#62 Simple Baked Chicken Drumsticks and the story of chickens & love..

Do you think it is possible to make a delicious chicken dish using only very few ingredients? Like, 4? Absolutely!  We tried and loved it. We made simple baked chicken drumsticks. It was an economical and quick dinner meal, simply delicious, it goes well with potatoes and vegetables, not to mention, of all cuts the drumsticks are the least expensive to buy. My little helper seasoned it and watched the oven for me. :) It was fun!


SIMPLE BAKED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS


Ingredients:

5-6 chicken drumsticks
garlic salt
pepper
olive oil


Directions:

1. Put some olive oil in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan (just enough to put the drumsticks on).
2. Add drumsticks (space enough apart so thy aren't touching each other).
3. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.
4. Bake at 375 F for half an hour. Turn drumsticks over and add more garlic salt and pepper. (same as before).
5. Bake another half an hour (or until cooked til 160 degrees).   

Recipe adapted from  Food.com

In 2003, there were more than 24 billions of chicken on Earth. A subspecies of the Red Junglefowl, it became the most widely consumed animal for their meat and eggs, even surpassing beef and veal. And to think that back then, it was only domesticated for the purpose of cock fighting. It has been claimed that 6,000 years ago is when the chickens were first domesticated in China. And in what today is Pakistan, is where the chickens made their way throughout the world.

Now I want to share a story about chickens and love. My Mama was a full time career woman until she retired this year. One day when I was little, straight from work she went to buy lumber, feeders, light bulbs, chicken wires, nails, etc. and piled the materials neatly in front of our house while still wearing high heels. I learned that she had contacted a carpenter to build huge cages, and then told us, "we will  start raising chickens for our consumption". We were excited. The following day, we came home from school and  saw that she brought home 2 boxes filled with two types of chicks: Layers and Broilers. She bought lots of them... They were so cute! We (the kids) with some help from the grown ups, took care of the chickens every day, watched them grow and we enjoyed a lot of great roasts stuffed with fragrant lemongrass. I remember those Sundays very well. And every morning, I loved touching warm fresh eggs from the layers. She also gave some of the grown chickens and eggs to our relatives and friends. I don't remember what exactly happened to the chickens and how that little chicken farm we had going in our backyard ended. But I remember that I hated the loud grown chickens and their smell, but loved the eggs and meat. :) This story reminds me of how lucky I am to have experienced that and carry great memories with me everyday. She did not need to raise chickens at home while working 40+ hours a week, but she gladly did it for us. That was one of her countless actions showing pure parent love, and love begets love..They say we become our mothers as we grow older, and I can say in all honesty that I will be lucky if I can even be half of what my super Mama is. I love her.