Meet the Chicken

Here is a raw roasting chicken.

Do you remember the first time we cooked one of these at W~'s house?  You had it in the freezer, and we sat down to cook it and it took forever and neither of us knew what to do, and we ended up eating at 11, playing skip-bo and Apples to Apples?

Good times.

Since then, I've had a lot of practice with these little cuties.  They are amazing.  You need a pile of them in your freezer, because they are very versatile, and cheap.  They keep well, taste amazing and you look like a rock star domestic making your own broth, soup, roast, fried chicken, what have you.  They are the perfect size for dinner for two and leftover lunches for two the next day (though I'll leave you the task of getting Alex to take his own lunch and remember to eat it, etc.)

Keep 4 in your freezer at all times.  You will never be disappointed.

A chicken will defrost in the fridge overnight, though I often pop them in a hot oven straight from the freezer.  Do NOT put a frozen chicken in a slow cooker.  You know, because I like you guys and you can't spell S-E-X-Y with salmonella.

Take a look at this video about cutting a whole chicken into pieces.  Practice this and do it well.  Now you're ready for your own Food Network special.

That's it for now.  I think whole chicken recipes will be so common that I'll do a series.  It's a constant, on-going project for me.

Cheers!

To my Soon-to-be Sister-in-law from-another-mother

Dear Mrs. Coogan,

Hey there!  I'm writing this to you for several reasons:

1. You're about to get married to a pretty difficult person, and maybe you need a little help!
2. When we lived together, I really enjoyed playing hostess with you so many times.  You have your own fantastic style, yet you kindly listened to my ideas.  It felt good knowing that someone wanted to hear what I had to say, and so many times that was enough to give me the confidence to feel like "what I had to say" was something worth hearing.  That's a good friend, right there.
 3. My birthday resolution was to write more, so I could really enter my thirties as "a writer."  Writing to you, instead of ~the internet~ is something I can do.  Something I can commit to.

So this is as much a need of mine as a perceived need of yours.

Because seriously, girl, you do pretty great all by yourself.

As you already know, I have an old-fashioned style.  The things I will write about are not for the ultra-corporate career woman.  They are not for those privileged with more money than they know what to do with.  They reflect a value on living well, if not opulently.

The last part shouldn't need to be said, because it's the internet, but I will... because it's the internet.  The suggestions I write (and the values they reflect) are my thoughts and feelings and are not absolutes.  Do what works for you and your house.  That's the point here.  The Health and Safety and Happiness within your home are your goals as a wife.  (Your husband's, too, by the way.)  If something you're trying to do puts more stress on your system (which messes with the health, safety and happiness parts) then stop.  It's time to figure out another solution.

I love you.  I love my dear brother.  And I'm so happy we are family.

Love,

Julianna