The Chicken Went Bad

So, I've been creating these menus for the week. I like it, it works for the most part. I do forget to account for all the leftovers, though. So I'm still learning.

Ryan and I have to learn to be on the same page. He's craving chili when the heat index is 111 degrees and I've thawed chicken the night before. I let the chicken stay in the fridge so my husband can make his super yummy chili. It makes us all happy.

The poor chicken has been forgotten for a few days. It's a Wednesday night, it's been a busy day, the youth kids are coming over soon....I go to the fridge to pull the chicken out. I have two thighs from the night before, and a whole package of 10 thighs. I'm very excited about the meal I am about the prepare for my family. Lately, I've been cooking for 4 adults (and Nathan, who can eat like an adult sometimes). This night I have 7 people I'm feeding. I open the package of chicken, and the stench about knocks me over!! It's completely gone bad, and mean BAD!! I quickly get it out of my kitchen before anyone else questions what we're going to have for dinner. I look at the counter with my lovely ingredients, and I realize I have about 10 seconds to come up with something else. With the rice cooker going, I throw everything else into a bowl, and stick the two thighs that were still good into the oven. In less time than it takes to watch Rachel Ray cook on her show, I'm sitting down to feed all of us.

What made the evening even more special was a unexpected guest we had; a neighborhood friend of Nathan's. One who is "unlovable" to some. I insisted he stay and eat with us before he could beg for the food himself and it didn't even bother me when he had to dump half of his food in the trash because it wasn't "what he thought it was".

My attitude in all this impressed me the most. The Proverbs 31 woman and Debi Pearl would have been proud. The kitchen was clean by the time the youth walked through the door and we could join them in the "balloon games".
The chicken went bad....but my creativity was a refreshing surprise.