I’ve mentioned previously that in a previous career, I had responsibility for a large amount of currency and coin for a very large bank (you might even say a banker’s bank). While currency was the cool side (stacks and stacks of hundred dollar bills), coin was the pain.
Coin is nothing more than a necessary evil. Yes, to all you collectors it might be interesting, but from a commerce perspective it is a pretty costly endeavor.
Coin is heavy (a bag of quarters weighs 25 pounds). It is dirty (they spend time in sweaty pants pockets, spend time on the ground, roll through the machinery of vending machines). It has to be protected in vaults and armored cars. All that makes it costly. Every banking day retailers receive rolls of coin from their bank via armored cars. Those rolls are broken down in teller drawers and given as change. That change is carried home and over time is often kept in jars and other containers until the owner decides to take care of it. The coin is then deposited (often in one of those machines at the grocery store). That coin is collected by an armored car and delivered to their bank. It is then sorted, counted and rolled. Often that bank has too much coin so it is deposited at the Federal Reserve, where that retailer’s bank gets its coin from.
The easy coin to pick on is the penny. As I am sure you’ve heard, it costs the US Mint more than 1 cent to produce a penny. Add on the cost of distribution (shipment from one of the two Mint locations to a Federal Reserve office and later delivery to a commercial bank and ultimately to a customer) and it is really a costly thing. Pennies must be put into bags or rolled. They must be counted in retailer drawers. They must be carted around in pockets and purses. All that for something with very little value in itself. The abolition of the penny is a simple no-brainer (unless you are a mining company that deals in the raw materials that go into a penny).
The other whipping boy of the coin world are all of the “special” coins that the Mint has produced over the last 15 years. When is a quarter not a quarter? When it is that one state quarter you wanted to collect….or nickel….or penny. Too often people collecting those coins would get a roll of that coin from their bank, collect a few from the roll and then treat the rest like any other coin. The net effect is a dramatic growth of coin that no one wants (because they only want the next quarter coming out).
I know, more than you ever wanted to know about coin, but think of it as my therapy!
Mustard Chicken
Unlike the penny, there is no call to abolish this dish.
Only 3 ingredients. Yes. 3.
Chicken in dish, coated with mustard and topped with french fried onions.
The tangy mustard and crispy onions make this perfect!
Mustard Chicken
Prep Time: 15 Min | Cook Time: 1 Hr | Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 cup prepared mustard
1 (6 ounce) can French-fried onions
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Place mustard in a shallow dish or bowl; place onions in a second shallow dish or bowl. Dredge chicken in mustard to coat both sides, then dredge in onions. Place coated chicken in a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking dish.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 50 to 60 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
Nutritional Info: Amount Per Serving Calories: 442 | Total Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 68mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database
Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Mustard-Chicken/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=62105882&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2011-06-29&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
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