Fried Chicken Livers

This is something my mom always did well, but I learned my own recipe as I got older. Chicken livers are not for everybody, but those who  like them will love this recipe. This recipe will feed 3-4 people. Unless one of them is me. ;)

Note; Drying the livers before cooking is VERY important. If they have too much liquid in them, they will spit and pop. They WILL burn you if you do not dry them well.

1 pound chicken livers
1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk (regular milk will do)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp ground sage
Cooking oil (shortening is best, but a lot of people prefer vegetable oil, which is fine)

1. Heat 1 1/2 inches of cooking oil in frying pan on medium high
2. Place livers in colander, rinse under cold water until water runs clear. Pat each liver dry with a paper towel, squeezing slightly
3. Mix dry ingredients in a shallow bowl. 
4. Mix eggs and milk in a separate bowl. Scramble well.
5. Test oil with water droplets. When they sizzle in the pan immediately after dropping in, oil is ready
6. Coat each liver liberally with flour mixture, shake off excess flour.
7. Dip each coated liver in egg mixture until coated, then coat again with flour, shaking off excess
8. Drop livers in hot oil, 6 to 8 at a time.Do not crowd pan.
9. When down side is crispy, turn with tongs or a spatula
10. Cook until bottom side is dark and crispy then flip one more time until both sides are dark and crispy. I cook mine about eight minutes total. Half-raw livers cannot be eaten. Make sure there is no blood rising to the top of your livers in the pan before taking them out.
11. Enjoy!

I like to have livers with mashed potatoes and gravy or fried potatoes. I also dip my livers in ketchup, but I've been told I'm a communist for doing so.