Thanksgiving help is just a phone call (or e-mail) away

Do. Not. Panic.

There's lots of advice out there for everyone hosting their first Thanksgiving, or even old hands wondering how to rev up their traditional feast for their family. Here's a roundup of options:

Butterball Turkey Talk Line: 1-800-288-8372, or www.butterball.com for videos, tips and recipes.

Crisco Pie Hotline: 1-877-367-7438, with tips available 24 hours a day, or talk to live pie experts from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Twin Cities time, Monday-Friday all year. Visit www.crisco.com for tips and recipes.

For all sorts of recipes and advice, visit landolakes.com and type "Thanksgiving" in the search field.

For questions about food safety, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline: 1-888-674-6854, or visit www.fsis.usda.gov.

Martha Stewart comes through, of course, with info at www.marthastewart.com/holidays.

Star Tribune Taste: See our videos on how to carve a turkey, how to make a pie crust, and how to make a pumpkin roulade or biscuits at startribune.com/taste. For even more baking ideas, go to startribune.com/baking.

KIM ODE

Keep the dog safe this ThanksgivingThat big, delicious dinner this week is great for humans, but can make dogs very sick. The American Kennel Club offers tips for dog owners:

• Do not give turkey bones to your dog. They pose a serious choking hazard for your dog and can lead to an emergency trip to the veterinarian.

• Keep garbage from your dog. Turkey fat can cause pancreatitis in dogs, which can be deadly.

• Some guests may be afraid of your dog, and your dog may be uncomfortable around a large group of people. To keep everyone comfortable and safe, keep your dog in its crate or confined to a room that won't be used by your guests.