How NOT to fry a turkey...

1. Ignore your wife when she tells you to heat the oil to 350 degrees. Instead, heat oil to 550 degrees.

2. Why doesn't the packaging or receipt give the weight of the turkey? Lets weigh it this way!

3. Rub Cajun seasoning all over turkey. (this is one of the only things done right)

4. Lower turkey in oil. So far so good. (Ignore again that oil is supposed to be at 350).

5. Check to see if turkey is done. When the turkey starts to slip off the drainer, grab drainer with your hand.... 2nd degree burns did ensue for Jarom. (Probably wouldn't have been so bad if the oil hadn't been 200 degrees hotter than it was supposed to be!)

6. Turkey isn't quite done so lets put it back in. Oops, went in a little too fast, splash, ouch, Uncle Bob got a grease burn on his nose.

7. Leave turkey in another 5 minutes....

8. Raise your newly formed charcoal briquette out of the oil.

9. Try to salvage the remaining turkey once you chisel through the burnt outside. Never mind the fact that all of the Cajun seasoning is now burnt completely up.

10. Nurse wounds the rest of the evening.

Our casualtiesI'm glad we did a practice run before Thanksgiving! It would not have been fun trying to find a cooked turkey on Thanksgiving Day an hour before our meal! I do need to mention that Jarom and Uncle Bob finally realized the oil was too hot, let it cool and cooked chicken quarters to golden crispy perfection. That will be Monday's dinner.

This was Addie's favorite part of the meal. Actually, we had put a straw in it so she could have some of Jarom's and then he set it back on the coffee table and was watching TV while I cleaned dishes. I came in to grab some more dishes and this is what I found. Addie had pulled up to the table and was helping herself.