Ladies, It’s Fried Chicken Day

When you were growing up, was fried chicken on Sundays a thing? It seems to me fried chicken was a Sunday special, but only in the summertime. Come winter it was roast chicken or roast beef.

Hum, wonder if the oven was used to help heat the house. It would make sense. I remember that there was a single wall heater in the hallway for the entire house. We didn’t have central heating and air. Eventually Dad installed a swamp cooler in the master bedroom window. On full blast that thing could put out some powerful air movement. Their bedroom was like an ice box, but the rest of the house never really did cool down much. Although as kids we had a blast standing in front of the cooler with our paper airplanes.

Dad had planted two quick growing trees in the back between the patio and the corn field to help shade the house. More times than I can count we’d have Sunday dinner in the shade of those trees. There were two wooden picnic tables between the trees to hold everyone. Our Sundays were extended family days. Typically it was mom’s sisters and their families, which made us 5 adults and 10 kids. If Dad’s side joined in, that increased our numbers to 9 adults and 14 kids. Eventually mom got to know every family within a mile of our house, and those Sunday dinners grew. For me it was so special to have Father Dennis in attendance. He was a fixture in our house for a number of years, always quick with a blessing or to lend an ear in confession. I remember feeling so grateful for our extended family. There were kids I knew from Catechism that came from families with 8 or 10 or even 12 siblings. I always thought our immediate family of 4 children was too small for a Catholic family.

Today is National Fried Chicken Day. While I wish it were held each year on a Sunday, maybe the 2nd Sunday in July, but the powers that be have it set for the 6th of July. I guess that way it never conflicts with the 4th of July and might even draw more attention as we linger in that nostalgic sense of patriotism.

For the longest time I could not fry chicken to save my life. The outside was burnt, the inside bloody. When I turned the heat down, all I got was greasy chicken. So I settled for oven baked fried chicken, which they say is healthier for you. But have you ever known me to do something for my health? Naw. Now that I have mastered both fried or baked chicken, I thought it was time to have a little fun. Hope you enjoy and have a wonderful day.

Crescent Wrapped BBQ Drumsticks
6 Chicken Drumsticks
4 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce
1 Egg
1 (8 oz) tube refrigerated Crescent Dough Sheet
2 teaspoons Mesquite Seasoning

Prepare the drumsticks by removing and discarding the skin. Set prepared drumsticks aside.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the barbecue sauce. Add skinless drumsticks, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through with an internal temperature of 180-degrees. Turn chicken occasionally to cook evenly. Remove chicken from the pan, allow to cool to the touch.

Heat oven to 375-degrees. Lightly grease a 15-incy by 10-inch rimmed baking sheet, set aside. In a small bowl lightly beat egg.

Cover work area with some parchment paper, lightly spray paper with cooking spray. Roll out Crescent Dough sheet. Divide in half lengthwise, then into thirds to create six rectangles of dough. Brush with a little beaten egg, then sprinkle with Mesquite seasoning.

Place meaty portion of each drumsticks in the center of a rectangle, bony portion extended beyond one long side. Wrap drumstick in dough, place seas-side down on the prepared baking sheet.

Place in the heated oven to bake for about 13 minutes or until crust is golden-brown.

Serve these amazingly different drumsticks with a side of buttery corn and enjoy.

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