GET A LEG UP ON THANKSGIVING.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Reality check: The Thanksgiving Day feast is just two days away -- and you've been bombarded with so much info, you're perplexed and confused.

If it's your turn to host the festivities this year, and you're a little nervous about getting a beautiful bird and dinner on the table -- relax. It's really not that difficult to pull off -- if you rely on the basic must-haves to get you through the turkey and trimmings with simplicity and style. For recipe help in completing the feast, peruse the many creations in today's section.

FRESH OR FROZEN

Opinions vary on the flavor of fresh vs. frozen birds. Some cooks prefer using fresh birds (they have never been chilled below 26 degrees F and have a short shelf life -- only buy a day or two ahead of cooking), while others opt for frozen, which take time to thaw. Suit yourself.

Among the many turkey choices available are standard fresh turkeys and natural or organic ones without additives (both of which can be brined), self-basting and kosher (both of which should not be brined due to the salt used in processing) or frozen, either self-basting or not. Read the labels.

A fresh turkey is best purchased a day or two before roasting, while a frozen turkey should be kept frozen (a year maximum, but quality declines after six months) until ready to defrost and cook.

HOW MUCH TO BUY

Figure on 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of uncooked turkey per person -- more for hearty eaters and if leftovers are desired.

Consider the cooking time. A large bird will take 4 to 5 hours to cook, while two smaller turkeys will cook in less than three hours.

Be sure the size turkey you buy will fit into your refrigerator, pan and oven (or on the grill).

Consider buying extra parts and roasting them in a separate pan if you know more diners prefer white meat than dark, or vice versa.

For small gatherings, you might opt to cook a turkey breast or drumsticks and thighs -- or even half a turkey (ask the butcher to cut a whole turkey in half for you).

When buying, avoid any torn packages. Do not buy fresh, prestuffed turkeys (frozen ones are OK if they have the USDA or state mark of inspection on the label), advises the USDA, because if they are not handled properly, harmful bacterial in the stuffing can multiply quickly.

THAWING

Thaw a frozen turkey using one of the three methods that follow. (If you've purchased a prestuffed frozen turkey, DO NOT thaw before cooking).

For food safety, NEVER thaw a turkey at room temperature or in warm water.

REFRIGERATOR:

Place the wrapped frozen turkey on a tray or in a pan lined with paper towels (to catch any juices that drip during thawing), allowing 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. A 12-pound turkey, for example, would take 2 1/2 to 3 days to thaw, while an 18-pound bird would take about 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 days. The thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator up to two days before cooking.

COLD WATER:

This thawing method is faster than refrigerator thawing but requires more attention. Place wrapped turkey (if there are any leaks in packaging, place in a clean plastic food bag and secure) in a sink of cold tap water (you can also use a large clean pot or pail), changing the water every 30 minutes, until the turkey is pliable. Allow about 30 minutes per pound of turkey for complete thawing. A 12-pound turkey, for instance, would take about six hours to thaw. Cook immediately after thawing. Do not refreeze.

MICROWAVE OVEN:

It's feasible to thaw a turkey of 12 pounds or less (unwrapped) in the microwave oven on the defrost cycle, turning often (follow manufacturer's instructions). However, you must cook the turkey, unstuffed, immediately after thawing because some areas of the turkey may become warm and begin to cook.

FORGOT TO THAW THE TURKEY?

On Thanksgiving Day, start cooking the unwrapped frozen (unstuffed) turkey in a preheated 325-degree F oven, but you'll need to add 50 percent more cooking time to the original times on the roasting chart. Also, once the turkey has thawed enough, you'll need to carefully remove (without burning yourself) the giblets and neck piece from the turkey cavities.

PREPPING THE BIRD

Unwrap the fresh or defrosted bird and remove the giblets and neck from the body and/or neck cavities (use all but the liver to make gravy, if desired). Pull off or remove any globs of yellow fat inside turkey cavities and discard. Rinse turkey inside and out a couple of times with cold running water; drain well. Pat dry with paper towels. (At this point, immediately before roasting, stuff turkey, if desired.)

STUFFING STUFF

For optimum safety and uniform doneness, it is recommended you bake the stuffing (or dressing) outside the bird in a casserole dish. Keep in mind that an unstuffed turkey requires less cooking time than a stuffed one.

If you choose to stuff, prepare the stuffing (made with a variety of breads or cornbread and sometimes rice), and stuff the turkey just prior to popping into the oven. NEVER stuff a turkey in advance.

It's feasible to prepare and cook the wet and dry ingredients ahead of time and keep refrigerated (as necessary for wet ingredients such as butter, cooked celery and onions, broth, meats, etc.) separately. Combine and mix just before placing inside the turkey or in a casserole dish.

Allow about 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey. Loosely spoon stuffing into body and neck cavities (don't overstuff, as the stuffing will expand as it is moistened by the turkey juices) and truss as directed. Keep in mind that stuffing cooked inside the turkey is more moist than if cooked outside.

If you opt to bake the stuffing separately (or have some left over after stuffing the turkey), place in a greased dish (you may want to add a little additional broth for a more moist stuffing), cover with foil and bake 45 to 60 minutes (the last hour the turkey roasts) at 325 degrees F. Remove foil the last 15 to 20 minutes of baking time to brown top, if desired.

TRUSSING THE TURKEY

To keep the stuffing in the turkey or to close the neck and body cavities of an unstuffed bird (season inside cavities with seasoned salt and pepper, and pieces of onions and celery, if desired), fold the neck skin over the back skin and fasten with a skewer, trussing pins or toothpicks; then tuck wing tips under. Close the body cavity by tying the legs together with a clean string, or tucking the ends of the drumsticks into the hook or metal clamps that come with many birds nowadays.

OVEN-ROASTING THE BIRD

Place the prepped (stuffed or unstuffed) and trussed turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep, lined with nonstick foil (for ease in cleanup). Do not add water. Brush or rub turkey lightly with olive oil (or melted butter), or spray with Pam or other nonstick cooking spray and rub with any seasonings desired (try smoked paprika, ground chipotle or ancho chili pepper, garlic or seasoned salt and pepper).

Roast in a preheated 325-degree F oven, using the chart here as a guide. When the turkey is two-thirds done, loosely cover breast and top of drumsticks with a piece of foil to prevent overcooking the breast.

A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F as measured with a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. (The center of the stuffing must also reach a minimum temperature of 165 degrees F.) Consumers may choose to cook a turkey to higher temperatures, depending on personal preferences and degree of doneness desired.

Once the turkey is out of the oven, remove the stuffing and allow the turkey to stand 20 to 30 minutes before carving (in the kitchen for less stress).

NEVER partially roast a stuffed or unstuffed turkey one day and complete roasting the next.

OTHER COOKING METHODS

You can grill, brine, smoke, microwave or deep-fry a turkey, but if you do, it should NOT be stuffed. If you plan to brine, use a fresh turkey only. Self-basting, frozen and kosher turkeys already have been salted. Be aware that deep-frying requires special equipment and can be messy and dangerous.

For more information on these and other cooking methods, go to the USDA Web site, www.fsis.usda.gov; the National Turkey Federation Web site, www.eatturkey.com; or the Butterball Web site, www.butterball.com.

FEARLESS GRAVY

If making homemade gravy without lumps is a cause for concern, rely on this method. Mix flour (use a wire whisk for best results) directly into hot fat (melted butter, oil, etc.), stirring to form a paste or roux. Then cook a minute or two until golden, whisking constantly. Next, gradually whisk in turkey pan drippings (use a fat separator, if desired, to remove as much fat as possible) and chicken broth or stock (amount desired) over medium heat, creating a silken gravy. Add seasonings as desired, a generous splash of Worcestershire sauce to perk it up and a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet for good color.

Avoid canned or jarred gravies or gravy mixes, as most taste pretty vile and are too salty -and no amount of doctoring can improve them.

MASHED POTATOES 

Opinions vary about the best way to prepare mashed potatoes. Some cooks prefer russets (also called Idaho or baking potatoes) with their white color, while others favor Yukon Gold with their buttery color. (Both have a dry, fluffy texture, which makes them the best potatoes for mashing.)

To ensure light, fluffy results, use a potato ricer (available at kitchenware shops) or food mill. A ricer is easier and faster to use than a food mill. It's also feasible to use an electric mixer, but you must keep mixing to a minimum to avoid ending up with gluey mashed potatoes that have lost their fluffiness. A potato masher can also be used but does not yield fluffy results. To avoid a gluey mess, never use a food processor or blender.

Cover potatoes (either peeled or unpeeled) with an inch of water; heat to boiling and then simmer until tender. (Or pierce and cook in a microwave oven with skins on, on a plate -with no water -then peel after cooking.)

For the smoothest mashed potatoes, some advise addingthe butter first, then the hot half-and-half or cream (to keep the potatoes warm).

While mashed potatoes are best prepared at the last minute and served immediately, it's feasible (even though they'll lose some of their fluffiness) to make them a few hours ahead and reheat, covered, in a 300-degree oven or in the microwave. Some recipes made the day before use cream cheese and sour cream with good results.

FOOD SAFETY

To reduce the risk of food-borne illness, keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Don't leave perishable foods at room temperature for more than two hours on Thanksgiving Day. Two hours is considered the bacteria danger zone in which harmful bacteria can grow rapidly in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees F.

Within two hours of removing the turkey from the oven, refrigerate or freeze the leftovers separately -including the turkey, stuffing and gravy. Cut the turkey into smaller pieces (leg, wing, half breast), or remove the meat from the bones to speed cooling in the fridge.

Refrigerated turkey is best used within three to four days; stuffing and gravy within two days. Frozen cooked turkey should be used within one to two months, while frozen stuffing and gravy should be used within onemonth.

REMEMBER: Wash your hands, utensils, the sink, cutting boards and anything elsethat comes in contact with raw turkey and its juices with soap and hot water. Use paper towels, not dishcloths, to clean up any spilled meat juices, to dry the turkey after rinsing and to dry cutting boards.

EASY NO-BAKE PUMPKIN PIE 

1 envelope unflavored gelatin 

1/3 cup water

1 (15-ounce) can pure pumpkin

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 1/2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice 

Reddi-wip Extra Creamy Whipped Cream (in a can)

1 large graham cracker pie crust (10-inch, 9 ounces)

Sprinkle gelatin over water in small saucepan; let stand 1 minute. Cook and stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Combine pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk and pumpkin pie spice in large bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in gelatin mixture. Let cool 10 minutes. Gently stir in 2 cups Reddi-wip whipped cream. Pour mixture into crust. Chill at least 3 hours, or until set. Cut pie into 10 slices. Top each slice with a dollop of whipped cream, just before serving.

Makes 10 servings

NOTE: A 9-inch pie crust may be substituted if desired; crust will be very full. Instead of using Reddi-wip Whipped Cream, stir in 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped, if desired.

HARVEST POTATOES

POTATOES:

1 (32-ounce) package frozen hash brown potatoes

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup 

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded American cheese

1/2 cup butter OR margarine (optional)

1 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

1 medium onion, diced

TOPPING:

2 cups crushed corn flakes

1/4 cup butter, melted

For potatoes, combine all potato ingredients and mix well. Place in a greased 9x13-inch glass baking dish. For Topping, mix together corn flakes and butter. Sprinkle over top of potatoes. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 45 minutes.

Makes 10 servings

Shared by Mary Clingman, director, Butterball Turkey Talk-Line; from ``Stir Ups,'' Junior Welfare League, Enid, Okla.

QUICK TURKEY GRAVY

6 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons flour

3 cups canned chicken broth (OR use a combination of broth and turkey pan drippings for best flavor -- 1/3 to 1/2 cup dry white wine can also be used as part of the liquid, if desired)

Seasoned salt and pepper to taste

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Browning and seasoning sauce for gravy (Kitchen Bouquet)

In a large saucepan, melt butter and, using a wire whisk, stir in flour. Cook, whisking, at least a couple of minutes, or until light golden. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Return to heat and bring to a boil, whisking, until slightly thickened. Reduce heat and simmer about 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Add browning sauce (start with a few drops) to color as desired.

Makes about 3 cups

NOTE: Add more broth if a thinner gravy is desired. Also add fresh chopped herbs (or dried), such as a mixture of rosemary and sage or thyme and parsley or tarragon and chives to butter before blending in flour, if desired. Recipe can be doubled or tripled, if desired.

FAVORITE SAVORY STUFFING

1 pound fully cooked sausage links (such as Chef Bruce Aidells' chicken with sun-dried tomato sausage, Southwestern flavored sausage OR roasted red pepper with corn turkey and chicken sausage) OR Polish kielbasa sausage, removed from casings, if desired, and chopped

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped onions

1 (12-ounce) box (containing two 6-ounce bags) seasoned dressing OR stuffing mix (Mrs. Cubbison's preferred)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

3/4 to 1 cup chicken broth

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Pepper OR garlic pepper to taste

In a large skillet, cook sausage, breaking into small pieces, along with celery and onions, until sausage is browned. Drain off excess fat (you can keep a small amount for added flavor).

Turn dry dressing into a large bowl. Add sausage mixture, butter, chicken broth, parsley and pepper to taste, tossing together until well mixed. Stuffing mixture should not be too moist or wet. Use to loosely stuff a large turkey (you'll have some leftover to bake). OR bake stuffing separately in a casserole dish, covered, in a preheated 350-degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, or a 325-degree oven 45 to 50 minutes, or until hot. Uncover last 10 to 20 minutes, if desired.

Makes about 10 servings

NOTE: Try different additions, such as dried cherries, apricots, sauteed leeks, fresh corn, mushrooms, nuts, etc., if desired. You can even substitute different breads (cut into small cubes and toasted) like sourdough, herb bread, onion bread, raisin bread, rye bread, walnut bread, corn bread, etc. and herbs, for seasoned dressing. You can also delete the sausage completely or use cooked chopped ham, crisp, cooked, crumbled bacon or pancetta pieces instead.

CLASSIC CRANBERRY MOLD

2 cups water

3/4 cup sugar

3 cups fresh OR frozen cranberries

1 box (6-serving size) raspberry-flavored gelatin

1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple in syrup, undrained

1 medium stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup) if desired

1/2 cup chopped walnuts OR pistachio nuts, if desired

Salad greens

In 2-quart saucepan, heat water and sugar to boiling, stirring occasionally; boil 1 minute. Stir in cranberries. Heat to boiling; boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in gelatin until dissolved. Stir in pineapple, celery and walnuts. Cool at room temperature about 30 minutes.

Pour into an ungreased 6-cup mold, 8 individual molds OR stemmed goblets. Cover; refrigerate at least 6 hours until firm. Unmold onto salad greens, if desired. Garnish with celery leaves and additional cranberries if desired.

Makes 8 servings

From ``Betty Crocker Christmas Cookbook.''

EASY YAM CASSEROLE

4 large OR 6 smaller yams (about 4 pounds total)

7 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons plus 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Dash salt

2 tablespoons brandy OR Grand Marnier

1 large orange, peel grated and then juice squeezed into yam mixture

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Rinse yams off well with water and pierce all over with a sharp knife into middle of yams. Cook, uncovered, on microwave-safe plate, in microwave oven on high power 12 to 16 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork. Check often during cooking. Cooking time will depend on number of yams and size.

Allow yams to cool 5 minutes so they can be handled. Peel off skin and mash with a dinner fork (don't use mixer -- it's not necessary). Mix in 4 tablespoons butter and 4 tablespoons brown sugar. Stir in cinnamon, salt and brandy. Add grated orange peel and juice from orange. Mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings. Turn into a casserole dish, smoothing top.

For praline topping, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter, then stir in remaining 1/3 cup brown sugar and pecans. Mix well. Sprinkle evenly over top of yam mixture. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven about 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through and topping is bubbly.

Makes about 8 servings

START PLANNING TODAY

Get organized and write out a plan for the next two days -- for shopping, prepping, cooking, decorating and serving. Jot down the menu along with any guests' contributions of potluck dishes or beverages.

Take out serving dishes and utensils and set the table.

Give yourself permission to buy some premade items if time is short or you're cooking-challenged.

According to the National Restaurant Association, 53 percent of Americans supplement their Thanksgiving meals with ready-to-eat takeout items -- ranging from fully-cooked turkeys to sides, breads and desserts. Purchase them from local supermarkets, bakeries and restaurants for convenience. Served in your own dishes gussied up with pretty, colorful garnishes, no one will ever guess you didn't make them yourself -- and who cares if they do!

A friend is taking her serving dish to a local restaurant today and having them fill it up with her favorite side dish (yams). She'll pick it up tomorrow afternoon -- and stash in her fridge until heating up at home.

-- N.H.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Take the hassle out of the holiday

(2 -- color) no caption (turkey)

(3 -- color) EASY NO-BAKE PUMPKIN PIE

Box:

(1) START PLANNING TODAY (see text)

(2) TURKEY ROASTING GUIDE