NORTH TEXAS – Nothing says Thanksgiving like the turkey with all the “fixins.”

Unfortunately, cooking the turkey perfectly can be a challenge. If you’re like many people and only cook turkey once or twice a year, it can be an intimidating undertaking.

Luckily, the experts at Butterball Turkey are here to help you with last-minute cooking tips and fun leftover suggestions.

For 43 years, Butterball Turkey experts have manned the phone lines, offering tips and support to the millions of people who need it.

One of the biggest mistakes people make?

I don’t know how long it might take to thaw the turkey.

“If you haven’t thawed your turkey, there’s still a little hope,” said Andrea Balitewicz, Butterball turkey expert. “You can use the cold water thawing method. The turkey remains in its original packaging and submerges it in cold water. Refresh the cold water every 30 minutes, then a pound will thaw every 30 minutes.”

To ensure it is thoroughly cooked, insert a meat thermometer deep into the turkey breast. It should be 170 degrees.

Thanksgiving leftovers

“I’m going to tell you about one of my favorite sandwich recipes,” Balitewicz said. “And that means making a waffle from the leftover filling, and that’s how the bread for the sandwich is made. This is dynamite!”

As you can imagine, the Talkline experts have received more than a few memorable calls over the past four decades. But for Balitewicz, one is at the top of the list.

“We definitely get a lot of memorable calls here. And they tell us stories,” Balitewicz said. “One story was about a gentleman who was trying to help his wife and kill two birds with one stone. He put the turkey in the bathtub with his kids, washed them, and defrosted the turkey at the same time, and that was one thing we didn’t recommend. We said, “No! Take out the turkey.”

Step by step to ensure a delicious, drama-free Thanksgiving.

If you need to call Butterball Turkey’s talk line, it is also open on Wednesday and Thanksgiving Day.

Click here to watch videos and get recipe ideas on the website.