Karma is a bitch sometimes....

As some of you might already know B and I have tried unsuccessfully to rescue and rehabilitate two late hatching bantam chicks that got severely pecked by a hen that wouldn't take them into her brood. The first was so injured I'm actually surprised it didn't die right away.
The second appeared to be less injured and surprised us by living through the night.

We decided to name her Stevsie after that first night.

Love and Hope blossomed and twined around my heart as each day progressed. Four days and four nights are more than enough time it seems to become entwined in those two emotions. I began making plans for Stevsie's return with us to Asheville and thinking of how to keep her safe from cats and dogs until we could find her a good home amongst the growing community of urban chicken keepers there.

Really though, I could tell yesterday that she was getting weaker, not stronger.

As a matter of fact little Stevsie died this morning in my hands. The little chick just wouldn't wake up this morning and shuddered her last peep as my tears fell on her soft downy body.
I am still crying as I type.
On to the Karma bit.
The hen that pecked the three chicks and ultimately killed them was herself killed by a neighborhood dog last night. It was quick but there you have it.
The flip side is if we can catch them we will have the 4 bantam chicks from her brood-all healthy thank goodness-to take home.
Big Daddy D's gonna love it dontcha think?
I at least have the beginnings of a smile again.
How's that for Karma?

Make mine Grandma Fried!

You know how some foods just take you back? One of those for me is fried chicken. For some reason it has always seemed a scary and slightly dangerous endeavor, one cooking challenge I did not feel up to. That is saying something for me. I am generally intrepid, full of confidence when it comes to preparing food.
And yet, and yet.
Actually I did make fried chicken one time, now that I think about it. I was 12, not yet 13 I know, and had found a recipe that called for a wet batter and deep hot oil. I remember that the chicken turned out just fine but I was disappointed-I thought it would be more like KFC and it was actually like Long John Silver's battered fish fillets. Oh well. I did not have enough experience cooking at that time to make judgment calls based on just reading a recipe. I don't remember what else I fixed that night, probably mashed potatoes and something green but my older sister's boyfriend liked it and that thrilled me to no end.
That one attempt satisfied my desire to cook fried chicken, after all my grandma made it often(and way better) and I could go eat hers anytime-she would make it special if you asked just right. And believe me we asked.
My grandma had a stroke 8 years ago, the day before Maggie was born actually, and hasn't made fried chicken since.
Last night I made fried chicken(for the first time in 'gasp' 25 years) that was almost as good as hers-the only difference being her presence missing from the process. It was crazy good. It was difficult to keep enough back to feed Big Daddy D we liked it so much. I was so amazed and impressed with myself I am sure I was slightly difficult to deal with for several minutes.

Then I looked in the oven at my peach cake and came quickly back to Earth. What a mess! Tasty though.

Grandma Fried Chicken (you know, like Southern fried, only better!)

First melt 2/3 cup or so of solid shortening(I use Crisco though I do know from personal experience that lard is tastier!) in a 10-12" cast iron skillet over medium high heat.

Then get started on:

2 1/2-3 lbs of chicken cut up(I got a pack of legs on sale and that worked just fine)liberally seasoned with salt and pepper

Dip the chicken pieces in:

3 eggs, well beaten

Then coat the chicken well in:

1 1/2 cups of AP flour, liberally seasoned with salt and pepper and if you are feeling frisky some cayenne, sage, onion powder and garlic powder-I am always feeling frisky!

Place the chicken in the hot(around 350degrees)oil and let brown on one side-about 5 minutes or so and turn. TURN THE HEAT DOWN TO MEDIUM LOW. Put the lid on your skillet(surely you have a pot lid that will fit) and continue to steam-fry for about 15-20 more minutes til your meat thermometer tells you the temp is close to perfect( a few degrees shy is better than over cause carry over cooking will finish but you can never uncook it you know) and remove to a clean plate.

Pour off most of the oil(you keep your old cans for that right?) trying to keep most of the crusty bits in the skillet. Return skillet to stove and add 2-3 tablespoons of your seasoned flour or fresh if you threw it out the other stuff already, and stir, cooking the flour for a few seconds til lightly browned. Salt and pepper again and then slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly, until your gravy has reached the desired consistency. No measurements here folks but be ready to use up to 2 cups of milk or combination of milk and water-it just varies depending on how much flour you used, how much oil you left in the pan and -believe it or not- the weather.

Serve the chicken and gravy with biscuits and whatever veggies you like-we had rutabagas last night.

Don't you want the recipe for the Peach Cake? It is so good of course you do. And here is your chance to learn from my mistake too!

First off you need to defrost the 2 cups peaches you put up in the freezer 3 summers ago now. If you didn't happen to crazy that year with 2 bushels of the best damn peaches in years then just use some from the freezer section of your grocery store-don't used canned peaches-please please please don't.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees

Butter! a 10 inch deep dish pie plate-deep dish I am telling you! Just look at the mess above and learn from my thinking that it wouldn't matter!

Sift together in a medium bowl:

1 1/2 cups naturally white whole wheat flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder(again I use aluminum free cause i worry about it)

1 tsp kosher salt(if you have fine grain salt use just 1/2 tsp)

set aside

In your mixer combine at medium low speed:

6 tbsp softened unsalted butter

1 cup white sugar

til light and fluffy, then slowly add in at medium speed:

1 large egg, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk-also room temperature

When combined turn mixer to low and then slowly add in the dry ingredients, til just combined.

The batter is thick. Pour into the buttered pie plate and smooth the top.

Layer on the well drained peach slices and sprinkle liberally with more white sugar-up to about 1/4 cup depending on your sweet tooth.

Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees and then lower temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking for another 50-55 minutes.

Leave it in the pie plate and just scoop out your servings. Delicious eaten warm with whipped cream or ice cream too I would imagine. This keeps unrefrigerated for up to 48 hours though I seriously doubt it will last in any ones house for more than a day.

Enjoy!

Ruby Rushed & Crispy Chicken

First I would like to thank the academy, whoops, wrong thank you speech.

Thanks to WanderingGirl and Spellbound for their offers of help with finding my preferred hair color. I am glad to report that after my second stop today(a total 6 of stops in all over the past week)I found a freshly stocked drugstore shelf with 3 boxes of Ruby Rush. I exercised a smidge of restraint and bought only 2 of them so as to not leave another woman desperately searching for her color. Hmmm, honestly I have not seen another woman in the area-or man for that matter-with the same shade of red hair. I might have to go back and get that other box after all. My first task upon returning home was to lock my self in the bathroom and TaDa! Hair once again gloriously red root to tip and I feel magnificent darlings!

Also I have a confession.

Last night I cooked for the first time since Big Daddy D left for San Fransisco Friday. I know, hard to believe, but true nonetheless. We survived "gasp"on frozen pizza, chips and some left overs. Sometimes ya just gotta take a break ya know? Of course I am thinking now about how assaulting my body with all the stuff in convenience food and chips was not a good idea and probably did not help my mood/stress levels at all. I'll have to keep that in mind for the future(Big Daddy D takes at least 4-and often more-business trips every year). What is so amusing about the junk food and not cooking thing is that he is not home to eat most nights anyway. I mean, he gets home a little before 9 every night and eats whatever we girls had for supper, but it's not like we eat meals together. What was the difference really? Ah well, of course I know the difference-it was fun and we got to "sneak" and eat in ways that he would never approve of(he does not dictate our diet, don't think that-he just doesn't think Cheetos make for a good supper or a bowl of chocolate ice cream, for that matter). Truthfully I don't sanction it either, but I love the thrill of being naughty. Even if it was only with a frozen pizza. Ah well. Next time I'll just check my bedside drawer for a bit of naughty fun while he is away. My mood would have been improved I am sure. No I did not just say what you think I said. OK, OK, I did. ; }

Crispy Chicken

In large bowl or gallon size freezer bag combine:

2 T dry sherry
4 t soy sauce
2 t kosher salt
2 t sugar
4 green onions chopped fine-white and green parts
4 cloves garlic chopped fine-or use your garlic press people(surely you have one)
3+ T grated ginger(I keep mine in the freezer and grate it skin and all as I need it)

Into your bag or bowl add

2-3 lbs chicken thighs(again skin on please)this is also excellent for legs and wings-just joint the wings first

Make sure the meat is coated with the marinade and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to about 6 hours max, turning the meat occasionally to ensure even saturation

Heat your oven to 425 degrees

Place chicken skin side up on a rimmed sheet pan and bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes. For extra yumminess pour all the marinade in the pan and when the chicken is done, pour off some of the fat and deglaze the baking sheet for a wonderful pan sauce.

This is very good with rice and packs extremely well for lunches, tailgate parties and of course picnics.

I also made banana muffins last night. Would you like that recipe too?

Paprika Chicken

Here is one of my favorite chicken dishes and it is more a method rather than a recipe.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Chicken pieces(I use legs and occasionally thighs-leave the skin on please)

Here's the method part:

liberally salt your chicken and completely cover it with paprika and ground black pepper(I use the cheap stuff and could not imagine how delicious it could be with really prime paprika-if you splurge let me know!)

Place your chicken in a lightly oiled oven proof skillet or two-do not crowd the chicken(I use both of my cast iron skillets for this)

Put the chicken in the oven

After 15 minutes turn your chicken over

Let cook another 20 minutes.

Your chicken is done and delicious.

I always serve this with caramelized onions( usually 4-5 medium), english peas or brussel sprouts from the freezer, and crusty bread from the bakery as I have not even come close to mastering breads.

Tips for working with onions:

Freeze your onions for 30 minutes or so before you start slicing-if you work fast you can have those suckers sliced with your SUPER SHARP KNIFE before they warm up enough to send those tear making snot inducing fumes up to your face!
Plus you can cut them thinner when they are partially frozen.
Oh and to get the smell off your hands super easy you can do one of three things-buy one of those silly stainless steel eggs(but why?), rub your soapy hands thoroughly on the divider in your stainless steel sink or lastly (if you don't have a stainless sink)rub a stainless steel spoon in your hands as you wash them.

Stainless Steel is the bomb!

I cut onions nearly every day and trust me, these tricks do work.