Possum is Awesome...

Yep.  Absolutely, totally, undoubtedly delicious!  Hahaha.  No, not really.  Had you going there for a minute, no??  Well, we have yet to stoop to that level and we are not that poor...yet.  Check back with me in a month or two, considering this economy and such.

"Oh, Mama...you have resorted to jokes at the expense of marsupials????  Now I have seen it ALL!!"

Again, my intention was to not offend any type of marsupial.  I, in fact, would find it a privilege and an honor to be a marsupial.  Especially considering you could have a prehensile tail AND a pouch.  What kinda gal couldn't use a pouch??  It's like a built-in purse??  (If Coach could make that...I'm merely sayin'....especially in mahogany or pink...)  I am constantly losing my wallet, keys, lipgloss, mind...Not to mention, I'd have a convenient storage space for my cape.  All super-heroes need cape access 24-7.  That's a fact!  I speak from experience here, people....again...trust is of the essence.  In addition, getting back to the prehensile tail...that would be extremely beneficial.  Think of the stuff you could grab from the top shelf of your kitchen cupboard?!?!?  Need some sugar, no problem...need the pepper, again, no problem.  Need the hot sauce, oh wait...my tail will get that for you....no problem!  Endless possibilities...endless...

Alright...I am sure by now I have exhausted my possum/marsupial jokes....I only have That Guy in which to thank.  For that, as well as the coining of the Possum is Awesome phrase.  I'm in talks to have it made into a bumper sticker.  I feel the deal could be quite lucrative.  My friends from 'the Wall' have all concurred as well and stated they would totally sport a bumper sticker making such claim...that is if any of them had cars.   You've gotta start out small...as they say...or so the saying goes.  I forget.  My memory just isn't what it used to be.  I blame martinis, age and the heat.  Yet, I always have an excuse.  Full of them, excuses that is....

"OK, Mama.  We've had this discussion a multitude of times.  You need to just stop talking and move along.....there is food involved...and I can no longer wait to eat leftovers!  You're driving a gal crazy!!"

I suppose she does have an excellent point.  She's a pretty sassy and smart kinda gal...takes after her Mama, of course...Did you have any doubts about that???!!!???

This evening, being a Friday night, it was no holds barred.  We had no where to go, no one to see and pretty much nothing to do....soooo I cooked.  Hahahaha....sad, I know!  Oh, and you may or may not be happy to hear that MMMBop has ceased.  It was not my doing, trust me.  My speakers went on strike.  Apparently they couldn't take it anymore.  They had enough of Hanson and it wasn't in their contract or some such nonsense...so I've been listenting to Simple Plan again.  I have to say, perhaps the speakers were on the right track (hahaha...so to speak, get it??) and moved onto more motivational songs.  Nothing like a great song!

Where was I...I did have a purpose....I think so, at least....and it had nothing to do with possum.  I'm sooo confused!?!?!?  OH...yeah...I was cooking.  Yep.  That's it.

I made a citrus brick game hen atop a bed of creamy corn polenta.  And, last minute, being the whimsical type, I whipped up a little pan sauce.  No regrets.  None...Zip...Nada.

You begin with a game hen and cut it in half, removing the backbone.  I did learn a new word today called spatchcock...it has to do with removing backbones from poultry.  I could delve into the subject..but then again...yawn and double-yawn...it would be like discussing my job.  Not gonna happen.  Sooooo....once you have your poultry handy, allow the marinating to commence!!

Lemon, lime and orange juice. Garlic, fresh herbs and olive oil.

You place everything in a bag and allow nature to take its course.  Sometimes..well, most of the time that is in your best interest.  Again..it's my experience!!

The magical vessel.  It's like Vegas..what happens here, stays here!

The concept of brick chicken is Tuscan.  I have to laugh out loud when I here that for a couple of reasons.  One, I am quite immature and tend to laugh for no apparent reason what-so-ever, and because it reminds me of that Seinfeld episode.  The one with the Maestro who had that house in Tuscany...remember that???  I think that guy was actually in a Twisted Sister video eons ago.  I won't even go down that lane..there's not enough time...  Regardless, yes, the Maestro was not really one, per se, which was probably part of the joke.   Digression is a sickness..one on which I am working (I caught it from That Guy...you know the one...I'm sure you do....loooong story).  The concept of said game hen is to place something heavy (i.e. a brick) atop the chicken while the skin crisps).  I had no bricks, nor access to any bricks..so I used my Le Creuset to squish the chicken...

Ghetto game-hen squisher...or GGHS in the acronym world...not that I know a single thing about acronyms....absolutely nothing!

While the chicken was doing its thing...I did my thing and assembled the creamy corn-studded polenta.  I'm a stud expert...hahahaha.  No, again I am just making things up.  Not really.  Well, maybe...it's a secret!

Chicken stock, cream, bacon bits, butter, corn meal, corn and parmesan cheese (not pictured).  The parmesan cheese was taking a sick day, hence absence from the photo...

Once I was finished with the polenta, I was ready to move back to my chicken...

I scrambled to assemble the final dish. 

UMMBop!  Shazam!

The sweet, creaminess of the polenta was an ideal contrast to the tart-citrusy flavor of the chicken.  Perfect combination!  And no fear of contracting scurvy.  I'm all about win-win types of situations!

E.V. was quite eager, as usual, to clean up the plates.  And for that I am quite grateful.  She's a good gal...has a good head on her shoulders, but, again, she takes after her mama.  hahahahhahaha...not really.

"I concur, Mama.  I concur..."

That was our evening, in a nutshell...straight from the nut house.  hahahaha...My herbs continue to hang out at the bar drying out (absolutely NO joke there......:-)

Day #2...Grumpy Smurf is not exactly working out...I would be willing to accept applications for a replacement.  Cybercrushes are encouraged to apply...  I'll even throw in a bonus and promise to wear my super-hero cape!

My work here is done....go make a chicken, or dry herbs, or find a possum, or hang out with a Smurf.  I have left you with endless possibilities!  And it is a Friday night.  Oh, and you are welcome.  We'll be here tomorrow.  Yes, it's true.... 

P.S.  Jesus of Surbubia ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!