(nearly) blind cooking

I blog about my husband’s on-going health issues and my feelings about that.  I blog about my Christmas prep (or, as 2013, my lack thereof).  I send a weekly newsletter to around 100 people with a summary of our weekly doings and potential plans for the upcoming week.

I have this blog just sitting here mostly gathering dust.  I have recently osted about goals for the new year, and an updated bucket list.  But otherwise I rarely post here, and I am asking myself why.  I spend way too much time alone (or with DH who has dementia – he sleeps most of the time, and it’s rare that we can carry on a “normal” conversation when he’s awake).  So .. why not just sit here and write?

Write what one might ask?  Well, anything I darn well feel like would be my answer! LOL!

Today was long, tiring, and stressful.  But for all that, I had one loving bright shining experience.  I got to hodl a new baby!!!  He’s only 1 day and a half old, and weighs less than 5 pounds.  Ohhhh so sweet!!!!!  I got very little of the rocking-the-baby experience with my grands.  My son has 2 kids, who are my only blood-related grands.  They were born on the west coast; and while we did see them occasionally as babies, we lived too far away for much of that experience.  The youngest was still a toddler when they moved east, but niehter of the kids were particularly “close” to us (we have grown closer as they get older, and I treasure every moment with them!).  The oldest grandson is my step-son’s step son, but has been “our” grandson since I think around 4.  The younger son is  DH’s blood-related grandson, and he was the only one we had much time with as a baby.  I do remember walking the floor a lot of nights with him (colicky).

My stepson now has a live-in girlfriend with 4 sons, who we have accepted as “bonus grands”.

All of that to say I’ve had very limited chances to rock babies.  The girlfriend’s sister just had twins.  I am looking forward to many more chances to hold one of those babies!

I have always had very poor vision, but wore corrective lenses most of my life.   About 6 yeaers ago I was diagnosed with glaucoma; and in the past year my vision has begun to fail.  A lot!

I’m old.  I do not change easily! LOL!  So learning how to cope with ever fading vision is a major life challenge.  Therefore, when I come across something that works .. and would work just as well for someone with perfect vision .. I feel compelled to share my success!

I heard a recipe on a TV cooking show.  It sounded good, so I thought I could manage it; and put my own spin on it as well.

Start with chicken pieces.  I used wings and thighs, because that’s what we like.  You can use what ever parts you prefer.

I lined baking pans with foil and sprayed with cooking spray.

I set up 3 bowls.  In the first I put flour.  In the second I mixed a few spoonfuls of mayonnaise (didn’t make enough at first) with a slightly less amount of sour cream.  I added salt and pepper (just shook a bunch in, no measuring) and stirred it together.  In thethird bowl I crushed up cheddar potato chips.  Next time I make this, I will use twice as many chips (2 large bags), and I will crush by putting in a baggie and using a rolling pin (I just squashed with my hands .. down side of that is they stick to my hands!).

Roll each piece of chicken in flour, then in the mayo, then in the chips. It’s very messy!

Bake in an oven set at around 350.  I have to guess at that part, but it was hot anyway.  I left it in the oven for an hour, and it was falling off the bone (well, except the boneless pieces!) done.  Larger ieces could take longer I think, but not much.

The chicken came out yummy, nice and crunchy on the outside and very well done but still moist on the inside.

The original recipe had some sort of hot spices in the mayo mixture, but we don’t care for hot.  It also used plain chips.  I thought the cheddar flavor sounded good.  I was right.

This was messy and slow.  I kept “losing” pieces of chicken once they were coated in flour.  I probably won’t make it often; but I think it will be a good go-to recipe for company!