Question: Do I have enough turkey?

Answer: Figure on about

11/2 pounds of turkey per person, which allows for some leftovers. Kids will eat about a third to a half of an adult portion unless they're teenage boys.

Q: My turkey's still frozen!

A: If you haven't moved the bird from freezer to fridge by now, you're stuck with speed-defrosting. Submerge the turkey in cold water (don't unwrap it) and change the water every 30 minutes. It'll take about 30 minutes per pound, so if you have a 16-pound turkey, it's still going to take eight hours.

Q: OK, it's thawed. Now what do I do?

A: Unwrap the turkey; remove the clamp from the legs and the bags of giblets from the cavities (check both ends). Cut off and discard the fatty skin at the tail end. Pat the bird dry; don't wash it. Put it on a rack in a roasting pan.

For the simplest preparation, rub it with oil, salt and pepper, inside and out. If you have them, put fresh herbs such as sage or thyme and/or lemon halves in the cavity. Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, making sure it doesn't touch bone.

Q: How long will this take?

A: At the suggested oven temperature of 325 degrees, it will take three to four hours to cook a 12-pound unstuffed turkey, four to five hours for a 16-pounder. But use temperature, not time, to determine doneness. That thermometer you put in the thigh should read 165 degrees. If it's getting too brown, loosely cover in foil.

Let the bird sit for 20 to 25 minutes before slicing.