A Nervous Nellie Chickens Out About the Deficit With An Easy Chicken Recipe

Yes, damned right I’m nervous. We should all be nervous about the agreement that is probably going to be made in Washington to avert the USA from defaulting on its debts. I’m afraid we’re going to reduce spending on the backs of those who can least afford it. That makes me as scared as Chicken Little.

I’m reminded of people I’ve known who waited years to get Medicare and Medicaid. For example, Carol (not her real name) had no insurance until she was 65 because she couldn’t afford it. (In many states, Adults below age 65 without children can only get Medicaid if they have been eligible for Social Security Disability for 3 years.) By the time she got Medicare, her health problems were so severe that she spent most of her 65^th year going to doctors. Now a proposed plan that I hope is off the table is to make people wait to get Medicare until age 67. Medicaid has been scaled back as it is in many states. Now there is talk of scaling it back even more. 

Thus when Moveon.com e-mailed me to ask that I get to my Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky’s office to express thanks for her continuing to support these needed programs, I was glad to go. We assembled there on Tuesday to say “Thanks” and to encourage her to keep fighting. Below are twp pictures from the event.

Fortunately, I had made an easy recipe for roast chicken the day before. The preparation time was about 10 minutes. Since it was a big chicken –about 6 pounds – there was plenty left over for Tuesday and a couple of other meals. It gave me more time to write letters to the editor expressing my views.

                                             Roast Chicken                  

 

1 roast chicken (4 to 6 pounds)

            ½ lemon
            salt and freshly ground pepper
            herbs ( such as rosemary, thyme, sage, garlic, tarragon, parsley)
            ½ cup white wine
            ¼ pound butter or margarine
           1 small onion peeled

 Preheat the oven to 350 F.

          Clean the chicken.
          Rub the inside with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
          Put the onion in the chicken cavity.
         Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with the herbs.
         Put dabs of butter on outside of the chicken.
         Baste with the wine every 15 to 20 minutes.
         Bake for 20 minutes per pound or until there is no pink when you separate the leg bone from the  frame.