Don't brine the turkey if you are deep frying. We never brine when deep frying. Instead inject it with butter or whatever seasonings you would normally use. You can probably get an injection kit at your local grocery.

I'm no help on the gravy since I don't usually make that. And I can't think of a cranberry/pecan dessert.

Two appetizer ideas: jalapenos with cream cheese wrapped in bacon... you just clean the jalapeno, stuff with cream cheese, wrap the bacon and then toss on the grill. Yum. Or do something simple like a cheese and cracker/bread tray.

Honestly, that bird will need no gravy. It will be so juicy and amazing and the cranberry sauce will taste MUCH better with the fried bird then gravy would. It would be like putting ketchup on a steak! Plus, you are making blue cheese mashed potatoes which would not NEED gravy either. I think you are good to go

You don't need to brine the turkey either if you are deep frying it. I don't think it would hurt though. I guess most importantly is to make sure the bird is dried before putting it in the oil or the water splatters and that means OUCH.

Cajun injector. Got to, makes it the best deep fried turkey ever. It's the only way to go http://www.cajuninjector.com/

If you want to make just a simple gravy from a packet so that those who are tied to having gravy can, you could just do that, but honestly the deep fried bird will not need gravy.

My gma always makes rice dressing with giblets and it's amazing and pretty easy.

As far as desserts, Cooking light had a recipe for a cranberry upside down cake (http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&...) she could throw in some pecans to the topping.

appetizer you could do baked brie.

Oh and here are some step by step instructions. I forgot that my dad always puts Tony's all over the outside of the bird before frying. (http://www.cajuninjector.com/turkey-frying-techniques.html)

I just remembered last year I made Tyler Florence's turkey wing gravy. Maybe I will make that again.

1. I was going to say for gravy, just do chicken stock?!
2. I had this delish app at a local restaurant.. it was warmed goat cheese sprinkled with toasted almonds... warm bruschetta mix and little mini toast cracker things. It was soooooo good.
3. A pecan, cranberry tart?

baked brie is GOOOOOOD!

I don't know if it's a southern thing, but I always had this growing up in Louisiana as an appetizer... a slab of cream cheese with pepper jelly on top, served with crackers. YUM!

I LOVE cream cheese and pepper jelly! Then again, I am southern.

Ok. It's official. I am now craving it. Think they sell pepper jelly in Maryland???

I don't know, but if you can't find it, I'll send you some.

Thanks!

I would recommend not brining the turkey. Inject it with spices as mentioned by previous posters. Unless you brined the turkey and let it dry as Alton suggested, the moisture could be a disaster when the turkey hits the oil. Deep fried turkey won't need a gravy (so, so tasty) but a gravy for rolls and mashed potatoes is always a need for me at Thanksgiving.

1) I generally make a roux with a base of butter or oil and build on that for my gravies. The best received is actually a sauce for beef that I traditionally make along with a giblet dressing for Thanksgiving, but I've also made pear and peach gravies based on the same roux formula - 1/4 c of fat + 1/4 c flour + 2 or 3 c of stock + flavorings. (Beef sauce gravy listed below - it is very, very good on turkey - it's what my dad serves with deep fried turkey, and potatoes and rolls.)

2) The pepper jelly everyone recommended made me pick up a jar at Whole Foods tonight. I can't wait for a bit of that over cream cheese tomorrow! (I, too, am from the South). Proscuitto-wrapped-goat-cheese-stuffed dates are also quick and yummy. Our starters were always some chips, crudites, and dip, so when I have done appetizers, it's been something along these lines, like garlic aioli with chips and crudites.

3) There's been an influx of fruit pies with cranberries (apple or pear pie with cranberry) that look and sound delicious. My cranberries have always ended up as a side dish, but these always look good.

Very Hot Cajun Sauce for Beef (i.e. Courtney's Thanksgiving Gravy, from Paul Prudhomme)

¾ cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped green bell peppers
¼ cup chopped celery
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
¼ cup minced jalapeno peppers
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 cups chicken stock

Combine the onions, bell peppers and celery in a small bowl and set aside while you start the roux.
In a heavy 2 quart saucepan heat the oil over medium-low heat to 250°. With a metal whisk, whisk in the flour a little at a time until smooth. Continue Cooking, whisking constantly, until roux is light brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to let the roux scorch. Remove from the heat and with a spoon immediately stir in the vegetable mixture and the red, white, and black peppers; return the pan to high heat and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the bay leaves, jalapeno peppers and garlic, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
In a separate 2-quart saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Add the roux mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring until dissolved between each addition. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce reduces to 3 ½ cups, about 15 minutes. Skim any oil from top and serve immediately.

Makes about 6 servings.

I feel privileged to live in New Orleans now, though I'm a Yankee. We had homemade gumbo yesterday before the meal. Our turkey was not deep fried; it was oven roasted - and wrapped in bacon. I hope everyone else had a meal as delicious as ours was!

Notme, that sounds so lovely! I was actually only cooking for my husband and me so I made a small boneless turkey. I injected it with cajun injector and rubbed tony's all over the outside, roasted it in the oven and it was the moistest roasted turkey I've ever had! We didn't even need the gravy.