Awesome Stepkid Ro has his first serious girlfriend. The boy has been in quite the good mood since Christmas, and we’re enjoying the benefits. Ah, the joy of a happy teenager.
She’s a cutie, and a good sport–the first time we met her, she agreed to come with us to see the Muppet Movie with the kids and didn’t even seem to mind when I couldn’t restrain myself from singing along to The Rainbow Connection. I’m a dorkstore, I know, but that song gets me every time.
She also likes the Beatles and comic books and Star Wars and Game of Thrones and–the kicker–the defunct series Firefly, which is awesomeness (ah, Nathan Fillion, how do I love thee?). She even admitted to Miss D. that she, too, cannot resist Taylor Swift. This girl’s a keeper. The only difficulty is that when it comes to food, she’s a leeetle picky. Doesn’t like seafood, not big on the red meat, doesn’t like vegetables of any kind. You know, sort of like my kids.
And this is okay with me, except sometimes I want to have her over for dinner, and I fret about what to make. I don’t want to gross out the sweet thing, and although I still always serve a vegetable, it’s always as a side dish, so she doesn’t have to pick peas or carrots out of anything and feel weird.
She was coming for dinner the other day, and I was in a pickle. We’d already done fettucine alfredo, and chicken parmesan, so I had to come up with another fairly “safe” choice. I pillaged my Leaning Tower of Food Rags and decided that this recipe was just the thing.
And oooh, it’s good. No worries about the alcohol, either; it cooks out of the sauce when you boil it, so I wasn’t going to get anyone tipsy. The glaze is addictive–the next time I make this dish–and I will–I think I’ll double the glaze, so I can dunk my chicken in it, too, or save it to slather on shrimp or salmon, which would be brilliant, I tell ya. It’s party food. Warm weather food. Impress cool girlfriend food.
Fire up the grill, folks. This one’s a keeper, just like our Sam, who thankfully, looks nothing like a Bratz doll, which was my greatest fear. Plus, she’ll challenge me to try new things in the kitchen, which is a win-win.
Rum and Pineapple Glazed Chicken Breasts
from Fine Cooking
serves 4
For the Rub and the Chicken:
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
kosher salt and black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 oz each), patted dry
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 garlic cloves, minced
For the Pineapple-Rum Glaze
1/4 cup salted butter
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup pineapple juice
Make the Rub and Prepare the Chicken
In a bowl, mix all of the spices, along with 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Set the chicken in a baking dish and drizzle it with the oil. Rub in the garlic. Take the spice rub and rub it thoroughly on both sides of the chicken. Refrigerate for one hour.
Make the Glaze
Combine butter, brown sugar, rum and pineapple juice in a heavy saucepan. Boil over medium-high heat until syrupy, whisking constantly, about 7 minutes.
Grill the Chicken
Heat a gas grill or a grill pan and oil the grate. Grill chicken about 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 5-6 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from grill and drizzle glaze over chicken.
**Sorry if I’ve been scarce lately. The dreaded rotavirus struck the House of T last week and this week, and guess who was double-down? Moi, of course. I’m still on the BRAT diet, but on my way back. Thanks for your patience with me.
{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
Yumm this looks really good. And huge Firefly fans here too the whole family we own the series and the movie!
But do you have a Firefly sticker on your mom car? I win. ;)
Umm nope yo win!
You had me at rum. And pineapple.
Feel better!
Ugh–rotavirus. I live in fear of it. However, your post is full of yummy–chicken AND Nathan Fillion! I’m going to have to try it (and go watch some Castle while I’m at it…).
Melissa,
I love Castle b/c of the occasional Firefly references they throw in! Hiliarious.
So glad she’s not a Bratz doll-made-flesh–that would be scary. She sounds like a keeper!
Jenna,
She is! Nerdy (and proud of it) but cute. Perfect.
This looks delicious.
I’m scared of the whole dating thing. I’m totally not ready for that.
Jennifer,
Luckily, ASR was a slow bloomer. I fear for the Miss D. years, though.
I am absolutely famished and this did not help. Damn, I’m hungry. But! It looks so good I just emailed my husband with what’s for dinner and what I need him to get from the store. Good thing I didn’t tell him about the girlfriend; he might’ve tried to get one of those too and I do not need an extra mouth. Wait…
Arnebya,
Girl, you always manage to crack me up.
You are so lucky he brought home a keeper. My sister has to deal with a son-in-law that is still very imature and doesn’t think about others, but at least her daughter is a very responsible school teacher. :) This chicken looks like special company chicken, finger-licking-good!
My husband usually doesn’t like sweet with meat, but I am going to try to sneak this one by him! :D
Biz,
Truly, it balances nicely. Not too sweet. Sneak away!
This sounds soooooooo yum! xxx Did she like it?
We don’t have boyfriends in the house yet, but my sophomore has gotten herself asked to the neighboring boys’ school prom, so…. hair appointments, photos, etc. on the horizon this weekend :). We have something horrifying here too – fever, sore throat, etc- has hit two of my four (so far), and we MUST stay well for kindergarten graduation next week. Ah May…. busy, busy…. This looks so good – and easy – will fit perfectly with our breakneck pace these days. Thanks…… And – wait…. did you say Game of Thrones? That and the Rainbow Connection…. we have so much in common :).
Sherri,
Well, then. Hey there, sister! :) But only if you have a secret crush on the dwarf.
Awww, she sounds sweet. And yay for Firefly! I’m such a softy for Joss Whedon. Your chicken looks like a crowd pleaser.
Dana,
You have to see the Avengers, then–all Whedon fans are proud!
So sweet! So happy that Ro is happy. (In addition to a cool girlfriend he has a cool Stepmom too!!)
Pamela,
I am partially-proficient at the cool, since I had to sing (loud) with Kermit the frog. xo
I’m smiling… I love when you “pillage”…
I woulda been singing right along with you–I’m a fellow dork-in-arms. “Somewhere we’ll find it,
the rainbow connection,
the lovers,
the dreamers,
and me,
LA la LE la la da…” (and no, I didn’t Google that shit. That’s all from memory.)
Sending healthy wishes to you and yours.
xo
Denise,
Lovers and dreamers RULE.
Rotavirus! Damn, girl. Feel better soon. Does the BRAT diet include buttered rice?
As for rum and pineapple, YES. We are chicken-heavy on our menu chez Troubadour and I’ve been needing something to change up the usual rotation of dry rubs and marinades.
CT,
BRAT diet=bread, rice (yay!), applesauce, toast. So yes, I am getting my comfort food fix…although it’s getttin’ a little old now. Never thought I’d say that…
LOL, me neither. I’d heard of the BRAT diet for GI bugs but could never remember what was in it …
I actually messed it up–the “B” is for bananas.
Do you call him “awesome step kid ” around the house? What a cool nickname.
And now back to the topic at hand–one of my DIL was picky in the beginning but my son is not, so he encourages her to try new stuff. In 10 years, she has really come around. I’m not afraid to throw any kind of weird thing at her these days. Not that she always loves it, but she’s a good sport.
Anyhow, I’m sure my whole family would love this chicken so I pinned it for our next party.
Paula,
Actually, I call him lots of things, but one of the most used is “bunny.” He never seemed to mind this until one day, he brought a friend home from high school and when they entered the kitchen, I said, “Hey, Bunny. How was your day?”
He turned pink and laughed and said, “Ummm, could you not call me ‘Bunny’ when I have a friend over?”
Luckily, this was the COOLEST friend ever (I truly loved him and cried when he moved to California) put his hands of his hips and said, “I want a cute nickname, too!” So from then on, he was Pussycat.
Yummy! I can’t wait to try this one…actually will make the hubby prepare it as this is his kind of recipe!
Okay, I’m a bit behind on reading your blog and SOOO glad I went back to read this one. YUMMY!!! Can’t wait to try this one out on the family this weekend!
As I’m not quite as adventurous in the the kitchen…how would you envision adding the sauce to shrimp. I think you’re onto something with the whole party food thing and need to know a couple of ways to do it.
Stephanie,
Grill the shrimp; toss it in the sauce. Maybe a squeeze of lemon for acidity. Maybe a sprinkling of chives or flat-leaf parsley, and you are good to go.
Ooooo…nice recipe. Love the rub, but there’s not a thing wrong with that glaze either. Sounds like a drink, actually. Skip the butter, whiz it in the blender with ice and you’re set to go. :)
Barbara,
I like the way you think. :)
How have we never dorked out over our shared love of Firefly before? Quite an oversight. You know who else is a big fan? Justine. We need to get together to have a nerd-off! xo
Kristen,
Oh my gosh. I envision a Firefly marathon with wine and Pellegrino and yummy nibbles. And good blankets and soft pillows. We have a HUGE screen in the basement. Nerd-off, begin! Ah, wouldn’t that be great?
Must make note of this recipe. I have two boys, my oldest with a serious girlfriend too. I have the opposite issue. My son is the one who is a “leetle bit picky”- I must have done something bad in my previous life, to love to cook and eat, and have not just one picky eater but two-ahhh. My reward is that my oldest son’s girlfriend will eat anything! I invite her over just to watch her eat!
Your fab step son has a definite keeper girlfriend.
Velva
Velva,
Miss D. is getting better, but Miss M. is picky central! It makes me barmy.
Oh rum… We had a falling out several years ago. Amazingly Coke and I no longer get along either… But this? Well this just looks good enough to make amends.
The girlfriend sounds amazing :) I hope my boys are lucky enough to find such a sweetie – you know, when I allow them to date when they are 30 ;)
Heather,
I say 32. ;)
My eldest has her first boyfriend (she is three…) so I like the fact that there is Rum in it. I’m going to need it … for her father, who sprouted four new gray hairs when he heard the word ‘boyfriend’ come out of his princess’ mouth.
Tinne,
Your girl is a bit ahead of mine. Miss D. had the same “boyfriend” for 3 years. He was this sweet little Mormon boy who pulled her chair out for her every morning and they ate lunch together every day. Gray hairs, for sure, but still kind of adorable.
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