We welcome summer with Tampa Bay, Florida, blogger Quin Liburd of Butter Be Ready, whose love of all things food inspires her blog and recipes.
I remember my college days like they were yesterday. When it came to home cooking, well, let’s just say I didn’t know what that meant exactly. Fast food joints, cheap eats, and whatever else I could survive on for quick sustenance was all I knew. But I always enjoyed watching cooking videos and getting immersed in how a recipe comes together. Being raised in Florida, I was always around Southern culture and food.
Interesting enough, the state of Florida is often forgotten about when it comes to what one thinks of as the South. But growing up Caribbean with a touch of Southern flair was all I knew. I have such fond memories of being around family in the kitchen and watching beautifully battered chicken parts go into the hot skillet. My favorite was biscuits being made on the weekends. I mean, I can seriously still taste those fluffy, buttery, and tasty things to this day. And also my grandmother’s cornmeal dumplings were an absolute must for me!
One day I found myself in a store grabbing my usual items when I wandered into the cooking section. A cast-iron pan was one of the first items that caught my attention. It was fairly inexpensive, and I decided to put it in my cart. Although I was a bit apprehensive of my own abilities to throw down in the kitchen at that time, I knew that practice makes perfect. During those same college days, I fell in love with cooking and my beloved cast-iron buddy.
To say that I was in love with this cast-iron pan would be a major understatement. I found myself researching recipes (mainly Southern), and this singular piece of cookware became a staple in my kitchen. I made everything from sausage gravy, biscuits, steak tips, cornbread, and even desserts. A good ole cast-iron skillet is something that everyone needs in their kitchen if nothing else, in my opinion. It’s such a unique piece that holds a lot of history, memories, and can be passed down.
While I have developed a love of cooking with cast iron over the years, I truly enjoy some recipes more than others. To be fair, cooking chicken in my skillet is my absolute favorite. More specifically, cooking chicken thighs. I absolutely love me some good ole chicken thighs! Braising, sautéing, or roasting—I love it all. They’re inexpensive, and the various ways to cook them up are plenty.
Take my Rosemary Apricot Skillet Chicken recipe for example; it’s so easy and delicious. Not to mention that it all comes together with a quickness too! Juicy, pan-seared chicken thighs beaming with tons and tons of flavor. I love the combination of everything from the sweet apricot preserves, the savoriness, and the fresh herbs. All of the ingredients are minimal and easily accessible, which means a lot to me. It makes for such a great weeknight dinner that everyone will love. Just pair this deliciousness with your favorite sides and y’all will have the best meal ever!
Follow all of Quin’s cooking adventures at butterbeready.com.
Find Quin’s recipe for Rosemary Apricot Skillet Chicken here.