Chicken is about ready.

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I actually thought this would be a bit easier and faster than making a meal turns out to be.  I suppose, for me, if I feel like cooking at midnight, or 13:00, or whenever.... and I am doing it  for myself... when the mood and ability combine...  it would make the project seem easier.  It has been four years since I cooked regularly, five or six times a week for sure, and supper had to be at a specific time.  Then again, and too, I didn't cook for 10 people.  While I usually cook in similar sized batches I don't usually cook things together anymore.  I mean, potato salad, if I would deign to make such, might be made on Wednesday, say... while chicken or roast would be made on Friday or Saturday.  Actually, usually, meat first.  Anything that might go with it secondly if at all.  Still, it's coming along just fine.

The chicken is baking, currently.  One thing that might be a problem?  Those chicken breasts.  Still, I think I might be able to cover that, too.  I usually don't do chicken breast.  Simply put I don't like white chicken meat.  So, when it thawed, and soaked it, and I was flowering them (for the first time in my cooking career)... wow are those pieces big.  I don't really know how to dress them out or otherwise cut them down to size.  Sure, you can cut meat any way you like, but you can also make meat very tough doing it the wrong way.  Anyway, into the oven it all went.  I believe, when I take the rest of the pieces out to begin frying them I will simply leave the breasts in the oven.  And, I will fry them a little longer too.  Those are the major question marks in the whole endeavor.

My mother called this morning.  I didn't answer, probably didn't hear it, having been up very late working on the potato salad.  In any case I called her back after I had been awake for a while.  Among other things I discussed my dinner doings.  Her first reaction?  Baking AND THEN pan frying?  Yep, mom, and re-battering the chicken after the bake.  Well, she asked, do you use oil/lard/fat in the baking dutch oven?  Me, nope.  Her... essentially...  That's... that's Not Right!  *chuckles*  I just suggested she try it first, on a small batch, then tell me what she thinks about it.  I'll bet you dollars to donuts she won't go back to her way.  Yeah, I know how it is "supposed" to be done.  And I didn't like it.  So I fixed the damned notion.  And I like my way better as it turns out.

I need to get a shower in the next half hour to forty five minutes.  I sort of hate to be showered before pan frying, but there really may not be time after.  I could have, and thought about, timing it so that I could shower and rest a bit, but I don't like cold fried chicken (for the first tasting).  And while you can keep it warm in the oven, that will cause it to cook more.  I am sure you could... figure out some ideal way of making it all work but that would take a lot of practice, practice I don't have and can't get before this needs to be done.

I just called the folks I get to feed tonight, letting them know I have the chicken, potato salad, plus rolls and cookies.  If they want baked beans, or slaw, or something, all good.  But it may not be needed.  I am trying to put together the whole meal.  I just don't know if it will be enough.  I know if they ate like me... not so much.  But with three children 10 and under, and fussy teens, and the oldest being a girl... my guess is this will be nearly feast level food amounts.  This would only feed three or four of me when hungry, but then, even at optimum weight I come in at 240 pounds, a solid man and an half or two women types or about a half dozen children.  I suggested that I was planning on 18:00, but... with the chicken breasts as a new thing, I couldn't swear to it.  No earlier, maybe a few minutes late.  Any later for whatever reason and I would call.  All good.

Well, on to a bit of blog browsing, then a shower, and then to the frying stage.  I do like frying chicken.  A chemistry and biology problem (on multiple fronts), with some element of danger, and some excellent sniffing materials while in the 'cook' stage.  Oh... Yeah...

Later.