Today is Thanksgiving and for many, the day wouldn't be complete without a turkey dinner.

The pressure of cooking the perfect turkey can sometimes fill even the most seasoned cooks with dread, but it doesn't have to be a chore.

Leah Cazemier, co-owner of Supper Studio in Okotoks, encourages would-be turkey chefs not to fear if their first attempts don't turn out, because practice makes perfect.

"I love doing turkey dinner, I love hosting people at my own home," she says. "And so I've had to learn to do this. And cooking a turkey specifically, it's a learned skill, Like anything, it takes practice."

And she adds that there are lots of preparations that can be done ahead of time to ensure that the dinner comes together smoothly. She says it's often in the last hour before dinner, when everything needs to be ready and on the table, where things can get a little hectic.

"I think the things that you should do ahead of time to save yourself the trouble or the panic five minutes before you eat is set your table," she says. "After you put your turkey in the oven, set your table and make it all ready to go. And then basically you're just throwing things into the oven and waiting for the turkey to be done and as soon as the turkey comes out, it's a little bit of panic for about 45 minutes."

Cazemier also suggests using an oven bag to cook a turkey, preparing some dishes ahead of time and making a schedule to follow for the day to help ease the stress and ensure dinner preparations go smoothly.

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