My problem with writing lately: I have my best thoughts of the day just as I am about to fall asleep at night.

This probably sound really strange to everyone else, but I often compose really long elaborate blog entries as a way to wind down from the day. However, none of these entries ever get written because by the time I am done writing them in my head, I’m to busy dreaming to notice.

During the day I think of lots of good stuff to write here, but it’s all an incoherent mess. After it stews in my brain during the evening the best time to write it all down would be around midnight or later. But I almost never feel like writing at that time.

What to do? Maybe get a dictaphone or train myself to somehow remember it all in the morning?

On a completely unrelated note, the best thing that I’ve done this week is eaten lunch at THE BEST vietnamese noodle soup restaurant in town. My two wonderful friends took me there and assisted me with the language barrier – it’s a family run place and it was as delicious as eating a home-cooked meal, if only my home were a long, long way away.

This website still doesn’t look quite right after I upgraded WordPress recently; I had to re-create some of the stylesheets when WP 2.7.1 re-installed the default theme OVER my customized theme. Sorry for the interruption in your regularly scheduled programming.

Anyways.

Today I cooked something delicious. It was going to be marinated chicken, but i wanted a gravy to go with it. Thoughts of smothered chicken popped into my head, but Momma is in Vegas this weekend so I didn’t want to call and ruin all the non-gambling that she’s doing. I made this instead, and I am going to refer to it as White Gumbo. Technically, it might be considered “Wine and Herb Creamy Chicken”, but I just got done eating it and the consistency is JUST like a perfect Gumbo. It does not have a roux, which should disqualify it from being called cajun cuisine entirely. It’s delicious, nonetheless.

Here it is:
ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 cup chopped onions
3/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 to 3/4 cup Sherry wine
1/2 to 1 cup chicken stock or broth made from bouillon
8oz tub Creole Cream Cheese (i got mine at Fresh Pickins this morning from this company)
1 package White wine & herb marinade mix.
1 10oz can Cream of Chicken soup
Olive oil

the night before
Make the marinade in a large bowl according to directions on back of package with olive oil and water. Cut up 1 whole chicken. De-skin. Put chicken pieces in the marinade. If not all chicken is covered with liquid, add some chicken broth or sherry. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

directions
Mix all remaining ingredients to a smooth texture in a slow cooker. Take chicken out of marinade and put in cooker. Start slow-cooker on High for 4 hrs (or low for 7-8 hrs). When there’s 30 minutes left, remove lid to let gravy thicken.

Optional: After you take the lid off, take chicken pieces out, let cool for 10 minutes. Debone chicken and put meat back into pot.