Using the "Good Stuff"

Oven Fried Chicken Thighs with Roasted Potato and Corn

 I went with a group of friends/family to Northampton yesterday for the Annual Tent Sale at my (our) favorite yarn store.  All that yarn goodness certainly makes you hungry, and we had lunch at an Asian restaurant that we have frequented in the past. (side bar:  the food was delicious as always, but the service left a bit to be desired.  The sneezing waitress at the end was the straw that broke the camel's back...and I think we'll try somewhere else next time we're in Northampton)  Anyway, we were talking about fried food and I lamented that though I know it is horrible for you, I miss fried chicken sometimes.  My friend Holly made a point; that if you have something fried once in a while and it's quality (i.e not fast food,) that you crave it less.  Interesting.  

In the past six months, my fried food consumption has gone down significantly.  And though I do eat it on occasion, it's usually something that we've made at home instead of something at a restaurant.  (Though I had a fried spring roll yesterday and it was heavenly.  Just one...and I was pleased to discover that it was enough.)

However, there are good substitutions for fried food out there, and the recipe that we had last night for Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs certainly was a good example.  Another thing that helps a lot is using quality ingredients.  we had leftover (real!) buttermilk that I had purchased for a recipe, as well as fresh grated Parmesan leftover from our Mother's Day pasta dinner.  Usually I "fake" buttermilk by adding vinegar to regular milk.  It really does make a difference!  

So that's my soapbox talk for today:  1.  If you're going to eat fried food, go for quality fried instead of fast food.  And 2.  Use the good stuff when cooking....at least as often as you can and can afford!