Drick's Mojo Chicken

Gettin' da Gris-Gris on Chicken

This post goes out to a total stranger, Stanley Holloway, better known as Eddie Bluelights who is responsible for some bad hoodoo coming my way.

Things haven't been the same since Marguerite went and put some hoodoo on me. Not intentionally, I know better than that, but a strange spell came over me when she respectably gave me an award. Now folks, I take things coming out bayou country very seriously.

You see, Stanley passed the award to Marguerite, you know her over on Cajun Delights, and with her giving it to me, well folks, its really hard to explain but the jest of it goes like this: I have a handful of awards bestowed on me that I have yet had the time to honor. Work during the day, cook at night and in my free time I spend a brief few hours each week sharing recipes with you and trying my darnest to stay tuned to your fine posts. What time that is left over, I am currently repairing the outside of my 106-year-old house. Plus other things that I am just not going into or danger you with in my bellyaching. I know, my 24/7 is the same as yours. Now, like I said, with ol' Stanley lurking around plus the award meandering through hoodoo country, Lord knows what all is attached to it and like I said, things haven't been the same, procrastination is all around me. I take these awards just as seriously as I do hoodooism coming from the bayou.

Stanley is a funny man with a spoofing sense of humor, this I know from just reading his comments on Marguerite’s blog. I also found out he roams the internet luring fine folks, normally giving them a good poke by roasting them on Sundays. Even, more reason to suspect the curse of my inauspicious state. In reality, this curse may be a blessing in disguise. I know I cannot in clear conscience pass on any award before removing any hex that might be associated with it and I know I must first make amends for my previous awards. I hope that this token to Stanley along with the recipe to all of you will cook up some good Mojo and rid me of my past sluggish scruples.

So Stanley, in honor of the clips you are used to seeing from Marguerite, I throw this into the pot for more gris-gris, an offering I found, an oldie but goodie - surely it can only help. Enjoy!

Louisiana Hoo Doo Blues
'Ma' Rainey And Her Georgia Band

Recorded: Chicago, May, 1925

For the chicken remedy:

The only way I know to rid this spell is to conjure up some good Mojo, you know, stir up some mumbo-jumbo brew, mix in a little goofer dust and get this jinx from around me. Gotta get my Mojo working again.


Drick's Mojo Chicken
Folks, this is my twist on Mojo marinade resulting in some of the best, tender and moist chicken I have cooked in a long time. Great flavor... Mojo must be working.

4 split-chicken breasts, cut in halves
1/4 cup olive oil
2 to 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced or minced
1 teaspoon crushed red peppers
1 1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
Juice of 2 key limes, about 1/4 cup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
Good couple of rounds of freshly ground black peppercorns

Heat the olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Add the spirit eradicating garlic, cook until fragrant, and well aroused, about 30 seconds. Do not let it brown or it will bite back, be bitter tasting. Add the crushed peppers to wake things up, stir and remove from heat. Add the orange, limejuice, the goofer dust (remaining seasonings) and bring mixture to a rolling boil. Toss a pinch of salt over your right shoulder, taste the sauce and add salt or seasonings if desired. Turn off heat and allow mixture to cool to build up courage.

Remove excess lavish fat from chicken, rinse all bad off under running water and tenderly pat dry with paper towels. Add to the Mojo bag (sealable plastic bag) along with the Mojo sauce. Let the chicken rest peacefully in the refrigerator 2 to 3 hours rotating the pieces often.

Remove chicken and reheat sauce to a rolling boil; simmer for 5 minutes on low. Pour half of the mixture in a bowl for basting on the grill. The chicken deserves this opulence. With the remaining sauce, add a teaspoon of chopped cilantro if desired and reserve for serving with the chicken.

Preheat grill to medium heat (350 to 400 degrees F.) on one side of the grill if using gas or if using charcoal, position coals only in the center of the grill. Place chicken bone side down on direct heat and brown both sides. Baste with the Mojo sauce, give ol' Stanley a wink and your blessings. Place chicken on indirect heat skin side up, baste again, cover with lid and cook until internal temperature is 170 degrees F. about 45 minutes. Baste with the sauce often.

Now for the Awards . . .

Thank you Marguerite at Cajun Delights for this LIFE IS GOOD AWARD

In order to accept this award, I must answer the 10 questions below and pass the award to six fellow bloggers.

1. If you blog anonymously, are you happy doing it that way; if you are not anonymous do you wish you had started out anonymously so you could be anonymous now? No way, I do like people knowing the real me, including those who might just happen to come across my blog and say, ‘so that’s where you’ve been’. Plus, never liked the name, I rarely publish folks whose name is anonymous, I just can’t understand why their momma would give them such a ghastly name.

2. Describe one incident that shows your inner stubborn side.

Like working on the house, which seems like it's been a year replacing some weathered boards but really only a month, it would be easy to slap on a fresh coat of paint, but no... everyday I go out there, a new incident arises and stubborn me jumps head first, most of the time creating another incident.

3. What do you see when you really look at yourself in the face in the mirror?

When I face a mirror, some one that is blessed.

4. What is your favorite summer cold drink?

Same as winter, spring and fall - bourbon and coke.

5. When you take time for yourself, what do you do?

What do you mean, 'time for yourself', never heard of it…

6. Is there something you still want to accomplish in your life? What is it?

To be able to speak comfortably in front of large crowds or when being interview knowing it might air on tv. I just don’t make any sense ‘cause my tongue is tied and my knees are knocking. So embarrassing, you know, it’s like when you wet your britches . . . in public.

7. When you attended school, were you the class clown, the class overachiever, the class shy person, or always ditching school? Describe who you were if not one of these.

Golly, I think all of the above. Not as outgoing as I would have liked but then, my graduating class consisted of 24 classmates. It was somewhat hard to get lost.

8. If you close your eyes and want to visualize a very poignant moment in your life, what do you see?

These days, many moments that are touching to me blend together, of course, it could be the meds. I would have to say there are many sad ones as both parents, all grandparents and many relatives are deceased and I find difficult in trying to remember every detail about them. When I do, the warm thoughts, the great memories we shared inundate any of the sadness. On the flip side, I look at all the great things in my life now, of waking up renewed each morning and thanking God for my existence. When my feet hits the floor, that is poignant enough.

9. Is it easy for you to share your true self in your blog or are you more comfortable writing posts about other people or events?

No, it’s all about me. I could care less in what they are doing, if you read my blog you would know this ….

10. If you had the choice to sit and read or talk on the phone, which would you do and why?

I guess you’re not meaning as in listening to books on the internet. Rarely do I have just those two choices but it would certainly be sitting, oh and I would read some too.

This Award, after it's cleansing, goes to:

1- Cleanliness is Next to Godliness, cause you are my long lost cuz Emily

2- Keep Learning, Keep Smiling, Mary, not many days go by without hearing your laughter in your comments

3- Life in the Slow Lane at Squirrel Head Manor, anyone who cooks my seafood pasta dish, what 5 times now, knows about the good life, right Pierce?

4- Mother Rimmy's Cooking Light Done Right, thanks for teaching this dog a few new tricks

5- Tasty Trix, I know you are a friend for life, maybe it's da Cajun in ya

6- What's Cooking Italian Style, cause you Claudia cook like I would love to, your recipes are always right up on my 'to-do' list
 

Thank you JillyAn at Homegrown Gourmet and Kristy at My Little Space for the Versatile Blogger Award

 

The rules state that I must reveal seven things about myself.

1- I procrastinate, shocker I know

2- My favorite color is blue

3- I raised and showed steers for FFA as a youngun’

4- My mother loved art and gave classes in oil painting - I cannot draw a stick figure

5- I was an 'A' student in English, including wrightin bestest grammar
6- I normally am disenchanted with the outcome of my cookery

7- My favorite place is soaking in the turquoise Caribbean waters, drinking Mexican beer

The next requirement for accepting this award is to pass it on to 15 other bloggers.

1- Ardent Epicure, you three have to be the most versatile I know in cooking up fine eats

2- Are You Hungry, always like a meal with substance and Kathy yours are always so tasty

3- Bunny Cooks, love your passion, your style and your fab recipes Gwen

4- Cajun Chef Ryan, a friend I can always count on, you always inspire me with your talent
5- Cajun Delights, well, what can I say Marguerite, your videos get my feet tapping and your recipes keep me full as a tick
6- Carole Egbert, between your art, wittiness and recipes, I never know what to expect

7- Cocina Savant, Daniel & Dawn, the two of you keep me way too busy

8- Cookin' Canuck, Dara, something about your cookin' makes me go back for second helpings

9- Electic Recipes, Angie, you always have fresh, winning recipes
10- La Cocina de Leslie, cooking real Mexican food, you are an inspiration 

11- Memorie de Angelina, a man with passion & inspiration, Frank, you should quit your day job
12- More than a Mount Full, friendly blogging & great recipes makes any dish better, but Dennis, you have big shoes to fill

13- My Food and Life Encounters, busy mom Miranda in Florida who I wish was a little closer, I could help (every now and then)

14- Never Enough Thyme, southern cooking, be still my heart. Thanks Lana for being a good neighbor

15-  Saucy Gourmet, Shari, I wish I had your energy and skills 

 

Thank you Chef Dennis at More Than A Mount Full - A Culinary Journey for these awards - the Stylish Blogger and A Blog with Substance

Ten things about me:

1- Virgo

2- Hungry

3- Thirsty

4- Mellow

5- Kind

6- Forgiving

7- Shy

8- Joker

9- Conceited
10- Fibber

Ten things that makes me happy:

1- Seafood
2- Creole

3- Cajun

4- Mexican

5- Bacon
6- Beaches

7- Max

8- Cookbooks
9- Cokes

10- & Bourbon

 

These awards go to:

1- 5 Star Foodie Culinary Adventures, anybody with this many readers gotta know something

2- Eating on the Cheap, JodieMo, you make me smile and glad I'm a southern boy

3- Brown Eyed Baker, Michelle, I want to grow up and bake just like you
4- Cook with Madin, many thanks for trying out so many of my recipes

5- In the Kichen with Nick, cause you stir things up and keep it interesting 

6- Jeroxie - Additive and Consuming, always smart reading, always enlightening

7- Las Vegas Food Adventures, when your recipes show up, always a knockout

8- Kate's Kitchen, a fairly new friend who I have found exciting

9- My Little Space, Kristy, you have taught me so many things from the other side of the world

10- Fight the fat Foodie, thanks Scott for loving the baked catfish

11- Patty's Food, always beautiful photos with interesting Northern Californian ideas

12- Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker, Kristen I do love your stories & recipes

13- Homegrown Gourmet, JillyAn, your food makes me want to go into catering just like you 

14- Keep Learning, Keep Smiling, Mary, without your blogging, my stirfry and shrimp dishes would not be the same

15- What's Cooking Italian Style, Claudia, I can always count on you everyday for a nice comment

So if you would like to accept the awards all you have to do, is copy the awards and place them on your page, pass them along and do as I did, give them your blessing - but do it quickly.