Well, it has been an interesting two weeks.

I spend quite a bit of time on Facebook with friends and family. My family seems fine. My brother and I do not talk often. This has little to do with the fact that we are not close. I like him and he likes me, but eight years is a big number. He went to college when I was 9 and, except for vacations, he never really came back to Troy, N.Y. After college, I moved away and went back just to see my parents. In any case, he did call last week. He is sheltering in place with his lady friend and they are content. So am I. His children and mine are far away but all are fine.

I feel closer to my friends on Facebook. Mike DiMauro, The Day’s sports editor, talked about making marinara vodka sauce two nights ago and shared a picture. He thought it might be as good as the one he gets at Filomena’s in Waterford.

When I go to Filomena’s, one of my favorite restaurants, I usually get the chicken piccata. Funny, too, is the fact that I had made marinara vodka sauce the same evening Mike did. I made it with penne and shared it with my neighbors. (I put the pasta on the red bench outside my porch; my neighbors walk out, pick up the dinner and pick take it home.)

After I ate hot dogs and peanut butter and jelly sandwich for three days, I began to cook with abandon. I made pounds and pounds of vegetables I had in the freezer. I made from-scratch baked beans with bacon, three different pasta sauces and some risotto.

I also made the first chicken dish I’d ever made without a recipe. I had everything I needed except real chicken breasts. I did have some boneless skinless chicken, but it fell flat. This is an easy dish, but it needs the bones and skin from thighs and/or breasts. I think you will like this recipe.

Chicken with Honey and Curry

Serves 4 to 6

10 to 12 thighs

3 large chicken breasts, skin and bone on, cut in half

Salt and pepper to taste

4 ounces (1 stick) butter

4 tablespoons good curry powder

Honey to taste, 1/4 to 1/2 cup

Butter a large baking pan (I use Pyrex 8” by 11” or bigger) with butter and set aside. Preheat oven at 350 degrees.

Wash and dry chicken pieces. Place skin side up in buttered pan and add salt and pepper. Place in oven.

In the meantime, in a saucepan melt butter with curry and honey. Keep warm.

After 10 minutes, pour sauce on top of the chicken pieces. Begin to baste the chicken pieces with the sauce every 10 minutes or so. Bake chicken for a total of 50 to 60 minutes, when the chicken pieces have a dark, golden color.

Place cooked rice in a large, attractive bowl. Place chicken pieces over the rice, then pour the sauce all over the chicken and the rice. Serve immediately.

On the Side

When I decided to make my chicken and honey recipe, I scoured through my pasta/rice cabinet and found doubles or triples of everything except Carolina Yellow Rice.

Could I have made it with regular rice? Sure, I could, but I really like the color and flavor I get from these little packets I have used for decades. Made with long grain rice, I like it better than Rice a Roni. And it is cheaper. It took two supermarkets before I found it. Unlike toilet paper, I don't think the fact that I bought five packages can be considered hoarding, is it?

Lee White lives in Groton. She can be reached at leeawhite@aol.com.