Did You Hear What I Heard

A Year In Review!

(Scroll down to "The Playlist" and hit play before reading... works better that way!)

As we turn the page to a new year, let's stop, reflect and celebrate the past year. There was a lot of great music, we had a lot of great food and drinks with old and new friends. 

Today we are sharing some of our favorite music from 2014, along with one of our most popular "Plates" and cocktails from "The Bar". Enjoy the Jerk Chicken (perfect for your New Years) from our "Lively Up Yourself" post and Sugar Rum Cherry from "Christmas Cocktails". 

So, thanks to all of you that have shared and visited Plate"N"Playlist (fast approaching 9,000 to date).

Now go out, get your party on and "clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth"!

The pots are on!

The Plate...

Jerk Chicken Wings (from the post "Lively Up Yourself")

You know you want the heat... the heat is good.  Ok, no worries mon and no hurries.  This gonna take a while.  Not bad, just overnight. You know, good things come to those who wait. 

Speaking of which, you might want to double this recipe.  You're gonna want more.  Every time we grill a variety of wings the Jerk wings are the first to go... just saying.  

Again, I love some good "walk-around" food.  This is great for that upcoming picnic, a day at the lake or just hanging on the deck.  Easy and Awesome... that's the way we roll Mon.  One love.

What you need...

5 lbs jumbo chicken wings

Smoking chips, soaked in water for 30 minutes
Limes and parsley for garnish

For the "Jerk Marinade" - 
2 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 onion
8 cloves garlic
1 (1/2 inch) piece of fresh ginger, sliced
3 scallions, sliced
3 limes juiced
1 oz soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt & Pepper
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper
3 sprigs thyme
1/4 cup brown sugar

What you do...

Combine all of the ingredients for the Jerk Marinade in a blender and give it a buzz until you have a smooth puree.

Add the chicken pieces into a large resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade.

Put the bag in the fridge and leave overnight. 

Ready to grill - preheat grill to medium high with coals all on one side. (hot side and cool side)
Soak wood chips and lay on coals.
Put chicken on cool side for 10 minutes to smoke then transfer to hot side.
Grill 5 minutes a side over hot coals.
Move back to cool side and continue to cook until internal temp reaches 165 degrees (about 10 more min).

Serve on a large platter and garnish with sliced limes and parsley.

Did You Hear What I Heard

A collection of great new music from this year (or at least the past couple of years that I discovered or that fellow music fiends shared).

Love love the ex Screamin Cheetah Wheelies vocalist, Mike Farris. Saw him live and never got over it. There was a lot of great music this year - Hozier, Ed Sheeran and others, but some of the old main stays had some cool stuff as well.

If you haven't seen the Foo Fighters "Sonic Highway" documentary on music across the country, you need to. "Something From Nothing" is their view on the Chicago music scene.

And, as 2014 slowly fades away remember the words of our friend Marty Nickel... "Time Flies" and Mike Farris... we could use a little "Mercy Now".

("The Playlist" runs on Spotify. Don't have Spotify?... Click here it's free )

The Bar... 

Sugar Rum Cherry  (from the post "Christmas Cocktails")

Perfect for your New Years festivities!

What you need...

2 oz Spiced rum
1 oz Cointreau
3 oz pomegranate juice
Sprite or 7-up to taste
Pomegranate seeds
Lime Sliced
Black Cherry Jello

What you do...
Fill your martini shaker with ice and pour in rum,
Cointreau and pomegranate juice. Shake, Shake, Shake.
Rim your martini glass with Black Cherry Jello.
Add in a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds.
Pour the contents from your shaker into your glass.
Top off with a little Sprite and garnish with a slice of lime.

So Here's To You & Yours...

Happy New Year!

Please... Day Drink Responsibly 

& 

Keep On Cookin'!