Million Dollar Chicken

So the holiday ills are never ending with my family this season. I thought we were out of the woods but I was so wrong. Wini developed pneumonia and now that she's better my little Ruby seems to have caught the flu again. Our only outings have been to the hospital so I guess that's where we are picking up our new bugs. Damn those sick people! Not my sick people just the ones that are passing along the ickyness. If you see my posse on the street, give us a wide berth. You don't want what we have.

I did manage to get out last night. A couple glass of wine and some good friends sure can make three weeks of sick kids seem like a distant past. I am constantly amazed at how varied and interesting people's lives are. There are so many choices out there. Sometimes it's hard to figure out which ones to choose. I'm in the process of making some decisions myself and I'll fill you in when I know more. I am now officially ending the cryptic babbling.

Even with all the sickness, we still had a wonderful Christmas. Everyone got along and we were all in good cheer. We missed you dad. I have high hopes for 2011. 2010 was a little rocky in it's latter half and I'm looking forward to good friends, lots of family and new choices in the new year. I hope it's a good one for you too.

Million Dollar Chicken

My adorable friend Heather made this for my family the other week and we all loved it. It's easy, quick and tasty. Thanks for the recipe Heath!

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup almonds, slivered
2 cloves garlic, chopped
8 boneless chicken thighs (around 2 lbs)
1 cup bottled salsa
2 tbsp currants (Heather likes to add more)
1 tbsp honey
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Heat pan and add almonds until toasted. Remove almonds and set aside. Add oil to pan and allow it to heat up. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken and brown on all sides. Mix the salsa, currants, honey , cumin and cinnamon in a bowl. Add mixture to chicken, reduce heat to medium low, and cover and cook for 20 minutes. Serve with rice and garnish with almonds.

Getting Away

I had the good fortune to be able to get out of town this weekend. Jess' family has a lovely property in Grey County. It's just enough space to feel like you can get a little lost if you want to. Just enough out of earshot that you can't be blamed for not hearing your name being called. The kids love it. There are rabbits hiding around every corner, and adventures to find without my apron strings tugging at their heels.

It always takes me a little while to wind down when we get to the farm. I need to leave my city ways behind and be a little more relaxed about rules. Jess is always trying to convince me that there is a city clean and country clean. I'm not sure I buy that one but sometimes it's a necessity up there. I always seem to think bedtimes should still be imposed. But I'm slowly realizing that maybe seeing a sky full of stars is more important. I don't want my kids growing up thinking there are only 4 stars in the sky come nightfall.

A friend came up last year, and we went to a cow penning competition. His daughter kept asking if the animals were cows. He was mortified. He felt so city, and was convinced the country folk were snickering about his daughters lack of animal identification skills. I'm sure the largely Mennonite crowd barely noticed. Their list of chores is probably so long that they don't have time to ridicule the city folk.

Since we lack refrigeration in our little cabin up North our fare is usually pretty simple. It borders on boring and I have yet to figure out a weekends worth of delicious cooler food. So I will post a curry that I made last weekend at a dinner party in the city. Curry is hard to photograph without it looking like vomit. Please don't let this deter you from trying it. I guarantee it taste better than it looks.

Trinidadian Chicken Curry

6-8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
juice of 1 lime
3 scotch bonnet peppers, seeded and finely chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp curry powder
handful of cilantro
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp canola oil
2 large onions finely chopped
2 sweet potatoes, cubed
4 large tomatoes, blanched, peeled, and chopped
2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

Marinate the chicken with the lime, chilies, cumin, turmeric, half the curry powder, cilantro and garlic. Coat chicken well, and let stand in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
In a large saucepan saute onions with oil for about 10 minutes. Add remaining curry powder, tomatoes, and stock. Season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add marinated chicken and sweet potatoes, stir well, and let simmer for 30 to 60 minutes until chicken and potatoes are cooked and sauce has thickened.

letting the days go by.

I know I am not the only mother who sits down from time to time (I could end that sentence right there) and marvels at how I got here.

I haven't forgotten how it all came to be - it happened so quickly, and so recently, that it's still very fresh in my mind - but I do marvel.

I marvel that five years ago right around now, I was single, with a very lightweight secret crush on a guy I barely knew; loving the spring weather, and thinking about spending some time in another city, just for a change of scene.

You can guess, I am sure, what the next phase looked like: my lightweight crush became my great love, and spending time in another city became moving my entire life to begin anew with that same love - who, in turn, became the father of my children and then my husband.

We're just about to move into a new house, another brand new start for the two of us, who have been lucky enough to have many of those already in our relatively brief time together.

Before I met him, I would never have considered myself a romantic.

This is one of the first dishes I ever cooked for him, and it remains a favourite.


Once in a Lifetime Chicken and Coleslaw

This recipe is easily doubled, or tripled, for a crowd, and it's even better the next day.

4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp rice vinegar
6 tbsp lime juice
6 tbsp fish sauce
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, crushed
700 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4c finely chopped fresh mint
1 package (454g or 1 lb.) coleslaw

In a shallow bowl large enough to hold chicken pieces, whisk together sugar, vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, olive oil and sesame oil until well combined. Remove 3/4 cup of liquid from the bowl; reserve.

To make marinade, add soy sauce and garlic to the mixture in the bowl and stir well. Add chicken pieces; toss to coat, cover, and marinade as long as you can (minimum 20 minutes, maximum 4-5 hours).

Stir mint into reserved 3/4 cup of liquid to use as dressing for the coleslaw.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Use tongs to transfer chicken pieces to a well-oiled shallow baking dish large enough to hold chicken in one layer. Bake, basting occasionally with marinade, until thighs are cooked through, 20-30 minutes. Let rest about 10 minutes before serving.

While chicken is resting, toss coleslaw with dressing.

Serves 2, generously.

the joy of cooking.

My boy loves to eat.

He's really, messily into it, in a way that neither my husband nor I remember our daughter being.

In fact, I spent a bemused dinner hour a few nights ago spoon-feeding my three-and-a-half-year-old daughter the same pasta that my nearly-eight-month-old son was happy shoveling into his mouth unassisted.

That she was eating that pasta at all was down to her being willing to try it only because her brother seemed to like it so much that curiosity got the better of her - not curious enough to pick up the spoon and feed herself, mind you, but enough to agree (with a certain indulgent air) to give it a try for Mama.

And yes, I did consider that a victory.

I know that in time the other shoe will drop, and our boy will become, at least for a while, as picky about what goes in his mouth as our girl is at the moment, but for now, we're happy to take advantage of his willing palate with dishes like this one.



Morroccan-ish Chicken
I think the secret ingredient here is the ras al hanout, which is reportedly a blend of over 20 spices and goes a long way toward adding authenticity to my attempts at Morroccan cooking, about which I know not a great deal. I got my little jar, made by a company called The Epicentre, from this great store in our neighbourhood.

I also think this would be a great slow cooker recipe, but as my kitchen is not equipped with that particular fabulous appliance, I can't be entirely sure.

3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp each coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground sumac
750 g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 medium onions, diced
a 2" piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
a 796 ml (28 oz.) can San Marzano tomatoes and their juice
juice of a lemon
1 tsp ras al hanout (see note at the beginning of this recipe)
8 dried apricots, finely chopped
1/2c canned coconut milk, plus more if needed to thin sauce
fresh coriander leaves, for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large, heavy ovenproof skillet with lid, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.

Stir together thyme, salt, pepper and sumac in a large, shallow dish. Add chicken thighs and turn to coat with spices. Add thighs to hot oil in pan and brown well, turning once, about 5 minutes or so per side. Remove thighs.

Add chopped onions to pan and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 7-8 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, a further 2-3 minutes, until very fragrant.

Add tomatoes with their juices and lemon juice, breaking up tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon as you stir. Add ras al hanout, apricots, and coconut milk. Stir well.

Return chicken to pan. nestling the thighs into the sauce a little bit. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to hot oven.

Cook about an hour, until chicken is tender and the house is filled with lovely smells. Serve over couscous and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serves 4-6.

Coq au Vin

My mother moved in recently. It's a temporary stay and is working out well for everyone. She's got a little spot in the basement. It isn't as cruel as it sounds. My basement is partially finished, and she has a cozy little spot with her own washroom. It's not as if I've thrown her on the dirt floor with a sleeping bag and she has to catch rats to survive. She brought very little with her since she plans on moving back into her house in a few months. The one thing I asked her to bring was her Julia Child's cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I'm not sure my request was a good idea.

Now I'm no Julie and Julia. I have no desire to put that much work into cooking just because I'm unhappy with my current job. I just thought I should have a peek into serious cooking and see what it's all about. I decided to try Coq au Vin. It is the classic French dish, or so I've heard. I have to say I felt like it took a lot of my time. Maybe it's just Julia's version that is excessive. If anyone has a shorter version I'd be happy to have it. It was tasty and a hit for all those involved, except for me. It was too much reading for me. I am one of those people who can't dine in a restaurant if their menu is too extensive. I get bored reading it, and I tend forget what all my choices are. And part of the joy of going out to eat is actually conversing with the person I'm dining with. This seems to be impossible if I can't order my food due to menu overload. I also have trouble using most of a bottle of wine to cook a dish. There should be more in my glass than in my pot.

After all my gripping I'm going to give you the recipe anyway, and hopefully you'll fare better than me. Maybe your attention span is longer than mine. I may give French cooking another try but if it doesn't work out my mom may be taking Julia with her when she moves back home.

Coq au Vin
from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

4 strips of bacon diced
3 lbs of chicken cubed (I used chicken breasts)
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup cognac
3 cups either full bodied red wine or white
1-2 cups beef stock
1/2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves mashed garlic
1/2 tsp bay leaf
1/2 lb sauteed mushrooms
3 tbsp flour
lots of butter

Braised Onions
12-24 pearl onions
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 cup beef stock
salt and pepper to taste
medium herb bouquet: 4 parsley sprigs, 1/2 bay leaf, 1/4 tsp thyme tied in cheesecloth

Saute bacon slowly in butter until lightly browned in a casserole dish. Remove to side dish. Brown chicken in hot fat from dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Return bacon to casserole and cook in oven for 10 minutes at 300 C. Remove from oven and pour in cognac, and ignite with a lit match. Shake casserole back and forth until flames subside.
Pour wine into casserole. Add enough stock to cover chicken, and stir in tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. Simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken to a side dish.
While chicken is cooking prepare onions and mushrooms. Saute mushroom in butter until tender. Set aside.
Peel the onions, and heat oil and butter until bubbling. Saute onions for 10 minutes, rolling onions so they brown evenly. Pour in stock, season and add herb bouquet. Cover and simmer for 40 to 50 minutes until onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape.
Back to the chicken cooking liquid. Raise heat and boil rapidly reducing liquid to 2 1/4 cups. In a separate bowl combine the 3 tbsp of butter and flour together into a smooth paste. Beat paste into the hot liquid with a wire whip. Bring to a simmer for a minute or two. Sauce should be thick enough to lightly coat a spoon.
Add chicken, mushrooms and onions to the sauce and serve immediately.

Chicken, Greek Style

Ah chicken. So much you can do that with that tasty little bird. Before I had kids I was very queasy about prepping any raw meat. I always had to pass that task off to to those hardier than me. I figure it was a side effect to being a vegetarian for years. I was always fairly handy with a vegetable, but would morph into a weak kneed pile of jello when faced with a dead animal. For some reason having three kids has cured me of that fear. Maybe it's because of all those gross things that comes with having kids. Now I could go on for some time swapping gross stories. It is one of my favorite topics, but I'll try and stick to nice anecdotes about food instead.

I have some lovely friends who are very generous with me and my family. Every summer they lend me their cottage for several weeks. Each year I invite my friend Zoe and her kids to hang out with me and mine while our husbands slog it out in the city. Zoe is a joy to have as a guest since she's a talented cook, our kids get along great and we have a mutual love for summer cocktail hour. She always makes me her Greek style chicken which I think may be the best chicken ever. I tried to reproduce it the other night and it was good but not as good as Zoe's. Maybe it was because I wasn't at the cottage with a gin and tonic in hand. Zoe claims it's all about the marinade post bbq. You need to douse that bird with oil and lemon juice after it comes off the bbq. It just soaks it up leaving you with a succulent chicken to devour.

I am never disappointed with this chicken. It is the perfect bbq fare. Serve it up with a salad and roasted potatoes and you are good to go.

Chicken Greek Style

10 chicken drumsticks skin on
3/4 cup olive oil
juice of 3 lemons
2-3 cloves garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste

Reserve 1/4 cup of oil and juice of one lemon. Put all remaining ingredients in a ziploc bag. Zip it up and shake like hell. Leave it in the fridge to marinate for 1 to 24 hours. Bbq on medium high heat until juices run clear. Once chicken has been removed from heat, drizzle with reserved oil and lemon mixture. Serve immediately.