Our only "given" on our Thanksgiving Day is the demanding hike or run that we take as a family that morning, which has us getting home, tired, in the early to mid-afternoon. My cheerful, flexible family is happy to eat that evening whatever I want to serve. I try to serve the meal by late afternoon, so I always choose my menu to make as much as possible in advance. Occasionally, I decide not to roast a whole bird. One year I adapted the Roman classic “Saltimbocca," using turkey instead of veal. The sage on top makes it just perfect for Thanksgiving! The clever trick of putting the sage leaves on the outside I learned from Nancy Harmon Jenkins’ “Olives and Oranges.” Not only is it prettier, but the sage leaves perfume the oil in the pan. (I left the toothpicks on one of the cutlets in the photo so you can see how to assemble them. You should remove the toothpicks before serving.) The recipe can easily be doubled. I make twice as many of these as we have guests, to serve on post-Thanksgiving sandwiches, well slathered with whatever cranberry or other mostarda were on our holiday table. I hope you enjoy this. ;o)

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