I’m all in when it comes to smoking ducks and frying turkeys—it’s my thing. But I have to tell you it wasn’t easy this year. The weather was cold and wet. Keeping the smoker at the right temp was a battle, and the fryer took forever to heat up.

But for me, no challenge is too big when it comes to the feast. I stuck it out, got everything cooked, and the food? Totally worth it. Thanksgiving mission accomplished!