Pulled Chicken [Sandwiches]

For one year, when I was in college at UConn, my childhood friend Evan's apartment was right down the road. It was always fun having him around, but one of my most memorable weekends was when a huge storm rolled through. Forecasters promised 18"-24" of snow. The plan? Get lots of beer, get snowed in, and go riding around in Evan's Jeep Wrangler the next day. Really, I couldn't think of a better way to spend a snow day.

The only thing missing was the perfect meal. Something easy, warm, filling, and containable... pulled pork. It was the icing on the cake, really.

It dumped 1/2" of snow in the 15 minutes I was in the food store today. Nothing says crock-pot meals like a snow squall. I worked all weekend, I worked today, I've been running around like a crazy person... this meal plan is perfect for today.

Now, my recipe has (thank God) evolved a bit from my days at UConn, and there are even a few different variations.

I wanted to go for the epitome of hot/sweet/smoky, and so I concocted a Pineapple-Habanero Barbecue Sauce. Keeping with the healthy, I pulled chicken instead of pork. But no matter how you slice it, this is a damn good dish.

Pineapple-Habanero Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
You can cook this in a crock pot on high or low heat (preferable), but if you're short on time you can do it in a dutch oven on the stove.

5 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
1 15oz. can Crushed Tomatoes
1 Habanero Pepper
1 can of Pineapple Chunks (if you can go fresh, by all means, go for it)
1 Sweet Spanish Onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 Chipotle Peppers (or 2 tblsp. Chipotle Seasoning)
3 tblsp Vegetable Oil
Juice of 1 Lime

Romain Lettuce, Pepper-Jack or Cheddar Cheese, Fresh Cilantro, Bulkie Rolls

1) Put 2 tbsp. vegetable oil, 1/2 the chopped onion, 1/2 the pineapple chunks (with liquid), habanero pepper, and chicken in a crock pot (or dutch oven) set to low, and place the lid on.

2) In a sauce pan, saute the rest of the onion, chipotle peppers, and pineapple in remaining oil until the onion is soft.

3) Add tomatoes, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and lime juice, bringing to a boil.

4) Reduce to a simmer with the lid off, let the sauce reduce until it is thick and all of the ingredients are fully married, about an hour. (Taste to test. It should be tangy with a little kick, subtly smoky, and not too tomato-y).

5) Add the sauce to the chicken, which should be fairly well cooked by now. Let the chicken cook in the sauce until it is very tender and pulls apart easily (about an hour on the stove, two in the crock pot set on high).

6) Shred the chicken breasts by pulling apart with two forks. Keep going until all of the chicken is thoroughly shredded, and there are no big chicken pieces left.

7) If you are using the crock pot, drain some of the liquid and continue to cook. On stove top I like to keep it simmering with the lid off for another 30-40 minutes so that the chicken is thickly coated in the sauce.

8) Serve on toasted bulkie rolls with lettuce, pepper-jack cheese, and cilantro.


I'm telling you: Light a fire, turn on a game. It's cold outside, you're warm inside. Plus, you've got a dynamite sandwich.

Jenny 1 : Winter 0
Bring it.

It's Vichyssoise, Sir. It's supposed to be cold.. or not?

When I was a kid I used to spend a lot of time at my Grandma Crowley's house. I always looked forward to the summer because her lawn would become riddled with onion grass. One of my favorite things to do was to pluck the little onions, which I quite vividly remember always grew around the gazebo and behind the hydrangeas. I was like a pig with truffles when it came to onion grass.

I was caught, on more than one occasion, with the stem hanging out of my mouth -- which was probably not the best idea. Man, I loved that onion grass. I remember my grandma telling me that I could make Onion Soup... I couldn't think of anything that could possibly be better than onion soup. So, in the summer, I'd sit there with my sand-castle bucket filled with luke-warm water stirring onion grass. I didn't really get why she wouldn't let me use warmer water.

Thank God for adulthood. I still think about sitting in the sun behind the hydrangeas, picking onion grass, every time I cut open a leek.

I like to keep it in the family in this recipe, the onion family. Potato Leek Soup is one of my favorites, especially when the weather gets colder. In the warmer months, I eat it cold and call it Vichyssoise which is equally (if not more) fantastic. Traditionally, Vichyssoise is served cold... I like it hot, too. I think its just a question of semantics. If it's hot, it's potato leek. Cold = Vichyssoise. Either way, its taste is heartwarming.

Potato Leek [Vichyssoise] Soup
3 Leeks, chopped
1 Shallot, minced
5-6 Cloves of Roasted Garlic
2 tblsp Butter
2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
2 Bay Leaves
1/3 cup half and half
Salt
Black Pepper
Water

1) In a medium sauce pan melt the butter over low heat, add the shallots and one bay leaf. Saute until the shallots are soft and sweet.

2) Add the chopped leeks to the pot and cook until they are soft, about 10 minutes, remove the bay leaf.

3) Add roasted garlic, potatoes, and stock. Turn heat to high to bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add the second bay leaf and keep the lid on the pot.

4) As the soup cooks down and thickens, add liquid to keep it the right consistency, alternating broth and water. Cook until the potatoes are soft.

*Something to keep in mind is that potatoes absorb salt, so you'll definitely need a generous amount. Just make sure you are tasting as you go.

5) With an immersion blender, puree the soup. Add salt and pepper to taste, let cook for 10 more minutes.

6) Add half and half after the flavors have settled. Serve hot or cold!