Come on in, honey, and pull up a chair…

Now, before anybody gets their feathers ruffled, let me tell you something about how spoiled we’ve all gotten.

These days, a woman can walk into a grocery store, pick up a chicken already cleaned, cut, and wrapped in plastic, and have supper in the oven before her husband even figures out where he left his glasses.

And some of y’all still complain that cooking takes too much work!

Honey, you wouldn’t have lasted fifteen minutes on the farm back in the day.

Back in the 1950s, plenty of farm women didn’t have the luxury of picking up a pretty little package of chicken breasts. No, ma’am. If you wanted chicken for Sunday supper, somebody had to go out in that yard and catch one!

And let me tell you, those chickens weren’t standing around waiting to volunteer.

First, you had to catch the bird. Then came the killing, scalding, plucking, cleaning, and preparing. And only THEN could you start thinking about what you were going to cook.

By the time that chicken made it to the dinner table, you’d earned every bite.

Now, I know some of you younger ladies are reading this with your mouths hanging open. Close them, honey. You’ll catch flies.

Thankfully, we’ve got wonderful places to buy our meat these days, and we don’t have to chase supper around the backyard.

Nana’s Old-Fashioned Farmhouse Chicken, Potatoes & Carrots

This is the kind of simple, hearty meal that would have been right at home on a Southern farmhouse table in the 1950s. Nothing fancy, just good food that fills bellies and brings everybody together.

What You’ll Need

• 1 whole chicken (about 4–5 pounds)
• 5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 5 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup chicken broth or water
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon rubbed sage
• 2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

How Nana Makes It

• Preheat your oven to 375°F.
• Pat the chicken dry and place it breast-side up in a large roasting pan.
• Rub the chicken with melted butter, salt, pepper, thyme, and sage.
• Arrange the potatoes, carrots, and onion around the chicken. • Toss the vegetables lightly in the buttery pan juices and season them.
• Pour the broth into the bottom of the pan.
• Roast uncovered for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours, stirring the vegetables occasionally. If the skin browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil.
• Check that the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh reach at least 165°F, without touching bone. Let the chicken rest for 10–15 minutes before carving.

Spoon some of those good pan juices over the potatoes and carrots, and serve it with biscuits if you’re feeling ambitious.

And honey, if somebody complains about what’s for supper, tell them there’s a chicken out back they can go catch next time.

Keep Your Dollars Close to Home, Honey

Speaking of good food, I want to mention Everything Outdoors right here in Carrollton, Georgia.

When you’re shopping for meat and planning your family meals, don’t forget to look at the small businesses in your own community.

Now, I have nothing against the big stores. But I do believe there’s something special about spending your money with people who are building their livelihoods right here among us.

When you support a local small business, you’re helping a family pay its bills, supporting local jobs, and keeping our community strong.

And that matters, honey.

Small businesses aren’t just storefronts and signs. They’re our neighbors, our friends, and the folks we see at ball games, church gatherings, and community festivals.

So the next time you’re planning supper, give our local businesses a chance to earn your business.

Nana’s Little Piece of Advice

And while I’m talking about supporting small businesses, let me remind you that those hardworking owners have a whole lot more to worry about than what’s for supper.

There’s inventory, customers, bills, receipts, and that dreaded bookkeeping.

That’s where the girl over at Southern Grace Ledgers LLC comes in. She helps small-business owners get their books in order so they can spend more time doing what they love.

Because honey, running a business is hard enough without trying to figure out where six months’ worth of receipts wandered off to.

Until Next Time, Sweethearts…

And before I let y’all go, I expect to see most of you Friday afternoon at Everything Outdoors for the Fall Y’all Market!

They’re gathering up farmers, bakers, makers, and all sorts of hardworking local folks. Come on out Friday, October 16, from 4 to 7 in the afternoon at 1011 Alabama Street in Carrollton.

Admission is free, honey, so you’ve got no excuse!

And while you’re there, remember that every dollar you spend with a local business helps keep our community going. That’s something worth celebrating.

Now go put that chicken in the oven, and thank the Good Lord you didn’t have to chase it around the yard first!

— Nana ❤️

🧾 Nana’s Little Pearl of Wisdom

Honey, back in my day, we had to chase down our chickens before supper. These days, some of y’all are chasing down receipts from six months ago!

Now, I can’t help you catch a chicken, but that girl over at Southern Grace Ledgers can sure help you round up those books.

Because honey, the only thing you ought to be scrambling for is your eggs—not your business finances! ❤️

— Nana