I'm posting. It comes with warnings though: I'm in a vaguely maudlin mood. Talking with your stepmother and somehow coming to dissect your current emotional life after four hours will do that to anyone, I think.

So rather than try to rehash all of that sticky, scritchy, and reasonably uncomfortable dissection, here is a list of good things:

• we made chicken fricasse tonight, and it was like a taste of my childhood and oh dear god how rich is that i don't even know all thrown in together. (see recipe below for details - note though, this is in NO way a healthy thing, just GOOD)


• i have new towels, because my stepmother is a towel buying addict - she heard i wanted some and rushed me over to macy's within the hour


• last night we did dinner at the family mexican restaurant for my little sister's birthday, and they had mariachi. and the food has gotten better since the last time i was there.


• in a house where everything is sweetened with diabetic-friendly sweetners, i found the real sugar. life is much better.


• i spent yesterday doing more family visiting - with grandma, and aunt, and then sister, and got immersed in their lives for a change. It was kind of awesome.

so, it's really easy.
1 whole chicken (you can cut it up, or someone else can, but don't debone or deskin).
4 cups bread crumbs (if you can, make your own)
3 tablespoons spices (we used oregono, dill, and 'italian spices')
1 packet of brown gravy mix
1 cup of red wine
3 eggs
enough oil to fry the chicken

1. Cut up the chicken & preheat the oven to 375
2. Make breadcrumbs in food processor, or pour out breadcrumbs. Mix in spices.
3. Dredge chicken in egg mixture, then breadcrumbs
4. Heat 1/4-1/2 inch of oil in your pan. Pan fry chicken (at least 2 min each side, but not all the way done)
5. Put fried chicken (and all crumbs that are left over/fall off into the frying pan) into dutch oven / oven safe pot, and pour gravy and red wine over the top. Cover.
6. Bake in oven for 35-45 minutes, or until all of the liquid has blended together with the juices from the chicken to form a thick, creamy looking gravy sauce.

EAT TO YOUR HEART'S CONTENT!