Easy Fried Chicken and a Graduation

Easy Fried Chicken and a Graduation. This week was Dotter’s graduation.

I am excited to see the professional’s shot of this one. Finding the kids we know in my copy is like playing Where’s Waldo.

Besides the graduates tossing their caps in the air to celebrate, there were grad parties throughout the town. Parents went dizzy trying to attend them all and everyone rejoiced.

Then it was time for our shindig. You know it’s going to be a serious party when this shiny girl comes out of the pantry.

To keep myself from burning out on any one project, I bounced back and forth from decoration prep to food prep.

This banner is easy to make. Just choose your color theme. It’s best to choose 3 main colors & stick with those. I cut a triangle with scrapbook paper folded in half in the size that I wanted with a paper cutter then I used that as my pattern for the rest of the triangles. I may or may not have used a few antique hymnal pages for this project as well. I caught up on all my favorite shows while I punched two holes in the top of each one and strung them with matching ribbon, placing a solid colored triangle in between each word. Kitty loved swatting at the ribbons. To finish the project, I used high-quality red, glittery sticker letters.

Pinwheels are easy to make too. They add a whimsical touch to the party decor. Two-sided cardstock works best.

Just cut into four-inch squares, cut each corner toward the middle of the paper using a paper cutter while leaving about a one-inch space in the middle to keep the paper in one piece. Bring the right side of each cut piece toward the middle and use a pin to hold the pinwheel together. Mine was just for decor, so I used a hole punch with brads through the corners since it didn’t matter if they spun.

To make the pinwheel handle, I used black straws and cut slits for the brads to continue all the way through the back of the straw.  For a longer handle, I squished the end of one straw and pushed it into a second straw.

Even the window boxes were adorned with pinwheel fun to help continue the decorations to the back deck.

All of Dotter’s favorites, like these gorgeous bruschetta appetizers, were served and quickly became the favorite of many. See the mini flags? Another easy way to put a smile on guests’ faces! Just fold the matching paper in half, cut the flag out & fold around toothpicks, and secure with double-sided tape.

The cuteness is overwhelming.

Simple chicken drumettes are always a hit.

Easy Fried Chicken

• 2 pounds chicken legs
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 3 cups flour
• Sea salt
• Pepper

Preheat the frying pan (or deep fryer) filled with canola or vegetable oil to about 350°F (medium heat). Do not use olive oil as the chicken won’t turn out as crispy.

Dip chicken legs in buttermilk then dip in flour. Dip in buttermilk again and into the flour again.

Place coated chicken legs into a frying pan (or deep fryer). Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the thickest part of the meat reaches 165°F in the middle.

Add salt, pepper, and your favorite house seasoning (we used Johnny’s) on both sides of the chicken. Serve hot or can be refrigerated and served cold.

Another way to cook chicken is to fry it until golden brown then put the pieces on a baking tray and allow it to finish cooking in a preheated oven at 350°F until chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest part.

Beautiful World Bread is a must for every bless-ed occasion.

I remember exactly when I got this recipe from a friend. I was stunned at how simple to make these meatballs are and there are never any left after any of our parties. Not even one.

Salmon dip with crackers hidden in the midst of all the other treats.

Every home we partied at had a “shrine” in honor of the graduate. Here is ours.

We added advice cards and an album to place them into when each guest filled one out. Young children were included in the fun – oh how sweet their cards are.

Mini corndogs with mustard and homemade ketchup, twice the fun and half the calories, kind of, if you limit yourself. If you can stop at one. But no one can.

The to-go treats were hand-decorated sugar cookies.

But, you know, flower cookies on a stick are only popular with everyone over the age of 2 and under the age of 120.

Strawberry lemonade and cherry limeade in canning jars for all. The regular plastic lids for the jars (or wide-mouth lids) are so very handy! These cuties were seeing how long they could keep their hands in the ice. The recipe for both of these delicious drinks will be coming very soon for it is almost summer and these recipes will be necessary.

Volleyball for teenagers.

And hobby farm for the kids.

Talky talk for the grownups all around the house.

A very red plate day for Dotter.

But wait, for there is the after-party.

It comes with giggles.

And hot chocolate, only, you know, perhaps with a few melted high-quality chocolate bars melted inside… until 2 am.