Sunday night supper

A tough day at work calls for comfort food for dinner. Tonight I'm cooking one of my favorite Southern recipes--Chicken Bog.

Yes, I know the name isn't exactly flattering. But Chicken Bog is a classic dish served at plenty of group meetings--fund-raisers, church socials, family reunions, etc. --because it's cheap, filling, and almost universally liked. Served with fresh sliced tomatoes, cornbread or biscuits, and sweet iced tea, it's a wonderful meal. Here's my version of the recipe.

Chop 1 small yellow onion and saute in butter until translucent. Add 2-3 pounds of boneless chicken pieces to the pot. I like a mixture of breasts and thighs for a good white/dark meat balance, but either alone is good too. Cook the chicken until golden and falling apart. And don't forget salt and pepper to taste! I like a couple of teaspoons of Cajun seasoning, like Slap Ya Mama, too. Tear the chicken pieces apart with a fork.

Next, slice 1 pound of smoked sausage (I like Hillshire Brand) into bite sized pieces and throw them in. Measure out 2 cups of rice and sprinkle it evenly over the chicken and sausage.  Add 3 and 1/2 cups of water, about a Tbsp of salt, more pepper, and cover the pot. Bring it to a boil, and then immediately reduce the heat to low and go forget about it for 40 minutes. Don't stir the chicken bog!! This is important! If you stir it while it's cooking, it will turn gooey and gummy and gross. If you leave it alone the rice will be fluffy and perfectly steamed. This is the secret to good Chicken Bog!

So that's what we're eating tonight, along with Florida - grown tomatoes sliced and salted on the side. For me, it's comfort food.