Family Fried Food Extravaganza!

So yesterday, some of my loyal readers (hi mom-in-law and mom-in-law's co-worker) pointed out to me it had been 41 days since I updated my blog! Whoa! 

That got me thinkin'....

Noah coulda built an ark in that amount of time... 

and I haven't built anything in that amount of time...

I really haven't done much in that amount of time at all... 

but I have been able to spend some time with family....

and I have eaten several meals in the past 41 days.... 

including one that I'm sure my arteries haven't forgiven me for...

Enter the 

Family Fried Food Extravaganza!

(we didn't get t-shirts made, but looking back, an "I survived the Family Fried Food Extravaganza" memento seems appropriate)

Here's what happened: my dad takes an annual fishing trip where he a group of guys go spend a few days in boats and they bring back fish with the intention of freezing it and frying it before they go fishing again.

Needing the ability to fry large amount of fish, or using it as an excuse to buy a new toy that is propane powered, Dad got a turkey fryer.  

After we fried fish one weekend and realized how good it was, it got us to thinkin' about what else we could fry.  

And the 

Family Fried Food Extravaganza 

was born!

We actually started with homemade doughnuts so they wouldn't end up with a flavor of onion or hot dog.  (kudos to my mom for thinking of that before it was too late.... and who doesn't like to start a meal with dessert?)

We made cheese sticks, mini-corn dogs, 

 

...vegetables, mushrooms, onion rings ...

But we balanced it out with some chicken and beef kabobs and pasta salad along with homemade lemonade... delish!

We fried and ate all afternoon and then we'd take a break before we'd eat a little and then fry something else.

The young kids had a good time....

...playing with the big kids (their great-grandparents.)

But too much fried food can make a person sleepy and a blanket under a shade tree works for people of all sizes to take a snooze!

(disclaimer: while it was fun, I don't actually think this is a healthy diet.  Don't write me and tell me we're ruining our lives or setting these kids up for heart disease.  If you actually believe that, lighten up and have a doughnut.  After all, the family that fries together stays together!)