The Same But Different

So far, for the month of June, my husband and I have been on totally different paths when it comes to meal planning.  I will think of something and get it started for what I have in mind, and then plans will change in the blink of an eye, which means, I either have to do a 180 and change things around, or those plans get scrapped completely, and we start all over.  I don’t mind this happening every now and then, but …… Fortunately, I am a very creative person, and have had many, many years in the restaurant/catering business, where flexibility is an essential survival skill.  Apparently, it comes in handy on the home front as well.

Last week, before we left for Hays, KS, Ollie’s 90th I was marinating some chicken in the same sauce I used for the scallops  Sweet & Spicy Citrus Scallops  (I remade the sauce.  It was a completely different batch.  No worries; no cross contamination here).  Larry didn’t tell me that he had other plans and would not be home for dinner that night.  Well, I could not leave the chicken marinating in the citrus sauce until we returned home.  I would have had a big pile of mush.  So I grilled the chicken and turned it into a delicious Caribbean chicken sandwich for myself.  I also used up some of my leftover olive sauce from my grilled Brussels sprouts, Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Green Olive Sauce  as well as the rest of my ancho chili-cinnamon butter from when I made my  Jalapeno biscuits Jalapeno Biscuits with Ancho-Cinnamon Butter.  You all know how I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE being creative with my leftovers, and will do so at every opportunity I can.  I am after all, the Queen of Leftovers.  🙂

I mixed everything together to make the marinade/sauce.  I also added some lemon verbena from my garden.  Then I added the chicken and let it rest for about 3-4 hours, before I grilled it up.

Once the chicken was grilled and ready to eat, I mixed some mayonnaise and my green olive sauce together and served it on a toasted onion bun then enjoyed my quick and easy Caribbean chicken sandwich with some French fries and a cool, refreshing glass of chardonnay.

So despite all the change of plans, my dinner, though not what I originally planned, still came out very tasty.  I have no complaints.  I can always turn a potential negative into a positive; or should I say a positively delicious opportunity.   All it takes is a little ingenuity and creativity.  🙂

Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

I have worked in the restaurant and catering industry for 35 years. I attended 2 culinary schools in Southern California, and have a degree in culinary arts from the Southern California School of Culinary Arts, as well as a few other degrees in other areas. I love to cook and I love to feed people. View all posts by ajeanneinthekitchen