Here are a few tips to keep in mind when preparing your own turkey this Thanksgiving:

• Do your shopping a week ahead. This is simply common sense as the selection of turkeys available at your grocer becomes more slight.
  
• Obviously, you're going to want to put your turkey in the freezer immediately after it arrives home.
  
• 3 days before your Thanksgiving dinner, remove your turkey from the freezer and put it in the fridge. This will allow your turkey to thaw out slowly while decreasing the risk of food-borne illness by letting your turkey thaw on a countertop.
  
• When Thanksgiving morning arrives, remove the turkey from the fridge. It's now time to take the wrapping off, remove the giblets and give the turkey a bath. With cold water, of course.
  
• Now that the turkey is ready for cooking, you can brush it with a coat of olive oil. Salt & pepper it for more flavor.
  
• Put the turkey in a roasting pan and cook it at 325 degrees for around 10-12 minutes per pound.
  
• Check the turkey with a meat thermometer. When the thermometer registers 180 degrees, your turkey is done.
  
• Now that your turkey is done, remove from oven and let stand for a few minutes before serving.
  
• Enjoy!

Calphalon 10-pc. Nonstick Simply Calphalon Nonstick Cookware Set

Calphalon 10-pc. Nonstick One Nonstick Cookware Set

Calphalon 10-pc. Tri-ply Copper Cookware Set

Calphalon 3.5-qt. Nonstick One Nonstick Sauce Pan

Calphalon 17x12-in. Classic Nonstick Baking/Roasting Pan

Calphalon 16x13x4-in. Nonstick Classic Hard-Anodized Roasting Pan with Rack

Ingredients

• 2 cups self rising corn meal mix
  
• 1 1/3 cup milk or buttermilk
  
• 1/4 cup oil or melted shortening
  
• 1 egg (beaten)

Heat oven to 450°. Grease 8 inch skillet or square pan.

In large bowl, mix all ingredients well. Pour batter into your hot greased pan or skillet.

Bake at 450° for 20 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.

Ingredients

• 6 cups cornbread crumbs (see above recipe)
  
• 2 cups biscuit crumbs
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon pepper
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rubbed sage
  
• 2 cups chopped celery
  
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
  
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  
• 1/3 cup water
  
• 2 cups reserved broth
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

Combine cornbread crumbs, biscuit crumbs, salt, pepper and sage in a large bowl. Set aside.

Combine celery, onion, butter and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and add to cornbread mixture.

Stir in broth, oil and eggs, mixing well. Pour into a greased, shallow 2 1/2 quart baking dish and bake uncovered at 375° for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

This recipe makes 12 to 14 servings.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs. medium size yams
  
• 1 cup sugar
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
  
• 1 1/2 cups water
  
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• Marshmallow mixture (optional)

Scrub yams and cook in boiling water, covered, for 25 to 40 minutes - just until tender. Do not overcook.

Rinse under cold water to stop cooking process and drain on paper towels. Peel and set aside.

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in water until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly until sugar melts. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Preheat over to 350°. Cut yams into chunks or slices and arrange in a single layer in a greased shallow 2 quart baking dish. Pour sugar mixture evenly over potatoes. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon - sprinkling evenly on top. Bake for 30 minutes. If desired, drop marshmallows over yams 10 minutes before done.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
  
• 4 Tablespoons self-rising flour
  
• 1 1/2 cup milk
  
• 1 Tablespoon margarine
  
• Pinch of salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 2 eggs, separated
  
• 1 small can coconut
  
• 1 9 in. baked pie shell

Mix flour, sugar and salt. Add a small amount of milk to form paste. Add beaten egg yokes and beat.

Add remaining milk and butter. Cook until thick. Add vanilla and 1/2 cup coconut. Pour into pie crust and cover with meringue.

Meringue

2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites until stiff. Add cream of tartar and sugar. Add vanilla. Cover pie. Sprinkle top with the remaining coconut.

Bake finished pie for 15 minutes at 350°.

Nigella Lawson 4-pc. Measuring Cup Set, Lavender

Nigella Lawson 4-pc. Measuring Cup Set, Blue

Zyliss 3-pc. Measuring Cups, Red

Fitz and Floyd Gourmet 4-pc. Claire's Kitchen Measuring Cups, Creamy White

Cuisipro 4-pc. Measuring Cups, Stainless Steel

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
  
• 1/2 cup sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 2 cups all-purpose-flour
  
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 cup buttermilk
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 2 ounces red food coloring
  
• Custard frosting (recipe below)

Preheat over to 350°. Dissolve soda in vinegar and set aside. Cream shortening and add sugar, beating well with electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well after each additional egg. Beat in soda mixture.

Sift together flour, cocoa and salt. Combine buttermilk, vanilla and food coloring. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture. Alternately add buttermilk mixture and end with flour mixture. Now, pour batter into two floured & greased nine inch round cake pans. Bake this for 25 to 35 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick into cake and the pick comes out clean.

Allow the cake to cook in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and let cakes cool completely on wire racks. Now, spread the custard frosting (recipe below) between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Ingredients

• 1 cup milk
  
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2 cup shortening
  
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  
• 1 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix together milk, flour and salt in small saucepan. Stir the mixture together until smooth using a wire whisk. Cook over medium heat. Stir constantly until thickened. Let this cool completely.

Cream shortening and butter. Now, beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until the mixture is smooth. Finally, beat in milk mixture.