Let's Talk Turkey!

By Christy Rost, November 2004

One of the most popular phone numbers on Thanksgiving Day is the Butterball Turkey Hot Line. Each year, thousands of perplexed home cooks call 1-800-288-8372 (1-800-BUTTERBALL) for last-minute advice on cooking their turkey dinner. Experts are on hand to answer questions and provide solutions from 8:00 am until 8:00 pm everyday this week until Thanksgiving, and from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day.

Roasting a turkey may seem a bit daunting for the novice. Each year, countless newlyweds, college students, fresh graduates, and home cooks, anxious to impress in-laws, friends, and family, tackle the Thanksgiving holiday meal for the first time, and nothing causes more angst than the thought of cooking the perfect roasted turkey.

In reality, it's probably one of the easiest meats to cook. Once the turkey is cleaned, prepped, and the legs are tied together, the bird is covered with a tent of foil and roasts in the oven until it's ready, perfuming the house with a fragrance we cherish and remember year after year.

I've been cooking Thanksgiving dinner since my husband, Randy and I celebrated our first Thanksgiving together 28 years ago. I even cooked Thanksgiving dinner the year we lived in Paris, France, when my butcher assured me the turkey he special-ordered for me was the largest one he sold that year. Over the years, I've learned to roast the turkey at a higher temperature during the first 30 minutes so it browns well on the bottom, thus creating a richer base for brown gravy. I've also learned to bake my pies, prep my ingredients for bread stuffing or cornbread dressing, and set the table the day before Thanksgiving.

This is a special day and every home cook, who surrounds their table with friends and family, deserves a stress-free day filled with the warmth of special memories. Whether you call a turkey hotline or refer to my recipe for Thanksgiving Turkey with Southern Cornbread Dressing or Pennsylvania Stuffing on the Recipes page of easyentertain.com, there's plenty of help available to ensure you can serve your Thanksgiving turkey with ease and pride.

Happy Thanksgiving!