, Sarah Phillips. I make this ahead, and freeze it. Of course, you can always make it the day before or day of the big event:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (spoon into measuring cup and level top)
1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stoneground
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teapsoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg grated zest of 1 orange
1 Tablespoon canola oil

1. Position a shelf in the middle of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9x5x3-inch nonstick loaf pan with waxed paper. Lightly spray the waxed paper. 2. Whisk the dry ingredients (flour to salt) in a medium-sized bowl, until well combined. Set aside. 3. In another medium bowl, with a hand-held mixer, combine the wet/sugar ingredients (pumpkin to canola oil), and beat until frothy about 1 minute. Make a wekk in the center of the dry ingredient and pour in the pumpkin mixture. Using a spoon, stir until just combined. Do not overmix. Using a gentle touch, spread the batter in prepared pan. 4. Bake until the top of the cornbread springs back when pressed gently in the center and the sides are beginning to pull away from the pan, 55 to 60 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Unmold the cake on a wire cake rack and peel off the waxed paper. turn right side up and cool completely.

Each serving (serves 12): 182 calories, 2 grams fat (1 gram saturated fat), 19 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams fiber. 3 WW points.