27,814 and Cookies

[sun_set_bravely]

Over halfway there. Yesterday, I sat down to write for one hour, and my entire soul dreaded picking up the pen. (I've posted about this before, but my resistance to my gift always astonishes me.) Of course, I picked up the pen in the middle of the storm and slashed through the thick clouds to write my sixteenth chapter. It's never as bad once I take a breath and do it. If only I could learn this lesson just once and then remember it and rid myself of that resistance! But no, I suspect this resistance will haunt me for my whole writing life. That's okay, as long as I keep sitting down, picking up my pen, and doing it.

~ ~ ~
After a long day at work on Friday, I came home with a deep need to bake something. So I made some Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, which turned out excellently! They're the best cookies I've made in a while. I went all out -- threw my spoon back in the drawer and mixed all the dough with my hands. This is something I learned to do in England, where I was chastised for using a spoon to mix. Maybe it was only my family in Texas who didn't do this, but it was such an epiphany to me. Of course you should mix with your hands! It makes the fun factor of baking go up at least 50%.

~ ~ ~
Ahead of me today --

1. Listening to Scarlet's Walk a couple more times, as it's attached itself to my ears and won't let go,


2. Writing a long Chapter 17 to get back into my main character's life after a short absence,


3. Making Chicken Fried Chicken for dinner so my boyfriend can satisfy his deep craving for gravy (strange, I know),


4. Enjoying being at home alone in my apartment.

Oh, and I might shower at some point.

Hope everyone is having a lovely Sunday.

P.S. 11:11 -- make a wish.

Comments

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I was always shown to do bread by hand, but to do cookies by spoon, too. It's funny how such a small thing can seem novel and more "natural"--kneading dough by hand. Fried chicken is all well and good, but a gravy craving is a trifle, just the barest trifle, amusing.

I'm really looking forward to reading your book, and I'm so impressed you're keeping after it even againt the resistance!

[sun-set-bravely.livejournal.com]

Isn't it amusing? He's been craving it for the past few days, and I didn't think anything of it until I was at tea with my closest friends yesterday and I mentioned it, and they looked at me funny. I know I have to say something really strange for them to look at me funny.

CFC

[wheeker.livejournal.com]

How do you make your Chicken Fried Chicken?

TPQ

Re: CFC

[sun-set-bravely.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I've never made it before, so I was going to consult Jeff Smith, foodtv.com, or allrecipes.com. I would probably do it similar to the way I do chicken fried steak, except without beating the crud out of the chicken.

You sound like you've got a good chicken fried chicken recipe of your own...?

Re: CFC

[wheeker.livejournal.com]

I want one. I've never attempted fried chicken and would like to try. But I haven't drummed up enough nerve yet. FoodTV is very much my friend. I've also been contemplating a recipe in The New Basics Cookbook. Tonight I'm attempting Arroz con Pollo from a Williams & Sonoma cookbook. Wish me luck and let me know how your CFC comes out.

TPQ

Re: CFC

[sun-set-bravely.livejournal.com]

Well, it turns out that the gravy-craver came home chilled to the bone and achy with a cold, so I tucked him into bed with soup and will attempt CFC another time.

But here's the Chicken Fried Steak recipe from The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American that I've made before, and that is yum-yum-yummy. I assume (possibly incorrectly) that one can transfer it to chicken:

4 cube steaks, about 5 ounces each, or 4 pieces of round steak, of the same size, pounded
1 cup flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup peanut oil

If using round steak, pound the meat with a wooden or metal meat tenderizer.

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the meat in the flour mixture. Mix the egg with 1/2 cup milk. Dip the floured meat into the milk mixture and then back into the flour again.

Pan-fry meat in a large black frying pan with the oil. Brown on both sides and remove from the pan to drain on paper towels. Keep warm on a serving platter in the oven.

Drain all the remaining fat from the pan except 2 tablespoons. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture and scrape the bottom of the pan carefully so that you remove the brown goodness left over from the frying. Using a whisk, stir in the rest of the milk and stir over medium heat until the gravy thickens. If the gravy becomes too thick for your taste, you can add some additional milk. Check the cream gravy for salt and pepper; I like lots of pepper in mine. Serve the gravy over the meat.

You have to have creamy mashed potatoes, a green salad, and Cranberry Orange Relish with this dish.