Coke Chicken

Chuckles Grill

I'm a baker.

I have never liked to cook, until now. When the economy got bad here in Florida and around the country, we got back to cooking at home. The results have been amazing. We now are healthier because we eat less takeout and fast foods. We weigh less and the most wonderful thing is that we sit down at the dinner table every night as a family. We talk, laugh, connect and enjoy each others company. Maybe God had this in mind all along. Sooooooo....

Here we go!!!

Here is my recipe for "Coke Chicken." Hope you enjoy it.

Coke Chicken

7 chicken pieces. Now, I use some chicken breast that I pound on first. Just to make 'em that much more tender. Uses up some pent up aggression as well, but you can use whatever pieces you like. When you use chicken on the bone you get more nutrition. Just a thought.

2 Cups of Ketchup. I use Heinz Ketchup from the 114oz jug. Large sizes for large families. I do NOT put it on the table... I transfer it to a smaller, less obnoxious bottle. I'm on a budget, but I still have some class.

A 2 liter bottle of Coke. If you are worried about calories you can use diet. Its up to you. If you are thirsty, take no more than a sip.

2 Tablespoons of Worchestershire sauce. This small amount will give such a nice aroma and flavor.

1 onion, minced

2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced. Don't use that jarred stuff or garlic powder. Fresh garlic is the bomb!

1 Tablespoon of oil. I like Olive oil because it's healthy, but when you are cooking with Coke it just doesn't seem like a big deal, ya know?

Saute the onion and fresh garlic in the olive oil. Pound on the chicken and brown them in with the mixture.

In a large pot, combine the Coke, Ketchup and Worchestershire sauce. Place the chicken breasts in the Coke pot, along with the onions and garlic and simmer until the sauce is thick and sticky. Don't cover the pot or the mixture will not reduce and become thickened. It will take about 2 hours. Eat it plain or "pulled" and serve on buns.

In the meantime, get your bread machine out and throw in a loaf of bread.

Here's my recipe for "Honey Wheat Bread'

1 1/8 Cups of warm water (110 degrees)

3 Tablespoons of Honey

1/3 teaspoon of salt

1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cups of bread flour

2 Tablespoons of oil

1 1/2 teaspoons of active dry yeast

Add these ingredients according to your bread machine specifications. Use the wheat bread cycle. It's easy and so much better for you than store bought bread. Do you know that bread companies use potassium bromate instead of salt? That's just another reason to make your own bread from scratch and eat your meals at home.

Enjoy and be healthy!