Even non-chicken lovers will enjoy this

Gary is not a big lover of chicken, but a good sport when I try a new chicken recipe.

Well, let me tell you, when I made this week's recipe for fried chicken and gravy, it scored. I served the crispy oven chicken with fresh baked squash and garlic mashed potatoes. A real comfort meal in itself.

Tim graded my meal a "B" with a wink, which meant "A+."

Baked Fried Chicken

Servings: 6

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces

Buttermilk, to cover chicken

1 stick butter

1 cup flour

1 tablespoon seasoned salt

2 teaspoons paprika

3/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Gravy:

2 tablespoons scallion

1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped

3 tablespoons butter and drippings from baking dish, combined with scraped up crispy bits from chicken

2 tablespoons leftover flour seasoned for chicken prep.

1 cup milk

1 cube chicken bouillon, optional

Soak chicken in buttermilk for 20-30 minutes. Spray a baking dish (one that will accommodate all the chicken pieces comfortably in one layer) with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the butter in the baking dish and heat in the oven until the butter melts. Mix flour and seasonings together in paper sack or a large bowl. Shake each piece of chicken in seasoned flour. Place chicken pieces, skin-side-down in baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over and bake an additional 20 minutes or until cooked through and crispy. Remove chicken and set aside in a warm place.

To make the gravy, saute the scallions and mushrooms in the drippings over medium high heat, until soft. Mix the seasoned flour with the milk first until you see no lumps. Whisk milk mixture into the sauteing onions and mushrooms. Taste and add bouillon cube, if desired (you may want to use additional milk if you do). Boil until thickened to preferred consistency. Serve with baked chicken.

Apple Squares

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups finely chopped peeled tart apples

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar; beat in egg. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well (dough will be stiff). Stir in apples. Spread batter into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Combine brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon and vanilla; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Cut into squares. I like to serve it warm topped with ice cream.

Mary Jo's Wild Rice Hotdish

1 cup uncooked wild rice, cook until done and drain

1 can mushroom soup

3 chicken bouillon in 1 can of water

1 pound fried bacon

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (may use canned)

1 can water chestnuts

Mix all ingredients together and bake covered with foil for two hours.

GARY'S TIP: To remove white water marks from table tops, apply mayo and rub it in. Let stand and wipe clean with a soft cloth in an hour or so.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The best thing to hold on to in this life is each other.