A total surprise

Last week, Jon and I had to go to a meeting with a client. Given the distance and the fact that they asked us to come at lunch time, we could expense lunch. Jon wanted to stop at Kentucky Fried Chicken.

I generally don't eat there. It hasn't been an appealing place for me, lately. But, on this day, sure, why not.

Jon got a meal and I got the popcorn chicken. For those who don't go to KFC, "popcorn" chicken is small chunks of chicken, battered and deep-fried. They come out roughly the size of popcorn, hence the name. They were okay.

A lot of people go to KFC for the biscuits. I actually bought a couple to go with the meal because they are so good. I could get a side and nothing really said "Pick me". I went with the beans because it was the least objectionable. They wound up being really good.

I think I detected a hint of bacon, but the flavor was brown sugar and molasses. I was quite surprised at how good they were.

This reminded me of the time when my ex and I decided to compare what we'd pay for food from the grocery with a week's worth of eating supper out every night. For one week, every night on the way home from work, he stopped at a different fast food restaurant and bought supper. We then compared the cost between the two weeks. If I remember right, the costs were pretty close, which we found rather surprising. The problem is that you don't always pick good good from the fast food menu. I cooked meat and vegetables or fruit. We'd have milk or fruit juice, not soda. Portions were smaller than a third of a pound of beef, char broiled with lettuce, tomato and mayo. Grease was almost non-existent. It was an interesting experiment.

I wouldn't do that today. I can make smarter choices off a menu but I don't hit up the fast food places as I used to. Subway is probably now my place of choice and I've read where that isn't all it's cracked up to be with the high-fructose corn syrup making its way into their breads. The best thing is to cook to have enough left-overs. I have chicken and rice with peas for lunch today, leftover from Sunday.

Still, I think about those baked beans and I'm going to have to go to Dominicks this weekend and get a can. Cook that up with a nice smoked sausage...perfect for the last holiday of summer.

Beverage: Irish Breakfast Tea

Deb