Cajun Thanksgiving/Deep-Fried Turkey

Leo Honeycutt, Louisiana's Shade Tree Chef, recommends deep-frying your turkey and flavoring it with Cajun spices. Add a sweet potato casserole and bread pudding for even more Southern flavor.

He offers some how-to recipes, as well as safety tips for novice fryers.

As "turkey fry kits" come down in price, sales are skyrocketing from buyers wishing to deep fry their own turkey, chicken and pork, Leo says. Also up are incidents of fires, explosions and serious injuries. Holidays through Super Bowl are especially critical.

To explain very serious safety measures Leo is traveling the country warning consumers about the dangers of major league frying, as well as how to make the experience delicious.

"As the turkey frying craze escalates," says Leo, "people seem to forget they're using a highly volatile gas under pressure. This inherent danger demands immediate respect."

Leo gives these quick OUTDOOR BURNER SAFETY TIPS:

Never place an open-flame burner of any kind inside any building, including the garage;

Never place the burner on a wooden deck or near anything flammable;

Stabilize the burner on level ground as low as possible;

Make sure all propane gas fittings are tight with no leaks;

Keep children and pets away from the open flame;

Never leave an operating turkey fryer unattended. NEVER. Take the TV or radio outside to listen to the game;

Never heat oil to above 375-degrees;

Never put frozen or partially-thawed meat into boiling oil. The combination of ice and hot oil could create an explosion and cause oil to boil over and ignite. Always thaw meat COMPLETELY;

Always use safety gloves and metal hook to retrieve turkey