5/3/19
Building Summary: Today I measured and cut the plywood piece for the upper portion of the kitchen/bathroom wall-closet. This was followed by my measuring, stenciling, and jigsawing a hole for the exhaust fan and 6″-to-4″ adapter. After that, Padre helped me extend a 20′ dryer hose along and through the entire soffit into the bathroom.
Afternoon activities included my digging a sizeable hole for Madre’s container office (as the first installment of my four ‘payments’ for her painting Jacobhouse its verdurous hue).
Commentary: Today was the first morning this year that I walked out into the morning, and the temperature was in the 70’s. It’s already feeling like Summer, yet the official season is still over a month and half away.
As for a topic of interest, I must mention the recipe I made quite recently (and whose* leftovers I shall be eating this evening). It is called “Chicken, Sausage, Peppers & Potatoes”, and what the name lacks in imagination, it more than makes up for in flavor. The method entails lightly frying some sausages in a skillet, stabbing them with a knife multiple times to produce their drippings, and then using those drippings to coat various raw vegetables and chicken thighs before sliding it all into the oven for ~ 45 minutes to an hour**. Everything that emerged from the pan was delicious, especially the crispy-skinned chicken and the savory gravy at the bottom (into which I dunked some freshly made quick-bread). For those interested in the roast recipe, here is Chef Jon’s video.
I really enjoyed all of it, but that chicken was fantastic. The vegetables and sausage drippings helped keep it juicy while the high-heat cooking gave the thighs a perfect amount of crunch.
Final Note: Tomorrow, seeing as the top piece of plywood for the bathroom wall-closet is in place, I will be wiring the exhaust fan and attaching the 6″ to 4″ adapter to it, and then I will be connecting all of that to the vent hose Padre and I positioned today.
*Sounds strange saying ‘whose’ in regard to a food, but I looked it up, and it appears to be proper grammar.
**I cooked it for about 40 minutes on 450 F and then broiled it for 5 minutes (550 F) on the top oven rack. To add to this, I used a little bit of baking soda along with the spices in-recipe. Baking soda on chicken skin really seems to increase the crunchiness.