Darnelle Delcambre picks fresh herbs from her garden. She relies on fresh herbs to give her Thanksgiving turkey a unique flavor.

Whether you’re preparing a Thanksgivi-ng meal for immediate family or hosting a celebration for a large crowd, turkey and dressing are sure to be the star attraction at the table.

The time-honored bounty of Thanksgiving dinner rouses the eager anticipation of a golden brown turkey accompanied by a savory holiday dressing.

Whether you are a seasoned cook or making your first attempt to host a Thanksgiving dinner, it is easy to treat guests to an unforgettable feast when a flavorful and moist turkey topped with a golden brown and crisp skin is the centerpiece of the table.

Darnelle Delcambre and Ruby Newcomb, two veteran cooks who are frequent contributors to the Daily Iberian / Cajun Sugar Co-op Cajun /Creole Cookbook, agree cooking a turkey can be one of the most intimidating parts of the holiday meal for new cooks, but if cooked properly to enhance the flavor, the turkey can make the meal unforgettable.

Whenever the Delcambre family gathers for a Thanksgiving celebration, family members will find their traditional favorite at the table – a turkey enhanced with flavor by herbs picked fresh from her garden.

“The fresh herbs give the turkey a unique flavor. I like to place chopped rosemary, tarragon and thyme under the skin of the turkey breast or they can be stuffed inside the cavity of the bird. The key is not to use too much of one herb to overpower the blend of flavors,” said Delcambre.

To keep the turkey moist and juicy, Delcambre said she bakes the turkey covered with a foil tent and uncovers it the last 20 minutes to brown.

“My best advice I can give to young cooks hosting their first Thanksgiving meal is to start early,” said Delcambre.

A turkey bursting with the rich flavors of Tuscany can offer a different twist to the regular Thanksgiving dinner by preparing the turkey with a combination of five herbs processed into a paste. A homemade Tuscan Herb Paste made with fresh basil, rosemary, Italian parsley, thyme, sage and olive oil can be rubbed under the skin, inside the cavity and over the rest of the turkey before baking.

Newcomb’s secret to a perfectly cooked turkey is to keep basting the bird frequently throughout the cooking process.

Newcomb said she prefers to season the bird and rub a little butter or olive oil on the bird before cooking and use the natural juices for basting. The turkey is baked in an oven at 375 degrees under a foil tent and uncovered the last 20 minutes for browning.

“I like to keep it simple. I don’t stuff the bird with dressing,” said Newcomb.

But inside the bird or out, dressing or stuffing usually appears somewhere on the holiday table.

Newcombe, a native of Mississippi, said one her family’s favorite sides dishes is a cornbread dressing made with large chunks of boiled eggs.

“I guess it’s a Mississippi thing. I don’t use the dressing mix, instead I put chopped eggs in it and sometimes pieces of chicken,” she said.

Delcambre said she hasn’t veered from family tradition when it comes to holiday dressings. She still prepares a homemade oyster dressing to accompany the Thanksgiving turkey, just as her mother did when she was growing up.

“It is served in a side dish and not stuffed in the turkey,” she said.

For the new cooks who haven’t created their own family stuffing traditions, it’s easy to turn a basic boxed dressing or stuffing into a savory dressing. Start with a basic recipe, then have fun dressing it up.

By adding apples and walnuts to the seasoned dressing mix, a memorable dressing can be prepared in little time. Be creative and try adding dates, dried cranberries and other nuts like pistachios or sunflower seeds.