Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner
January 11th, 2008
I don't know. It rhymes. 
The power was out all day. I had to wait around for it to be fixed because the guys from the electric company needed to check in with someone, plus their trucks were blocking my driveway, so I stayed put. It worked out o.k. because I was up in the middle of the night feeling sick (more tummy trouble. I must have a bug) and so I slept late. But then all afternoon, it was dark and cold in the apartment. I bundled up and made the most of it though. I worked on some art. I brought it out to the front room to work in front of our sliding glass doors. Even though it was gray out, sitting there gave me enough light to work by. In some ways, it was nice to have some enforced non-computer time. I would have appreciated some light to work by, but, as Tim Gunn would say, I made it work. I tend to let the computer suck me in for far too long. The internet is a wonderful resource. I love the blogging world and all the inspiration there is to discover. But there's a point where I'm just distracting myself or procrastinating or mindlessly clicking. And I need to stop myself before that point.
Anyways, last night was creativity central in my house. There was art and cooking and writing, oh my! I made dinner for the hubster and I did something fairly unusual for me - I didn't follow a recipe. The hubster enjoys cooking far more than I do and he loves to experiment. No two meals are exactly the same. Ever. This can be good and bad. Sometimes the experiments go horribly wrong, but usually they're fun and interesting and delicious. I've always been a "follow directions" kind of girl, believe it or not. I like having a road-map for my food, so I know it will come out decently. And once I find a recipe I like, I'll repeat it over and over. I'm not comfortable enough with food to just make it up or so I thought. Well, last night, I was looking online for a recipe and I found one that sounded good except that I had none of the ingredients. Heh. So, I took the oven settings and idea behind it and made up the rest. And I have to tell you, it was delicious! I had already marinated two chicken breasts in a creole marinade. I then melted a few tablespoons of butter in a bowl and added about a teaspoon or two of chili powder. In another bowl I combined about a half cup of grated parmesan cheese with a cup of breadcrumbs. I dipped the chicken in the butter/chili powder mixture, rolled it in the breadcrumb/cheese mix and then put it in a buttered pan at 350 for about 35 minutes. I served it with brown rice and corn and it was so good! I was so pleased (and really relieved) that it came together. Phew!
Earlier in the night, I worked on these two panels. I had already gessoed them, so I simply tore and glued the paper in place. Today I worked on them more, drawing in the scene and then starting to paint in acrylics. I'll show pictures of them in progress and finished as I go along. After dinner, I sat in bed and did some writing for my book. Sometimes, I like to hand-write things out and then type them up later. There's something freeing about writing by hand in a journal. So, that's what I did. It was fun and productive.
This weekend, all the evenings this week, and next weekend, I'm helping out my old boss and working for them (by keeping an eye on their teenage daughter and their 2 dogs.) I'll still be posting though and creating though!
I hope your weekend is a wildly creative one!
10 Responses
I’m looking forward to seeing this process. Great job withe the blog (and the chicken dinner). Hope your time with the teenager is just as fun!
Posted by: Julia | Jan 11, 2008 at 6:05 pm |
Letting the computer suck me in is almost a daily happening! I have to force myself to get offline and do something else. Your meal sounds delicious and I can relate to your way of cooking by recipe….that’s me, too. I just don’t like to cook so I need tons of guidance!! I wrote a little about some of that today. I’m looking forward to seeing your progress on this new art piece. You’re so generous to share with us. Thank you!
Posted by: Janet | Jan 11, 2008 at 6:27 pm |
Oh my I can relate to this! That fooling around on the internet mindlessly thing is why I think I’ve been absent from it for a few weeks. That, and many visitor’s through out the whole Holiday season! I found it interesting to see what I could make of life when our power went out too…it’s a beautiful thing! I’m glad you seized the moment!
Posted by: miriam | Jan 11, 2008 at 6:38 pm |
Yeah, the Internet SUCKS me in too. It is horrid and I wish I could let go of it a LOT more than I do. Ugh.
The dinner you whipped up sounds delightful. Mmmmmmmm… go you!!!
Posted by: Karen Beth | Jan 11, 2008 at 7:21 pm |
I discovered your blog this morning. It’s a delight! I especially love your doodles, they are so imaginative. I used to draw all the time when I was younger but somehow that’s been lost along the way. I would love to reclaim some of that old creativity and joy. Would you please include me in CED08. Thanks!
Posted by: inkberryblue | Jan 11, 2008 at 8:18 pm |
WOW – the creative juices are just flowing away in your corner – how wonderful!!!
So glad dinner was a success – kind of gives ya a good feeling when something like a recipe comes together and tastes so good!!
Have fun with the dogs and the teenager – keep those creative juices flowing!!!
Peace–Ellie
Posted by: ELLIE | Jan 12, 2008 at 5:34 am |
Funny about you not normally being creative with food when you are so creative in other ways.
In the ’80s I was running a training at work to people I didn’t know well and I tried to explain that you needed to only follow the procedures so far and would get better results if you were creative with the whole process.
The problem was I suggested they took the creativity they use when they cook and brought it to bear on their work – I hadn’t realised before just how many people actually follow recipes and don’t ever experiment!
And know you’ve opened my eyes to the fact that even truly creative people sometimes just prefer to know that what they make will be edible!
Posted by: Caroline | Jan 12, 2008 at 9:29 am |
wow…
you’re “fooling around” in the kitchen
sounds delicious!
i’m a roadmap recipe girl, too.
Posted by: gkgirl | Jan 12, 2008 at 11:51 am |
I love it when creativity shows up in so many forms in your life. Recently I had to fill out a log of my creativity activity for my expressive arts class and I was so wonderfully surprised to find how much creativity was just a part of how I lived my life (lol, first I typed “loved” my life, definitely Freudian typo) Thanks so much for supporting people to invite creativity into their lives. You rock, Leah. And that’s why I gave you an award. Come to my blog to see
Posted by: Jamie | Jan 12, 2008 at 12:56 pm |
oh. I need a nanny for my dogs in February – come visit – it’s warmer here…..
My husband likes to cook too, and found out he’s really good at it although when we were first together he’d never even tried (I took him directly from his mom’s house). I’m awful at following a recipe! This meal sounds really good! Hope you’re warm and your tummy is better.
Just was looking at all those 2008CED folks: wow!
Posted by: tammy vitale | Jan 12, 2008 at 1:31 pm |