When I started teaching about 20 years ago, I remember having fire and tornado drills at school to prepare for emergencies. I also remember the first time a tornado was headed toward the school, and we all headed to the basement of the main building at Cruger-Tchula Academy. Trying to keep the students calm, when I was actually scared to death, was just a part of my job. I had not thought of the awesome responsibility of not only teaching my class but also making sure they were safe at all times.
Twenty years later, we are still having those drills but another type of drill has been added — lockdown. We had a lockdown drill at school last week. Doors are locked, lights are off, windows are covered, and all is silent. It was an eerie feeling, especially with the recent school shooting in Florida. I also couldn’t help but remember the Pearl High School shooting several years ago. A town just a little over an hour from where I teach. I looked in each of my sixth-graders eyes and thought about the fact that their parents had entrusted their safety to me while they are away from their homes.
As we sat in my classroom, you could hear the headmaster walking down the corridor and rattling the doorknobs. We knew it was a drill but still there was an eeriness about the silence and then the footsteps outside our classroom door. I don’t think anyone escaped thinking about what might happen if this was not a drill.
I certainly am not a vocally political person, and this is not what my column is about. I know how I feel about guns, bullying and listening for signs of those who are not stable and need help. My main message today is to ask for all of you to pray for our schools, teachers, leaders and students on a daily basis. Also pray for those we elect to also be Christian leaders who will also ask for God’s guidance as far as decisions are made that affect all of our country’s people.
I hope you will enjoy today’s recipes and give them a try. I’m in a salad mood. Thanks for reading.
STRAWBERRY SALAD
(These unusual flavors blend in beautifully. The first time I had this I thought I had died and gone to heaven.)
1 package ramen noodles, broken and flavor packet discarded
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup sliced almonds
½ stick butter, melted
1 head Romaine lettuce, washed and dried
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup sugar
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika
¾ cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix the ramen noodles, sunflower seeds, almonds and melted butter. Transfer to a baking sheet, and toast in the oven for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Remove from oven, and set aside. Tear lettuce and combine with spinach, strawberries and Parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar. Combine the garlic, salt, paprika and oil. Then, add to vinegar mixture. Mix well, and store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Just before serving, sprinkle the crunchy topping over the salad greens and toss the salad with enough dressing to coat.
CHICKEN POPPY SEED SALAD
(My husband calls this “lady chicken salad.”)
2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, boiled and diced into small pieces
4 stalks of celery, finely chopped
4 cups seedless grapes, halved
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups slivered almonds
2 cups mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
2 tablespoons dried dill
Place prepared chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add celery, grapes, oranges, almonds, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, poppy seeds and dill. Mix until fully combined. Refrigerate for several hours before serving.
SHAMROCK SALAD
(Great for St. Paddy’s Day!)
1 (3-ounce) package lime Jell-O
1 cup boiling water
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 (9-ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 (12-ounce) container cottage cheese
½ cup finely chopped celery
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup finely chopped pecans
In a medium bowl, stir the gelatin into the boiling water. When the gelatin is completely dissolved, stir in the evaporated milk, pineapple, lemon juice, cottage cheese, celery, mayonnaise and pecans. Pour into a clear 1½-quart glass dish. Chill overnight or until firm. Cut into squares to serve.
• Contact Lee Ann Flemming at lafkitchen@hughes.net.
