Need help with the holiday meal?

NEED HELP WITH THE HOLIDAY MEAL?

Toll-free telephone services and Web sites offer a variety of specialist answers to cooking and food-safety questions during holiday preparation times. Here are some of them:U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry hot line

(800) 535-4555. Food safety specialists answer calls about meat and poultry preparation and cooking questions, year-round Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST; Thanksgiving Day 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Recorded information is available 24 hours a day at the same number.

On the Net: www.fsis.usda.govButterball Turkey Talk-Line

(800) 288-8372, or (800) BUTTERBALL. Home economists and nutritionists answer holiday cooks' questions, in both English and Spanish, for callers in the United States and Canada. Nov. 1 through Nov. 27, weekdays 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thanksgiving Day, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Nov. 29 to Dec. 27, weekdays, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Dec. 21 and Dec. 22, weekend before Christmas, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Automated assistance is provided after hours. Free brochure offer.

On the Net: www.butterball.comPerdue consumer help line

(800) 473-7383, or (800) 4PERDUE. Consumer-relations representatives answer cooking, storage and other questions about poultry products weekdays year-round (except Christmas Day) 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Today, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thanksgiving Day 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free booklet offer with tips on safe handling of poultry.

On the Net: www.perdue.comFoster Farms Turkey help line

(800) 255-7227. Turkey-cooking questions are answered and information given by operators 24 hours a day Nov. 23 through Dec. 2. Before and after those dates, Helpline is available 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.,, Monday through Friday. Free brochures and recipes are offered.

On the Net: www.fosterfarms.comEmpire Kosher poultry customer hot line

(800) 367-4734. Help is offered by consumer-affairs representatives year-round Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Program offers recipes, tips on defrosting and cooking poultry. Closed Jewish and secular holidays.

On the Net: www.empirekosher.com.Reynolds Turkey Tips hot line

(800) 745-4000. A year-round 24-hour automated hot line, focusing on turkey topics through Dec. 31. Offers free brochure and recipes.

On the Net: www.reynoldskitchens.comShady Brook Farms Turkey Line

(888) 723-4468. A 24-hour, 7-days-a-week, automated advice and recipe service.

On the Net: www.shadybrook farms.com.Rhodes Bake-N-Serv Toll-FreeBake Line

(800) 876-7333 year-round Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., baking specialists offer answers to baking questions and recipes for use of frozen dough. Holiday hours: Today 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thanksgiving Day 6 a.m. to 12 p.m; Nov. 29 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Dec. 24 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Dec. 25 Christmas Day closed.; Dec. 26 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MST.

On the Net: www.rhodesbread.com.Ocean Spray consumer help line

(800) 662-3263. Year-round, weekdays (open Thanksgiving Day but not Christmas Day, New Year's Day and other major holidays) 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Consumer department staff field questions on cranberries, offer recipes, cooking tips, nutritional information, menu-planning worksheets, product information.

On the Net: www.oceanspray.com.Land O'Lakes

(800) 837-7702 for free recipe leaflet of classic holiday.

On the Net: www.landolakes.com.On the Net

Cook's Illustrated magazine's site features detailed guidance and recipes, for preparing turkey and all the trimmings, including apple and pumpkin pies, with bright step-by-step visuals: www.turkeyhelp.com.

The National Turkey Federation Web site has a Thanksgiving Cooking Tips page, with specific recipes and advice, among its year-round general information: www.eatturkey.com.

Holiday entertaining guide: www.mccormick.com.

Recipes and baking tips: www.dominosugar.com.

--The Associated Press