Dropping the Fried Chicken

I was telling a friend this story the other day and figured I’d share it here, too.  When I was growing up my mom was really picky about her house and things.  She’s mellowed considerably in her older age, but back then you didn’t make messes or you suffered the consequences.  Examples include:  you had to take your shoes off before you walked in the house, there was plastic on the living room sofa and she actually mopped the garage floor.   It was vital that you not spill, drop or make messy anything. 

When I was six, just before starting kindergarten, we went to Kentucky Fried Chicken (it was called that then, none of this KFC crap).  My dad was out of town so mom was treating us to fast food chicken.  It was a rarity.  I was totally excited.  I had a pivotal role in our adventure.  I had to hold the chicken in my lap for the ride home.  My arms encircled the bucket.  I gripped it as if it was a precious artifact from ancient times.  There was no way I was going to mess up mom’s car.  When we got back home, mom pulled into the garage.  I gingerly stepped out of the car with my very important cargo.  I carefully shut the door using my backside and then immediately fell over, tossing the chicken out of the bucket and all over the garage floor.  I felt my heart sink and the panic rising.  Wide-eyed and holding back tears, I looked at mom and prepared to get in all sorts of holy hell trouble.  She turned around, looked down at the chicken and then back up at me.  My lip was quivering.  Then completely out of left field, she smiled and said, “It’s ok…we all make mistakes with chicken.” We picked up the chicken together and when it was all back in the bucket she said, “This is our little secret.”  And it was.  My sister got home from school and we had that chicken for dinner.  It was so good, but what was really special was as we ate the chicken my mom smiled at me.  I love her for that moment and to this day never get upset when I make mistakes with chicken.

I Don’t Have a Twin

This morning I took a stroll down memory lane.  Well actually down Mistletoe Lane, but after walking the dog, I looked through my mom’s old photo albums.  From time to time, I do that when I’m in Oklahoma for a visit and this time I had an added advantage…a scanner.  I’m sure my older sister will kill me, but she’ll have to catch me first.  The way our mother dressed us you’d think we were twins.  I’m actually quite sad we still don’t have some of these outfits.  I’m particularly disappointed that I do not have adult-sized boots just like the ones in the first photo.  Those boots are spectacular and damn near superhero costume worthy.  There were so many great things about growing up in the seventies.  It was just such a weird decade and no better way to illustrate that than through the clothing styles.  Additionally, my sister and I were not twins…we just were dressed that way.

Freaky Friday Favorites

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Better To At Least Try

I don’t know who said it is better to try and fail than never try at all, but I do know Yoda said, “Do or do not.  There is no try.”  I like both quotes.  I don’t want to end up regretting having an idea about something and not at least trying to make it happen.  Often it really stinks to put yourself out there like that and make little or no progress, but I think it actually stinks at that moment…it isn’t a long term lingering stench like cooking cabbage.  You can look back on things and feel good that you at least attempted something.  All this, of course, is about my desire to form a metal head river dance troupe.  I think it is time the Irish dancing sensation converged or rather head banged with death metal.  The speed at which the lower body would be required to move would be mind boggling.  Plus the potential of spin off in-home exercise DVDs and a toy action figure line would be HUGE.  I just need that one person to really believe in this concept and I need that one person to have a load of expendable cash.  I don’t think that is such a tall order…I mean it is just one person with one big bank account.  I keep telling myself that I will not let the looks on people’s faces; when I give them a few sample moves from metal head river dance (MHR) in meetings, dissuade me.  I will keep plugging away and just plant the seeds of my idea.  I will let the rejection roll of my back and know that either this will grow and flourish or it wasn’t meant to be and I’ll be proud of myself for at least making a go of it.  So, I’ll close with my index finger and pinky finger pointing upward as well as my tongue sticking out in the international sign of a metal head and say, “ROCK ON, DUDE.”

Pizza Monkey Bread - WTF and WOW Recipe Wednesday

Pizza Monkey Bread (www.copykat.com)

Ingredients
3 cans refrigerated biscuits
1 24 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pepperoni
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian three cheese blend
1 teaspoon Italian seasonings
Optional Ingredients
chopped green bell pepper
chopped onions
black olive slices
cooked sausage
cooked hamburger meat

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Open canned biscuits and cut into quarters and place into bowl. Pour spaghetti sauce, and add Italian seasonings over the biscuits and stir well. Add 3/4 of the pepperoni into the mixture, reserve the remaining 1/4 to place on top of the “pizza”. Add 1/2 of the cheese to the sauce and biscuit combination, and stir well. Pour the pizza into a greased 9 by 13 pan.  Sprinkle remaining pepperoni and cheese on top of pizza before placing into the oven.  Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the biscuits are fully cooked, they will be slightly firm when you press down on them.

Italian seasonings, is a very great spice blend to have on hand. This spice blend goes well in spaghetti sauce, on a pizza, or even sprinkled on grilled chicken. If you don’t happen to have any on hand you can make your own Italian seasonings by mixing together equal amounts of: basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary, and thyme.

“True” History Tuesday – Frozen Pizza

The World War I fighter pilot history of Manfred von Richthofen (The Red Baron) is the stuff of legend.  What many people don’t realize is that when he wasn’t being a fighter pilot, he was cooking and freezing pizzas with another lesser known pilot, Heinrich von DiGiorno. In 1917, Totino’s pizza was the only thing on the market in the way of frozen pizza.  Aside from being drunk or 12 years old, Totino’s pizzas were mostly not all that tasty.  Something had to give.  Americans love their pizza and wanted it flavorful and frozen for mass consumption…which is why the Germans invented the better frozen Italian food staple sold in stores today. 

Richthofen and DiGiorno were part of the German Flying Circus or Jagdgeschwader 1, in fact, Richthofen was their leader.  His flying and fighting prowess were both feared and admired by his enemies.  His close friends also admired his ability in the air, but were more impressed with his ability in the kitchen.  He was all about freezing foods and reheating them for later.  He did this because it was really cold in the cockpit of an airplane in early 20^th century.  He would take his lunch with him and it would freeze…then he’d have to thaw and reheat his lunch on the airplane’s engine.  Nothing was worse than frozen food that tasted bad when you cooked it, especially while engaged in a bitter aerial dog fight with your sworn wartime enemies.  He toiled in the kitchen to create an edible version of his favorite food, pizza.  He traded recipes with DiGiorno, who also enjoyed pizza, fighter piloting and eating in his plane.  Both Richthofen and DiGiorno naturally hated the Italians.  They were still pissed or pizzed about Italy initially being Germany’s ally, but then changing sides and joining the Triple Entente.  They knew they should give up pizza in defiance, but alas…they could not.  So the cooking and experimenting continued throughout World War I.

Finally, late in 1917 they created two recipes that could successfully be frozen, heated and consumed.  Although different recipes they were essentially the same thing…frozen pizza.  Thus, a better than Totino’s pizza was born.  Other than the pizzas being named after them, they are rarely or never credited with their creation. 

200 Days

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I’ve “officially” been blogging now for 200 days straight…well not straight, but in a row.  I feel good about sticking with my goal/resolution.  I even gave myself a blogging merit badge. A lot has happened in those 200 days.  I’ve cooked, cleaned, got a part-time job and actually began feeling happy with my new routine. It hurts to get laid off from a job you worked really hard at for 8 years (this month would have marked 9 years), but oddly it seems like the best thing now.  I learned lots there and I think I changed many things for the better…one thing I know for certain, I was the kind of boss that you could count on to be there and work hard.  I didn’t ask people to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.  I guess not so much a treasured trait with the powers that be, but I think it was certainly respected by people who worked for me…and really those are the ones who matter anyway.  These situations help you find out who your real friends are and enable you to really examine and learn from the ways you could be different.  I’m happy with these 200 days and I’m especially happy to be able to share them with you.  Turns out, I’m not such a bad unexpected housewife. I’ll keep writing and I hope you’ll keep reading.