Step-by-step booklet shows novice cooks how to prepare Thanksgiving dinner

When Veena Thompson was 12 she cooked her first turkey dinner. After fully cooking the turkey, she discovered the neck, giblets and liver package inside the bird.

Now 31 years later, the British Columbia chef doesn't want to see this happen to novice cooks nervously contemplating cooking their first Thanksgiving turkey dinner for family and friends.

Just in time for this year's harvest feast, Thompson has published "I Can Cook ... Turkey Dinner," a 31-page spiral-bound glossy-paged booklet which lays out a complete start-to-finish plan to successfully stage the dinner.

"I think with the step-by-step instructions it really isn't a lot of work," she explained in an interview. "With a little planning and the right timing preparing the feast can come together quite easily and effortlessly."

This isn't Thompson's first crack at making meal preparation simpler for those who find cooking a challenge.

In 1996 she produced "A Practical Dinner Guide for Real People" and was overwhelmed with the responses from across Canada.

Thompson says the ingredients don't have to be completely gourmet to be delicious.

"Using ready-made items like canned cranberry sauce and frozen vegetables will save time without sacrificing taste," she says.

The book contains a reusable grocery list, step-by-step cooking instructions, recipes, tips that are crucial for a successful turkey dinner party, a turkey carving guide and cooking chart and a table setting layout.

To learn more about the publication or to order it online, visit her website at www.veenacooks.com. It costs $14.95 plus $4.95 shipping and handling for a total of $19.90. Or send a cheque or money order to Veena Thompson, 13360 88A Ave., Surrey, B.C. V3V 7W4.