Sheryl_Julian: Hello Everyone-
Sheryl_Julian: This is Sheryl Julian and I'm here to answer all your entertaining questions for Thanksgiving. Fire away!

boston2: I've never cooked a Thanksgiving turkey, and to be honest, it scares me endlessly. How do I clean it? Where do I begin? Are many cooks anxious before cooking their first T-day turkey? Thank you.
Sheryl_Julian: Every host is nervous before Thanksgiving. In today's Globe Food section, you'll find directions for cooking a bird, including a chart of roasting times. Read before you cook! And one tip: your guests will be very appreciate of your efforts. I have served undercooked turkeys, dry turkeys, and all kinds of lukewarm stuffings, etc. No one will mind. Just have fun.

chels: what's the best way to make gravy?
Sheryl_Julian: Gravy is one of those things that couldn't be simpler. There's al foolproof recipe in today's Food section. The only important element is to skim off all the fat before you make the gravy. And don't make one of those very thick, blanket-like things. Thin is good. Anyway, you want to have some leftover for that delectable midnight sandwich.
Sheryl_Julian: To the gentleman who is cooking two birds in one oven: No worries. If there's plenty of room around the birds, there's no reason they shouldn't cook in the usual time. But I think you may have lots of turkey for 18 people. Better be prepared to make a couple of pot pies on Friday!

foodielicious: Hi Sheryl -- what's the most creative way you've seen turkey prepared?
Sheryl_Julian: I've seen turkey prepared some very creative ways. Sadly, not all were good. I don't like turkey glazed with sweet things. And I think deep-drying birds is a waste of good poultry. Roasting really suits this meat, I think.
Sheryl_Julian: To the first-time Thanksgiving host: This is a holiday with a very forgiving meal. Mashed potatoes will wait. Just pour a thin layer of hot milk on top and cover with the lid. Then stir over gentle heat to serve. Roast sweet potatoes will sit for 30 minutes without harm. You can leave the turkey in a warm place for up to 30 minutes without harm. Don't let your nerves get the best of you. You're cooking for an appreciative audience. Anyway, the point of the holiday is to get together and have fun.

mfh: Hi Sheryl, We're going to a big Thanksgiving dinner and I'm to bring a side dish. The idea of more sweet potato casseroles or greenbeans with cream sauce is unappealing. I keep thinking that I'd like something to cut the heaviness, sweetness or blandness of so many traditional sidedishes. What do you recommend that might do that? I'm hoping for a vegetable dish with a bite or brightness to it--greens of sort? Thank you.
Sheryl_Julian: Ah greens! The one dish every table is often missing. You can make green beans so they come out quite green, drizzle them with a little olive oil, and dust them with toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds. Or try steaming broccoli florets until they're also tender but still bright green. I like to drizzle them with oil, too, and then some crushed red pepper. Or perhaps a big green salad with a light vinaigrette. Nothing but the greens.

mittens: What is the best placement for the oven racks for pie baking? The last couple of pies I made had gooey, underbaked bottom crusts even though the top crust was done to perfection. These were baked in glass Pyrex pie pans.
Sheryl_Julian: Don't you just hate going to all that trouble and having underbaked pie crusts? Glass dishes, in fact, are great for pies. Put them on the bottom rack of the oven. If you have a pizza stone, set them on the stove. You might also consider baking the crust "blind" first, that is poking fork holes all around, lining them with foil, then dried beans for baking, and letting them cook for 15 minutes at 375 degrees until the sides set. Then lift out the foil and beans and cook another 10 minutes or until the bottom is no longer raw. Then follow your other pie directions.

Patches: My husband insisted he is going to make dinner this year. He uses those plastic cooking bags. Bought FROZEN turkey yesterday and when I asked if he was going to thaw it, his answer was no. He never thawed a turkey when he uses the plastic bags and it only takes 2 hours to cook. HELP.....Does this sound correct?
Sheryl_Julian: If he's planning to cook a frozen bird, then you'd better set the table for Friday instead of Thursday. Encourage him to thaw the bird in cold water first (directions and timing are in today's Food section). But if he's stubborn, approach this with a little humor. After all, what's the worst thing that could happen? No bird? Think of the good laughs you and he will have for years about this!
Sheryl_Julian: To the woman with one oven: When the bird is done, put it in a warm place. Then put all the side dishes that need to be baked into an oven turned slightly higher than the recipe calls for. Just go ahead and fill all the shelves in the oven. To get things to cook more quickly, you might want to have them at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking. That way, the cold of the dish doesn't slow down the reheating process.

mittens: Can the pizza stone remain on the bottom oven rack, and not affect everyday cooking, or does it need to come out and be stored after using it?
Sheryl_Julian: For many years, I left a big piece of thick slate in the bottom of my oven. If I wanted to reheat pita breads for sandwiches, I cranked up the oven and threw the breads on the slate. Everything cooked well on it. Then I removed it because I do too much recipe testing. And I decided that the slate gave me an unfair advantage over my readers. But I love the idea of letting the pizza stone sit there all the time. One day, however, it will crack in half. So you'll have to get another.

tom: Dear Sheryl: Can you recommend a healthier substance than vegetable shortening for making a simple pie crust? Thanks.
Sheryl_Julian: Right now in some markets, you can find trans-fat-free shortening by Crisco. It comes in a green wrapper. I'm not sure why the company released this product but isn't distributing it very widely. I did find trans-fat-free vegetable shortening by Spectrum (I think that's the company) in Whole Foods over the weekend. But I haven't tried it yet. What's unhealthy about vegetable shortening is the trans-fats.

T: Does a fresh turkey take less time to cook -- than a frozen (after it is thawed)
Sheryl_Julian: Fresh or frozen birds (if the frozen birds is completely thawed) roast in the same amount of time. There's nothing wrong with a frozen bird, but in this season -- when markets are so full of fresh birds that they're practically overflowing -- you should see if you can buy fresh.
Sheryl_Julian: To the query about keeping a bird for several days before cooking: Most birds that you buy today (Monday) will be fine on Thursday. What you have to worry about is how long to keep the bird after cooking. If it's a warm day or the kitchen is warm, you should be getting everything in the refrigerator about four hours after cooking. Force yourself to get up from the table, put the meat into foil packages that aren't too big, and get them into the refrigerator. Wrap the turkey frame in plastic bags and freeze to save for soup.
Sheryl_Julian: To the woman worried about not having enough room at the table: This is one of the things that makes Thanksgiving fun. Everyone is mashed in like sardines. Some people are sitting on folding chairs. You might put one of the kids on a kitchen stool. Squeeze in and say thanks shoulder to shoulder. That's fine on this -- and any other -- holiday. No one's looking for perfection.
Sheryl_Julian: For the slighted vegetarian: You can do a couple of things. You can bring your own dish, or you can eat the sides. There's usually so much food on the table, that there's lots for vegetarians. Some people make a "pan" stuffing that hasn't been inside the bird, and there are always squashes, potatoes, etc. Don't begrudge your hosts for not thinking of you. Most have too much on their minds.

cj: Anything special to keep in mind if cooking for babies or children? Never had to before this year. One has only just now started eating regular food.
Sheryl_Julian: My husband says that Thanksgiving is ideal for babies and the elderly because so many things on the table are pureed. This is the sort of menu that does span the age groups. Even picky children will nibble on turkey and mashed potatoes. Babies today travel with so much food that you should worry about them.
Sheryl_Julian: For the baker looking for a variation on classic pumpkin pie: Your table will revolt if you vary this formula! As for something different with apple: Try leaving out the cinnamon, adding just sugar, and baking the pie until the top is very very golden. I think most people underbake their pies. The pastry chef who trained me said this: If you think the pastry is done, put it back into the oven and bake it at least 5 minutes more! I've never forgotten that advice.
Sheryl_Julian: P.|S. the babies question: Babies today travel with so much food that you should NOT worry about them.
Sheryl_Julian: Every shop in Boston is capitalizing on the "buy it all here" phenomenon, ideal for today's hassled cooks. Owen's Poultry Farm in Needham offers soup to nuts, as do most take-out shops with a catering sign. Both Shaw's and Whole Foods have done this for years (though I have not checked this year). If you do buy everything, make one thing yourself. Try simmering the cranberries, just following the directions on the back of the package. Then next year, add a second item to your buy list, and so on. Many many things can be made several days in advance (cranberries, stuffing, sweet potatoes).

Roman: Hi, are there places to purchase a complete thanksgiving dinner which you just have to briefly heat?
Sheryl_Julian: Here's the question that goes with the buying answer.

cj: everytime I try to make an apple pie, the apples are just must - might as well be applesauce pie. What's the problem, cutting the apples too small?
Sheryl_Julian: Mushy apples in a pie is my least favorite thing. First of all, cut the apples larger than you're cutting them. Peel the apple, put it in your hand, and without coring first, just cut slices off the sides and drop them into a bowl until you reach the core. But your problem is probably the kind of apples you're using. Pie apples are different from eating apples. For pies use: Rome Beauties, Baldwins, Northern Spys, Ida Reds, Jonagolds, Pippin, Mutsu. Do not under any circumstances use McIntosh, which are watery and will cook to a sauce in your pie.

Devoir: Hi Sheryl. I just bought a 7.25 quart Dutch oven, and I no longer want to cook in any other pot because I love it so much. So what delicious thing can I make in it for Thanksgiving?
Sheryl_Julian: If I could only have one pot in my kitchen, it would be a large Dutch oven, so congratulations! Cook and serve the mashed potatoes in it (if an Army is in attendance); use it to bake your stuffing as a "pan" stuffing, that is, not inside the bird. Do the sweet potatoes in it. And on Friday, use your pot to make and serve turkey soup. The only thing you can't do in it is roast the bird.

NJM: I need to host a dinner just a few days after Thanksgiving for the relatives that are in town. I feel like Thursday uses up all the easy recipes. What would you serve just after Tday. It must be simple, my guests are very particular.
Sheryl_Julian: Do you mean your guests have sophisticated tastes or fussy tastes? A favorite recipe of mine is Feast Day Soup in which you take all the trimmings from the table (mashed spuds, sweet potatoes, bits of turkey, brussels sprouts, and simmer them in a soup). That pot is what the French would make if they had this spread leftover. But you could also make hot turkey sandwiches (a recipe is in today's Food Section), turkey-vegetable soup, or curried turkey over white rice.

shf: how long will it take me to defrost an 18lb turkey?
Sheryl_Julian: According to the chart in today's Food section, an 18-pound turkey in cold water (in a bucket larger than the bird, changing the water every 30 minutes), will take about 9 hours. The bird will be fine in the refrigerator for another 1 to 2 days.
Sheryl_Julian: Thanks for your questions! I'm at my desk this week if you panic. I may not call you back right away, but I'll try to get back to you in time for the holiday. Call the main telephone number of the Globe and ask for the Food Editor. Happy Cooking to all!