More than a few Central Texans will be planning, cooking and serving Thanksgiving dinner in just ten days and for some, it may be the first time. If the main dish is turkey, it's a good idea to do a little preparation in advance from learning more about the process to picking the right bird and choosing the right recipe. If your mother or grandmother aren't around for moment-to-moment consultation, consider an old stand-by reliable resource, the US Department of Agriculture.

Seton Family of Hospitals clinical dietitian Sylvia Menchaca, RD, LD believes safe handling of holiday turkeys begins with the thawing process, separating foodstuffs to prevent cross-contamination and keeping an eye on the clock, especially if you are producing large quantities of food and several different dishes. "When we go out to eat, we assume the people preparing our food are following food safety techniques but often we don't use them at home," comments Sylvia. She often refers people to the USDA advisories for advice as she did in a previous Thanksgiving story, Safe Dining Advice.

Turkeys can be tricky things to cook and because most are usually sold frozen, thawing, cooking and saving leftovers can result in food safety issues. This year, one week before the holiday, you can join the USDA in a live Facebook chat with a holiday food safety expert. You can learn more about how to defrost, how to cook, whether or not to stuff and how to handle leftovers right on the Facebook page. If you have specific questions, you can submit them - either in advance or during the chat. For more information or to submit questions in advance, visit the USDA Live page and become a fan of USDA on Facebook.

Countdown to Turkey Day

If the Facebook chat doesn't work for you, here is the USDA's advice for a countdown to the holiday:

• Thanksgiving (T) minus 6 (Friday): If you decided to buy a frozen bird and haven't purchased it yet, buy it today so you have adequate time to thaw it in the refrigerator. For thawing a frozen turkey, move it into your refrigerator now. Leave the frozen bird in its original wrapper and place it on a tray to catch any juices that may leak from the package as the turkey thaws. Bacteria in poultry juices can cross-contaminate other foods that will be eaten without further cooking or that are already cooked, possibly causing foodborne illness. Allow approximately 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. For example, a 16-pound turkey would take 3 to 4 days to thaw. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1-2 days before cooking. Purchase fresh turkey only one to two days before cooking.
  
  
• T minus 5 (Saturday): Do a thorough cleaning job on your refrigerator and the appliances needed for preparing the Thanksgiving meal. Sanitize all countertops and cutting boards using a solution of 1 tablespoon unscented chlorine bleach per gallon of water. If using an electric roaster oven, bring it into the kitchen and make sure it is working. If smoking a turkey, have adequate charcoal and/or other fuels.
  
  
• T minus 4 (Sunday): Set the table including serving dishes and utensils, and round up the needed chairs. Plan your Thanksgiving Day cooking timetable based on the size of your turkey or other meats. For cooking timetables and more information, go to http://www.fsis.usda.gov/fact_sheets/index.asp , "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854).
  
  
• T minus 3 (Monday): Make vegetable side dishes and breads ahead of time. Store the side dishes in the refrigerator (40 F or below).
  
  
• T minus 2 (Tuesday): If buying a fresh turkey, this is the day to bring it home from the store. If you forgot to thaw the frozen turkey or don't have room in the refrigerator for thawing, don't panic. You can submerge the turkey in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey. Cook immediately after thawing.
  
  
• T minus 1 (Wednesday): No. Don't even think of pulling an all-nighter with your turkey. It's not safe to cook a turkey all night at 200 F. The minimum oven temperature is 325 F to ensure any bacteria are destroyed. Check again to make sure you have all the ingredients you need to prepare your holiday meal. Although stores are probably crowded, buying needed ingredients now is essential. Prepare wet and dry stuffing ingredients ahead of time and refrigerate them separately. Don't combine the ingredients until just before cooking the stuffing inside or outside the turkey.
  
  
• T (Thanksgiving Day): If you still need to thaw your turkey, microwave thawing is probably your only option now. Check the manufacturer's instructions for the size turkey that will fit into your oven, the minutes per pound, and the power level to use for thawing. Cook immediately after thawing. If you plan to stuff your turkey, mix the wet and dry stuffing ingredients just before placing the stuffing inside the turkey cavity or into a casserole dish. The stuffing should be moist, not dry, since heat destroys bacteria more rapidly in a moist environment. Stuff your turkey loosely and place it in the oven immediately. Lacking a thermometer, cook the stuffing separately.

NOTE: If you absolutely forget even to begin thawing the turkey, you can cook it frozen. Plan on how long the cooking process should take, divide by two and add onto the regular cooking time. In other words if the thawed bird should take five hours, cook for seven and a half. Use the same cooking temperature. As the bird begins to soften, use tongs to extract the giblets that are usually stored in the body cavity in a plastic bag. If the plastic melts, it can be toxic, so both the giblets and the turkey will have to be discarded.

Cooking Turkey

H-E-B Cooking Connection Chef Ed Lindemann shared his perfect turkey recipe and Seton clinical dietitian Wendy Morgan, RD, LD provided instructions to cook a low-sodium version.

The Perfect Turkey

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Roasting Time: varies according to size
Serves about 2 people per pound

Ingredients:

1 Whole Turkey or Turkey Breast, (fresh or frozen), uncooked
1 to 3 Tablespoons Ottavio Private Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 to 5 Tablespoons Rub of your choice

Directions:

• Thaw turkey completely if frozen; this will take 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.
  
  
• Heat oven to 325F. Place turkey breast-side up on a flat wire rack in a shallow roasting pan 2 to 2 1/2 -inches deep. Optional: for whole turkey, tuck wing tips back under shoulders of bird.
  
  
• Rub oil over top and sides of turkey; then season with rub of your choice. Add 1/2 cup water or wine to bottom of pan.
  
  
• Roast turkey about 20 minutes per pound, uncovered (a foil tent may be placed over the turkey to prevent over-browning towards end of cooking time). For safety and doneness, the internal poultry temperature should reach 165 F when checked with a meat or instant-read thermometer. Optional: baste turkey twice during the last hour of cooking.
  
  
• Remove from oven. Cover turkey loosely with foil. Let stand 15 minutes to allow the turkey to firm up and hold the juices. Reserve pan juices for gravy.

Approximate Turkey Cooking Times:

UNSTUFFED TURKEY

8 to 12 pounds.................2-3/4 to 3 hours
12 to 14 pounds...............3 to 3-3/4 hours
14 to 18 pounds...............3-3/4 to 4-1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds...............4-1/4 to 4-1/2 hours
20 to 24 pounds...............4-1/2 to 5 hours

STUFFED TURKEY

8 to 12 pounds.................3 to 3-1/2 hours
12 to 14 pounds...............3-1/2 to 4 hours
14 to 18 pounds...............4 to 4-1/4 hours
18 to 20 pounds...............4-1/4 to 4-3/4 hours
20 to 24 pounds...............4-3/4 to 5-1/4 hours

Wendy's Flavorful Low-Sodium Turkey Recipe

Ingredients

1 10 to 12 pound turkey
1 or 2 large onions, peeled and quartered
4 to 6 celery stalks, cut into thirds
2 to 3 whole carrots, cleaned and cut into thirds
4 to 5 whole fresh garlic cloves (or entire garlic head, outer layers removed)
Choice of fresh sage or rosemary, or dried bay leaves.
Salt substitute (optional)
Sodium-free broth such as Wyler's Sodium Free Chicken Bouillon cubes
Cooking spray or olive oil

Directions

• Choose a plain frozen or fresh bird.
  
  
• Stuff the cavity with onions, celery and carrots.
  
  
• Loosen the skin from the breast and insert fresh sage, bay leaves or rosemary between the skin and breast meat (makes it attractive as well).
  
  
• Spray the turkey with cooking spray or brush lightly with olive oil.
  
  
• Rub outside of the turkey with your favorite salt substitute or herbal blend*.
  
  
• Roast turkey according to package instructions.
  
  
• Baste with sodium-free broth.
  
  
• After cooking, allow the turkey to rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

* Wendy's Dried Herbal Blend

2 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 tsp dried minced onions

Mix ingredients together and apply to turkey skin as rub. Use 1/4 tsp blend for every 1 pound of turkey. Recipe makes enough for 32-pound bird.