(Jamie Ford, on my Kindle). A poignant story about a Chinese-American, growing up in Seattle at the beginning of World War II. Henry falls in love with a young Japanese girl before her family is interned in a relocation camp. It a very secretive relationship because his parents would highly disapprove. The story goes back to the 40’s and forward to the 1980’s when Henry is in his 50’s and his wife (not the Japanese woman) has just died of cancer. The story pulls you in from the first page, especially when some artifacts are found in the basement of an old hotel which contain personal belongings from several Japanese families who were suddenly taken away back in 1942. You can see where it’s going, can’t you? I heard criticism of this book that it was just a little bit contrived. Halfway through I’m enjoying it very much.
(Kathryn Stockett on my Kindle); if you haven’t heard about this book, you should! It’s a novel written from the voice of the black servants and some of the people they work for, all residents of Jackson, Mississippi. In the 1950’s. The maids generally are disrespected, still have to ride in the back of the bus, and some are prevented from using the bathroom in the houses where they work. The story is about a young woman (daughter of one of the society ladies) who decides to write a book about the stories of the maids. Anonymously. But not quite, of course. So it’s not only the stories themselves, but about the society-ladies’ relationships, and about the stealth required to interview the maids and write the book. And the repercussions when it’s published. A fantastic read.
by Jetta Carleton (Kindle edition); 
by Susan Richards (Kindle edition); 
by Sally Gunning (Kindle edition)
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(Mario Batali & Gweneth Paltrow); 
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After a weekend of consuming more fried things than I normally eat, I wanted to cook something a bit more simple. Last week I’d purchased a big bunch of Poblano chiles and red bells, just for this recipe. Yesterday morning, while the weather was still very cool, I broiled the peppers and removed the skins. My DH grilled the chicken thighs (that’s what I had in the freezer) which I’d marinated in lime juice, olive oil and garlic, along with some planks of eggplant, and it took just a few minutes to make the sauce. The longest step was browning the onions.
I didn’t really want to use heavy cream, but decided to thin it out 50/50 with fat-free half and half. The only problem with that is that the sauce would be too thin, so I just whisked in two tablespoons of flour to the broth when it was added, and it thickened the sauce just fine. I didn’t have any Jack cheese, so found some soft herby cheese in the refrigerator that worked fine. I used less cheese than the recipe indicated. This was delicious. I liked the sauce, liked the strips of poblanos (they’re very mild; in fact they really have no heat whatsoever), and the cream sauce was quite light. The onions added a nice sweetness to the dish. I happened to have had chicken thighs instead of breasts, but that probably didn’t matter a whit. This is pretty enough to be a company meal – would be especially good with some rice on the side to sop up some of the sauce.
Grilled Chicken Breasts with Creamy Chile Sauce
Recipe: adapted a little from Phillis Carey, Fast & Fabulous Chicken Breasts
Servings: 4
CHICKEN:
4 pieces chicken breast halves without skin — boneless, or thighs
6 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
3 whole garlic cloves — minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
CREAMY CHILE SAUCE:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions — peeled, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 whole Poblano peppers — roasted, peeled, cut in thin strips
2 whole red bell peppers — roasted, peeled, cut in thin strips
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 cup heavy cream — or substitute some fat-free half and half
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup jack cheese — grated
1. Trim chicken and pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness (place between two pieces of plastic wrap). Season chicken with salt and pepper, and place in a flat casserole.
2. In a small bowl combine the lime juice, olive oil, garlic, and cumin. Pour over chicken, turning to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
3. Creamy Chile Sauce: heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Toss in the onions and cook, covered, stirring often, until onions are starting to brown. Uncover and continue cooking until onions are golden throughout.
4. Add the roasted and peeled Poblano and red bell pepper strips to the onion and stir in the oregano. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the cream and broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 4 minutes to reduce the sauce and thicken slightly. Just before serving, stir in the Jack cheese until it melts.
5. Meanwhile, remove chicken breasts from the marinade and grill 3-5 minutes per side or until cooked through. Serve chicken topped with the onion-chile sauce.
Per Serving (assuming you use all whipping cream): 586 Calories; 45g Fat (67.4% calories from fat); 32g Protein; 17g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 150mg Cholesterol; 297mg Sodium.
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Toffeeapple
said on July 24th, 2008:
I think that chicken thighs have far more flavour and texture than the breasts so would always use them as a first choice. Even as a roasted dinner. I like this recipe.