The table is set, your guests arrive to a house full of wonderful smells, and the only finger you have to lift is the one holding the bottle of rosé. Metropolitan Market provides a complete take-home Thanksgiving dinner, pie included, that serves six to eight people for $99.99. Want to tackle the sides and just leave the turkey to someone else? Grab one of their fully roasted 10- to 12-pound birds à la carte for $29.99. Get your order in at any of the Metropolitan stores by Monday, Nov. 24.

Seafood is as indigenous as it gets for Northwest food. And smoked salmon is the supreme ingredient that should grace any Northwest-themed Thanksgiving spread.

Mike Carver, the seafood manager for Metropolitan Market in Proctor, always thinks salmon when he considers a pre-Thanksgiving seafood appetizer. His favorite right now comes from a Washington company called C&H. "They're a family company on the Columbia River, in Cathlamet. It's all king salmon that (they smoke). It's all wild. And they're big, thick, juicy cuts. (They use) a fantastic brine," Carver said.

A cheese course can help prep your guests, and their gullets, for a multicourse Thanksgiving dinner. It's also an effective way to keep hungry guests from nibbling their way through your kitchen pre-dinner.

We consulted cheese experts from Metropolitan Market to help us build a Northwest cheese plate to start a Thanksgiving meal. These recommendations come from Tristan Ambrose, cheese specialist with the corporate office of Metropolitan Markets and Michelle Marshall, the in-store cheese expert at Metropolitan Market Proctor. All cheeses are available at Metropolitan Market. Also included are recommended accompaniments to serve with the cheese - from nuts to fruits and wine.

Make reservations for Thanksgiving Day dinner, or host your own no-stress holiday with caterers and gourmet takeout for Turkey Day.

Takeout Turkey

Impress your guests when you bring home a pre-made feast.

Metropolitan Market - Lower Queen Anne, 100 Mercer St, Seattle, WA

A full turkey dinner is available for pick up at this lavish grocery store--while there, sample your way through its aisles overflowing with gourmet goodies.

if the "heritage" part had caught your interest, Metropolitan Market has a small number of free-range heritage birds from Mary's in Fresno, California. (Looks like Narragansetts and Bourbon Reds from the website.) They sell for $5.99 per pound, and come in sizes from around 7 to 16 pounds. Call the Met meat departments fast if you want to get your hands on one -- they only had around 30 birds to start with.

If you'd like to add a little something to your holiday table, you'll find that these serving pieces - in white porcelain, cream stoneware, stainless steel, polished aluminum, molded plastic, silicon and glass - will mix easily with most any table setting.

Champagne Bucket

Chill your bubbly for New Year's Even with the Ice ORb, a gravity-defying vertical ice tray. $16.95, Metropolitan Market

If your least favorite part of Thanksgiving is cooking the bird then why not buy it cooked this year? There are several stores and restaurants that will do all or part of your holiday cooking for you. It’s easy, convenient and a lot less messy!

To gobble, gobble, gobble and not cook, cook, cook this holiday season. Here are some places you can obtain pre-cooked turkeys and all the fixins.

* Metropolitan Market

Seattle, Tacoma & Federal Way locations

Metropolitan Market is offering fresh, oven ready, Turkey, Prime Rib and Ham. Free delivery is available throughout the city of Seattle. Modest delivery charges may apply to outlying areas. Thanksgiving meal delivery is available on Wednesday, November 26 from 7:00am-6:00pm only. Free pick-up at any of their six Metropolitan Market Locations – Admiral, Queen Anne, Uptown, Sandpoint, Proctor or Dash Point. Orders will be available for pick-up on Wednesday, November 26 from 10:00am-6:00pm and on Thanksgiving Day, November 27 from 8:30am-1:00pm.

If your least favorite part of Thanksgiving is cooking the bird then why not buy it cooked this year? There are several stores and restaurants that will do all or part of your holiday cooking for you. It’s easy, convenient and a lot less messy!

To gobble, gobble, gobble and not cook, cook, cook this holiday season. Here are some places you can obtain pre-cooked turkeys and all the fixins.

Metropolitan Market is offering fresh, oven ready, Turkey, Prime Rib and Ham. Free delivery is available throughout the city of Seattle. Modest delivery charges may apply to outlying areas. Thanksgiving meal delivery is available on Wednesday, November 26 from 7:00am-6:00pm only. Free pick-up at any of their six Metropolitan Market Locations – Admiral, Queen Anne, Uptown, Sandpoint, Proctor or Dash Point. Orders will be available for pick-up on Wednesday, November 26 from 10:00am-6:00pm and on Thanksgiving Day, November 27 from 8:30am-1:00pm.

Best Hands-On Training for Mundane Grown-Up Task

Metropolitan Market Exhibit at The Children’s Museum

(Lower Queen Anne, 305 Harrison St.; 206.441.1768)

Teach the wee ones to fend for themselves (someday) at the Children’s Museum’s recently unveiled 740-square-foot mini “Metropolitan Market.” Little fellas and gals can peruse fuzzy peaches, assemble felt-slice sandwiches and bring mommy fresh (fake) flowers. Reusable shopping bag not included.

Best Breakfast Yogurt as Dessert

The Greek Gods

Honey Yogurt (available at Whole Foods or Metropolitan Market)

It’s stick-to-your-spoon thick, with a rich smoothness that’s akin to ice cream, only not so cold. The reason Greek Gods, made in Mountlake Terrace, is the nation’s fastest-growing natural food yogurt is not because it’s healthy (even though it is). Just like the original family recipe, there are no artificial ingredients or fructose, just lots of delicious fat (you know, the good kind).

The holidays are my favorite time of year, but they are usually a bit hectic. You never know when unexpected guests may pop in, so there is no better time than the present to be fully prepared. Outside of sharpening your knives, pressing your linens and always keeping a bottle of champagne chilled and at the ready, here are a few gadgets and tools that will save you time and money this holiday season:

Quick Alternative Dessert for Kids this Holiday

I love ice cream and cupcakes, but these little babies are charming! Even though I like cake I find that usually people serve large slices. That’s why I prefer cupcakes to cake. This would also be a fun project for kids for the holidays and a fun alternative to pumpkin pie. Put out all of the toppings and let them decorate their own ice cream cupcake.

Shopping list:

Bakeware Cupcake Cones, from Queen Anne Metropolitan Market, $32.95 (1908 Queen Anne Ave N ?Seattle, 206-284-2530, www. metropolitan-market.com).