Cooking help for the holidays

Butterball: turkey help line, 800-BUTTERBALL. Experts answer holiday cooks' questions, in English or Spanish, for callers in the United States and Canada. Callers can request a free pamphlet with safety and cooking tips and recipes. Operates most weekdays until 6 p.m.; until 4 p.m. in December. Automated assistance always available. (Butterball also offers turkey-help podcasts for download at www.butterball.com.)

Empire Kosher: poultry customer hotline, 800-367-4734. Help is offered year-round Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m.-1:30 p.m.; Friday, 5 a.m.-noon. (www.empirekosher.com/index.htm)

Foster Farms: turkey help line, 800-255-7227. Turkey-cooking questions are answered and information given 24 hours a day Nov. 15 through Nov. 27. (www.fosterfarms.com)

Ocean Spray: consumer help line, 800-662-3263. Offers help with cranberries, as well as recipes, cooking tips, nutritional information and menu-planning worksheets. Year-round, weekdays 6 a.m.- 1 p.m. (www.oceanspray.com)

Perdue: consumer help line, 800-473-7383. Company representatives answer cooking, storage and other questions about poultry products most weekdays. 6:30 a.m.-3 p.m. (www.perdue.com)

Reynolds: turkey-tips hotline, 800-745-4000. Advice on turkey defrosting, preparation and cooking options, free brochure and recipes. Year-round 24-hour automated hotline. (www.reynoldskitchens.com)

U.S. Department of Agriculture: meat and poultry hotline, 888-674-6854. Food-safety specialists answer calls in English or Spanish about meat and poultry preparation and cooking questions, year-round 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday through Friday, 5 a.m.- 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Recorded information is available 24 hours a day at the same number. (www.fsis.usda.gov)

Better Homes and Gardens magazine: www.bhg.com/recipes/

Cook's Illustrated magazine: www.turkeyhelp.com

Fine Cooking magazine: www.taunton.com/finecooking

McCormick: www.mccormick.com

National Turkey Federation: www.eatturkey.com