Black Friday

We didn't head out Friday morning for any doorbusters. It wasn't that Thursday still had my jeans busting at the seams, just that none of us were motivated to get up very early and head out into the madness. None of the ad papers had any must have at this price deals. It wasn't til around 5 p.m. that Roo actually did stumble on a sale item that she wanted...so we called Target but they were all sold out. It would be easy for me to add this to her Christmas list...but its a Dyson steam cleaner mop thing and I long swore off household appliances as gifts. For the first time since I believe we started dating, I have known what I wanted to get Roo for Christmas long before Black Friday (or better yet, the week of Christmas, which I admit has more than once been shopping time for me). The only problem is that the longer I have, the more I question my gift idea. The good news is that we are on the home stretch. I may still have stuffing and sweet potatoes on my palette by the smell of egg nog is in the air. Its now acceptable to tune into the 24 hour Christmas stations on the radio. Bring the decorations down from the attic and put them up around the house. Thanksgiving is over, Black Friday is upon us and yet all I really see is red and green.

Southern Fried Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving...and we have so much to be thankful for. We can complain about traffic or health care reform or the terrible performance of Jay Cutler (though I still contend its not his fault), but we are all a bit spoiled and nothing like Thanksgiving to remind us that we are blessed in so many ways. We are spending Thanksgiving in the country at Riley's parents and for the second year, I fried a turkey. I may never NOT fry a turkey on Thanksgiving again. If you haven't ever had fried turkey or have never fried one yourself, here's

how easy it is:

Step 1: Heat 4 gallons of peanut oil to 325 degrees. Do this outside.

Step 2: SLOWLY place completely thawed and turkey into pot. Turkey can be soaked in a brine overnight on the night before or injected with marinade. Use a paper towel to dry the surface of the turkey off before SLOWLY lowering into oil.

Step 3: Maintain the temperature of the pot at 325 degrees. Once you get over 375, you risk the oil starting to burn. The temperature will drop 25 degrees when you put the turkey in, the temp will go back up so don't increase the flame intensity too quickly too soon. Enjoy the smell.

Step 4: It takes about 3 and a half minutes per pound to cook. Strike up conversation with your father-in-law to pass the time.

Step 5: Remove turkey and turn off the gas on the fryer. Let turkey rest for 15 minutes then look up how to carve a turkey on YouTube because I didn't know...I mean if you don't know how.

Step 6: Enjoy the turkey. Be thankful.