The Associated Press

Smart tips, thoughtful planning ideas and problem-solving answers to the cook's questions can make all the difference in the countdown to Thanksgiving. Bon Appetit magazine's November issue is seasoned with a sprinkling of "Ask Bon Appetit" questions and answers, among them:

Question: Can I stuff the turkey ahead of time?

Answer: No, stuffing the bird in advance makes the stuffing susceptible to bacterial growth. Plus, stuffing chilled in the turkey might not get hot enough during roasting (since it's insulated by the bird) to reach a safe temperature for eating (165 degrees).

Q: I want to brine the Thanksgiving turkey, but I don't have enough space in my refrigerator. Any ideas?

A: Food writer Bruce Aidells offers this alternative: Place the turkey, breast side down, in a clean plastic cooler. Make sure the brine solution covers the entire turkey. Add five frozen large gel ice packs (each sealed in a plastic bag) to the cooler. Replace thawed ice packs with frozen ones if brine temperature rises above 40 degrees.

Q: Is it important to use day-old bread to make stuffing?

A: Day-old bread can soak up more liquid, which will result in a more flavorful stuffing. Just have fresh? Cut bread into 3/4-inch cubes and bake the cubes on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees until they're dry but not browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Q: Is there an easy way to peel pearl onions?

A: Try this: Drop the onions in a pot of boiling water and let them cook for about 3 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to touch, cut off the top of each onion (leave the root end intact). Lightly squeeze the onions - they should slip easily out of their skins.

Q: Any tips for working with winter vegetables?

A. You can clean, peel and chop or slice these veggies well ahead of time. Use a chef's knife to cut off the thick skin from celery root and butternut squash. Use a peeler to remove the skin from turnips and rutabagas. Before slicing or chopping any hard-to-handle vegetable, cut off both ends so that it sits securely on the cutting board.

Store peeled, uncooked sweet potatoes, potatoes, parsnips and celery root in cool water to prevent the flesh from darkening. All other prepped root vegetables can be stored in resealable plastic bags in the refrigerator.

Q: Do cranberry sauces need to be eaten the same day that they are made?

A: The beauty of these sauces, besides their stunning color, is that they can all be prepared a full week before the big feast and kept in the fridge.

Q: How do you store fresh cranberries?

A: Cranberries can be stored in an airtight container for up to one month in the refrigerator, and for up to one year in the freezer. When you're ready to use your frozen stash, run the cranberries under cold water (do not thaw), and use them as you would fresh cranberries.

Q: What's the best way to keep pie crusts from burning?

A: Try this: Cut a piece of foil 36 inches long. Fold in thirds lengthwise. Wrap around pie plate, clipping the two ends of the foil together. The foil will stand about 2 inches above the pie plate rim; it doesn't need to be folded over the crust to prevent burning. Crust protectors can also be bought at kitchen stores.

Q: Any tips for transferring a pie crust from the counter to the pie dish?

A: First, make sure your dough is the right consistency. If it's too dry it will crack; too wet and it will stick. Then try one of our test-kitchen methods.

Roll out dough between sheets of waxed paper. Peel off top sheet. Invert dough into pie dish. Peel off paper.

Roll out dough on floured surface. Fold dough in half, then fold again to form quarter circle. Transfer dough to dish and unfold.

Flour the rolled dough and rolling pin liberally, then roll up dough on pin and unroll into pie dish.