Chicken Little

 I’m really not much of a cook, there are a few things that I can throw together make it taste good and call it a meal, but for some strange reason, no matter how many times I try, chicken isn’t one of them. The bird always seems to come out tasting too salty, too dry, too bland, too rubbery, or . . .whatever.

 One day Gabe and I are having a pleasant discussion over coffee (what else?). I begin to explain my already known chicken dilemma to him. He tells me that the best chicken that he had ever tasted was when he went to a bible study dinner at the house of a man in his group. His wife had made this chicken that was the rage with all the guys in the study, so naturally they all wanted the recipe so their wives could recreate this same masterpiece. After much imploring the guy finally “spilled” the secret ingredient  . .beer(YUCK,in valley girl talk). Chicken marinated with one can of beer that was purchased of course by a non-believing family member, and not to worry because all the alcohol was evaporated during the cooking process.

 

So fast forward to the grocery store, I can’t even remember if they sell beer in single cans. It’s been about a decade since I’ve been in that section. I never liked beer because it always reminds me of barf, since everyone in my past that drank always paired their beer with pineapple pizza. I never liked the smell of rotten potatoes and I couldn’t stand the way it tastes. Aside from those horrid memories I am wandering through the store contemplating how I can buy a single can, when I start to think what would happen if someone saw me, but then think, it’s the middle of the day, and the store is practically empty. Eventually I find myself starring at the yogurt and what do you know, two children who go to our church and who know Calvin come racing up to the refrigerators for milk. I look behind me and see their mom who is the wife of one of our pastors at church. I was excited to see someone from our fellowship so we chatted for a few minutes in the bread aisle and moved on. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized that I could have stumbled one of those little lambs, and that I could have ruined my reputation as a Christian. All this for the sake of trying to be Iron Chef. I don’t think that I could eat marinated beer chicken in good conscience anyway. I had just sat in on a home school meeting where one of the pastors had warned us of that very thing, and how he had been out in public and seen a little boy from our church and how the lad had recognized him, and had stressed that if he would have went outside and lit up a cigarette it could have set a very bad example for the boy.

 

Wow! I realize how sensitive we need to be if we are going to claim to be representatives of God.  I thank God that He saved me from that situation  . . . and from the very fires of hell itself.

 

 

Judy Said:

For your chicken dilema, try getting the dry mix to make the ranch dressing with.  Place the chicken and the dry ingredience from the pack in a bag and shake it around.  then bake the chicken at 350 for about one hour.  It can be the whole chicken or pieces, it doesn't matter.  It makes the chicken taste really good.

Love!


Judy

 

Laura Said:

Hi Jannette!

 How are you?  I enjoyed catching up on your blog.  The Easter pictures are too cute!  Isn’t it so much fun having a little girl to dress up?  J  Trinity looked so pretty and of course your boys looked as handsome as ever. 

 I know what you mean about the beer!  I love watching the Food Network, especially Rachael Ray, but many of the recipes require some kind of wine.  I know its true that the alcohol really does cook out and you’re only left with the flavor, I just can’t bring myself to actually purchase it for the same reason you discussed in the post.  Have fun trying some new chicken recipes that don’t include beer.  J

 

Love,
Laura