179. Chicken Marengo

Before I get to 179. Chicken Marengo, I need to tell you about my new daily routine. It’s a life-changer. It’s called:

I’ll Tell You How I’m Sleeping–Not Well Bitch!

This is how it works:

Phase I

1. Fall asleep (typically with the lights and tv on and still wearing glasses)
2. Have significant other wake you up so you get into bed and take off your glasses
3. Sleep soundly
4. Until the cat jumps onto the bed
5. and climbs on your chest (you may not wake from that)
6. but the cat, on your chest and 6 inches from your face, begins to clean itself
7. Wake up
8. Go to the bathroom
9. get back into bed
10. mind kickstarts!!!

Thoughts may or may not include:

• Is there wet laundry in the washing machine?
• What would I take with me if I had to evacuate because of natural disaster
• I already want to take a nap
• You will not have time for a nap
• The world is totally going to run out of water
• Did I leave my lunchbox in the car?
• What am I going to do with the 5 pounds of parsnips in the fridge?
• I have to get an emissions check on my car
• Where is that Brian Laundrie dude?
• I’m thirsty
• I need to change the sheets on the bed
• How much did Erika Jayne know?
• Does that McAfee anti-virus thing actually do anything?
• Is toilet paper going to run out again?
• I wish I had enough money for plastic surgery
• Is my building going to collapse from water damage?
• Erika knew it all.
• Where is my checkbook?
• I miss Brian
• You are going to die alone

Phase II

1. Decide to go into the living room
2. Turn on the tv again thinking that the 90210 channel is on and maybe you’ll drift off to sleep watching that.
3. Get bummed that it’s Melrose Place.
4. Close eyes
5.  Do breathing exercises
6. Look at clock
7. Realize that  you’d be getting up in an hour anyway
8. Resign yourself to the fact that you cannot sleep more than 4 hours at one time

Repeat the next day.

What does this have to do with Chicken Marengo?

NOT. A. DAMN. THING.

But, I don’t have any notes on this dinner, and I may or may have not made it while I was unemployed….

But I do remember making these:

With lime sherbet. Why does no one carry normal ol’ lemon sorbet any more?

Finished dish:

Unlike some of the dinners from the fine lunatics from Marjon Promotions (I’m looking at you, Gondolier’s Hero Sandwiches) I did a little research, and Chicken Marengo is an actual thing. (Here’s a NYT recipe). Chicken Marengo is a French dish and traditionally includes eggs and crayfish.

I’m glad that DiS1972 wasn’t asking me for crayfish.

Because: ew.

This was not Ew. This was rather good.

And I’d like to note that the recipe called for that Spaghetti Sauce Mix in a packet. I have never purchased Spaghetti Sauce Mix, and didn’t know exactly what it was, so I referred to this recipe from The Mama’s Girls:

• 1 beef Boullion cube, crushed (or 1 teaspoon beef Boullion granules)
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• dash of black pepper

I do not know if I would necessarily use this concoction for a red sauce, but it was perfect for this application–I think the secret is the cornstarch thickening already mixed in. It made a lovely Marengo sauce and I would not hesitate in using this in future sauced dishes.

OK, that’s it for this one.