A Really Great Salad

Hey, Y'all,
I have had a really great couple of days because our daughter, Teresa, and her husband, Tom have been visiting with us. The mundane and ordinary days were just kind of tossed aside for a while.

We kind of had a long wait for them because they were delayed on their trip by an overturned eighteen wheeler west of here. I was about ready to be calling the highway patrol to see where they were, when I got in contact with Teresa. She explained that they were just pulling into the motel at Dandridge. We had a very late lunch/early supper at 4 p.m. at Shoney's. It was delicious, of course.

It was wonderful to see them, and we had a really great time visiting with them yesterday evening. We made plans for them to come over to our home again and they showed up here around 9:30. Teresa and I went to Knoxville today and did some really good shopping. We visited first with Hugh and Imazo, then went to visit with Mae. We really enjoyed talking to them all, and then we left Mae's and went to Knoxville Center mall.

We didn't see any fights over any merchandise, but that was probably because we didn't go at 4 a.m. In fact, there were parking places to be easily found at noon, when we went. We did a lot of laughing and having fun, talking about events of the past, and such. Everything just seemed to be funny and it was wonderful relaxing fun for the both of us. I really needed it.

We got back home and I had decided the other day to make a salad for our supper which resembled a salad I had had at O'Charley's. It is called a pecan-crusted chicken salad. I experimented the other day with making the pecan-crusted chicken tenders.
Here is the recipe I used for the chicken:

A pound of chicken breasts, cut into small strips,
a cup of pecan pieces, minced
2 cups of Italian Bread Crumbs
2 eggs beaten

Mix together the pecan crumbs and bread crumbs

Dip strips of chicken into crumb mixture and coat the chicken.

Heat butter-flavored Crisco in frying pan, and drop chicken pieces into it carefully.
Brown on both sides, cooking for about six minutes or until chicken is done.

Drain on paper towels.

Now for the salad:
Place into a salad bowl: Hearts of romaine lettuce, a handful of dried cranberries,
drained mandarin oranges, a scattering of bleu cheese, or feta cheese, a few sliced cherry tomatoes, top with pieces of pecan-crusted chicken and top with your favorite dressing (we chose raspberry flavored vinagrette).

I would love to have posted a picture, but I couldn't get the pictures to download from my camera. I will have to do it a different way, but I will post the picture soon.

The salads were delicious, and so simple to make. Teresa helped me to prepare them, but wouldn't let me take her picture. Bummer! She is such a beautiful person.

Well, Gramps has already gone to bed and it is only a little past 8 p.m. I guess we wore him out playing a game after supper. I made a pumpkin pie for dessert, along with the fried peach pies (which were really yummy - still have a couple left, in fact). I am going in and have a piece of pumpkin pie in a few minutes.

Tom and Teresa are back in their motel by now, packing up to go back home. I am hoping that they will soon be back to visit us. I am more relaxed right now than I have been in months. Thank you all, my children. I believe it is true that laughter is good for the soul. I know it did me a world of good today.

Tomorrow is the 24th birthday anniversary of my grandson, Matthew. Happy Birthday, Grandson, we love you!

This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off. Pumpkin pie, here I come. Bye for now. More tomorrow. Love to all of you.