Hello Friends!  Today I write you from the Detroit airport where I am delayed on my voyage to Newark NJ for work.  The good news is…I made the first leg of the flights without any Braxton Hicks contractions.  I’ve been  anxious to get this “trial run” (as I call it) under my belt before our Babymoon to the Dominican in early May.  So far…So Good!  I’m thinking that a splurge on a Jr Chocolate Frosty at the Wendy’s across from my gate may make this wait just a little more enjoyable.  Whadda ya think?  🙂

In other good news, my handyman of a husband has made GREAT progress on that kitchen backsplash of ours.  I am SO proud of him.  Without exaggeration, Ryan has put in almost 50 hours so far and his works looks like it was done by a professional.  While we were told that “putting up tile is easy”…we now know that “easy” is relative.  With the detailed design that Ryan put together, the number of cuts and critical measuring necessary made this job anything but easy.  With just 2 walls of grouting left to finish, I expect to come home to a all-new kitchen on Friday.  I can’t wait!  Thank you, Ryan.  You are so talented (and determined and patient and thorough). 

In the meantime, we have “enjoyed” lots of salad…and easy food to go.  With the kitchen completely out of commission (including the sink/water), we were left with few options.  So that said, I have struggled to come up with delicious new entrée to share with all of you.  As I looked through the photos of our meals from the previous week, I found this Asian BBQ Chicken.  If you are looking for a simple, flavorful, grilled dinner…one perfect for a work night, this is a sure bet.  We can thank Sunset Grill for this recipe!

BARBECUED CHICKEN WITH ASIAN FLAVORS

Courtesy of Sunset Grill

• 8 skinned chicken thighs (we used 2-4 chicken breasts)
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup soy sauce (low sodium)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (I used a little extra!)
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• Lime Wedges (optional)
• Green Onions (optional)

Rinse the chicken and pat dry.  Combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, red pepper, curry powder, and garlic in a large resealable plastic bag and add the chicken.  Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Prepare a grill for cooking over medium-high heat.  First, oil the grill rack.  If using a charcoal grill, prepare a solid bed of medium-hot coals.  If using a gas grill, preheat to high and close the lid, then open the lid and lower the heat to medium high (you can hold your hand 1 to 2 inches above the grill level only 3 to 4 seconds.)

Remove the chicken from the bag.  Transfer the marinade to a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes.

Lay the chicken on the grill rack.  If using a gas grill, close the lid.  Grill the chicken, turning once and basting frequently with the marinade, until the meat is no longer pink in the center of the thickest part (cut to test), about 8 minutes on each side.  Garnish with the lime wedges and green onions if you like, and serve immediately!

My recommendation would be to save the excess marinade (instead of basting) and pour over the chicken once it is served.  We served with asian rice and broccoli…and a big glass of cold milk.  🙂

Indulge.  In Life.  In Love.  In Food.