bar-b-cue chicken

It's been a busy week. The Boss is going to a trade show on 'the Continent' which means lots more paper work for me to generate and proof read. Add to that a request, made Tuesday, that we make him a catalogue of sorts with pictures of our 25 most important pieces. (this, of course, requires me to take new photos in some cases)

Because the majority of the paperwork cannot be generated until the last minute three of us stayed until 7:30 last night working and I've got a lot more to do before the trunk gets picked up at 12:30 today.

On top of that, Tuesday was St. Patrick's Day, an event I would have completely missed had there not been a green stripe and loud parade right down the middle of Fifth Avenue, directly under my office window. The ranks of uniformed police officers, firemen and soldiers left my coworker drooling and wondering how she could be single with so many uniformed guys out there. I endless marching bands made it harder than usual to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

When it was all over the boss braved the remaining crowds to visit a few other offices and brought back chocolate cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery. I must admit that they smelled fantastic when I went to the kitchenette to self-righteously heat up my bar-b-cue chicken and kale. When I was taking my meal back to my desk I realized that I would rather have my chicken and vegetables, and I don't regret being unable to eat those types of things anymore.

This could be a slow-cooker recipe, but I made it on the stove last weekend. It reminds me off food I used to have at camp or other summer picnic events. A bright taste to compliment the bright, but still cool, days that are heralding spring here in New York. I saw the first purple crocus buds peeking up in the church yard on Sunday.

Bar-B-Cue Chicken

1-1/2 pound chicken
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons honey

Place all ingredients in a medium covered sauce pan or slow-cooker and add just enough water to cover chicken. Stir to mix and cook on low for about two hours. Shred chicken with a fork and continue cooking slightly uncovered until most of the liquid evaporates.

Serve with salad, rice, on a bun or in a wrap.

Slow Food For Fall

I'm a few days late for Naomi's Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten Free event, but maybe she'll let me slide under the wire. This month's theme is slow food. The slowest food I can think of is my mother's turkey soup. Every Thanksgiving, except one, Mom roasted a huge turkey for our family of three, or four while Nonna was with us. I'm talking 20 pounds, in the oven ALL day, big kinda turkey.

After everyone ate turkey for several days Mom would cut the remaining meat from the bones and boil the bones in her huge soup pot. Th pot stayed on the stove for several days, simmering away. After two days of simmering the bones she removed them from the stock and placed the pot outside on the deck to cool. The next morning Mom skimmed the fat from the surface and began freezing bags or turkey stock.

We always had a big pot of turkey soup made from the last of the Thanksgiving bird, and homemade turkey soup was Mom's answer to all of winters sniffs, sniffles and dark days. Her soups were always peppery sharp and hearty. She added chunks of roast turkey or chicken, onions, carrots, celery, lots of garlic and pepper. Rice got fat soaking up the stock and fresh grated parmesan and pecorino topped these love filled bowls she placed before us.

If that's not slow food, I don't know what is.

I have neither the tools, space, or kitchen time to cook this the way Mom did. Maybe one day I'll have a kitchen of my own, but until then, I can always make Mom's feel better soup like this.

1 bone-in chicken breast, with or without skin

2 white onions

6 cloves garlic

3 stalks celery

1 bunch parsley

1 huge carrot

3 bay leaves

olive oil

fresh ground pepper

kosher salt

In a large soup pot, stock pot slow cooker place the rinsed chicken, 1 onion, 3 smashed cloves of garlic, 1 stalk of celery, 1/2 the parsley and bay leaves. Simmer for at least three hours.

Allow stock to cool, then remove chicken, onion, garlic, celery, parsley and bay leaves. Discard the vegetables.

In a large bowl or on a plate, pick all the chicken meat from the bones, shredding it into small pieces.

Chill the stock and skim the congealed fat from the surface if desired.

Chop the remaining vegetables. Heat a skillet with olive oil and begin sauteing the garlic and onions on low heat. When they are translucent and the carrots and let them sweat, covered, until they are slightly crisper than you would like. Add the celery and continue cooking until the celery is cooked.

Return the chicken and vegetables to the stock, add remainder of the parsley, chopped, and season with salt and fresh ground pepper.

If you can eat rice or grains, add any cooked rice or grain of your choice and serve.

* Mom always cooked the rice separately and added it only at the very end, into each bowl separately. If we stored the leftover soup and rice together, by the next night the rice had soaked up all the liquid and it no longer resembled soup.

**I always loved to add lots of fresh cheese to the left overs, I guess that was me making my very first risotto.

Jalapeno Cilantro Chicken with Spicy Sweet Potato Rounds

I might be crazy. Actually, anyone who knows me, the Trainer included, would say might skeptically and with a raised eyebrow. This evening I was working out, pumping my heart out on the elliptical trainer and reading a cookbook and thinking about the dishes I had to prepare.

But just a few days after cutting grains and sugar (and cheese) I have so much energy and I'm not pulling myself wearily along, muddy headed and exhausted to the next meal in hopes that food will revive me.

I could have gone on if I hadn't had responsibilities (read: gerbil who needs to be hand fed) and cooking. Last night I was awake until almost 2am and woke before my alarm.

Tonight I made a stab at a version of my father's favorite dish at my parents Asian haunt.

Jalapeno Cilantro Chicken for two

2 boneless skinless chicken breast, in bite size pieces
1/3 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
4 limes, juiced
2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced
1 small vidalia onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Canola oil

•The night before set chicken to marinate with cilantro and juice of 3 limes.

•Heat a small amount of oil in a skillet and cook the onions and garlic until transparent.

•Turn heat to low and add chicken and marinade. Sauté until chicken is cooked.

•Add jalapenos and a little water if necessary. Simmer for a few more minutes.

Spicy Sweet Potato Rounds

I have to give credit The Good Eatah for planting the seeds of this side dish

1 sweet potato or yam, sliced as thinly as possible
Fresh ground pepper
Sea salt
Light oil for frying

•Arrange sweet potato on a plate or tray and season both sides of slices with salt and pepper.

•Let stand for10-15 minutes

•Oil and heat a skillet until very hot

•Fry sweet potato slices until they are cooked through

•Remove to a paper towel to stand.

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