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July 20, 2006
Ominous Chicken
Or perhaps just proof that I'm losing my mind.
Whenever I get anxious, I start buying chicken.
Yes, you read that correctly: Whitney anxious = chicken. And not just any chicken, but those bags of frozen chicken breasts.
Why, I don’t know. I’d much rather I had a tendency to buy shoes or bags or pretty, pretty lipsticks to soothe my troubled soul. But I don’t. I buy chicken.
George was the first one who noticed that I did this, back when I was pregnant with Sam. It was an emotionally tough pregnancy, coming right after the late-term loss of our first son. One night George was rummaging through the freezer looking for an ice cream sandwich, and emerged with a confused expression on his face.
“What’s with all the chicken?” he asked.
“What chicken?”
“There are, like, five bags of frozen chicken in here. Expecting trouble? The sort that requires that we be well stocked up on chicken?”
“No. But that’s weird. Because I was just writing up the shopping list, and I put chicken on it,” I said, perplexed.
“Well, I think we’re set on chicken for the time being,” George said, extracting his ice cream sandwich and closing the freezer. “But put ice cream sandwiches on the list. This is the last one.”
“Hand it over.”
“Hey! You didn’t even want one until I mentioned I was getting one!”
“And now I want it. Come on. Give the pregnant lady her ice cream before she gets grouchy,” I said, snapping my fingers at him.
Wise man that he is, he immediately handed it over.
But frozen chicken has now become something of an omen for me. When I start overbuying it, it usually means that something’s bothering me . . . even if I’m not sure what that is. So you can only imagine my concern when I got home from the grocery store on Tuesday, went to put the newly purchased frozen chicken in the freezer . . . and discovered that there were already three bags of chicken chilling there.
“Oh uh,” I said to myself.
Because the thing is, I don’t think I am anxious about anything at the moment. My family is all safe and healthy. George and I are going to London in the fall, so I’ve been mooning about the upcoming trip and trying to decide whether it’s really worth spending 30 pounds per person on High Tea at Brown’s (probably not). Workwise, I’m way ahead of schedule on my fifth book, THE MOMMY WARS, and about to start writing my first YA chick lit novel, GEEK HIGH. All good.
So maybe this time the chicken is a sign of future trouble to come . . . like a plague or pestilence or hurricane or spate of horrible reviews. Maybe I should be extra careful to keep my cell phone charged and the emergency water supply stocked. Then again, maybe I’m reading too much into a couple of bags of frozen chicken . . . I hope so.
Does anyone have a good chicken recipe they’d care to share?
Posted by Whitney at 5:00 AM | Comments (17)
Comments
Could you be stressin' over the Ball Pit from Hell? LOL
As for a chicken recipe, give www.kraftfoods.com a gander. I HIGHLY recommend the Savory Chicken Dumplings recipe. My son INHALED it and I have to admit, it was quite good, even if the recipe did seem kinda odd...
Posted by: Jen at July 20, 2006 5:33 AM
I shop too much when I'm anxious and stressed...and okay, I shop too much when I'm NOT anxious and stressed - but that's different. Euphoria shopping vs. Depressed shopping.
Anyway.
Is 30pounds per person worth it for High Tea at Browns? Probably NOT, but it's probably worth the experience, and if you DON'T do it, you'll probably wish you had. I say go for it!
Posted by: laurenjharwood ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.literarychicks.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at July 20, 2006 8:10 AM
The thing about Browns is that I have been before . . . and it was wonderful, but still. A lot of moola for what really breaks down to sandwiches and tea.
I'm playing hookie from the Ball Pit From Hell today. Freeeeeeeee-dom!
Posted by: Whitney at July 20, 2006 8:16 AM
For me it's bathroom tissue and spaghetti. We always have tons of spare rolls of bathroom tissue and enough spaghetti on hand to feed the Italian army if they happened to drop by. Not that they'd want to eat spaghetti out of a box, but still . . .
I actually tend to overbuy/overstock on all food items, though, and Navy Guy has asked on more than one occasion if I'm preparing for famine. I tend to get anxious if the cupboards look less than overstuffed; maybe I lived through war or the Great Depression in an earlier life.
Posted by: Alesia Holliday at July 20, 2006 9:42 AM
I went through this phase where every time I would go to the store I would buy a package of panko. (Japenese bread crumbs) I was consumed with the idea that were running out. I ended up with like 10 bags of the stuff
Posted by: Eileen at July 20, 2006 12:16 PM
Okay, everyone--potluck supper tonight at Whitney's house. She'll be providing the chicken, Alesia will bring a vat of spaghetti, Eileen will supply the panko and I will take care of the, um, ice cream sandwiches. (For George's sake.)
Bring everyone you know.
Posted by: Beth at July 20, 2006 12:22 PM
I was just thinking the same thing, Beth. Chicken, panko, spaghetti . . . if we can get someone to cover the tomato sauce and mozzarella, we'd have all the fixings for chicken parm.
I'm so glad I'm not the only freaky one. I love you guys.
Posted by: Whitney at July 20, 2006 12:36 PM
My mother used to stockpile turkeys. She probably still would if they'd let her have her chest freezer at the assisted living facility. When my sister helped my parents move from Nebraska, she found seven frozen turkeys in the basement freezer. Seven. One was underneath a foil packet labeled "Enchiladas 1977".
Maybe there's a Poultry Anonymous?
Posted by: Eileen at July 20, 2006 1:09 PM
Well, you're in Florida, right? And it is hurricane season, right?
Mystery solved. Fire up the grill, baby! ;)
Posted by: Lani at July 20, 2006 4:15 PM
I'll bring the cheese (I buy way too much cheese).
So, what time should we turn up, Whitney?
Posted by: Michelle C at July 21, 2006 7:03 AM
What kind of chicken? Cut, skinned, breast, wings, legs, or whole dictates how we're gonna cook us some "yardbird". With all this surplus chicken, I thinkin' curry with carrots or Vietnamese sweet potatoes over some steamed jasmin rice, Thai beef salad, Lemongrass soup with mushrooms and prawns washed down with a coupla' Turbo Dogs. Now, I do some cookin' but I can't say I've ever heard of panko. Does panko have a different name?
Posted by: Brian at July 21, 2006 1:49 PM
Tomorrow night's dinner is at Brian's house. ;+) My mother buys cereal and bananas. When I take her to the grocery store and send her off on her little drive around cart, "No cereal. Not more than six bananas." Seriously, she'll buy four dozen bananas and several boxes of cereal, and she never eats either of them.
I, too, stockpile chicken and turkey, but I love them, so they get eaten. Maybe it's just that those big bags of frozen chicken breasts seem so easy???
Posted by: ZaZa at July 22, 2006 12:16 PM
Food for the Family, SN...search for the pineapple chicken recipe from Alexis. It will make all your worries go away. ;)
Posted by: Summer at July 23, 2006 11:45 PM
Where is Brown's ? I have never heard of it ! We are going up smoke in a few weeks maybe I need to bug my hubbie to take me there !
Posted by: Rebecca at July 24, 2006 5:03 AM
I have no chicken recipes to share. Only this:
1. I heart George for handing over the last ice cream sandwich.
2. You are surely the coolest person I know, for getting a contract to write a series called Geek High. I can't wait to start buying it for my 12yo niece and start a buying frenzy!!!!!!
Posted by: Julie at July 25, 2006 10:44 AM
Dear Whitney Gaskell,
Today, I stumbled across this website while speaking with a friend about a book "Pushing 30."
I was actually complaining that you only wrote one book when I ran across three new books from you! I am so excited that you have wrote more novels because, I fell in love with your writing abilities in Pushing 30 in 2004 and your characters. I am so excited about going out today and purchasing your other novels. Again, your publishing company should be glad to have you. You are a very special writer who can attract people from different backgrounds, and different lives making them relate to you.
You have great talent!
Sincerely
Kimberly
Posted by: Kimberly at July 31, 2006 2:34 PM
Awwwww, thank you Kimberly!!!
Posted by: Whitney at August 7, 2006 7:25 AM
