You can do it! We have faith -- and an easy-to-follow, easy-to-prepare menu. The best advice to the complete novice? Practice. This may sound silly, but if you can, get a turkey several weekends before Thanksgiving, invite over friends and family who will love you know matter what, and cook up that bird. You will feel much better when the Big Day comes.

Failing that, give yourself plenty of time, get plenty of help, and just relax. The biggest disasters always make the best stories. Not that that will happen to you ...

Here's the menu (with approximate times to prepare and cook; full plan follows):

A Hassle-Free Thanksgiving for the Complete Beginner
• Roast Turkey (approximately 4 hours)
• Easy Turkey Gravy (20 minutes)
• Sweet Potato, Pear and Sausage Stuffing (1 hour 15 minutes)
• Whipped Potatoes (35 minutes)
• Glazed Baby Carrots (20 minutes)
• Peas with Mushrooms (25 minutes)
• Creamed Onion Casserole (30 minutes)
• Cranberry Relish (10 minutes)
• Longwood Gardens Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie (45 minutes)
• Perfect Pumpkin Pie (80 minutes)

PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 next