Momma Said

By Teri Cayton

The Parsons Advocate

I think the next Stimulus Package should include stimulating people to get off their butts and go out and get a job.  You cannot walk into any business in our area that does not have a Help Wanted sign in the window.  The unemployment rate keeps going up and still we do not have enough people willing to work to keep businesses open.

We even have fast foods restaurants working on limited hours because they cannot find people to work.  The people that are working are so overtaxed that they cannot continue to work long, extended hours to cover regular business hours.  Our country cannot continue to survive this way.  We are bleeding money and the transfusions will not continue forever.  Momma Said, “Pride has gone out the window.”

As a country we cannot just print money and give it away.  Our currency has to be backed by something.  It is just like getting a loan for a car, we have to go somewhere to get financing.  I am afraid one day soon the lenders are going to call in the loan and we are going  up the creek without a paddle.  People think things are bad now, just wait until the next Great Depression and don’t fool yourself that it is not coming.

We have cargo ships backed up on both ends of every port that cannot get unloaded.  This comes amid demand for goods and the continuing fallout from the labor shortage.  Just go to the grocery store and see how much stuff is NOT on the shelves.  A chip shortage in China is resulting in a toy shortage for Christmas.  Momma Said, “Even Santa Claus is going to have to go on unemployment.  God Help Us All.”

Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 500 ml can of pineapple chunks, drained and 1/2 cup of juice reserved
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of corn starch
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, cubed
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp. of corn starch diluted in 2 tbsp. of water

For the Sauce:

• 1/2 cup of pineapple juice reserved from the chunks
• 2 tbsp. of soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. of vinegar
• 2 tbsp. of brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. of ketchup
• 2 tbsp. of water

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the pineapple juice, soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, and water together in a measuring cup. Mix until well combined and set it aside.
2. Add the chicken to a separate bowl. Put the egg and corn starch in. Season it with some salt and pepper. Mix until the chicken is completely coated.
3. Pour some oil into a walk or pan. you want enough to just cover the chicken. Heat it to 177 degrees C. or 350 F. Fry the chicken, in batches, until it’s golden brown. This should take about 5 minutes per batch. Set it aside on a plate lined wit a paper towel.
4. Discard the excess oil from the pan, but leave enough in for frying.
5. Add in the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Saute for a couple of minutes until the bell pepper is tender crisp.
6. Put the pineapple in and stir and fry for another 2 minutes.
7. Pour the sauce in and bring it to a boil without stirring.
8. After a boil, add the chicken back in. Stir it around until it is completely covered with the sauce.
9. Pour in the diluted corn starch and stir until the sauce thickens.
10. Serve over a bed of steamed rice and garnish with some chopped green onions.
11. Enjoy your sweet and sour chicken.