TOO MANY COOKS AND ONE CHICKEN.

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11/17/2010

TOO MANY COOKS AND ONE CHICKEN. A DYNAMIC RECIPE.

Apathetic, boring, dull, and passive. Hmmm...certainly none of these

words describe my family. The Aragons, are energetic, always fun, bright,

and very, very, DYNAMIC!!

Join these energetic characters as they cook up some fun!

BASED ON A TRUE STORY

My father, Gabriel Aragon, is the one in the center.

Cuba, 1947. Three brothers, Gabriel, Alfonso, and Emilio, arrive in the

island. These young Spanish comedians had a contract for 6 months at the local

television station in La Habana. Their show was such a success, and were

so loved by the Cuban people, they stayed 13 years...and who knows...they

would have stayed longer if it was not for Fidel Castro taking over the Island.

That was the "true story"...the rest was inspired by their insane descendants!

But, let's go back in time! Before Fidel Castro...ruined everything... for everyone.

These fun loving Spaniards, the Aragons, and their families soon adapted to the

warm climate, the friendly people, and the Cuban culture...

They were a very large family, with an even larger appetite for good food. The

women loved to cook, and although they felt passionate about Spanish food,

they also loved the delicious Cuban gastronomy.

One day, Monica Aragon, had friends coming over for dinner. She knew she

wanted to serve chicken. After all...who doesn't like chicken? But...she didn't

know if to cook it with Spanish flavors...or Cuban.

She looked in her pantry. Hmmmm....she had potatoes, onions, garlic, green

pepper, bay leaves, celery, raisins, and Spanish olives. Could she actually

use all those ingredients? Nah, olives and raisins, didn't sound too good.

She decided to make baked chicken the Spanish way, Cuban white rice, and

plantains. Perfect! A little of both countries!

She took the chicken, sprinkled sat and pepper all over, and was about to

rub it with garlic, when she heard someone at the door. She went to see who

it was.When she opened the door, she said to herself, Oh, not the milkman. It's

going to take forever, he tries to sell me more than milk always! Meantime...

her Aunt Maribel, came into the kitchen through the back door...

"Ay chica, I zee many ingredientz...it muzt be a stew. I will surprize herr", and

startz it fur herr!". She cut the chicken, added salt and pepper, browned it in olive

oil, and when she was ready to add the garlic...she remembered she had a lunch

date with, Ricky Ricardo, a young, handsome and very popular, conga player. She

left in a hurry.

Monica, finally got away from the milk man, who tried also selling her papayas,

eggs, spare tires for her car, and a pig! She shut the door, the phone rang. It was

her mother. As she spoke to her, Mayte, her sister, came down the stairs, said

"Hola!", and headed to the kitchen. Monica covering the phone with one hand, said

in an alarmed tone, " Mom says dad is acting like a clown and wants to join

a circus!!! Mayte, please, add the pepper, the onions, and the garlic, to the

roasting pan and put the chicken in the oven, please!! We got company tonight!"

She continued calming her mother....

Mayte, was looking at the browned chicken in the pan. Why did her sister

ask her to put in the over? Suddenly, her boyfriend, a handsome, young, Cuban

actor, Andy Garcia, popped his head through the kitchen's window, and said to

Mayte with a sexy voice, "Hola baby, You know...the day is as beautiful as you...

want to come with me to the beach?". She responded giggling, "Yes, mi amor,

give me a minute, and I will be right out!"

Mayte had to rush! She put the onion, 1/2 the green pepper, and 2 cloves

of garlic in the blender for a few seconds, poured the mix in the pan, with

the chicken, stirred it around in a hurry in medium heat. She heard Andy

whistle. Gosh, it was the chicken, or Andy. She choose Andy. Turning the heat

off, and setting the pan aside, she then proceeded to run out of the kitchen,

skip happily to his car, and hop in the passenger's seat.

By the time Monica finished talking to her mom, she had a headache. She

remembered she was out of aspirin, so she went to her next door neighbor,

Maria, to see if she had any. Maria, who was the neighborhood gossiper,

insisted she come in for "a moment". Meanwhile, Aunt Cary, who was going

through a break up, and had been drinking many ...many ... many...Mojitos,

dropped by Monica's for a visit....

The front door was unlocked. Cary, pushed the door wide open with one hand,

while holding a Mojito in the other. Walking in zig zag, she entered the quiet

living room, laughed histerically....then, called out at the top of her lungs,

"Moni...ca...hic...Moni...hic...caaaaaaaaa! Werrr, ar..hic...uuuuuu? Hmmmm...

hic...plobba...hic...bly in der kit..hic..chennnn", and she stumbled into the

empty kitchen. She saw the pan, and said..."Que es esto? Chic..hic..ken?

Poor...hic...lonely...hic..zing! She looked around with crazy eyes, and with

a big smile, added to the pan, while singing "Guantanamera", everything in sight...

olives, raisins, celery, carrots, went in the pan!!

She saw spices in little jars. " Now,my little chick..hic...ennn, you willll, you willll...

beee delectalabable!" and she added oregano, cumin, and a couple of bay leaves.

Dizzy..she sat on a chair and fell asleep with her head tilted back, her arms

dangling, and her legs opened wide.

Monica, who returned home with an even worse headache, from Maria's gossiping,

went directly to the kitchen for a glass of water to take her hard earned aspirins...

She opened the door, screamed and nearly fainted at the sight of her Aunt!!

Cary, opened her big, blue eyes, and said with a creepy smile, "Moni..hic..caaaa!".

She fell instantely asleep again.

Monica dragged an open legged Aunt Cary, as she could, toward the living room.

There was a knock at the door. Out of breath she said,"Whhh...whh...hoo is it?".

A voice replied, "Your cousin Mayra!". Monica, asked her to come in..."Help! Help

me with Aunt Cary, let's take her upstairs,please! Mayra agreed. One grabbed

her legs, the other, the hands, and slowly, clumsily, dragged her upstairs.

Getting Cary in bed, was no easy chore either...Monica, called Cary's sister, Juani,

to come pick her up.

Meantime...cousin Ana, came in the house. She smelled the aroma coming from

the kitchen. Food was her passion....immediately, she forgot what she was

there for. Straight to the kitchen she went! Ana, saw the pan with the chicken on

the stove, and thought...

Well, that chicken looks dry!! Something is missing. Aaahhh, no color! She added

1/2 a cup of tomato sauce, a good splash of white wine, and about 3/4 cup

water. Ana, brought everything to a boil... waited a couple of minutes, then...

lowered the heat, so it would slowly simmer.

The back kitchen door opened once more. Nela, Monica's sister, had brought some

orange juice Monica asked her for earlier that day. They both said, "Hola! Cousin!"

and hugged.

Wondering where Monica was, they went on her search, finding her upstairs with

Mayra, and an opened legged Aunt Cary on the bed. Monica proceded to tell

them what had happened.

Downstairs...Aunt Juani, came in to see what was going on with her sister.

She called out, "Girls, I am here". From upstairs, Ana replied, "Aunt Juani, check

that chicken in the kitchen, before you come up, please!" Juani, did just that. But,

she thought it needed something else...so, she added a couple of potatoes cut

in chunks. Stews should have potatoes! Looking good, she thought, and

went upstairs. Monica asked, "Is the chicken baked? Is it looking good?"

"Baked chicken?". They all cried out, even Cary...hic!!

Monica, wanted to add a touch of her own...after all, everyone else

did! She added green peas. The chicken with white, and fried plantains

wasa success that evening!

Was that a DYNAMIC recipe or what!!