To Grill or Not To Grill

Ok - we gotta talk.  Too many guys are avoiding cooking if they can't use a grill.  Spring is coming and grilling weather will be here soon, but come on!  I agree that there is something soul-satisfying - even primal - about grilling meat with flame (making it the near exclusive domain of "Man's Job") but it feels kind of limiting to the palette of flavors that you can create.

"No, no no!"   I hear guys defending their rightful place outside - tongs in one hand, beer in the other. 

"Yeah!  That's what I'm talking about."  Okay, calm yourself.  I get it.  You may be thinking that it's cool if she does everything else and hands you a plate of raw meat.  You're a hero.

Those dinners are fine and the two of you are working together and having fun.  (You are offering to help with the dishes, right?)

Try this though.  Ramp up your game.  She would totally dig you for cooking the whole meal and you may not be able to step out to the grill necessarily.  I'm going to help you get yourself dug.  "Thanks, Doug!"  You're welcome.

Thaw two chicken breasts and rub olive oil all over them.  Put a handful of finely chopped pecans on a plate and add salt and pepper.  "Whoa.  How much?"  Not much.  A teaspoon or so of salt and half teaspoon of pepper.  Roll the chicken around in that like a kid rolling around in a pile of leaves.  Happy chicken!

Let that sit for a bit while you get the oven preheated to 350 degrees and get a skillet on the stove.  Heat that skillet til it's hot!  Add a little bit of oil to the pan and sear the chicken for a minute on each side.  Then finish the chicken in the oven for twelve minutes.  (It's still cooking, but kind of resting too.)  Comes out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 

Obviously the coating could not be done on the grill the same way, so I want you to have this in your arsenal.  You can serve this with couscous (easy directions on the box - stir in a little feta and a few sun dried tomatoes that you've chopped up), a nice salad and a Kendal-Jackson Chardonnay.

Let me know how you like it!