I don't know how it is, but despite the Christmas paraphernalia that appears in stores in August and the Halloween decorations all over my doctor's office and the press releases from the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line, Thanksgiving always kind of sneaks up on me.

Here's a sobering thought: Week after next, you probably ought to be scribbling "turkey" on your grocery list (because it takes several days to thaw the thing out, remember?).

Unless you're vegetarian, the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving meal is set: It's turkey. But most families have a side dish or two that's also a tradition. I'd like to share some of these with readers who may be looking for a change this year and I'm hoping the Food for Thought 'ohana will help.

What are the side dishes that are traditional — and maybe a little unusual — in your house?

I know one family that always celebrates Thanksgiving on the beach, so they have their turkey with potato salad. I know Texans for whom Thanksgiving would not be complete without lime Jell-O salad, and Midwesterners who have to have cocktail onions in cream sauce. Some Hispanic families add tamales to the mix. And lots of people have to have that green bean casserole with the canned fried onions on top.

So, please, send in your recipes for the salads, vegetables, breads or rolls, starches, condiments or other side dishes without which your holiday meals would not be complete. (No desserts.) I need them by Nov. 15.

Meanwhile, here's a quick and easy biscuit that I'll probably take to Thanksgiving dinner at my friend Bonnie's house. I've made these for brunches with eggs and breakfast meats and people really appreciate fresh-baked hot bread. For the lightest rolls, use a high-starch, low-gluten flour, ground from soft winter wheat, such as White Lily (available at www.whitelily.com) or cake flour, but all-purpose flour is OK, too.

Butter dips: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place butter in a 9-by-9-inch heat-proof baking dish and place in oven to melt. Meanwhile, sift 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium-size bowl. Using a fork, stir in 1 cup milk until dough just clings together (about 30 strokes). Remove butter from oven and set on heat-proof surface. Turn dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly about 8 times. Roll gently into a 12-by-8-by-1/2-inch rectangle. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut across in strips. Drag each strip through melted butter, then roll up (jelly-roll-style). Set rolls next to each other in the buttered pan, fitting them snugly together. Bake 7-10 minutes or so, until golden brown. Serve piping hot.

Makes 12 servings.