For Saturday, July 6th, 2013

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

SATURDAY, JULY 6TH, 2013

 78 DAYS UNTIL FALL

Sunrise: 6:02 am

Sunset: 9:05 pm

If you can't see the Bright Side, polish the dull side

Homemade or take-out fried chicken is the order of the day on July 6th. This popular poultry is the star of the day. Light meat, dark meat and even chicken nuggets will grace family tables on Fried Chicken Day.

Still, one is given to wonder: What exactly are chicken fingers?

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

The rooster may crow but the hen delivers the goods

Because it is Fried Chicken Day I thought I'd do some searching and try and find out just why and how the name chicken fingers came to be.  After all chickens really don't have fingers, do they?  The best answer I found is:

A chicken breast is composed of two separate muscles: a large, flat piece, shaped like a longish rounded triangle, and a tapered narrow flap that’s not unlike the tenderloin in beef. In order to fabricate a chicken breast that is tidy, trim, and at an even thickness so that it cooks at the same rate, the two fillets must be separated.

Given that most Americans prefer to have pieces of protein on their plates that are large enough to cut, the larger, triangular portion lends itself more to dinner. But what of the smaller fillets, the tenderloins, commonly known as tenders?  The savvy answer for chicken producers was not to try to make a dinner portion out of the tenders, but to sell them as something else: finger food.   

When someone saw that chicken tenders sort of looked like fingers, and could be eaten with fingers, a stroke of marketing genius happened.  Whereas nuggets are mass produced out of various scraps and trimmings and then bound together with soluble protein and salt, the fingers are real chicken breast meat

ULTIMATE CHICKEN FINGERS

2/3cup Bisquick mix
1/2cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2teaspoon salt or garlic salt
1/2teaspoon paprika
3boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
1 egg, slightly beaten
3tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

Heat oven to 450ºF. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray. Mix Bisquick mix, cheese, salt and paprika in 1-gallon resealable plastic food-storage bag. Dip half the chicken strips into egg; place in bag of Bisquick mixture. Seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.  Bake 12 to 14 minutes, turning after 6 minutes with pancake turner, until no longer pink in center.

Makes 4 servings

Now you all know more than you probably wanted to know about chicken…but it is good and I'm sure I'll be having some soon.  I eat more chicken than most any other meat.  

Hope you all have a super Saturday!

COUNTING MY GIFTS

Something to crow about

I am trying to count at least 3 things I'm thankful for each day and then in 1 year's time I'll have counted 1000 gifts. I’ll be sharing them and giving thanks to God for these gifts each day.   

736.  for chickens, good food and cute for decorating with too.

737.  for the internet which has an answer for just about anything

738.  for my good cup of Jamaica Me Crazy coffee today!

Enter into His courts with thanksgiving — and in His presence is fullness of Joy!

PRAYER FOR OUR TROOPS

Please pray for God's protection of

our troops and HIS wisdom for their

commanders.

Lord, hold our troops in

your loving hands.

Protect them as they protect us.

Bless them and their families for the

selfless acts they perform for us

in our time of need. I ask this in the

name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

AND bless our Police Officers, Firefighters

and Paramedics and EMT's

GOD BLESS YOU !

Shake a tail feather - get moving

A little smile, a word of cheer, 

A bit of love from someone dear…

Love,

ma