For the traditional Thanksgiving, you buy the turkey, drop it in a roasting pan, and feverishly attempt to keep it from drying out. But new holiday traditions may be emerging. Search and the Internet have coupled to assist amateur cooks, and the humdrum holiday bird and the conventional method of roasted turkey preparation are being challenged.

Searches on Turducken are up 281% over the last week. This gluttonous consolidation of a chicken stuffed inside a duck stuffed inside a turkey flies high every Thanksgiving. Adventurous diners looking to break out of the traditional roasted turkey rut look to broaden their culinary horizons with this poultry entree. Also a popular search within Yahoo! Shopping, the mail order versions of this overstuffed treat are always hot with folks who are pressed for time. Other popular searches popping up every November include “Turducken Recipe” and “Cajun Turducken.”

Another trend we notice as Thanksgiving looms closer is an increase in searches on Tofurky. This vegan alternative to turkey probably won’t be sitting next to the mashed potatoes and gravy on traditional dinner tables. But as the vegetarian lifestyle continues to gain acceptance and cooks look for alternatives to a real bird, the humble soy loaf molded in the shape of a roast turkey always surges in searches.

However, when it comes of non-traditional turkey preparation, the real star in the kitchen is deep-fried turkey. Word of this cooking method started bubbling up into the mainstream a few years back, and thanks to search and the Web, finding the supplies and instructions for dropping your entire turkey in boiling oil became a snap. Now, we see big spikes each November as people look for “Turkey Fryers,” “Deep Fried Turkey,” and “How to Deep Fry a Turkey.”

Here are some other popular turkey-related queries to assist in your holiday preparation this year:

*Brining a Turkey
*Smoked Turkey
*How to Carve a Turkey
*Turkey Marinade

and of course…

*Leftover Turkey Recipes

Whichever way you choose to prepare your feast, we know that search will help you find the sizzling hot tips you’ll need to make your Thanksgiving something worth being thankful about.

What do you have in mind for your turkey? Or will you be dining on something completely contrarian? Serve up a side dish and let us know in the comments.

Erik Gunther
Yahoo! Buzz Index Editor