I never liked games like dodgeball in school.  I always got hit.  Hard.  Red Rover was equally un-satisfying because I was often the kid that didn’t get picked.  I didn’t mind not being picked, but it still made me hold my breath as each name was called.  I hated to draw attention to myself, but somehow I always did.  Not knowingly, but did.  Not during this game though; it showed me no love.

I don’t pay much attention to my blog statistics, but okay, I peak, now and again.  I get really excited when I have a new number (of followers).  That sounds kind of creepy when I say it out loud.  What I mean is, people who choose to follow new Posts on my Blog.  It was climbing rapidly and then all of a sudden went backwards.  I got hung up on one number.  124.  I loved number 124.

But then, it became 123 once again.

123, no, 124, no, 123, 124…123, again!

Red rover, red rover, send 124 right back on over.

Number 124, I am talking to you!   You know who you are.  I couldn’t help but notice you un-followed me, four times!  I understand.  No, really, I do.  I’m not in this for the numbers, I like the love though, don’t you like the love?  Did you really mean to hit the “unfollow” button?  Let me take just a moment to break this down a bit.  Is my Blog not your style?  Are Ginger and Buddy not cute enough?  Perhaps it is my food.  Is it my food?  My food is too fussy, isn’t it?  Wait, is it not fussy enough?  I can make it really fussy.

What if Ginger and Buddy cooked instead?  Hmmm, that might be challenging though.  I can take your requests.  I will cook just for you!  I bet it is my writing, not my cooking at all.

Is it my writing?  I can be too wordy?  Do I offend?  What if I write you a poem?  Can I beg you to come back?  Oh wait, I make it a habit not to beg.  Ginger and Buddy have less scruples though and are wondering, “What will it take to bring you back?”!!!  They say they will stop snarfing (well, I don’t think they will, you can’t really count on that!).  They say they will be cuter (but nobody is cuter than them)!  They will talk less and be cute more (ha)!  What if they start wearing hats?

What if I talk less and cook more?  Take better photos?  How about no photos at all?  Oh well, like I said, I am not in this for the numbers.  I do like the love though.  So, to show you the love, I will cook more and talk less, just this once.  Just for you number 124!  I’m cooking this for you, only you!

Tomatillo Chicken Thighs over Jade Rice and Pinto Beans

I’m not chicken to ask you to come back number 124!  This is full of flavor and completely satisfying.  Served over jade rice and pinto beans, with a few leaves of quickly-grilled romaine lettuce and a dollop of yogurt; I think, even you might agree to come back.  This is not fussy, light on words and full of love.

INGREDIENTS

3-4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in

Sea salt and pepper
2 tsp dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
2 tsp cumin
Squeeze of lemon juice
3 TB plain yogurt
Olive oil for browning
1/2 cup tomatillo salsa (good-quality purchased or home-made)

Serve with rice and beans, romaine lettuce, tomato slices and yogurt – see below.

PREPARE

Rinse the chicken and pat it dry.  Season lightly with salt and heavily with pepper.

Mix the oregano, chipotle powder, cumin, lemon juice and yogurt in a medium bowl or freezer bag.  Add the chicken and let marinade for at least a 1/2 hour and up to a day, before cooking.

Heat an oven-proof pan, large enough to hold the chicken in one layer, but small enough to keep it snug.  Add enough olive oil to coat the pan. When hot, add the chicken, skin-side down.  Let the chicken sit, undisturbed, until browned.  When the chicken is ready to release itself from the pan without tearing away the skin, turn it over.

Add the salsa, mostly around the sides with a little dollop on top.  Transfer, uncovered, to a 350-degree oven.

Cook approximately 30 minutes.  The chicken should be cooked all the way through and very tender.  The top should be beautifully browned.

MEANWHILE – make the rice and beans

While the chicken is cooking, cook the jade rice (I use a rice cooker with a 1/2 cup rice to 1 cup water and a dollop of salsa thrown in).  Mix with 1 cup drained, cooked pinto beans (I cook mine in a pressure cooker with a good amount of chipotle powder and cumin).  One cup dried beans with 3 cups water, cooked on high-pressure for 20 minutes produces a slightly spicy bean.  Season with salt after cooking and add a splash of vinegar.  You will want to strain the beans out of their liquid for this dish.

Mix one part rice to one part beans and serve under the chicken with a few leaves of grilled romaine lettuce.  A dollop of sour cream is always welcome in our home.
It was too yummy and late to photograph the first night and clearly too late the second.  I know I am not helping my case here, but the photograph I did get is grainy due to the dark night.  I reheated the thighs in a pan with the rice and beans.