A difference of opinion

Mom has been in a tizzy for days. First there was going to be some snow, maybe 1 to 3 inches; then no snow at all; then 5 to 7 inches in the latest forecast. Mom thought about making a quick Trader Joe's run with me this morning before the snow started, but decided against it because she didn't want to orphan you guys if something happened while I was out buying the food for me to cook for her. The sacrifices she makes for you guys! I told her not to forget about the life insurance, but fortunately I made it home in one piece. Then the snow started. Here is the view from our deck not that long into it:

We're way past that now, at about 8 inches and still falling. School has already been canceled; Mom is insufferable. She asked don't I like the snow just a little bit? I agree it looks pretty coming down, and I used to love running in the snow (so quiet), especially with Aldo. But now it's just another way to get injured. Plus, I still have to deal with the roads and work, unlike Mom who gets a day (or more) off. I'm practicing my Buddhist acceptance now.

The day after; see the ruler Mom uses to track the progress of the snow piling up?

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A snowy day seems like a good time to have stew, so I dug into the big, black recipe binder for an old standby Mom and I haven't had in many years, and made this using some of the food I risked my life to get this morning. It's a snap to throw together and pretty darn tasty, so we'll likely add this back into the dinner mix occasionally when it's just the two of us around.

Jamaican Chicken Stew

Adapted from Cooking Light (November 2002) via My Recipes

Time from start to finish: 45 minutes (using a rice cooker)

I'm sticking with the name Cooking Light gave this dish, though I don't know that it's particularly "Jamaican" except for the use of allspice and black beans.

1½ cups uncooked long-grain rice
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon curry powder or hawaij spice blend
½ teaspoon ground allspice 
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
kosher salt
1 medium (~4–6 ounces) onion, chopped (~1 cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 14½-ounce can regular or fire-roasted diced tomatoes with their juices
¼ cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed

    1. Start the rice cooking in a rice cooker or on the stovetop.
    2. In a medium bowl, stir together the chicken pieces, 1 tablespoon of the oil, curry powder, allspice, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
    3. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large sauté pan, saucier, or stockpot that has a lid. Stir in the onion, season with a pinch of salt, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
    4. Stir in the chicken mixture. Cook, stirring as needed, until no longer pink on all sides, about 4 or 5 minutes.
    5. Stir in the beans, tomatoes with their juices, wine, and capers. Cover and reduce the heat as needed to maintain a steady simmer. Cook, stirring once, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Serve promptly over the cooked rice. Serves 4.