If for nothing else, this lockdown has taught me to utilise my kitchen. I am not going to lie – if The Cave didn’t come with a dishwasher included in the rent, I would be living in PB&J sammies, served on paper plates and drinking my coffee out of a paper cup.
After seeing Shayla-Rae a while back I decided to try making a simple foccacia dough in the bread machine. I followed the recipe but somewhere something went awry. The dough was sticky, yet workable, but try as I might, it wouldn’t flatten for love nor money. In the end I stuffed it with filling and tried to roll it into a long sausage. It co-operated somewhat.
The one perk of working from The Cave is that I can cook and work at the same time. The space is so small that my PC is set up next to the kitchen sink.
So, while I was checking e-mails and processing admin, I got a few ingredients out the pantry and fridge and made my own adaptation of apricot chicken.
Like the bread, it was a bit of a mishap, because Yours Truly’s hand was too heavy with the salad dressing (I was also on the phone with a colleague). The whole dish was sour. I could have cried, but then I remembered The Toppie always adds a bit of sugar to any foods that have acidic bases. Still, the spit dried up in my mouth. Things were not looking good. I had to do something! I promised Carla I would bring her some food to the office tomorrow, and even if I hadn’t, I couldn’t throw everything away. Not when people are starving!
I found some tropical fruit juice, a McD’s sweet-and-sour sauce (that you get with the nuggets), a smidgeon of marmalade, and honey in the fridge. Shrugging my shoulders, thinking here goes nothing, I added the extras, tasting constantly.
The slow cooker did its thing while I did the rest of my work. Occasionally I would check on the contents, giving them a swirl with my favourite wooden spoon.
Even if I say so myself, the result is the best apricot chicken imaginable.
The thing is, I am not sure if I’ll be able to replicate the recipe, given that I didn’t measure any of the extras I put in. I must say, I’m far from a #Masterchef contender, but even my mishaps are turning out to be masterpieces!
Reflections of a Misfit 
When are you going to cook for me?
When you come and visit me – I have been to CT a few times and always see you. You must come to mi casa.
That looks so yummy. I have been watching too many cooking shows. They deep fry everything. My waist line is growing by the day!
I am safe from the TV shows (no TV connected here in The Cave), but I am not immune to the satisfaction chocolate brings…