This past weekend, I took the family down to Lake Norman, outside of Charlotte, North Carolina and spent some quality time with my brother and cousin plus all of their kids and significant others. In the process, I got to cook dinner for everybody. This is the kind of cooking I really enjoy, because I'm doing it for people I know and care about. Plus, you get a gush of immediate responses. The kids are the best because their responses are not censored and they don't really feel the need to protect and massage other's egos. They just let it rip and that is fantastic. I appreciate honesty far more than obligatory praise.
This story really starts the second night we were down there, because we arrived too late for dinner on Friday. The whole day was perfect for jet skiing and hanging out with everyone in and around the water. After taking a quick nap with the boy, I started hearing whispers about my cooking for everyone. As I said before, I like cooking for everyone, but doing the freestyle cooking thing in an ill-equipped lake house with no chance to go to the store. Sorry, I didn't mention that the closest store was a healthy trek away and I woke from our nap far past the time dinner should have been started. So there I was pulling everything out of the fridge and creating as I went. I ended up with something that went a little like this:
(Cream of Refridgerator Chicken)
12 Boneless-Skinless Chicken Breasts
6 Green Peppers
4 Yellow Squash
5 Carrots
6 Toasted Slices of Whole Wheat Hippy Bread - Finely Diced
8 Slices of Honey Ham
1 Chunk of Swiss Cheese
8 Fresh Peaches
1 Smirnoff Ice malt beverage
2C Orange Juice
4T Cheap Yellow Mustard
3C Ginger Ale
Now, If you've made it through the ingredients and are still with me out of some sick curiousity, let's see how I put it all together. First up, I julienned the Green Peppers, Yellow Squash, & Carrots. No Garlic or Onions, not because I couldn't have used them, but these are not typical ingredients utilized by my relatives apparently. Next, I sauteed up the vegetables along with the ham. Once it was all softened up in went the Swiss Cheese and Bread.
In a separate pot, Skin and chunk up the peaches, Pour in the Ginger Ale & Orange Juice and start to reduce, while making sure to mash up the fruit as you go. Randomly grab a bottle of Cheap Yellow Mustard and Squeeze some of that in there too for a distinctly Jamaican Feel. Once you notice that it needs a little bit of tartness, go for the bottle of Smirnoff Ice. Pour that right in also. Just don't drink it. Really a bad idea. I know, because I did.
Once the stuffing has cooled, cut a nice pocket into the chicken breast and cram full of the mysterious pepper, squash, ham compound. Spread a little Country Crock fake butter stuff over the top and pop in a 400 degree oven. Occasionally baste the chicken with the Peach Sauce while it cooks until there is a nice crust over the chicken. Pull and slice on the bias to show off the beauty of the stuffing. Drizzle with remaining sauce. Quickly open and heat a can of Baked Beans. Call everyone to dinner, then sit back and enjoy the compliments as they pour in.
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