when life gives you lemons

...you've got to try this recipe. it's not an original, but it's dang good. Kyre had a business friend over for dinner and I made it, and had to restrain from licking my plate:

Chicken Mamacello and Asparagus Tips

1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/2 C flour (eyeball it)

2 large eggs

splash of milk

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp butter

3 garlic cloves (1 crushed, 2 chopped)

1/2 C lemoncello (or chicken stock or white grape juice with a squeeze of lemon juice)

handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 lemon

1 1/2 lbs asparagus - cut the ends off and use just the tips (save the stalks for something else, like to dip in ranch dressing)

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over med. to med-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning. Dredge the chicken in flour. In a small bowl mix the eggs and milk together and season with a little salt. Add 2 tbsp of the olive oil to the skillet and then add 2 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces. When the butter melts into the oil, add the crushed clove of garlic. When the garlic sizzles in the oil, coat the chicken in the egg mixture, then add to the hot pan. Cook the chicken on both sides until just golden (about 6-7 min). Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent loosely with foil to retain the heat. Add the stock and lemon juice to the pan and deglaze by whisking up the drippings. Reduce for 1 min, then add the remaining butter and the parsley to the pan.

Bring an inch of water to a boil in a med skillet. Add salt and lemon peels. When the chicken is nearly done, cook the asparagus in the water with the lemon peels for 2-3 min; drain.

Add several thin slices of lemon to the skillet the chicken cooked in. Spoon the sauce and lemon slices onto the finished chicken. Serve the asparagus tips alongside the chicken.

Serve with brown rice and dig in.

gun control

Up until yesterday, I had never held a gun. Not sure how I hadn't since Kyre owns one, and my brother in law owns about fifty.

And I'm not sure what my deal is with them, whether I was just scared of them because I hadn't ever held one, not to mention I have no clue how to operate and shoot one, or because I'm not a fan of hunting or any violence involving guns...who knows really. I'm still sorting that one out myself.

Either way, I faced my fears and held about 7 guns in one afternoon. Thanks Army National Guard! Now, if I could just remember what the heck they were all called...

just another sunday afternoon

There's nothing like a blast through the back window to get your attention while you're driving to church. Only I thought I was already paying attention or maybe not, because I don't remember seeing a bird nose diving towards my car. Either way, I was on my way to a youth fireside when I saw something black overhead and a split second later, my car was ambushed. I thought at first it had just hit the car, that is until I felt glass shatter into the front seat and turned to see this lovely gaping hole in the back window that slightly resembles a fish. I was a bit shaken, so I pulled over to see what the heck just hit me, searched the back seat and found nothing. I drove back towards the house, hoping to see something, a dead bird, a rock, a bowling ball. Needless to say I didn't find anything, so now I have this bootleg story about some "bird" crashing into my car. And until tomorrow, i get to sport a lovely trash bag window until the insurance company can put in a new one. What an end to a lovely spring break.

want fries with that?

Unemployment isn't actually as bad as I thought. I mean, yeah I'm stuck at home most of the time cleaning and painting, but I also get to go hang out with my sister and dad for lunch some days. I always learn something new about my dad, who can be quite mysterious at times and it usually takes having new people over for dinner for him to spill a new story from his childhood. Although this isn't exactly as thrilling as his fear of bridges, but this week I learned it is absolutely necessary to open seven ketchup packages at one time to thoroughly enjoy a meal. Good ole Rog.