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Mine too. I'm about to go grocery shopping and I'm making a list. I think I should eat something unless I want to come home with half of the store. lol!

Fruit Salad

12 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 dry pint fresh raspberries (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 kiwi, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Toss the strawberries, raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a medium bowl to combine. Let stand until juices form, tossing occasionally, about 15 minutes. Add the kiwi.

Spoon the fruit mixture into 4 dessert bowls. Dollop the whipped cream, sprinkle with the almonds and serve.

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

3 lb red new potatoes, unpeeled (but any type works)
1 tbs + 2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup half & half
1/4 lb unsalted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Place potatoes and 1 tbs salt in a dutch oven and add water to cover. Boil, lower heat and simmer covered for 30-45 minutes of until potatoes are tender. Drain.

If you have a mixer with a paddle (like KitchenAid) this really makes the taters an easy recipe. Place potatoes in mixer and mix for a few seconds to break them up. In a small pan, heat the half & halfand butter. Add them slowly to the potatoes. The last 1/4 of cream should be folded in by hand. Fold in the sour cream, cheese, 2 tsp of salt, and pepper. Serve warm.

Cajun Deep Fried Turkey

1/2 Cup kosher salt
3 Tablespoons onion powder
3 Tablespoons black pepper
3 Tablespoons white pepper
2 Tablespoons sweet basil
2 Teaspoons bay leaves ground
1 Tablespoon cayenne pepper
2 Teaspoons file powder
3 Tablespoons garlic powder
1 1/2 Tablespoons paprika
1 10-12 Pound WHOLE TURKEY
4 to 5 Gallons peanut oil See Note

1. Stir salt, herbs and peppers together. Mix until well blended. Use 1/2 to 2/3 cup for a 10-12 pound turkey. May be stored for several months in an airtight covered jar.

2. Remove the giblets and neck, rinse the turkey well with cold water and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Take care to dry both inside cavities. Place in a large pan and rub the interior and exterior of the bird with seasoning mix. To allow for good oil circulation through the cavity, do not truss or tie legs together. Cut off the wing tips and plump little tail as they may get caught in the fryer basket. Cover pan and place in refrigerator overnight.

3. Place the OUTDOOR gas burner on a level dirt or grassy area. Never fry a turkey indoors, in a garage or in any structure attached to a building. Do not fry on wood decks, which could catch fire, or concrete, which could be stained by the oil. (Safety tip: have a fire extinguisher nearby for added safety.)

4. Add oil to a 7-10 gallon pot with a basket or rack. At the medium-high setting, heat the oil to 375 degrees F., (depending on the amount of oil, outside temperature and wind conditions, this should take about 40+ minutes).

5. Meanwhile, place the turkey in a basket or on a rack, neck down.

6. When the oil temperature registers 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer, slowly lower the turkey into the hot oil. The level of the oil will rise due to the frothing caused by the moisture from the turkey but will stabilize in about one minute. (Safety tips: to prevent burns from the splattering oil wear oven mitts/gloves, long sleeves, heavy shoes and even glasses. It is wise to have two people lowering and raising the turkey.)

7. Immediately check the oil temperature and increase the flame so the oil temperature is maintained at 350 degrees F. If the temperature drops to 340 degrees F. or below, oil will begin to seep into the turkey.

8. Fry about 3-4 minutes per pound, or about 35-42 minutes for a 10-12 pound turkey. Stay with the cooker at all times as the heat must be regulated.

9. When cooked to 170 degrees F. in the breast or 180 degrees F. in the thigh, carefully remove the turkey from the hot oil. Allow the turkey to drain for a few minutes. (Safety tip: allow the oil to cool completely before storing or disposing.)

10. Remove turkey from the rack and place on a serving platter. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before carving.

11. NOTE: Use only oils with high smoke points, such as peanut, canola or safflower oil. To determine the correct amount of oil, place the turkey in the pot before adding seasoning and add water until turkey is covered. Measure the amount of water and use a corresponding amount of oil. Dry the pot thoroughly of all water.

Serves 12

Pumpkin Maple Cake with Candied Pecans and Caramel Sauce

2 1/2 C. unbleached flour
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1/2 t. allspice
1 3/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ground cloves
2 t. nutmeg
6 oz. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 C. sugar
3 eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/2 C. maple syrup
1 3/4 C. canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
1/2 t. maple flavoring

Caramel Sauce, optional (recipe follows)
Candied Pecans, optional (recipe follows)

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350° F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment or wax paper. Butter pan and paper. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, allspice, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. With a mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Add syrup, pumpkin and maple flavoring, and mix until combined.

In a separate, clean bowl, beat whites until soft peaks form. Fold flour mixture into butter mixture, then fold in whites. Pour into pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until pick comes out clean. Cool cake for 30 minutes. Serve plain or top slices with Caramel Sauce and Candied Pecans.

Candied Pecans

6 C. large pecan pieces
3/4 C. sugar
3/4 C. brown sugar
3/4 t. salt
4 t. cinnamon
1/2 C. melted margarine

Preheat oven to 325° F. In a bowl, combine all ingredients, tossing until well-mixed. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake, tossing frequently, for 10 to 12 minutes, until pecans are crunchy. Cool thoroughly before storing in an airtight container.

Caramel Sauce

2 1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. water
3 C. whipping cream
2 t. vanilla
1/4 C. plus 2 T. maple syrup
2 t. maple flavoring
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. salt

Put sugar and water in a nonreactive pan over medium-low heat, and stir until sugar dissolves. Cover pan and cook, checking frequently,10 to 15 minutes until mixture turns amber. Remove lid and cook, watching closely, until it is deep amber. Keep warm over lowest setting. In a pan over low heat, combine cream, vanilla, syrup, flavoring, lemon juice and salt. Add caramelized sugar in a thin stream, stirring. Simmer for 5 minutes. Store refrigerated; bring to room temperature before serving.

Makes 12 servings. You should only need half of the nuts, so you can half the recipe if you desire.