In the seven weeks since we moved I have gone overboard in the kitchen trying to create a sense of “home” in our new house.  To me nothing makes me feel more at home than eating with the family at the table.  Trying to add a bit of creativity to our meals I have attempted to take us on a savory vacation of the senses using flavors from around the world.So far we have enjoyed two variations of Asian with honey- chili chicken and a Japanese pork roast, Irish with a corned beef dinner served with champ & soda bread, Creole for Mardi Gras; enjoying shrimp creole and crab cakes,  a rich, French onion soup, Spaghetti with meatballs made from Italian sausage, and more recently a taste of Cuba with a fabulous Cuban Chicken Stew.

Cuban Chicken Stew
{Adapted from Williams-Sonoma}

10-12 chicken thighs or legs
Kosher salt & Freshly ground Pepper
3 Tablespoons olive oil
8 cloves garlic
3/4 cup orange juice
3/4 cup lime juice, from 8-9 limes
1/8 cup lemon juice, from 2 lemons
1 bay leaf
1 thinly sliced sweet onion
1/2 cup fresh, flat leaf parsley
limes cut into wedges for garnish

**Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the chicken, in batches if necessary, and cook until brown.  Turning frequently, this will take about 10 minutes or so.  Transfer the chicken to a dutch oven or slow cooker.  Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from the frying pan and return to heat.  Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant.  Add the citrus juices and raise the temperature to high, bringing them to a boil.  Stir scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.  Pour contents of the pan over the chicken in the Dutch oven.  Add the bay leaf, onion and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring to combine.

**If using a Dutch oven, cover and cook at about 325 until the chicken is opaque throughout and very tender, about an hour or so.  If using a slow cooker, over and cook on high heat for 2 1/2 hours or the low setting for 5 hours.  Remove and discard the bay leaf.  Transfer the chicken to  serving dish.  Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.  Spoon the onions and the sauce over the chicken.  Garnish with the parsley and serve with lime wedges.

Linking up for Foodie Friday this week.  Stop over and check out what’s cooking!