The Auntie's Cookbook

There's something about using recipes that have been passed down through the generations...

This afternoon, I had a case of some serious culinary mind freeze. I had 4 chicken breasts thawing...and I was pouring over my myriads of cookbooks. After a while, all the recipes started to look the same, each of them claiming their own unique flavours, simmered to perfection for an explosion of savoury delight. One recipe wanted me to use cream of chicken soup, another cream cheese, another sour cream, another soy sauce...the list of endless ingredients went on...and on...and on.

J ended up calling me to let me know that he would be home from work early tonight, and STILL those four chicken breasts remained on their plate, shining in all their raw, pink glory. And nothing had yet triggered my palatable senses.

With only an hour before J would be home, I turned to an old stand-by: The Fabulous Frugal Fast Favourite Foods of The Girls from Gorrie...since that's too much of a mouthful, I fondly call it "The Auntie's Cookbook." This huge 3 ringed binder full of recipes is a family heirloom of sorts. My grandma, my mom and my four aunts collaborated this book of all their tried and true recipes a few years back to pass down to their grandchildren/children/nieces and nephews once we all passed the threshold of adulthood. Basically, these recipes were to keep us from eating take-out when we were poor students or newly married.

One of my favourite parts of this eclectic medley of recipes is the personal notes each contributor has left beside their recipes. For example, my mom posted a recipe called "Poor Man's Dinner," which she ironically wrote beside, "Delicious! With million dollar taste!" Or the "Strawberry Pie" recipe that apparently was "from the day of Mom's cancer surgery." (Although I'm not quite sure why such a morbid notation was made...) Needless to say, there are times when I will just plop down on the couch, open up The Auntie's Cookbook, and feel like they're right in the room with me...all talking at once, all sharing their stories, all in my face, but all desiring to put good food in my belly. And, it's comforting.

I didn't have time to sit and be sentimental this afternoon, however, and luckily enough, I turned to page 5 and found: "Barbecue Chicken," submitted by Mum. While the title of the recipe sounds completely lackluster (at least compared to the Lemon-Basil-Splash-of-Balsamic-Sprinkled-with-Parmesan Chicken recipes I had be looking at earlier), the fact that there were only 5 ingredients spoke volumes as the clock quickly ticked away.

BARBECUE CHICKEN

21/2 - 3 lbs cut up chicken
1 envelope onion soup mix
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water

Place a large sheet of aluminum foil onto a shallow baking pan. Foil should overlap the pan on all sides. Arrange chicken pieces, single layer. Combine the rest and pour evenly over chicken. Cover and seal edges. Bake at 375 for 50 min. Uncover for the last 10-15 minutes.

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures to show you of how it turned out, but believe me when I say that it's a simmering, spicy conglomeration of goodness. And oh so easy. So, thanks, Mum - it's always fun to cook with you in the kitchen!