Families have always gathered for Thanksgiving dinner here in the US. The vegetarians can still eat well, with all the trimmings that go along with the turkey. I like turkey and stuffing/dressing and gravy and all that good stuff.

Over the years I’ve had turkeys that have been prepared in all manner of ways. My Mother puts the turkey into a 450� oven for one hour only the night before Thanksgiving, turns off the oven, and without opening the oven door for 8 hours, it’s perfectly ready to serve the next morning or later.

My mother-in-law puts a flour-based paste all over the bird, then places it into a large paper bag, and cooks it. A previous mother-in-law (settle down, now) has a smoker and smokes her turkey to golden perfection each year.

It’s always interesting to see the different ways that people carry on that family tradition that begins with a large turkey as the centerpiece.

What will you do this Thanksgiving? How do you prepare your turkey?