1.) Make a paste of garlic, shallots, olive oil, thyme and parsley. Loosen the skin on the breast and rub the meat generously with the mixture. This will infuse the bird with flavor and help to keep it moist.

2.) Get a bird from a local farmer so you know how it has been raised.

3.) Don't let carry-over cooking ruin your bird. All cooked foods are subject to carry-over cooking-the cooking that continues to occur because of residual heat, after you've taken something off the stove or out of the oven. Poultry needs to be cooked to 150ºF to be considered safe to eat. If you leave it in the oven and allow it to cook to a temperature much higher than that, you risk a dry over-cooked turkey. Use a good quality properly calibrated thermometer to test the temperature of the turkey at the thickest part of the thigh. Take the bird out when it reaches 145ºF (but not lower) and let it continue to "cook" while it rests outside of the oven. You can always heat it up a little, but once it's overcooked, it's done.