#82 He Eats Dessert for Breakfast

My Thanksgiving was awesome.  So awesome, that I have been hesitating to post pictures because they are sure to bring about jealousy to anyone reading this who was not at my family's Thanksgiving feast.

And perhaps even to those who were there and wish they could relive it.

The day started with my family coming over my house decked out in their jammies ready to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade and eat breakfast.

Although we wouldn't be eating our dinner until late afternoon, a couple of turkeys showed up anyway.

The menu for breakfast had been planned out with care:

Oh yes, I forgot to mention.  Thanksgiving breakfast with my family is dessert, not breakfast.

Let me repeat.  We eat desserts for breakfast.

Yes, that was plural.  DessertS.

Now, before you begin thinking my family as totally crazy there is, of course, a story behind the madness.  When I was growing up, my Aunt Linda (whom you may remember from this post) and my mother would talk on the phone as they began their Thanksgiving feast preparations early in the morning.  The overwhelming temptation to taste their freshly baked pumpkin pies was among the highly important conversation topics.  Then one Thanksgiving, my aunt had enough.  When she called my mother that morning she told her, "Kathy, I did it.  I ate some of the pumpkin pie for breakfast!".   My mother joined in and soon the entire family was partaking in the tradition of eating dessert for breakfast on Thanksgiving.

My Aunt Linda has passed on.  Continuing the dessert tradition, in a way, is a piece of her still with us.  When I got married, I wanted to have Thanksgiving breakfast at my house.  I get a little carried away, and, well, Thanksgiving breakfast is no longer just a few simple pies.

It's apple cider donuts.

Chocolate trifles.

Pumpkin and chocolate chip bundts.

Cherry cheese pie.

Chocolate chip cookies.

And more!  It is with great sadness that I admit I didn't take pictures of the apple dumplings, the better-than-pumpkin-pie, or the delicious cinnamon rolls that my SIL, Kristina, and I worked painstakingly on during Thanksgiving Eve.

This Thanksgiving I had a "mini" theme going which is why most of the desserts pictured are bite-sized or in quantities of more than one.

Somehow, each year, despite the second and third helpings of dessert that we all enjoy, we still find the energy and drive to want to eat more only a few hours later.

If the dessert pictures were hard for you, this will probably be worse.

You've been warned.

This is contestant number one: the deep fried turkey.

But oh wait!  What is that behind contestant number one?  

It's everything you thought it was.  Contestant number two: the roasted turkey.

Unfortunately, there is no heart warming story behind the fact that my family makes two turkeys every year for Thanksgiving.  It is simply this: we like deep fried turkey, we like roasted turkey.

All we want is everything.  That's not to much to ask, right?

This year, my parents purchased a new turkey fryer.  The last one could only fry a 13-pound turkey.  The new one fries a 20-pound one.

So of course, we got a 20-pound turkey to deep fry.

It was a little hard for dad to get the other turkey out of the roasting pan.

I forgot to mention, the roasted turkey was 24-pounds.

I'm not sure what method of turkey lifting he is trying here.

All I know is I was really worried for the safety of that bird.

Even Justin was worried.

Carving a turkey has become a full family event.  It started as a special time between me and my dad, yet it has evolved into quite the show.

Some people work a little harder than others.

But this is always the end result.

I'm going to level with you here.  That's my fork in the bottom left corner of this photo.

I'm not ashamed.  This is the way I eat turkey.

Never at the table.

Never on a plate.

Once both of those 20-pound delights were carved basically bare, that was when I really began to dig in.

After all, right up against the bones is where the best pieces of meat are.

It's all about waste not, want not, right?

I hope your Thanksgiving table was as plentiful as ours!  I must admit, I'm longing for next year already.

#32 He Doesn't Like Deep Fried Turkey

Our Thanksgiving turkey for quite some time was cooked in the traditional format, in the oven. In those days, our eyes were blinded to the depth of possibilities in goodness that a turkey could have. Now, we feast on two birds.

I said it, two.

The traditional weighs in at at least 22-pounds, and don't get me wrong, I still love it. There is nothing quite like ripping a piece of roasted turkey off the bone as it drips with natural juice sent straight from heaven.

The deep fried turkey weighs in at a measly 13-pounds only because the deep fryer can't hold more. I'll try, but mere words do not work quite as well as the look on one's face and the sounds that are made after sampling a piece of deep fried turkey.

If a deep fried turkey is foreign to you, and the words do not make a symphony begin to instantly play as your heart starts to palpitate, my heart has just broken for you a little.

I'm not quite sure what sight could be lovelier than that.

Our deep fried turkey is Cajun injected. That means that aside from just being deep fried (which honestly, is awesome enough) it is injected (literally, like with a plastic needle and everything) with Cajun seasonings, and then my dad also coats it the night before in a Cajun rub.

Let not this word "Cajun" worry you. While it can be a little on the spicily flavorful side, it is not overpowering at all. In fact, the meat is made juicier than one could imagine possible. As a dark meat lover, I never eat white meat because I find it dry and boring, but from the deep fryer, I allow white meat upon my plate.

And, (hands over your eyes if you are a health freak) the skin is the absolute best part. Perfect crispness with delightful taste oozing from corner to corner.

My dad used to have to go outside to fry our turkey for the dreaded fear of fire. But last year, I found the bargain of all bargains that has made his life, and mine, full of deep fried enchantment.

While at my local Acme, my husband and I stumbled upon an electric turkey deep fryer that could be used indoors. We were stunned, flabbergasted in fact. Of course there are the tiny deep fryers that can be used indoor to fry things like french fries, chicken tenders, onion rings, hot wings....

(Do you think we do this often? Perhaps, every Fry-day? Seriously, we do.)

...but an electric deep fryer big enough to fry a 13-pound turkey and able to be used inside? We thought it was unheard of. Then we looked at the price and thought we were insane. $30.

After pulling my phone out to check the price online we realized that this fryer was going for about $110 everywhere else.

(Fortunately for you, I've found it today on Amazon.com and it is only $84.98:)

http://www.amazon.com/Cajun-Injector-Electric-Turkey-Fryer/dp/B002JQ3KQ4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_la_6

The fryer was instantly purchased (instantly, because it was the only one there and clearly anyone who had walked by this deal before us had taken leave of their senses momentarily). Life has not been quite the same since.

At our weekly "Fry-day" my dad will fry up hot wings in this fryer and we will sing praises for the goodness of flavor that fills our mouths.

But Thanksgiving is our deep fryers true time to shine. To those who are leery, you must try it at least once in your life. If for some reason you decide it is not heaven on earth as I claim, you may sit on the side of the table with my husband, otherwise known as the side reserved for wimps and health freaks.

And then that just means there is more deliciousness for me.