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Buy fresh cranberries now. Not only are they at their delicious peak, but they can be frozen right in the plastic bags they are sold in for use throughout the year. And, as far as holidays food go, cranberries are as versatile as they come.

The biggest problem with turkey is keeping the lean breast moist. The breast, which cooks at a different rate from the tough thighs and drumsticks, is ready when a thermometer inserted into the thickest spot away from the bone registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and the dark meat isn't tender until it reaches at least 175 degrees. Some cooks have embraced brining as the best way to ensure moist white meat. But a brine also adds unnecessary sodium to the meal, and not everyone likes the taste of a brined bird. A better solution is to shield the turkey breast with aluminum foil to deflect the heat away from the area and slow the cooking. Before the turkey goes into the oven, cover the entire breast area with aluminum foil. During the last hour of the estimated roasting time, remove the foil so the breast skin can brown.

1 cup fresh cranberries

4 cups (16--ounces) fresh cranberries

1 (16-ounce) can pitted dark sweet cherries, undrained