Thanksgiving's almost here in the US which means another few pounds added to my ever expanding frame. Now traditionally you have turkey or ham, turkey being the most popular.

For terrible cooks like me, the idea of making something like a real turkey scares me to death! Usually I cheat and buy a turkey roast if I can get away with it. This year hubby's dropping heavy hints like “will you make turkey? when shall we get the turkey? what would we need for a big turkey?”.

Ok, I admit it's more like a command performance than a hint but if it's a hint there's still a chance. I can say I didn't get it and he should have just said he wanted it.

Anyway, since I appear to be cornered into surrender I need help! Can anyone tell me what size turkey you'd buy for 5 adults (only three of us, but I bet he invites a couple of people) with plenty of leftovers? Any preferences on frozen or fresh?

Also please share any easy ways to make it you've tried or found online plus side dishes. I'll be forever grateful if you can stop me from poisoning everyone by undercooking or going to the other extreme and cremating it LOL. Thanks!

If you don't, I'll be forced to dig out all those healthy eating options in the depths of my freezer I keep pretending I don't see.

okay, I have to admit that my family just uses stove top stuffing for dressing/stuffing, nothing fancy or handed down from one generation to another in that respect.  And our green bean casserole is the recipe off of the Campbell's cream of mushroom soup can, but we do have a couple of favorite side dishes … here is one.

Fruit Salad

(I usually just buy a bunch of fruit and then start cutting and filling up a bowl, so I don’t know how many apples or bananas I use … once the bowl is ¾ full, I am done!  Sorry!)

Fruit:

Apples – red and green for the color

Bananas

Grapes – red and green

2 small cans of mandarin oranges – drained (keep the syrup in a bowl)

Walnuts (optional)

You can really add any fruit that you like, this is what most of my family prefers though.  I have made it with papaya and strawberries, anything you think would tast good with a creamy dressing)

Mayonnaise – don’t freak out, you would NEVER know that this is an ingredient if you didn’t make it yourself)

Directions:

Core and cut the apples into bite size pieces.  Slice the bananas then coat both apple and banana pieces in the syrup from the mandarin oranges, this will slow the browning of the fruit. (I usually cut up the fruit, toss them in the syrup, and then remove them with a slotted spoon).

Cut the grapes in half lengthwise.

Toss all fruit (don’t forget the mandarin oranges!) into a bowl and add nuts if desired.  Then spoon some mayonnaise into the bowl and mix with a spoon or your hands.  Use just enough mayonnaise to coat the fruit.  The mandarin oranges will break up and mix with the mayonnaise making a tangy dressing for the fruit.

*** I know some people are squeamish about mayonnaise, but I have an aunt that absolutely gags over mayonnaise and she eats this stuff up!  She has no idea that there is mayo in it!

All went swimmingly thanks very much! I made a full turkey, just slung it in the oven, raised my eyes heavenward and said a quick prayer. By some huge miracle it came out right LOL.

No one was more surprised than me. OK, well maybe my husband. And my son. OK, OK, we all were I admit it! If they hadn't seen me put it in, they'd have sworn I picked it up at a deli.

Hubby made the stuffing because he likes to do that and everything else was pretty simple - glazed carrots, broccoli, red potatoes and then a couple of pies. I wish I'd seen you fruit salad before now! Mayo doesn't faze me, I'll try it.