Salads may not be the focus of Thanksgiving dinner, but they are still an important part of the meal. You need something cool, sweet, tart, and crunchy to complement the rich and hot main dishes. These salads are all delicious and easy to make. My personal favorites are Carrot Pineapple Salad and Sour Cream Cherry Fruit Salad Mold. Yum.

_{Photo © 2009 Linda Larsen, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

The traditional way to cook a turkey is to thaw a frozen bird, stuff it, then roast for hours. But there are other, easier ways to cook a turkey. And some ways that are more difficult! Explore these different methods for cooking a moist, juicy, flavorful turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner before you start planning, including cooking ahead of time and deconstructing the bird.

_{Photo © 2009 Linda Larsen, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Thanksgiving should be a time of celebration, of counting blessings, giving thanks, and gathering with family and friends. But for the cook, especially one making and serving this huge meal for the first time, celebrating is the last thing on the mind. I've compiled a list of the most common Thanksgiving meal problems, with some solutions to help. From dry turkey to lumpy gravy to picky eaters, these suggestions should make your Thanksgiving celebration wonderful.

_{Photo © 2009 Linda Larsen, licensed to About.com, Inc.}

Most people think of turkey, stuffing, and gravy when contemplating Thanksgiving dinner. But other side dishes are equally important. And if you can make light, flavorful, buttery rolls, well you can control the world! Well, not really, but when you take a pan of fluffy, perfectly browned rolls out of the oven, it seems like it. Here you'll find tips and recipes for making all kinds of rolls and breads for Thanksgiving dinner.

_{Photo © 2009 Linda Larsen, licensed to About.com, Inc.}