Vegan Buttermilk Fried Chicken + Warm Maque Choux Smashed Potato Salad

My ass is so damn happy. I finally quit my soul-sucking 9 to 5! [Cue Dolly Parton's song being stuck in my head for the next week.] Not only was I seriously about to snap, but the lack of free time to play in my kitchen was quickly breaking my spirit. 

Now, I'm back with a vengeance! I didn't ever really stop cooking, but I usually plan and execute about 3 recipes a week. I was down to 3 a month. Now I can finally sit back, relax and take a deep breath of the smoggy LA air. Ahh, like heaven. Filthy, filthy heaven. 

Of course, I do need to work. I need a steady income. As much as I love living the life of a freelance delinquent, it just doesn't most of the damn bills. My acting residual checks do, but I like to see those as money to invest for the future. That's right...I know my way around some stocks, mutual funds, IPOs and other fancy money stuff.

If anything is going to interfere with tinkering in my kitchen laboratory, I want it to be something creative and fulfilling. I'd sooner be cooking at a restaurant..not sitting at a desk like an obedient automaton. I have to admit, working that job really made me question my genetic make-up. Is it possible that some of us just aren't wired to spend 9 hours a day in a cubicle below heinous fluorescent lights? Is anyone designed to thrive in those conditions? Was I just born with Stoner DNA? I have many questions.

I'm inclined to believe we've been conditioned to that type of environment is normal, but in my opinion, it's just horse shit. I refuse to believe I'm "broken" or a brat about "normal" work environments.

 

Enough stressing. The taste of freedom is sweet. I'm lurking on Craigslist and Monster for the next good opportunity, but I'm not going to pressure myself unless my bank account hits an uncomfortable place. I'll spend my days doing catching up on things like finishing my cookbook edits, cooking my growing stack of new recipes & renewing my medical marijuana license. You know, the important stuff. 

Plus, I'm throwing a "Blow Me: I'm Single (Or Anti-Valentines Day) Bash, so I have party planning to tackle. 

Readers: Thank you for all your recipe suggestions! Keep em coming. I loved what you guys threw at me. Throw harder. No recipe to go along with these lovely photos anymore because I had to remove it so it can appear in my Cookbook. 

The recipe in my cookbook was written thanks to a Reader suggestion for some vegan fried chicken. 

Oh, and here's a close up of that hot, sexy potato salad: