I think it's funny when people do stupid things. I have to be in the top 10 of all time for people that do stupid things. This week, I did 2 very stupid things. I'm going to let you in on one of them, but I'm keeping the 2nd to myself for now. If you're really that curious, ask me about it some time. If I'm feeling froggy....maybe I'll jump.
I had the opportunity to be in the Twin Cities this week for a business trip and was quite lucky to connect with some co-workers for a tremendous dinner party at my friends' house. (Btw Earl, I have to get the secret to your kale...it was amazing). Back to stupidity...
I had thoroughly enjoyed my meal and as much as I would have liked to stay for another few hours to visit, I was exhausted since I had driven the 3+ hours to the cities and had gone straight to his house. After convincing Chris and Heather it was time to leave (I had no idea where the hell I was and needed to follow them back to the freeway), we headed for the door.
I have a really stupid, but cool-looking pair of dress shoes. I say "stupid" because I swear the laces tighten themselves when they are off my feet resulting in a ten minute fight to get into them. As we prepared to leave, I realized I didn't have the energy to fight with these things tonight....enter stupid thing I did #1 this week: I pushed my feet into them as though they were slip-ons for some reason and pretended to lace them up, even though I could feel the back of my shoes getting crushed under my heels. This shouldn't have been a big deal, except I am 99% sure Marcus saw this and probably wondered what kind of an idiot I really was.
I awkwardly shuffled to my truck and got inside. As I waited for the convoy to pull away, I reached down and attempted to maneuver the heels back in place, but we started to leave. I was staying with another friend of mine down in Rosemount for this trip (thanks again Colin) so I knew I had a good 45 minutes to get these things on right. One of the most uncomfortable feelings is shoes not properly on your feet.
Once we reached the freeway, I finally got half of my first foot in the shoe. After a flurry of swears, followed by my chest leaning in on the horn and my forearm turning on my high beams (sorry about that Chris), it popped into place. I was not looking forward to trying my right foot as I needed that to accelerate, but I knew I needed to. I flipped on the cruise control and fought with that damn shoe until it FINALLY popped on the 2nd foot..................1 block from Colin's house.
I pulled into his driveway and turned off the ignition. I sat there for a moment before opening my door. When the cargo lamp turned on, I swung my legs out and gracefully tied both shoes. I walked the 20 feet to his front door, stepped inside and unlaced my shoes for the evening. I have my pride...
Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwich w/Homemade K.C. Slather Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 large (or 3 medium) Chicken Breasts
- Kaiser Rolls or Sesame Seed Buns
- 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce OR follow directions below for one of my favorites from scratch. (*Author's note: There are hundreds of types of BBQ sauce, and we're not going to go into the details of the variations by region in this blog. However, Kansas City is known for a sweeter, tomato-based sauce which I personally prefer so after many attempts, I have perfected this to my own taste. Feel free to experiement and adjust, but this is JUST the way I like this sauce: thin and sweet).
How To Make:
- I prefer to grill the chicken outdoors with charcoal and wood chips to give it that necessary BBQ/Smoky flavor, but you can absolutely pan sear or roast your chicken breasts in the oven until nearly cooked - - they will finish in the pan with the sauce. If you're going with the grill, soak your preferred wood chips (I use applewood) at least 1 hour ahead of time in a grill pan or large bowl filled with water.
- When coals are ready, season your chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Oil the grill grates with a paper towel dipped in vegetable oil and place the chicken over direct heat for 2 minutes. Turn 45 degrees and cook over the direct heat for another 2 minutes to achieve cross-hatches. (You might ask, "Why go for cross hatches if it's just going to be torn apart?" Answer: "Pride in worksmanship.")
- Flip chicken over and continue to cook over direct heat for 4 more minutes to help sear in juices. Move chicken to indirect heat and allow to cook/smoke for 12-14 minutes. Remove from grill and set on a plate for 5 minutes to settle.
- When chicken has cooled slightly, tear apart with hands or forks and place in a large bowl. Keep in mind, it's ok if the chicken is still a little pink, you're going to finish cooking it in the saucepan shortly. Add about 3/4 of your BBQ sauce to a medium saucepan and add the chicken over medium heat - reserving the rest of your sauce to pour on top of the sandwich when serving. Stir for 5-7 minutes until heated through and plate on your choice of bun. Serve with fries, beans, corn on the cob, or coleslaw and an Iced Tea or Ice Cold Beer.
Grigal's KC Sweet Slather Sauce:
Ingredients:
(Looks intimadting due to the number of ingredients, but it's so easy and it only takes minutes to put together....really.)
- 1-28oz Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
- 1-Medium Yellow Onion, Diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
- 5-6 Tbsp. Honey (Start with five and taste for sweetness. Add more if desired while cooking)
- 4 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
- 4 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 1/ 2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. Molasses
- 2 Tsp. Chili Powder
- 2 Tsp. Ground Mustard
- 1 Tsp. Cayanne Pepper (Add more to taste if you want it spicier).
- 1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/2 Tsp. Paprika
How To Make:
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute' the onions and garlic in the vegetable oil until translucent - approximately 5-7 minutes. When vegetables are nearly finishing up, pour the tomatoes into a blender and blend until smooth - about 1 minute. Add tomatoes to sauce pan and stir.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir over low heat for 2-3 minutes. Transfer mix back to the blender, cover with a towel and carefully pulse every few seconds, occasionally lifting the lid to vent, until vegetables are blended -- about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Pour back into sauce pan, bring to a soft boil, reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. (You can still use this hot, but if you wait to cool, it can take 1-2 hours). Use as directed above and/or transfer to condiment bottles for pouring onto dish later. Will stay fresh in refrigerator up to 3 months.
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