This tasty meal is addicting

I am truly addicted to recipes. When I sit and read through my recipe books or surf the Net for fun ideas, the next thing I know I'm off to the grocery store to pick up the ingredients to try new recipes.

Every one in a while the recipe doesn't turn out like it sounds, but the majority of the time I find some pretty tasty dishes.

Sunday I made Pop in the Oven Chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and fresh asparagus. It was a rather tasty meal if I have to say so myself!

Pop in the Oven Chicken

1 chicken, cut up

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup butter

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon season salt

1 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Place chicken pieces in a large, shallow pan; pour buttermilk over and turn chicken pieces to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate for two hours. Place the oil and butter in a shallow pan (jelly-roll pan) and put in a heated oven at 375 degrees until melted. Set aside. In a large paper sack or plastic bag, combine the flour and seasonings. Drain the chicken and pat dry. Roll the chicken pieces, a couple at a time, in the melted oil-butter mixture, then drop them into the sack and shake to cover. Place on a dish or wax paper. Place the coated chicken in the pan, skin side down. Bake for 45 minutes. With a spatula, turn the chicken over and bake 5-10 minutes longer, or until the top crust begins to bubble.

Fresh Sauced Asparagus and Cheese

Servings: 4

1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cubed

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup half-and-half

3/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup Swiss Cheese, shredded

1 tablespoon Ritz crackers, crushed

In a large skillet, cook asparagus in a small amount of water until crisp-tender, about 6-8 minutes (do not overcook); drain. Arrange spears in the bottom of a greased 1 1/2-quart baking dish; set aside and keep warm. In a small saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add flour; cook and stir for one minute. Whisk in half-and-half, bouillon, salt and pepper; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. Pour over asparagus. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs. Broil six inches from the heat for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Excellent Mashed Potatoes

Servings: 4

Preparation time: 45 minutes

4 large potatoes, peeled and quartered

1/3 cup warm milk

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sour cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Cook potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted water until tender; drain. Mash potatoes and beat until smooth. Add milk, butter, sour cream, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Beat until blended. Beat on high speed until fluffy about 2 minutes.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT; Man doesn't live by bread alone. We all need buttering up once in a while.

GARY'S TIP: To quickly find a favorite recipe in a magazine or cookbook, put a stick-it note on the inside cover listing the name of the recipe and page number. That way the recipe is easy to find in a hurry and at a glance.