Yesterday I made another batch of seasoned chicken wings and small drumsticks. My mom used to prepare them as appetizers for her fancy dinner parties. I don't know if women entertain the way she did anymore. That was a different era. People would get dressed up, and go to each others houses for drinks and supper. She would cook the poultry with butter, salt, and white pepper. It tasted amazing! The flavor was perfect, and the chicken parts developed a lovely brown color on theirskin.
I basted this batch in olive oil, and seasoned the meat with garlic salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder, and white pepper. I used the spicy olive oil that was left in the pan as a sauce on a few baked potatoes. Yum! Absolutely delicious! It really makes a difference to cook food that you love, and to choose the spices and flavorings that excite you. It also feels good not to waste. Normally, I would have poured the chicken drippings into a grease pan, eventually freezing it, and dumping it in the trash. Using them on the spuds gave them an entirely new and a delightful flavor. My family has a long history of heart disease, so I felt better about substituting the olive oil for the butter.
This morning I made my mother's tuna and noodle casserole recipe. I wanted to get my cooking done early, so that I didn't heat up the cottage. We are expecting a heat wave. I even prepared my dinner salad before noon. I ate half of it for lunch, with the leftover chicken from last night's dinner. Cold chicken is one of my favorites.
Have you been cooking or baking lately? What's happening in your kitchen?
Thank you for your comments. They add so much talent and energy to the blog. Please comment in English. I'm sorry, but comments with links will not be published. If you enjoy the posts here, please share them. Comments may take a few days to appear; they are moderated.
Hi Stephenie, your mom’s chicken recipe sounds simple and delicious. My kind of recipe!
ReplyDeleteI’ve been trying sourdough recipes. I’ve found that sourdough bread is better than regular bread for me.
I hope the heatwave won’t last too long. It’s very hot and humid here, even with scattered rain in the evening.
It is, Nil. My mom used to cook with a lot of butter. Everything was amazing, but I use far less now. She used a cube of butter for a package of chicken. That's great that you're making sourdough. I love it.
DeleteThat sounds really delicious. I generally cook all my own meals to every day is a kitchen day. I try to cook or prepare as much as possible first thing in the morning, while I feel motivated, and it keeps me on track for the rest of the day. :-)
ReplyDeletexx
It does, Joy. I am going to start doing the same thing. Sometimes I am out on the freeway very early, though...when I head to the ocean to go kayaking.
DeleteYour chicken wings and drumsticks sound wonderful; so does the tuna and noodle casserole. Today, I made a big batch of pasta sauce with homegrown tomatoes from my garden! I plan to freeze some of it for later.
ReplyDeleteHi Bless, I am impressed that you are growing tomatoes. They are so delicious when picked fresh. Enjoy your pasta.
DeleteI love to have a good cooking or baking session sometimes but it's been far too hot to use the oven over the last couple of weeks. Salad has featured largely on our plates instead. Your food sounds delicious, Stephenie, and it's good not to waste anything too.
ReplyDeleteT%hanks, PP. Like you, I make a salad every day. It's a still a nice treat to have something else, when it's not too hot. Yes, waste free is the way to go...
DeleteYour mom's chicken sounds delicious. It is the time of year for pesto here. I tried basil seeds from a different company and have not been very pleased with their growth habits. The leaves are smallish and the plants are bolting very early. My cousins are not up to gathering pine nuts in the Eastern Sierra this year so I have to use store bought pine nuts that I roast myself. The flavor is not as nice, but the pesto is still a treat. Spread on toasted sour dough bread with a poached egg and hollandaise on top makes a wonderful dinner. Sorry to read about your heat-we are being spared the worst of it down here. Very seasonable temperatures, but a bit muggy.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds divine, Anita. I buy pesto at Costco, but I'm sure yours is much better than theirs. The recent weather has been really pleasant. Glad that you have such pleasant temperatures.
ReplyDeleteOh yum. That chicken sounds gorgeous. We do still dress up for 'supper and drinks' with our good friends. We take turns each every month or so and it's a lovely occasion.
ReplyDeleteI am not much of a cook these days, cooking for my family for years and years has worn me out. I am lucky to have a daughter who cooks! We have an old cookery book, probably from the era your mother used to entertain. The book includes tips on how to entertain well, including what to wear, and of course recipes. I am not sure if this is a general trend but we are far more casual when we entertain. Your chicken drumsticks sound delicious, a perfect summer dish.
ReplyDeleteYou inspired me to roast some small chicken pieces and tiny cubed potatoes in a similar way. Absolutely yum and my new favourite meal. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteOh, that's wonderful, ratnamurti. Thanks for letting me know.
Delete