I have never cooked or fried a turkey because we're always gone to families' homes either in AR or OK. This year we're staying home for the first time in 29 years. I'm starting to build up some intimidation. Gotta figure it out quick!

There will be a ton of food here and a house full of Arkies and Okies, might as well stay in the routine and join us Tom.

However my in-laws cook it is how I'll eat it. Best part is I'll be dragging my boat to Del Rio to visit so even a bad day on Amistad trumps a lousy meal.

No turkey just smoked ham.

Watch me, bro....I may take you up on that offer. Do you serve pumpkin pie?

I've done mine in a Big Easy for years -- ever since somebody in the OT (Tman maybe) discovered one and told us about it. I think the TFF/OT bought out every store in the Metromess within a few days.

It ain't Thanksgiving without it, but we actually buy the pies from an Amish lady. Any kind you can think of, she delivers a couple hundred to work every year. Pulls up in the parking lot on her tractor pulling an old trailer made out of a 60's model Chevy truck bed. Best pies in the world!

So you get your shine from the Amish?

I bet it's the same Amish community right there off of 412, the big white house that has a sit down restaurant inside. I've bought a lot of goodies from there but never ate their reg food. I bet it's delicious, though. Is that the place?

You’re not the only one by a long shot.

I know where you're talking about Okie, and it's terrific. You have to have at least 20 people I think to make reservations and it's really good and not expensive. But the pie lady is a different deal, she's a one person baking machine.

I purchased four young hen Butter Balls that will be Coon Arse fried. We will have a big crowd.

Mine are in the brine now for about 36 hours will smoke them tomorrow and freeze them for the trip to Iowa, tried smoking them up there last year and could not get the smoker over 150 degrees,it’s hard to smoke anything when it’s 10 degrees out,got a little smoke on them last year then fried them with the other turkeys,came out pretty good.

Smoked

14 pound fresh organic grown bird, brined for 8 hours in a mixture of water, salt, sugar, sliced jalopenos, smoked on my Primo grill at 300 degrees for about 2 1/2 hours, scrumshish.!!