Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Summer's Last Hurrah

Labor Day has come and gone, which means summer has unofficially ended.  The temps have even started to drop at night, making for excellent sleeping weather.  :)  I've always said that September and October are the best months of the year.  :)

We spent the first part of the holiday weekend visiting family, and Monday was just the four of us hanging out at home.  We planned on a simple menu for dinner:  barbecued chicken, pasta salad and fresh corn on the cob.

Brian bought a whole chicken and cut it up to individual pieces.  And I have to admit, it really is fresher that way.  And it creates plenty of leftovers.

Now, imagine the chagrin when I realize that (GAH) we're out of barbecue sauce!  You always notice these kinds of things when the cook is elbow-deep in raw chicken and there's no quick options.   So I flew by the seat of my pants.  What sounds good....I know!  Citrus and Basil Marinade.  I threw it together in my blender, all ingredients in the kitchen and on-hand.  The end result was tangy deliciousness....very taste-of-summer.  Crisis averted!



Crafty Mama's Citrus-Basil Marinade

I call this a marinade, but really, the chicken pieces only soaked in it for about fifteen minutes.  Believe me, it was plenty of time. 

In a blender, toss in:

1 cup orange juice
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/3 cup orange marmalade
6 fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp lemon juice
a little ground black pepper

Set blender to "chop" for about 20 seconds, then "mix" for 20 more.  Place chicken pieces in a big plastic bag, then pour in the marinade.  Seal bag, squeezing out excess air.   Refrigerate for desired resting time/optimal flavor. 

Enjoy!

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