MY FAMILY WILL FLIP IF I DON'T SERVE TURKEY. HOW DO I MAKE A BIRD THAT SATISFIES EVERYONE?

Breaking a bird into parts before roasting (or having a trusted butcher do it for you) is a surefire way to get juicy, crisp-skinned turkey-no dry breasts!-that cooks in less than two hours

Many people would agree that a problem-free day in the kitchen is never guaranteed when it comes to making Thanksgiving-especially when turkey is involved. Sometimes, no matter how much you baste, brush, and pray for a beautiful bird, things go wrong. Maybe the thighs get roasted to perfection, but the wing tips end up a bit scorched. Maybe you learned the hard way that the "small" turkey you ordered is still too big for your tiny oven. Thankfully, we've got a solution to your turkey troubles: Break it down into parts. When separated and spread flat on a wire rack, breast, legs, and wings each get a chance to roast to golden brown glory on the outside while reaching their respective optimal temperature on the inside. And thanks to the even distribution of heat across your baking sheet of turkey parts, you don't have to worry about it hogging the oven for three hours on the big day-your 12-14-lb. bird won't need more than 90 minutes to cook. Grab your sturdiest chef's knife (or enlist the person at the butcher counter) and invite your nearest and dearest over for dinner-this may be the first year you find yourself without any turkey leftovers. -MEHREEN KARIM

Maple-Butter-Glazed Turkey

8-10 SERVINGS Not only does a turkey cooked in parts get more crisp and golden, it also absorbs salt and other flavors much faster thanks to its greater surface area. While seasoning a day in advance is ideal, even just 1 hour makes a difference last-minute hosts take note!).