Dancin' to the Beat of the Caribbean Drum(stick)

Coconut Lime Fried Chicken

Sweet Potato Salad

Curry Mango Veggie Dip

Fried Plantains

How often do you break out into song? How often do you start singing just out of pure joy..no rhyme or reason? Not often enough, right? I agree whole heartedly.
 A lot of us tend to go through our days using pure auto pilot. We have a set number of pre-programmed responses such as, "How are you?" "Fine, thanks and you?" or "I am well."  (That one, although being the appropriate response just never feels right to me.) We never really realize it until the days we are trying to get through turn into weeks and months and before we know it, we have lost something somewhere in time.
We have lost the beat of our own drum.
I think more of us need to learn to live instead of survive. We need to awaken to who we truly are. We need to tune in to our drum beat and rejoice in the fact that we are all a little different. A rainbow wouldn't be the same if there weren't any colors.
Sometimes it takes a little work. It takes a little rain to make a rainbow. If you want to do a handstand, you may need to do a few push ups first. If you want to be a Picasso, take an art class.
If you want the day to feel different, start singing. Take the long way home. Go for a walk after dinner. Dance in the rain.... to the beat of your own drum...(or drumstick)
Or, go on a picnic. Make all the usual food but in a totally different way.
And if you come across someone beating their own drums, singing in the rain, that's most likely my husband. Let him know I'm on my way.

Coconut Lime Drumsticks

Makes 5 legs, enough for 2

If you double the recipe, one can of coconut milk should do just fine.

You may find that you need to double the flour mixture, though.

 

1 pkg drumsticks (usually 5 come in a pack)

1 can Coconut Milk

1 Lime, juiced

1 Heaping cup of Flour

3 Tbsp Smoked Paprika

1 tsp Kosher Salt

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp  Ground Coriander

1/2 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Allspice

1/2 tsp Cayenne

a Healthy Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

 Canola or Peanut Oil

 Rinse Chicken. Pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.

 Mix one can of coconut milk with the juice of a lime. Add chicken legs.
Let marinate about an hour.
In the meantime, fill a dutch oven 1/3 way full with canola or peanut oil and heat over medium until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Or use a deep fryer and heat to 350.
I fill the bottom of my dutch oven with canola or peanut oil and place a couple drops of water in it.
I know it's the right temperature when the oil starts sizzling and crackling. On my stove, it's just the plain old medium setting. It takes about 15 minutes or so to reach the right temperature.

 Mix all of the spices together with the flour.

 

 Remove drumsticks piece by piece from the coconut milk and coat with the seasoned flour. 

 Place in the oil and cook, turning a few times, until the internal temperature of the legs reach 165 degrees; about 15 minutes or so.

Remove from grease and place on layered paper towels, to absorb the grease.

 

 

 

Fried Sweet Plantains

2 Ripe (Yellow) Plantains

Canola or Peanut Oil

Allspice

Ancho Chili Powder

Salt

 

Heat oil in a dutch oven to 350 degrees. (Use the oil from the fried chicken recipe above and make both at the same time.)

 

 Cut off both ends of the plantain.

Cut a slit down the length of the plantain and peel the skin off.

 Slice into 1 inch pieces.

 Place plantains in oil.

 Fry a couple minutes until they just begin to brown.

 Remove from grease and place on layered paper towels.

 Flatten each piece of plantain gently with the bottom of a glass or something with a smooth round surface, like my meat tenderizer.

 Place back in the oil a couple of minutes until they turn a beautiful golden brown.

 Once again, remove and drain well, placing on layered paper towels to absorb any excess grease.

Sprinkle lightly with a little allspice, ancho chili powder and salt.

 

Curry Mango Dip

1 Cup Mayo

1 tsp Yellow Curry

1 tsp Smoked Paprika

1/2 tsp Cayenne

1 Lime, juiced

1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Cilantro, chopped

1 Green Onion, chopped

1/2 Cup Mango, chopped

1-2 tsp honey or agave syrup, to taste

A few drops Habanero Sauce (optional)

 

 Mix all ingredients together.

 

 

 

 

Let sit an hour or so to let the flavors get to know each other.

Serve with assorted veggies. 

 

I chose red peppers, sugar snap peas and jicama ( a root vegetable from the Central and South America)

Sweet Potato Salad

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces

1/2 Cup dried cranberries

1/2 Cup Red Onion, chopped

1/2 Cup Celery, chopped

1 Cup Mayonnaise

1 Heaping Tbsp Freshly Grated Ginger

 

 Soak the dried cranberries in a cup of hot tap water to rehydrate them, about 15 minutes.

 Chop the sweet potatoes and place in a pot of water. Let the water come to a boil and simmer until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.

Drain and rinse with cold water.

 Grate the ginger.

 Mix the ginger and the mayo together.

 

 Mix all the veggies together. Remove cranberries from the water and add to the veggies.

Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cranberry water.

 Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved cranberry water to the ginger mayo.

 Mix well.

Add the mayo to the sweet potatoes and mix.

Let sit a little while to let the flavors get to know each other.

 

And there you have it.....a perfectly different kind of picnic meal (unless you happen to live in the Caribbean and then, well, you'll have to find your own drum stick ... or drum beat)

So until next time, Beat those drums; Sing out loud; Dance in the rain...

Cook a little too and Live well, my friends.

 

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