Before I forget, I was given an award the other day and totally forgot to acknowledge it on this blog. Ooops. You know how people talk about having Pregnancy Brain and Mommy Brain? I think I have House-Building Brain. Anyway, HoneyB over at The Life & Loves Of Grumpy’s HoneyBunch (whose blog I discovered through Taste & Create and is now one of my favorite places to visit) awarded me the E for Excellence Award. THANKS! The rules state I need to pass it on to 5 blogs I think deserve such mention (too bad I cannot pass it right back to HoneyB, haha), but I think instead I will encourage you to check out any of the blogs being updated in my Blogs With Great Food column on the right. I wouldn’t be reading them if they weren’t well done. 😉 I am also supposed to post the picture for the award, but alas I cannot do that on this #$@*%#! computer!
Speaking of some of those great blogs, a lot of blogs seem to have guest bloggers these days. Probably a way to keep up with blogging without blogging. I’ve seen some great ones–the funniest were written by Robin Sue’s mom over at Big Red Kitchen. Recently I was completely inspired by a guest blogger at The Skinny Gourmet, who wrote about her Latin-Inspired Citrus Chicken with Rice and Beans, and I ended up creating this dish. Each individual component of this dish was very easy–put together it probably took about 1 hour of active work, plus of course all of the cooking time. The chicken and rice parts were fabulous–would have been completely delectable on their own. The sauce was quite good–it brought the dish together. The beans I would not enjoy as is on their own, so much as this is my favorite way to cook dried beans to then put into other dishes. So of all of the parts of this meal, if you need to cut time or work, just use canned beans.
For the chicken:
1 T brown sugar
1/2 t ancho
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
1 full bone-in, skin-on chicken breast (2 halves)
Mix together all of the ingredients except the chicken and then rub it on the chicken. Baked in a pre-heated oven on a cookie sheet at 375 F until it registers 165 F with an internal meat thermometer. Set aside to cool. To reduce the meat per serving, I shredded it before serving, splitting one chicken breast half between 2 adults and 2 toddlers.
For the rice:
1 T lard
1 medium onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 cups basmati rice, rinsed 3 times and soaked for 30 minutes and then drained throughly before cooking
Pre-heat the oven to 300 F. Heat a large pot on medium high heat. Melt and heat the lard, then add the onions and saute until softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and the rice and saute for about 1 minute, stirring the rice constantly. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cover and place in the pre-heated oven. Let the rice “bake” for 30 minutes, then remove and fluff.
1/2 lbs black valentine beans soaked overnight
1 bottle lager
water
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 T lard
salt to taste at end
For the sauce:
1 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock (plus extra if necessary)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 limes, juiced
2 oranges, juiced
1-3 T honey
Heat the olive oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the chicken stock, cilantro, and the lime and orange juice. Add 1 tablespoon of honey. using an immersion blender (or transferring to the blender) puree the sauce. Taste and add honey or salt if needed (or more chicken stock if it is too thick).
We’ll miss your delicious photos, but thanks for posting the delicious recipe. I’ve never had valentine beans….what are they like?
I would die without my computer, thank goodness we have five at home, LOL! I’ll miss the pics.
When my computer died in September we were on vacation so I shoved it aside for 1-1/2 weeks until I could get back home and take care of it. A strangely liberating experience, it was! I missed it at first, but at the end didn’t want it back! :0
But I will miss your food photos, they inspired me on many occasions. Hope that it’s repaired soon (if you really want it to be, that is!).
~Vicci
Your recipe sounds great, even without the photos!
Sharon: Black Valentine beans are like a cross between black beans and kidney beans, probably my 2 favorite beans, which is why I love them so much. They are bigger and firmer than “regular” black beans. I especially love them in chili.
Vicci: it has been a little liberating, but then I remember all of the blogs I have bookmarked, etc, that it now is just enough extra work to find (especially with kids hollering for me), and it is driving me insane! And I HATE typing on John’s laptop. His keyboard s*cks!
Noble Pig: Haha, wish I had 5 computers. Sounds like my family and TV/DVR combos. 🙂