It's always best to plan ahead. Here is a T-Day count down that I post every year to remind everyone to get going if you're planning on a non-stressful Thanksgiving.

If you haven't ordered a fresh turkey, it may be too late. Call Today! Most butchers have a 2 or 3 week cut off for doing so.

Fresh is best, but you must be able to pick it up at the appropriate time, so check your calendar and *make* the time to do so. Time gets short during the holidays so put the pick up date and time into your calendar! (There have been some taste tests run that suggest that the difference between Fresh and Frozen may not be as large as it used to be, so check your schedule and plan your purchase accordingly.)

Otherwise, depending on the size of the bird you need, you'll need to purchase a frozen bird by the end of next week or on Monday before Thanksgiving, assuming you will be using a 10-12 pound bird. (See suggested thawing times below)

What size do you need? For a bird weighing under 16 pounds, you will need at least 1 pound per adult person (1.5 pounds if you  want left overs), if you will be serving teen aged boys, you may need more, so add that into your equation. Older adults (70+) will usually eat a bit less and young children (8 and under) will generally require only half that amount. If these are not your children, you may want to inquire of their parents about how much they normally eat. For birds weighing more than 16 pounds, you will have a bit more meat on the bone and can figure a little less weight per person. I plan 1 pound per person, regardless of age, except for the 5 and under crowd, where I plan one-half pound. The decision is yours.

If you must buy a frozen turkey, here are the suggested thawing times and ways to do it:

Plan ahead and plan today!

From an article written by Anne Criswell, Food Editor of "The Houston Chronicle", 11/15/95:

"There are four ways to thaw a frozen, unstuffed, raw turkey. An evenly thawed turkey may be held in the refrigerator as long as two days before roasting. Do not refreeze uncooked, thawed turkey.

*Refrigerator method: This is the best and *safest*, although the slowest method of thawing. Place the frozen bird on a tray in its original wrapping, refrigerate and let thaw.

An 8 to 12-pound turkey will take one to two days.
A 12 to 20 pound turkey will take four to five days.
When the turkey is partially thawed, remove the bag of giblets and neck rom both cavities. Refrigerate to use for making gravy or stuffing.

*Room-temperature method: Room-temperature thawing is **not** recommended* because warmer temperatures may allow bacteria that cause food poisoning to develop.

If you MUST thaw a turkey this way. DO NOT unwrap it. Watch it carefully and refrigerate promptly while the turkey is still cold and a little icy.

Leave the turkey in its original wrap and place it in a double paper bag or wrap it in several thicknesses of paper towels. Staple the bag or close it with paper clips, then place the bag on a tray to catch the drippings. Thaw at about 70 degrees. When partially thawed, remove giblets.

A 9- to 12-pound turkey takes 16 to 20 hours to thaw.

*Quick-thaw method: Leave turkey in its original wrap and place the turkey, breast down, in a large kettle of cold water to cover. Change the water every 30 minutes to speed the thawing. Thaw until the bird is pliable. Estimate the minimum thawing time to be half the turkey's weight, plus one hour.

*Microwave method: If your microwave is large enough to accommodate the turkey, thaw in a glass baking dish, following manufacturer's directions. It may take as long as 1 or 1-1/2 hours on a defrost cycle."

How to Cook Your Turkey:
There is more than one way to do this. The one-temperature moderate heat method, the high heat at the beginning or end method, the high heat all the way through method, in a bag or out of a bag and even encased in salt. Just remember that no matter how you decide to prepare it, someone, trying to be helpful, is bound to tell you that their mother or grand mother did it differently, and always had perfect turkey. This person may even be your mother or grand mother. Make your decision and stick with it. :)

*You will need* a pan, a meat thermometer, a long handled spoon and/or a baster, kitchen string, aluminum foil, softened butter or margarine or oil and seasonings, a rack is optional but a V-shaped one is preferable if you choose to use one.