Continued: Roast veggies for a quick, tasty side

Q I don't really cook, but am stuck with bringing two side dishes to my sister's. And the stars configured to have me traveling on business until late the night before Thanksgiving. I am trying to stay away from the frozen green-bean casserole. So what's easy to cook on the day that can travel to my family's place?

A I am thinking of ingredients you can buy over the weekend that will be waiting for you to just toss together in some interesting way. The dishes have to reheat well and be easy to transport.

Nothing can kill a Brussels sprout, onions, potatoes, or greens. Roasting is a great way to make vegetables taste deep and rich, and roasted vegetables reheat well on top of the stove or in the oven. You can cook yams/sweet potatoes in 10 minutes if you boil them like pasta. If you toss them in a quick pan sauce, they'll absorb all its flavors as you tote them to the feast.

Foolproof gravy guide

Make gravy broth: After turkey goes into the oven, place the neck, giblets and wing tips in a 4- to 6-quart saucepan. Add 1 carrot, 1 rib celery, 1 large onion and 2 cloves garlic, all chopped. Cover by 2 inches with 1/2 bottle white wine (inexpensive sauvignon blanc, fume blanc or pinot grigio), 21/2 cups (20 ounces) canned chicken broth and water as needed. Simmer, partially covered, 2 to 3 hours. Broth will reduce. Keep solids covered with a little liquid.

Starting the pan gravy: For rich-tasting pan gravy, skip additions such as Kitchen Bouquet or salt. Instead, put the turkey juices to work. Place the turkey on a platter, tent with foil and keep warm (it will be juicier for the rest). Skim fat from the pan juices.

Set roasting pan over two high-heat burners. Start boiling down pan juices, scraping up any browned bits with a spatula. Gradually add the strained gravy broth, a cup at a time. After 3 to 4 cups, continue boiling and stirring until you have 2 to 3 cups of rich, deep-flavored liquid.

No lumps, great taste: As liquid simmers, take a tall glass and add to it 1 generous tablespoon of flour. Avoid lumps by using a fork to gradually beat in 1/2 to 2/3 cup cold water. Beat until there are no lumps. You've made a slurry.

Whisk it into the bubbling pan liquid. Keep simmering and whisking until the gravy is smooth and thick enough to lightly coat a spoon. Taste. If you taste raw flour, simmer another minute. Season if necessary, pour into a sauceboat and serve. Leftover gravy reheats beautifully.