Denver post file photos

Thanksgiving. A time for families and friends to gather in gratitude. A time for the soothing aromas of turkey and pie, for bonding in the kitchen, for flag football and mashed potatoes and warm-fuzzy memories. To say nothing of backbreaking work, paralyzing anxiety and an absurd amount of cleanup.  

Here are several useful tips on sizing, thawing, brining, roasting, resting and sides. Enjoy.  

Francisco Kjolseth / The Salt Lake Tribune

We wash our hands more carefully. We place bottles of sanitizer on our desk. And we greet people with a fist bump instead of a hand shake. These precautions, we hope, will keep nasty viruses like H1N1 at bay.   Full Story

Paul Fraughton/ The Salt Lake Tribune

We're a nation defined by our lack of culinary definition. Ever since our nation was deemed legitimate for its food and restaurant scene, there's been a lot of soul-searching and reflection about the question: What is American cuisine?   Full Story