The American holiday of Thanksgiving is known for the three fs: family, football, and feasts—with special emphasis on the feasts.

Unfortunately, not every family is equally blessed with members skilled in the culinary arts. One of my friends used to dread her mom’s home-cooked meals. When the poor woman prepared ground beef, she thought the excess grease was gravy. Helen Hayes, an Oscar-winner in the 1930s and longtime grande dame of the stage must have been similarly challenged in the kitchen.

In his book Thalberg: Life and Legend, author Bob Thomas recounts the time Hayes decided to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for her family. Since it was the first turkey she’d ever attempted, she told them, “If it’s not right, don’t say a word. We’ll just get up from the table, without comment, and go to the hotel for dinner.”

When she returned with the bird several minutes later, she found her family waiting politely at the table … already wearing their coats and hats.

Here’s hoping your family holidays are happy—and tasty ones.

“Cooking is at once child’s play and adult joy. And cooking done with care is an act of love.”

—Craig Claiborne, food writer

“Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”

—Harriet van Horne, columnist

“When one has tasted watermelon he knows what the angels eat.”

 —Mark Twain, author, humorist

“Strange to see how a good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody.”

—Samuel Pepys, diarist, British politician

“Hunger finds no fault with the cooking.”

—Proverb

“It’s fun to get together and have something good to eat at least once a day. That’s what human life is all about—enjoying things.”

—Julia Child, chef

“Laughter is brightest, in the place where the food is.”

—Irish proverb

“It’s difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.”

—Lewis Grizzard, humorist