a sweet reunion. and a wonderful chicken can save the night.

We have visitors this week - my grandmother and great aunt drove up from Montgomery, AL (respectively) to visit for a few days. That's right, 2 ladies in their 70's drove 600+ miles on Tuesday to visit the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Aren't they awesome! Thing is - we weren't ready for them! I'm sure you can imagine, as I did, they they'd stop for the night somewhere in between, and wouldn't actually arrive til Wednesday. This drive is tiring - we know cause we've done it many many times. So, Tues night would be normal (soccer + easy dinner of cereal or something for me and kids), and I'd taken a vacation day Wednesday, but planned to clean house for at least 4 hours before their car would pull up. (you know, since I fired the housekeeper last month, and my new one's apparently been on vacation for 3.75 weeks cause I ain't seen or heard from her at all.......) Nope. Not at all what happened.

I'd called to check on our dear travelers, find out where they were settling in for the night, and what roadway fare they'd decided to treat themselves to, and was given an hour's notice of their excited arrival to my home....an hour....and they'd be there....just long enough for panic to set in, long enough to know that the kids weren't going to soccer, long enough to drag 4 kids and literally run thru the grocery for some produce and the last item to make the only entree that came to mind as a sure fire easy win, long enough for a mental picture of every room in the house and a feeling of dread cause I knew how I'd feel as they entered our home and how I knew it would present itself. I texted my sisters, the warnings went out - then more dread for I realized that they'd be coming to my home too. For a visit, for a meal, and I was un-prepared. That was one horrible hour.

I admit that the kids didn't like me one little bit during that hour. I wouldn't have liked me either. I'm pretty sure I barked some orders. I pointed and snapped. I gave "the look".

We sat to eat at 8pm (late by anyone's standards). Luckily my cute kids kept our visitors entertained by showing them their latest tricks, cartwheels, somersaults, piano numbers, artworks, school pictures, and the like. Hugs and kisses were flying around like it was the last day before they'd be outlawed for good. I worked in the kitchen til the last minute and it all came together. Menu was baked chicken (recipe to follow), steamed broccoli, tossed salad, buttered noodles, and a tart berry crisp w/vanilla ice cream for dessert. Here's Elizabeth's Baked Parmesan Chicken recipe that won everyone over, and saved my night!

Baked Parmesan Chicken - serves 4

4 froz chicken breasts
1/2 C parmesan cheese (the shakie shakie stuff)
1 pkg dry Italian salad dressing seasonings (sold next to dry Ranch salad dressing seasoning)
2 T garlic powder (or to taste)

Mix all dry ingredients. Wet chicken breats, then coat with dry mix. Place in casserole dish and sprinkle with leftover dry mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr.

I'm not going to sugar coat anything, my floors needed vaccuuming and mopping, every flat surface needed a good dusting, toilet and tub needed scrubbed, some toothpaste needs removal from the couch cushion, the grass needs cut, the windows & glass doors need windex-ed, 2 weeks worth of junk mail and school work and magazines need de-cluttering on my kitchen counter, 3 months worth of bills by the telephone needs filing away........but......I really don't think the tired 70 year olds really noticed these things so much! Or at least they come from a time where it's disrespectful to take notice to such, and instead spent the time doting on the great grandchildren and doling out the hugs and kisses.....doing the things they do best. :-)

And just because......

Tart Berry Crisp

5 cups froz berries
1/2 C oatmeal
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp clove
1/4 C butter
1 T vanilla extract

Thaw the berries, save the juices {the microwave did fine with the thawing}, in a baking dish. I used a Pampered Chef round "deep dish" kind. In a separate bowl, mix all dry ingredients, then cut in all the butter til you find yourself with a coarse meal. Gently cut in the vanilla too. Sprinkle over the berries. *optional, sprinkle more sugar. This will turn out very tart otherwise, just so you know. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. When cooled a bit, serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.