Day in Day Out

Lets see...average day....wake up...wake up big kids who don't want to wake up....clean horsestalls....run the dog....do endless loads of laundry, clean....vaccum...wake up littles who don't want to wake up...breakfast and lunch the kids...clothe the littles....brush, braid, and bows.....shower and beautify myself...drive onery teen to school....boot slow moving boy out the door and cross him across the street...drive one of the littles to pre-school (singing various "Spring Program" songs all the way.....return home to find littlest of the littles has a cough and runny nose...check online to make sure she doesn't have "Swine Flu "......clean...clean...scrub...wash dishes..hug and kiss little sick child....blow her nose many times.....pick up pre-schooler....make more lunches...clean ...break up fight over Polly Pockets...muscle littles down for a nap....make dinner....water garden...dog out again....greet big kids and give them purpose for the rest of their lives(chores and stuff)....send boy off to baseball...load girls and grandma in the car....drive to barn....work and play with horses....load them all in the car again.....run to catch the end of baseball game....load them in the car again....back home...deal out nightly duties (feed the dog, set the table, homework...)...Sit down to a family dinner....break up argument with big kids over dish duty....drag littles downstairs to brush teeth and Jammie's....tuck everyone in bed...tuck littles in bed again...and again...dog out again...I am sure I missing something........
Now, don't mistake this as complaining. I know the ability to have this day is truly a blessing (yes I said it...a blessing). I know you are all busy as well...whether you work at home or away. And we all have the same dilemma..what's for dinner? Especially at this time of year it can be hard to put a home cooked meal on the table. Here is a quick and easy recipe for a chicken salad/sandwich. Somewhere in that previous ramble, I snuck in time to throw together a great dinner and this is what it was. I cooked my own chicken, but I have been known to use a rotisserie chicken from the store. Serve it with a fruit salad to finish off the meal. Good luck with your day...I hope it's a good one.



CHICKEN SALAD
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 crisp apples, I like granny smith or pink lady, diced
1 cup of grapes, cut in half
2 mangoes, cubed
5 cups chicken, roasted, cubed
3/4 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder


Combine onion, celery, and apple. Toss the mixture with orange juice.


Next add the grapes and mango. Do you know how to get the flesh from a mango? There is a seed/pit that runs lengthwise in the mango. It is about 1/2 inch thick. So, don't cut right through the center but instead cut on each side of the seed/pit. I also remove the small thin strip of mango remaining with a paring knife. (the seed is at the top of the third picture). Next score the mango in a criss cross pattern and then invert the mango by pushing the back of the mango toward the center. The cubes push forward and you can cut or pluck the cubes right off the rind.

Previously, I had baked 6 chicken breasts. I used bone in (but you can use boneless), seasoned them with a few pinches of salt and pepper, and baked them in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes. I let them cool and then diced them. Next, add the salt, pepper, Dijon, mayo, and honey and mix all ingredients together well.
I like to serve this as a salad, but it also makes a great sandwich as well. It is supper yummy on a croissant but any bread will do.