Since 1914, the second Sunday of May has been designated as Mother’s Day. It was formalized by United States President Woodrow Wilson. It is a day to show our love and appreciation to our sweet, precious moms. The greeting card and flower shops are on the very lucrative end of a great deal of business prior to this day. There is an over 50 percent increase in phone calls made on Mother’s Day.
God blessed me with the greatest Mama in the world. There is nothing she can’t do, and does to perfection. Note One Exception:
She is not an athletic or outdoor person, for which I am grateful. I certainly wouldn’t want that passed on to me!
God has also blessed me with a wonderful mother-in-law. I am thankful not only for her, but for her loving way of rearing the man I married. She nurtured him to have a kind heart and a love for both people and animals — his greatest character traits.
I don’t think you can put into words what it means and how it feels to be a mother. The moment the doctor put my son in my arms I immediately was smitten and my life changed forever. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of him and what he means to me. I thank God every day for allowing me to be a mother.
As far as the maternal side of my family goes, I have had two tough acts to follow. Mama and my Mamaw were wonderful role models to follow as being great mothers and the two best cooks in the world.
Happy Mother’s Day to everyone. Have a great day and let somebody else cook for a change. When you do get back in the kitchen, I hope you will enjoy today’s recipes. Thanks for reading.
LEMON CHICKEN BREASTS
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on
1 lemon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan and add the garlic; cook for five minutes. Off the hear, add the wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9-by-12-inch baking dish.
Place chicken breasts skin side up over the sauce. Brush them with olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon into eight wedges and place around the chicken.
Bake for about 45 minutes, until chicken is done and skin is lightly brown – you can run under the broiler if you want additional brownness. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve hot with pan juices.
EASY SCALLOPED POTATOES
2 white potatoes
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can evaporated milk
1 cup grated cheese
½ stick butter, melted
Peel and slice potatoes and onions as thinly as possible. Mix together soup, milk, cheese and oleo. Line a 2-quart casserole dish with potato slice, onion slices, and cover with soup mixture. Cover and bake for an hour at 350 degrees.
MARINATED GREEN BEANS
9 tablespoons vinegar
9 tablespoons sugar
9 strips of bacon
1 package of slivered almonds
3 (15 ounces) cans French style green beans, drained
2 cans sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons. dried onions
Cook bacon, crumble and refrigerate. Saute mushrooms and onions in bacon grease. Bring to room temperature and add sugar, vinegar and minced onions. Pour green beans in a 9-by-12-inch glass baking dish. Pour sauté mixture over beans and marinate overnight. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Put crumble bacon and almonds on top after heating.
•Contact Lee Ann Flemming at lafkitchen@hughes.net.
