It's really too bad Barbara Billingsley died. I read a lot of comments people posted about her and she was universally loved by all, a rare feat. Everyone wants to be just like her or at least have her for their mom (besides our own moms, of course :) She had that something special. It's always hard for me to watch the old shows when one of the main characters dies in real life. Somehow, it's just not quite the same. At least not for a while until I adjust. But my new plan is to work for two hours around the house and then watch an episode of Leave It To Beaver. I will behave like June Cleaver for two hours and then I will reward myself.

Tonight I roasted chicken. Here is a KEM tip. A while back I saw these silicone rubber bands for cooking at Tuesday Morning or somewhere. They went in the drawer at home and stayed there. For a long time. Tonight I thought of them. Well, they deserve the highest accolades. For once, a modern gadget that works. I tied up those little chicken legs with two twists of the silicone band and it was too easy and too perfect. We are talking two seconds flat. No more fighting with twine and lacers and sharp metal pokers or whatever they are, which all fall apart just when you think you finally "got" it. Talk about improvement, these bright beautiful stretchy bands. They are washable and reusable, too. On a scale of 1 to 100, this product gets 100+. And what could be easier, simpler or more useful? Come one everyone, we need to think of something so brilliant and watch the dollars roll in.

Now don't everyone tell me you've been using these bands for the last 15 years. There are a variety of uses for them, too. I shouldn't have thrown out the package that tells you how fabulous they are. Well, just remember, they can stand up to 600 degrees heat, so whatever you need them for, go for it. I do think it said not to use on open flame and something else, too. Uh-oh, what was it?

Everyone's talking about pumpkin chocolate chip muffins. So, I Googled them, and on Joy of Baking found the recipe that appealed to me (mainly because I had all the ingredients and it used butter instead of a keg of oil). Boy, oh, boy, march yourself to Joy of Cooking and you will not be sorry. Best muffins I ever made, hands down.

I could not blog a real blog tonight because cooking does me in. But, now I have food for the next two days, yahoo! Love having food, real food, in the house.

Quik Chik tomorrow or bust.

KEM