A jug pouring gravy on a bowl of mashed potatoes - Ryan Benyi Photography/Getty Images When Thanksgiving rolls around, there are a few table staples you can always count on -- sweet potatoes, turkey, ...

Brown gravy being poured over mashed potatoes - Ryan Benyi Photography/Getty Images Almost by definition, gravy is a bit of an afterthought — one of the last things you whip up once the roast is out ...

*** roasting pan. We need salt pepper. The horror stories, undercooked, overcooked, lumpy mashed potatoes, lumpy gravy and of course the unexpected guest, we can't help you with the last problem. But ...