Cook vegetables while the bird rests

We call them ``sides.'' They are the vegetables that sit on the edge of our plates next to more important foods. If they are seasoned at all, it's with a little salt and pepper or, if they are lucky, a sprinkle of parsley. But on Thanksgiving Day, these culinary nobodies hit the big time. People make room on their plates for vegetables.

For cooks who plan the day with the precision of space engineers and get as much done ahead as possible, many vegetables can be partially prepared and refrigerated overnight. For the rest of us who are not as organized, there is another option: the window of time between the turkey coming out of the oven and the bird being carved. This resting period makes the bird moister and easier to slice. While the turkey is undergoing this process, the vegetables can be prepared.

The following recipes need no advance prep; you do not have to take the day off from work to haul home a Hubbard squash or work late into Wednesday night, stuffing sweet dumplings with savory bread-crumb mixtures. From start to finish, they can be prepared while the turkey rests. Depending on how many vegetables you are serving and how many hands are available to help, you may want to get a head start while the bird is still in the oven. Toward the end of the roasting time, begin preparing the vegetables -- scoop the seeds from the squash, peel the carrots, and trim the Brussels sprouts. But the cooking doesn't begin until the bird is out of the oven. A bonus: Vegetables usually taste better when they are just cooked.