Thanksgiving Dinner!

Deep frying a turkey may sound like a strange concept, but trust me, it doesn't come out like you'd think. Deep fried turkey is moist and delicious and not at all greasy. Of course, an idea like fried turkey originated in the south, the frying capital of the United States, but it is gaining popularity nationwide.

You Will Need
In addition to a turkey, you'll need a 40 or 60 quart pot with basket or turkey frying hardware, plus a propane gas tank and burner, a candy/deep fry thermometer, a meat thermometer and lots of oil. Use oils that have a high smoke point, such as corn, peanut or canola oils.

You should also keep a fire extinguisher and plenty of heavy duty pot holders nearby. An injector to add marinades and seasonings to the meat is also good to have, although you can make a plain turkey without it.

As far as the turkey itself goes, smaller birds work better for frying. Try not to go over 15 pounds.

For the most flavorful birds, Before cooking you can inject the turkey with your favorite marinade (see below) and/or rub it with a dry spice rub. You will also need about 3 1/2 - 5 gallons of oil in which to fry the turkey (see "How To Fry" Below).

Where to Fry
Because so much oil is flammable, you should never fry a turkey indoors. Place the fryer, outdoors, on a level dirt or grassy area. Avoid frying on wood decks, which could catch fire. You will also want to avoid concrete surfaces, unless you don't mind oil stains. Always keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

Before You Fry
Before beginning, (and before you even season or marinate your turkey) determine the amount of oil you'll need by placing the turkey in the basket (or on the hanger, depending on the type of fryer you are using) and putting it in the pot. Add water until it reaches about two inches above the turkey. Remove the turkey and note the water level by using a ruler to measure the distance from the top of the pot to the surface of the water. Remove the water and thoroughly dry the pot. Now add enough oil to equal what the water level was without the turkey in the pot.

How to Fry

Using the candy thermometer to determine temperature, heat the oil to about 325°F and no higher than 350°F. This usually takes between 20 to 30 minutes. Once the oil is hot enough, place the turkey in the basket or on the turkey hanger (follow instructions that came with your turkey frying kit) and slowly lower it into the pot.

Not let her fry. With whole turkeys, you can estimate on about three minutes per pound to cook. Remove turkey and check the temperature with a meat thermometer. The temperature should reach 170° F. in the breast and 180° F. in the thigh.

Using an Injector to Marinade Your Turkey
An injector, which resembles a large hypodermic needle, allows you to inject a marinade directly into the meat. While you can make a fried turkey without this step and get a moist bird, it won't be as flavorful as if you take the time to inject your bird with marinade about a half hour or so before frying.

While we tried many of the injector needles on the market, the plastic models are our favorite. We found that the metal needles break easily and these tend to be more flexible. We found ours at a dollar store.

Fill your syringe with marinade and inject it into both sides of the breast, the legs and the thighs of the turkey. Don't be afraid to move the needle around to get the marinade into the whole bird. Sometimes it's easier to get the thighs from the inside of the cavity.


Garlic Smashed Potatoes

You can use red or gold baby potatoes. They are the easiest because you do not need to peel or chop them, just throw them in a pot of water and boil unitl fork tender. A few minutes before the potatoes are finshed, in a saucepan add milk or cream, depending on how many potatoes and and 4-6 cloves of garlic. Let it come up to a simmer to slightly cook the garlic and heat the milk. Once you have drained the potatoes, smash them a bit with a potato smasher then add a lot of butter, salt and pepper. Add the milk a little at a time and smash, you want to have lumps. Sprinkle some fresh snipped chives and mix in. Yes, use cream and butter...it's Thanksgiving!

Stuffing

My thoughts on stuffing; can live without it. Have not met a stuffing that I liked except for Stove Top...Ha! So, I do not have a good recipe because I will not make it. No one in my family likes stuffing. Freshly bakes rolls is a must!

Coconut Cream Pie

This is such an easy pie to make and it is yummy! If you do not make pie crust, buy the pillsbury pie crust. Lay out the crust in a pie pan and follow baking directions. This is a one crust pie, so you cook the crust before hand and cool. A trick for the crust not to shrink is to put dried bean on the bottom layer of the pie crust. Make sure you let the beans and crust cool before taking the beans out, or your crust will slide out of the pan.

Filling:
1 box vanilla pudding: the kind you cook, not the instant. Follow the directions on the box. Once the pudding firms up, add 1 cup of coconut to the pudding. Put wax paper over the top and put in the frig until it sets up. Overnight is perfect. Before serving, toast some coconut in the oven to make the top pretty. Cover the pie with cool whip and top with toasted coconut. This pie is always a big hit!

Green Beans

No green bean casserole for me please! I like fresh green beans with sauteed onions and sliced almonds. Cut the ends off the green beans and boil for 5-8 minutes until tender; drain. Cut a whole white onion and sautee in olive oil, salt, pepper and the secret ingredient, 2 tbsp of soy sauce. Cook the onions until they are carmalized. Add the green beans to the onions, adding olive oil or a little more soy sauce as needed. Heat the green beans through. I always add a pinch of cayenne pepper and sliced almonds right at the end.

Butternut Squash

I would take baked butternut squash over yams any day. Cut the butternut squash open lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 45 minutes or until tender. Let it cool slightly then cut into cubes and serve with melted butter and freshly ground nutmeg.

Apple Pie

The recipe is on my favorite sites. I always make a apple pie, chocolate pie for my husband and father-in-law and coconut cream pie. This year I am adding a pumpkin pie as well.

This is my ideal Thanksgiving Dinner. I can't wait until my kids are older and everyone comes over for dinner at my house!

My fondest Thanksgiving memory was when I was a kid and we were over at our friends having Thanksgiving in Washington State. The electricity went out and my mom and mom's friend made Thanksgiving dinner on the wood stove. It was snowing outside and we had a house full of kids. I am sure it was not the funnest time for our moms, but as kids, that was pretty cool!

Happy Thanksgiving!