Thoughtful Thursday

"Great cooking is all about the three 'p's: patience, presence, and practice." she told me at one point.  Samin is a devoted student of yoga, and she sees important parallels in the mental habits demanded by both disciplines.
 From Cooked by Michael Pollan.

I found this quote by Pollan interesting because I had just had a conversation about how it used to be that cooking was the ultimate relaxation for me. I would walk into the kitchen and just lose myself to the experience. That has not been the case lately because it is difficult to lose yourself in something when Mom is following you around the kitchen asking for the tenth time what you are making and what she can do to help.  I know Samin was not speaking of this when she spoke of patience, presence and practice but this is how it relates to my life right now.

Dick and Jackie will be joining us for Fried Chicken tonight and then staying with Mom while we go to choir.

 

As always, I start with a whole chicken.

We raise our own so it doesn't come wrapped in pieces.

 

 

I cut up the chicken and cut the breasts in half because they are so large.

This gives me 10 pieces to fry up for dinner tonight.

 

 

And, of course, the back goes into the stockpot.

 

 

Cover the chicken pieces with Buttermilk.

Refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 24 hours.

 

 

Shake chicken pieces in seasoned flour

 

 

Fry in batches until crisp and golden brown

 

 

Remove from pan.

 

 

Place on baking sheet and bake at 350* for 30-40 Minutes.

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

Fried Chicken

 

 

8-10 chicken pieces

1 qt. Buttermilk

Cooking Oil to reach 2" up the sides of a Large Skillet (preferably Cast Iron)

1 c. Flour

2 t. salt

1/4  t. pepper

2 t. paprika

 

Soak chicken pieces in buttermilk for at least 2 hrs or up to 24 hrs. in the refrigerator. Heat oil over med high heat until hot but not smoking.  Place flour and seasonings in a gallon ziplock bag. Remove chicken from buttermilk and place a few pieces at a time in the seasoned flour and shake until coated.  Fry coated chicken on both sides until brown and crispy.  While first batch is frying coat second batch of chicken pieces.  Remove first batch from oil and place on a baking sheet.  Continue until all chicken is brown, crispy and placed on the cookie sheet.  Add more oil if needed.

Bake chicken in a preheated oven at 350* for 30-40 minutes.  Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165*. If chicken starts to brown too much cover loosely with aluminum foil.

Print Recipe

 

I also decided to fry up some apples that I have had in my refrigerator and needed to use.  They make a great side dish. 

 

 

Core 3 apples and cut into 8ths.

 

 

This is Easy Peasy if you use one of these handy little gadgets

 

 

 

Melt butter over low heat.

Add brown sugar and cinnamon

 

 

Add apples in single layer.

Cook until they start to soften.

 

 

Flip with tongs and cook on other side.

 

 

Yummy!





Fried Apples

3 apples cored and cut into 8ths.

3 T. butter

2 T. brown sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

Melt butter in large skillet.  Add brown sugar and cinnamon and stir until melted.  Add apples and cook until tender but not mushy.  Print Recipe