My Instagram recently got hacked. It’s bunch of bull shot if you ask me. Anyone who does that has a special place in hell. Anyways, here is something positive that happened recently.
I WENT TO TALLADEGA WITH THE BOYZZZ!
I’ve never been to a race. I’m glad my first one was at Talladega.
Will I be going to more nascar races in the future?
HELL YEAH!
There were instances during the race where I was not in the right frame of mind. Evident by the picture below.
RAISE HELL PRAISE DALE!!
So my current Instagram has been hacked.
It sucks, and is very frustrating. But, it is what it is.
It does not look like I will be able to get back into my old account, so I will be making a new one.
It is not cool that I am forced to do this, but it is out of my control at this point.
My momma doesn’t like taking pictures. She never has. But I’m really happy I got her to take this one. Just good memories. ❤️
On vacation down in Florida. Visiting my mom.
Red stripe is the beer of choice today. Delicious, and easy going down.
I always wanted a power rack growing up. I never had one, but I told myself that one day I will. For my use and, now that I’m a trainer, other people’s.
I bought this rack recently. Its a cap barbell rack. Nothing big and fancy, but it certainly gets the job done.
I won’t be training on it. Other people will. For now. But nonetheless, I’m extremely excited to have it. It’s a dream fulfilled.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my goals.
Where I am at in accomplishing them, what I have to do moving forward. They’ve been my primary focus as of late. I can’t say that about the rest of the year.
There have been times this year where my goals have been put to the way side by yours truly, and not given much effort.
Of course full, unconditional effort can’t be given to something all the time. But a little effort is better than none at all.
Moving into the new year I want to change that. And I believe it starts with the language I use when thinking and speaking about my goals to myself.
Instead of thinking and speaking about my goals as things I “have to do,” I will start thinking and speaking about my goals as things “I can do.”
“I can do this,” or even “I will do this.” This language accepts responsibility and carries with it an emphasis on the process; the journey of achieving the goal.
It also opens one up to the journey and unexpected circumstances that arise on it. When an obstacle arises, the language becomes “what can I do,” or even “what will help me over come this challenge.”
I’ve taken all of this knowledge form a book I’ve been and putting it to practice lately. The 7 habits of highly effective people, by Stephen R. Covey.
I’m thoroughly enjoying the book and the things I have been applying lately have really made an impact. I look forward to the rest of the book, an putting to use what it offers.
Like I said, so far it’s made a difference. This is just one example.
Another football season is in the books with these fine and amazing people. Wouldn’t want to get into the trenches or the weeds with anyone else.
Pictured from Left to Right. Top: Me, Michael Pasqualotto, Sam Willingham, Mac Ozment, Anthony Hansler, Bruce Logue, Brett Allen.
Bottom: Dezarae Rogers, Jessica Geng, Olivia Hodges, Brianna Dinicola, Ashley Hood, Laura Glynn, Aidan Farish, Morgan Cavallaro.
About a month ago I found this recipe for fried chicken.
I had never fried chicken before on my own, but this recipe looked damn good so I had to try it.
The recipe, which I will get into and explain shortly, calls for the chicken to marinate in Coca Cola.
Now I’ve heard of Coca Cola being used in recipes before, but never in fried chicken. So that alone peaked my interest.
As I was whipping everything up, it dawned on me that the recipe did not have a name. So as I was working, I made it my mission to come up with one. I did…
SODA SOAKED FRIED CHICKEN
How did it turn out?
DAMN GOOD!
I’m not going to waste anymore time. Let’s get into the recipe.
First the ingredients. Starting with the brine.
Brine
Next up, the seasoned flour.
Seasoned Flour
You gotta fry the chicken.
So here is what to use and how much.
Frying
Oh and did I mention that with this recipe the chicken rests over a bed of garlic butter rice?
Here’s what you need to make it.
Garlic Butter Rice
A couple things to know and consider before putting everything together:
1. Know that frying the chicken in a cast iron skillet is the way to go. So if you don’t have one, then consider getting one. It’s a great investment.
2. Know that you will not finish eating all of the chicken and rice by yourself. So if you know anyone who is free and not doing anything, then consider inviting them over to partake in the deliciousness.
With that being said, let’s get into the recipe and steps on how to whip up this fried chicken.
In a mixing bowl or glass container, place 5 sprigs of fresh thyme. A little trick to release and open up the flavor of thyme is to smack it with your hand.
You do this with mint as well as basil. It works the same with thyme.
Next, add a tablespoon of salt, 2 gloves of garlic, 2 teaspoons of mild hot sauce sauce, and finally 2 cups of Coca Cola.
Your brine should look like this:
Give it a good stir with a spoon, seal it, set it aside, and move on to preparing your chicken.
Trim the fat off of your 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, and then cut them in half. This will yield 6 pieces of chicken. Which is plenty for yourself and anyone you invite over.
With a tenderizer, tenderize you’re chicken. This flattens it, allowing it to be almost completely submerged in oil when it comes time to fry, and opens up the chicken to soak up the marinade better.
Once you have tenderized you’re meat, place all 6 pieces in the marinade and set aside in your refrigerator for 1 – 3 hours.
Honestly, for this to taste as good as it does, let the chicken marinate for 3 hours. It makes a huge difference.
Now it’s time to put together your seasoned flower mix.
Again in a mixing bowl or glass container, (plate works too) pour 1 cup of all purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of salt. Don’t mix it up just yet. You have some more spices.
All 1/2 teaspoons, add black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. With your herbs and spices together, give it a mix with a spoon and set it aside until it is time to fry.
In a frying pan place 1 tbsp of butter and press 2 cloves of garlic. Now when I say press, I mean with a garlic press. If you don’t have one, then you can press them with a knife and then cut them up. But if you have a press, it’ll make life much easier.
Stir the butter and garlic on medium to high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Once you’ve done that, pour in 1 cup of jasmine rice.
Stir the rice for another 1 – 2 minutes or until it is coated evenly with the garlic butter. When it is, pour in 1 1/2 cups of water or broth. Of the two, I went with broth. Chicken broth. There is more flavor to the rice when it cooks in broth instead of water.
Stir the rice with a spoon and then place a lid over the pan. Let it set for 5 minutes on medium heat. Once your rice starts to thicken, take it of the heat and set aside with the lid on. It will finish cooking while you fry your chicken. Stir occasionally.
The final step. The moment you have been waiting for. It’s time to fry your chicken.
Grab your cast iron skillet, and pour in 2 cups of peanut oil set on high heat. Let your oil heat up for 2-3 minutes.
After 3 long hours, grab your chicken out of your fridge and get your seasoned flour.
Coat 2 pieces of chicken with seasoned flour. Give your chicken a squeeze to make sure every nook and cranny is covered.
Squeezing your chicken in the flour also makes for fried chicken with crispy, tasty ruffled pieces of fried batter that are packed with all of the fried, delicious, seasoned flavor.
Once coated, place your pieces of chicken in the heated oil and let fry for 3 – 4 minutes. Having tenderized your chicken, it should be almost completely submerged in oil. If it is not, thats okay. After 3 – 4 minutes is over, flip and let fry for another 3 minutes.
Once fried, take out your pieces of chicken and place on a paper towel to let the grease drip off.
Repeat this process with the remaining four pieces of chicken.
Now it’s time to plate everything up.
On a large dinner plate, or dish of your choosing, spread out your rice evenly across it. Sprinkle some fresh spring onion or herb of your choosing. You can get by with parsley.
Next, take your pieces of chicken and lay them over your bed of rice, sprinkle some more spring onion on top with some salt, and pour some hot sauce over them.
If you don’t want hot sauce over your chicken, you can put it on the side and dunk your pieces in it. Or you can go without all together. It’s your choice.
Once you choose what you want, your finished. Now it’s time to eat.
The final dish should look like this:
I was ecstatic about how this came out. Like I said, I never fried chicken on my own before but when I read this recipe I had to give it a try. It exceeded my expectations. absolutely delicious. And the rice…a perfect touch.
Give this recipe a try, and let me know what you think. Can it be improved? If so, how? Let me know.
Enjoy!
I don’t know what Halloween this was, but I’m here for it.
I can’t believe I was into nascar so much as a kid. Anyways, Happy Halloween.
Been experimenting with homemade pizza.
The dough is premade, the sauce is jarred in Brooklyn, New York, and the fresh mozzarella is straight from Wisconsin.
Want to use fresh dough soon, but I need to get a pizza tray for it. I bake them over coals on my charcoal grill to give them a nice golden, crispy brown undercarriage; the best way to eat pizza in my opinion.
They turned out pretty damn good. I will definitely make them again. Next time with some fresh meats. Capicola, prosciutto, pepperoni, and some fresh basil.
I’m getting hungry thinking about it.
Michael Johnson 