Fried Chicken

Ok, this post isn't really about fried chicken, instead it's about those tidbits of cooking knowledge that seem to bypass some people. Tonight, Seam is making "Oven Fried Chicken" and mashed potatoes. It's not really something I'm wanting, but I'm neither cooking nor paying for those groceries, so it's ok...I guess. I mean, I will have to clean up the mess, it's one of those give/take things...sort of, I always have to clean when Seam cooks AND I always have to clean when I cook, I swear sometimes I think I should've been a maid. However, some people, or just one, would question me about being a maid when obviously my career choices thus far are sub par...you know who you are. Moving on...

There are certain skills that Seam seems to lack, albeit he will (occasionally) listen when I correct him. For example, just because the heat is up higher does NOT mean it cooks faster, ie those steaks he made once that were black on the outside and full of blood in the middle. Also take tonight's recipe, it actually calls for boneless/skinless chicken breasts, what is he using? Leg quarters! I said, "Seam, you will have to adjust the cooking time" "Why?" he says. "Well it says boneless breasts and you have bone in dark meat chicken..." "The bone just adds flavor" "yeah well I don't care for Salmonella" I reply. Things like this make me wonder...where did I get this knowledge? I mean, I'm not saying I'm anywhere near an expert, but I do know that cooking at a lower heat is, often, preferable and I do know that dark meat chicken takes longer to cook than white. I think maybe, well I know, it's all from my mom. She's a cook...not for a living per se...but she knows how to cook and does it well. So, perhaps this knowledge has been handed down AND it doesn't hurt that, at times, I call her just for her advice regarding certain dishes.

The one thing I will say for Seam, he does make some dishes well, with variance. In other words, Seam often likes to add new things or try it a different way and, truthfully, when you have something that's not broken, don't try to fix it! That being said, I will give credit where credit is due...sometimes his food is good. So, as for "Oven Fried Chicken", the jury is still out.

UPDATE: He was going to use the enameled iron pot to cook it in since it can go in the oven, I reminded him that the recipe he's following calls for a 9X13 dish, then had to point out what a 9X13 dish looks like. So he changed his mind (correction by me taken lol). So he puts the butter in the dish and puts it in the oven to melt (recipe recommendation)...shortly after, from the living room I yell, "Seam, check the butter...it smells like it's browning!" Sure enough...yep. I think I'm aggravating him, but the truth is...I'm trying to prevent uncooked, gross chicken and, ultimately, a FIRE.

UPDATE II: Only a dish Julia Child could love. It was complete with meat cooked in lots of butter, mashed potatoes soaked in gravy....completely rich and decadent. I couldn't eat very much of it, but it was ok. The chicken tasted "baked" with a slight crust, yet still had the taste of fried chicken...no doubt due to the butter. The potatoes alone were tasty but smothered in gravy...yeah, tasted like gravy. All in all an ok meal, not for the weak of heart (literally, artery clotting).

**BY THE WAY, why the heck are chicken leg quarters $3 and boneless chicken breasts $9 for the SAME amount (lbs)???? No offense to those that are butchers, but let's get real, it's not rocket science. I guess I should just buy a freakin' whole chicken next time.***