Thanksgiving

Travelers seemed to be moving fairly smoothly toward their destinations yesterday with few major hiccups on what was expected to be the second-busiest travel day of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. BWI Marshall Airport spokesman Jonathan Dean said things had "gone splendidly" for the 72,000 passengers anticipated to move through the gates and terminals yesterday. "There has not been any significant delays," he said. Some flights to Atlanta and Chicago were backed up because of weather, and others headed to airports around New York City were delayed because of heavy traffic, according to the Federal Aviation Administration Web site.

There is a tendency in this country to not leave well enough alone, to try to improve things that need no improvement, and this is especially true when it comes to the Thanksgiving meal. Take, for example, cranberry sauce. I think I speak for all clear-thinking Americans when I say: We don't need any orange peels in our cranberry sauce, OK? We don't need any blueberries, cinnamon, nutmeg or currants in it. We don't need no stinkin' raisins or pecans in it, either. (Sorry, started channeling the great movie The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, for some reason ... )

SECTION E PG 5D

NOW THAT IT is November, the nation is asking, "How are we going to cook the turkey this year?" OK, maybe not the entire nation. Would you believe half the nation? How about a handful of serious fans of the big bird, including yours truly?Even before the Halloween candy pile has disappeared -- by the way, the Tootsie Rolls were especially good this year -- my thoughts turn to turkey. What can be done, I ask myself, to deliver that traditional feeling of stuffed-bird bliss that comes from a proper Thanksgiving feast?

Though we have a commodious guest room in our old farmhouse in Galena, my mother-in-law declined to stay with us when she came for Thanksgiving last year. It wasn't a rift in family relations. It was the commotion. We have dogs and kids, something Jane finds nice in the abstract, but a little overwhelming at the end of a long day. So, when she accepted our invitation for a huge family-and-friends turkey day feast, it was conditional:"I'd love to come if you can make me a reservation at the hotel."

I always roast a larger bird than needed on Thanksgiving so there will be extra turkey to enjoy on the days after this holiday. In fact, my family considers the dishes created from the leftovers to be as delectable as the original roast fowl served on Thanks- giving day.In the past, I've prepared all manner of creations with leftover turkey. Crisp, pastry-topped pot pies laden with morsels of turkey and vegetables are a favorite, as are hot turkey sandwiches served on toasted sourdough bread napped with rich brown gravy.

The U.S. Justice Department, responding to a request from Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, has agreed to investigate the Thanksgiving Day death of Eli McCoy, 17, who was shot by a housing authority police officer.In a statement released yesterday, the Democrat from Baltimore's 7th District said he had received written confirmation from Attorney General Janet Reno that the FBI and other agencies are investigating the Nov. 25 incident.Police have said that McCoy, a robbery suspect, had his hand inhis pants pocket when he was shot.

Thanksgiving raises some of life's deeper questions.How do you know the bird isn't overcooking? How much should the pie filling be stirred? White or dark meat? Baked or mashed?Don't be stressed. As a group of 5-year-olds is learning, those facing such daunting decisions today are quite lucky. It means they can probably read well enough to cook.Friendship Valley Elementary kindergarten classes in Westminster spent this week preparing a menu for a Thanksgiving feast and cooking. Yesterday, after reading " `Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving," they dressed as pilgrims and Indians and enjoyed their supper at 9 a.m. (They attend morning kindergarten)

The Agostino home in Carroll County smelled, looked and sounded like a traditional Thanksgiving day. Down in the basement, children giggled and played in a tent. One girl played with a flashlight. A little one played with her toes.Upstairs, the cranberry sauce wobbled, the potatoes roasted and the adults chatted it up while the bird cooked. Babies napped in a bedroom. The good plates were on the dining room table, the cloth napkins were out and folded, and the whole house looked as if Martha Stewart had stopped by.But for Nicole and Dennis Agostino, their three children and the guests at their Eldersburg home, yesterday wasn't planned as a normal Thanksgiving.

After organizing free Thanksgiving dinners for the last 18 years -- including a huge feast yesterday -- Bea Gaddy will step aside as she takes her place on the Baltimore City Council.Gaddy, 66, a longtime advocate for the poor and homeless in East Baltimore, was elected to the 2nd District in November and will take office next month. Her charity organization will continue to run under new leadership."I will give the reins to someone else," said Gaddy, standing outside Dunbar Junior High School yesterday.

The holidays will be here before you know it, and if you haven't made arrangements to fly home for Grandma's pumpkin pie, do so as soon as possible. Airfare experts say you have until the end of the month - Saturday - to book Thanksgiving flights to lock in a favorable price and get a seat on the flight you want. "You have another 10 to 15 days in November to make Christmas and New Year's purchases before things get really crazy," says Rick Seaney, chief executive of FareCompare.com. The holidays are usually busy, and it's typically a smart move to buy tickets early, before demand pushes up prices.

Little more than a week after an electrical fire destroyed the women's shelter at the Bea Gaddy Family Center, Executive Director Cynthia Brooks was flush with reasons to be thankful. She and siblings John Fowler and Sandra E. Briggs were counting their blessings yesterday as they prepared to start the annual Thanksgiving dinner at Patterson Park Recreation Center that is part of their mother's legacy. They were thankful for the friends who took over paying for the center's gas and electricity bill after it had climbed to $6,000 and the power was about to be shut off. And for the various contractors who walked into the building, ravaged by fire earlier this month, and restored it so that 48 hours later the damage was largely a memory.

It would be hard to find a better lineup of celebrity performers or a bigger TV event tonight than the second annual CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute that honors ordinary people who have achieved extraordinary accomplishments in their communities and beyond. The program, which is hosted by CNN anchor Anderson Cooper from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, will be broadcast to a global audience starting tonight at 9. Alicia Keys and John Legend headline the performers. During the show, CNN will honor 10 heroes and reveal the CNN Hero of the Year, who will receive an additional $100,000.

From a starkly utilitarian building lodged between the coal heaps and salt piles of industrial Canton, Rebecca Pindell will have the best seat in town today to view the traffic mess on Maryland's highways on the busiest travel day of the year. Pindell will be watching the passing parade at the state's toll facilities and other roads on a bank of TV screens at the Maryland Transportation Authority's operations center at the Fort McHenry Tunnel. And if anything interrupts the free flow of traffic on the three bay crossings around Baltimore, she will be poised to send help instantly.

Winterfest of Lights Where:: Throughout Ocean City When:: Nightly through Jan. 1 What:: The town lights up during this annual event. Visitors can take a train ride through a mile of more than 600,000 animated ornaments and village shops. There will also be musical entertainment on selected nights at Winterfest Village in Northside Park. Hours are 5:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. What's nearby:: If you want to make it a holiday, several Ocean City hotels are offering Thanksgiving packages.

Greater Elkridge group is meeting tonight The Greater Elkridge Community Association will hold its general membership meeting at 7:30 p.m. today at the Elkridge Volunteer Firehouse, Old Washington Road. County Executive Ken Ulman will speak. There will also be reports from state and county representatives, as well as regular GECA business. Extra parking will be provided at Norbel School and a shuttle bus provided from the school to the fire hall. If schools are closed because of inclement weather, the meeting will be canceled.

Yes, there will be a turkey on almost every table a week from tomorrow. But, to us, the side dishes are what make it Thanksgiving. In many a family, there's a non-negotiable casserole, stuffing, puree or pudding that appears year after year, withstanding the march of time and trends. These dishes send the message that though the people sitting around the table may change, the meaning of the holiday meal they share endures. In our Thanksgiving issue today, three of us share the recipes for our traditional Thanksgiving sides and the stories behind them, hoping you'll enjoy them as much as we do. Carrot Souffle works as an alternative to sweet potatoes, PG 2 Pat's Sage Stuffing is great even in a sandwich of leftovers, PG 2 Hominy Casserole has a texture that goes wonderfully with turkey, PG 2

Think of your table as a stage setting that can make a festive meal a production that will win rave reviews. If you're economy-minded this holiday season, as so many people are, you can still create a table that will announce, "This is a special occasion" without having to spend a lot of money. Be dramatic in your table setting, urges Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, author of the recently published Tablescapes: Setting the Table with Style. "It doesn't have to be expensive, but do it with flair."

The tug of war that followed Navy's Thanksgiving Day practice said much about the team's offensive line and the way it has evolved to reach the doorstep of anchoring the top rushing offense in the nation for an unprecedented third consecutive year. The offensive line, as it has all season against the opposition, outmaneuvered its defensive counterparts to set off a joyous celebration led by Navy's quarterback. Navy vs. Army Saturday, noon, M&T Bank Stadium, chs. 13, 9, 1090 AM Line: Navy by 14

Travelers seemed to be moving fairly smoothly toward their destinations yesterday with few major hiccups on what was expected to be the second-busiest travel day of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. BWI Marshall Airport spokesman Jonathan Dean said things had "gone splendidly" for the 72,000 passengers anticipated to move through the gates and terminals yesterday. "There has not been any significant delays," he said. Some flights to Atlanta and Chicago were backed up because of weather, and others headed to airports around New York City were delayed because of heavy traffic, according to the Federal Aviation Administration Web site.