GONNA FLY NOW HERE'S HOW TO REACH THE HEIGHTS OF THANKSGIVING EXPERTISE.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Hosting and preparing the all-American Thanksgiving feast is a scary proposition for many - and at the very least can raise stress levels. After all, it's a special meal celebrated only once a year - and for many cooks it's the only time a turkey takes center stage at the table.

But don't start sweating yet. It's really not difficult or complicated to prepare a wonderful feast with a little help and a few hints from the basics here.

Stay cool, relax and get organized. Make lists of shopping and cleaning chores, serving dishes, cooking order, serving times, etc. Jot down the menu, including any dishes or beverages guests will be contributing. Then check to make sure you have ingredients and utensils handy for all of the recipes you plan to fix.

If you're overwhelmed and time is short, buy and serve some prepared items - like pies or other desserts, rolls, prepared potatoes, cranberry relish and such - at markets, bakeries, restaurants, etc. Transfer them to your own serving dishes and gussy them up with watercress, parsley or fresh herb garnishes or whipped cream (for desserts).

``If you're worried about thawing the turkey, there's still time,'' notes Mary Clingman, director of the 23-year-old Illinois-based Butterball Turkey Talk-Line (50 home economists and nutritionists answered questions from 8,000 live callers last Thanksgiving Day - and 100,000 last holiday season). ``Thawing the turkey is the No. 1 concern of callers,'' she adds. To thaw a turkey quickly, Clingman advises immersing the frozen bird in cold water (she uses a laundry tub). Figure it'll take about half an hour per pound of turkey. She suggests changing the water once or twice for sanitary reasons. Once thawed, refrigerate the turkey until roasting or cook immediately. Do not leave the thawed turkey at room temperature. If the turkey is not completely thawed by the time you start cooking it, simply cook it ``as is'' and adjust the cooking time accordingly. Be sure to use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.

Another handy hint from Clingman - ``Keep a stock pot with water, a bay leaf, and chopped onions and celery near the stove. As the turkey is carved, toss the bones in the pot and simmer over low heat.'' The turkey stock will be done by the time guests leave.

Then strain the stock (return any turkey pieces to it), refrigerate and use to make soup the next day.

To make things simple for your feast and for a taste of homemade tradition, we've also included a few easy recipes for preparing the stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and other trimmings.

1. 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) while others opt for frozen, noting that diners can't tell the difference. Suit yourself.

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

2. HOW MUCH TO BUY

Figure on 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per person - more if you have hearty eaters or desire leftovers or sandwiches. If you know more guests will prefer dark meat than white, consider buying extra parts and roasting them in a separate pan. Be sure your oven is large enough to accommodate the size turkey you'll be cooking. In some instances, it may be best to buy two smaller birds and roast them side by side. When buying, avoid any torn packages.

3. THAWING

Thaw a frozen turkey using one of these three options. Remember, it is unsafe to defrost a turkey at room temperature. (Also, just in case you purchased a stuffed and frozen turkey - make sure it has the USDA or state mark of inspection - it should NOT be thawed before cooking).

If your turkey is still frozen solid at this point, it's too late to use the first method this Thanksgiving, but you can try it another time.

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 prior to 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 pot or pail), changing the water a few times, if necessary, so it remains cold 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. Turkeys thawed this way should be refrigerated or cooked immediately.

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

NEVER thaw a turkey at room temperature or in warm water. Bacteria multiply rapidly at room temperature, and in the hours it takes for a turkey to thaw, the surface bacteria could multiply to dangerous levels.

If you forgot to thaw the turkey, come Thanksgiving Day you can 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 is thawed enough, you'll need to very carefully (without burning yourself) remove the giblets and neck piece from the turkey cavities.

4. PREPPING THE BIRD

To prepare the turkey for roasting, unwrap the fresh or defrosted bird and remove the giblets and neck piece 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.)

5. STUFFING STUFF

For optimum safety and uniform doneness, food professionals recommend cooking the stuffing outside the bird. The best way is to bake it separately in a casserole dish. Keep in mind, though, that an unstuffed turkey requires less cooking time than a stuffed one.

If you choose to stuff the turkey, prepare the stuffing, also known as dressing (and usually made with a variety of breads or corn bread and sometimes rice), and stuff the turkey just before it goes into the oven. Never stuff a turkey in advance. Allow about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound of turkey. Bake any extra stuffing separately.

It's feasible to prepare and cook the wet and dry ingredients ahead of time and keep refrigerated (if necessary) separately. Combine and mix them just before placing inside the turkey or in a casserole dish.

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, 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 or so of baking time to allow the top to brown, if desired.

6. TRUSSING THE TURKEY

To keep the stuffing in the turkey or to close the neck and body cavities in 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 twist the wing tips under the back of the turkey to rest against the neck skin. 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.

7. OVEN-ROASTING THE BIRD

Place the prepped (and stuffed) 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 cleaning up). Do not add water. Brush turkey lightly with olive oil (or melted butter).

Cover loosely with foil, leaving a little space between bird and foil and pressing foil over drumsticks either the first or last (it doesn't matter) 1 to 1 1/2 hours of roasting time (or you can skip this step entirely). Some cooks like to baste the bird with chicken broth or melted butter (using a bulb baster) every 45 minutes during roasting, but others skip it.

Roast in a preheated 325-degree F oven, using the chart here as a guideline. Remove turkey when the thigh meat reaches 175 degrees on a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh before roasting or on a digital instant-read thermometer inserted at the end of cooking (the temperature will rise another 5 degrees while standing, increasing it to 180 degrees F - juices should be clear at this point). The center of the stuffing should reach 160 to 165 degrees F, while a perfectly cooked breast should be 170 degrees F. If the turkey is done before the stuffing registers 160 to 165 degrees F, remove the stuffing from the bird and finish baking in a dish. The USDA recommends always using a meat thermometer for safety reasons.

Once the turkey is removed from the oven, remove the stuffing immediately and allow the turkey to stand 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

NEVER partially roast a stuffed or unstuffed turkey one day and complete roasting the next. Interrupted cooking increases the possibility of bacterial growth.

8. OTHER COOKING METHODS

You can grill, brine, smoke, microwave or deep-fry a turkey, but if you do, it should not be stuffed. Many cooks have turned to brining the last couple of years as a way to ensure a moist and tender turkey. The bird is submerged in a saltwater bath (in the refrigerator) for 6 to 12 hours, turning a couple of times, and the absorption of the water keeps the meat moist while the mixture (plain salt, some sugar and seasonings) flavors it. Some even air-dry the turkey (after removing it from the brine and patting it dry), uncovered in the fridge, 6 hours or overnight to air-dry the skin. If you plan to brine, use a fresh turkey only. Self-basting, frozen and kosher turkeys have already been salted.

Deep-frying is another cooking method you may have heard about, but it requires special equipment and can be messy and dangerous.

For more information on these and other cooking methods, see 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.

9. FEARLESS GRAVY

Many cooks fear making homemade gravy. It's the lumps that cause the problem.

The safest method is to 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 slowly whisk in the pan drippings (use a fat separator, if desired, to remove as much fat as possible) and chicken broth or stock to the fat mixture over medium heat, creating a silken gravy.

Avoid canned or jarred gravies or gravy mixes, as most taste terrible and are too salty - and it's near impossible to improve them with a little doctoring.

10. DOING THE MASHED POTATOES

Opinions vary about the best way to prepare mashed potatoes. Some cooks prefer the 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. The 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) in an inch of water; heat to boiling and then simmer until tender.

For the smoothest mashed potatoes, add the butter first, then warm half-and-half or cream. Hot liquid is recommended to keep the potatoes warm; however, using cold liquid won't affect the texture.

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.

Natalie Haughton, [phone]

natalie.haughton(at)dailynews.com

FOOD SAFETY

--Within two hours of removing the turkey from the oven, refrigerate or freeze the leftovers separately - 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. (Reheating a whole turkey is not recommended.) Refrigerated turkey is best used within two to three days; stuffing and gravy within one to two days. Frozen cooked turkey should be used within two to three months, while frozen stuffing and gravy should be used within a month.

--To reduce the risks 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 the big day. Two hours is considered the bacteria danger zone in which harmful bacteria can grow rapidly in temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees F.

--Wash your hands with soap and hot water before and after handling any food. To prevent cross contamination, use two cutting boards: one for meat, one for other foods. Wash utensils with soap and hot water after using. And use paper towels, not dishcloths, to clean up any spilled meat juices and to dry the turkey after rinsing.

HOTLINE HELP

If you run into turkey cooking problems this holiday season, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at [phone], the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line at [phone], or the Foster Farms Turkey Helpline at [phone].

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 3 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) Holiday dinner

Everything you need to know for a perfect Thanksgiving feast

(2 -- color) no caption (turkey)

Box:

(1) FOOD SAFETY (see text)

(2) HOTLINE HELP (see text)

(3) TURKEY ROASTING GUIDE