The back is finished! And we had Fried Chicken...

Sunday! What a lovely day. Sunday's may well be my favourite day of the week. Usually it's just me and Amy. We laze around in the lounge, watching movies, and generally catching up with each other after a busy week. Today, we are watching Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Easy A. This is my bliss, honestly, these calm, quiet times with my littlest daughter.

We've had some very exciting news this weekend. Dan got a job on Friday. He's been unemployed for about two and a half years, and it has been very disheartening for us all. But, finally, someone saw just how awesome my son is! And, its a job in the industry he has trained in, computing. I don't really know yet what he'll be doing, I expect we'll find out on Monday night when he comes home. This has been a great month for him and The Lovely Rebeka - she started the ball rolling by getting a job a couple of weeks ago, and now Dan has one too. Of course this is all tinged with a bit of sadness for the mother, since he will probably move out, now that he's working, I'm not looking forward to that.

As for knitting, take a look at this:

What you're looking at there is a completed back of a Not Yellow Coat! Oh yeah! (Oh, and one elderly gentleman, named Whiskers. No handcrafts are complete until Whiskers has inspected them.) I cast on for one of the fronts immediately. Its an incredibly fast knit, so I think I'll still have it done in three weeks.

The Lovely Susi came into the shop on Saturday, so while she was there I got her to choose the yarn she's like for her Sprout. She chose a lovely pumpkin-y orange Naturally Aran Tweed. So, that will be next on the needles, except that I must get mitts and a beanie done for Planking Callum's birthday - apparently it's getting cold in Hamilton! So, I'm on the hunt for a chunky, slouchy beanie suitable for a 19 year old boy. As for the mitts I am enchanted by Spillyjane's patterns, I reckon Planking Callum deserves either Mittens with Pints On or Robomitts. I'll have to alter the pattern, whichever one I choose, as he wants fingerless mittens, but aren't they just lovely?

Tonight, for dinner, Amy and I had fried chicken. It's the first time I've ever made this. I found the recipe in Economy Gastronomy. I love this book. I have tried many of the recipes in the book and have yet to find one that doesn't do like it says on the can. I like the whole philosophy behind it, cooking enough to get a couple different recipes from the same base. It's brilliant. This isn't one of those, however. This recipe is one where Paul Merret gives an alternative to a takeaway, and since both Amy and I love KFC this was always going to be a go-er! The preparation is so simple, although the deep frying was a bit worrisome! Let me tell you - this was delicious! The chicken was moist, the skin was crisp and delicious, the crumb was delicately flavoured. I think it was missing a sweet spice, so next time I make this I'm going to add cinnamon or cloves, maybe both, but just a smidge. We will definitely be having this again. I'm having it for lunch tomorrow. Gotta love those left-overs!

Colonel Merrett's Bucket of Chicken
Serves 4

4 chicken thighs
4 chicken drumsticks (I used boned breasts, Amy won't eat meat off a bone.)
1 whole head of garlic
sprig thyme
100g flour
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp English mustard powder
1/2 tsp salt
300ml milk
1 litre vegetable oil
4 baked potatoes, left to go cold overnight in the fridge
1/2 head Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1 large gherkin, grated
2 carrots, grated
1 red onion, peeled, halved and finely sliced
100g mayonnaise

To cook the chicken, place the thighs and drumsticks/breasts in a pot and cover with water. (If you add a head of garlic and some thyme, you will have a chicken stock left by the time the chicken is cooked - I added a stick of celery because I didn't have celery salt for the crumb.) Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Allow the chicken pieces to cool in the stock, then remove them and store in the fridge until required.

Mix the flour with the cumin, cayenne, celery salt, mustard powder and salt in a large bowl. Toss the chicken in the seasoned flour. Once thoroughly floured, dip the chicken pieces in the milk and then back in the flour. This double-coating means they will be extra crispy.

Pour the oil into a large pan. It needs to be at least 10cm deep and not too near the top. Heat to 170 degrees C, or until a cube of bread turns golden, quickly. Fry the chicken in batches until golden, remove with a slotted spoon. 4-5 mins.

Keep the chicken warm in the oven. Cut the cold potato into wedges and fry as you did the chicken. Mix all the vegies and mayonnaise in a large bowl to make a creamy coleslaw.