Blissful Breeze and Chicken Salad

Every window in this house is open! It's gorgeous. It's in the low 80s right now and the sweetest smelling breeze is blowing through my house. I love autumn!

I will be celebrating the weather in the kitchen today. For lunch, I made my Festive Autumn Chicken Salad (recipe below). For dinner I'm making my special beef stew. So warm and hearty! Stew is my favorite on cloudy days; it's good for the soul.

Festive Autumn Chicken Salad

2 cooked chicken breasts (I make mine ahead in the crock pot with a little water and salt)

1 small apple, sweet

1/4 cup craisins

1/4 finely chopped pecans

1/2 cup mayonnaise (adjust this amount per your preference of texture)

1/2 lemon's juice

dash of salt and pepper

dash of cinnamon (optional)

Finely chop the chicken breasts (I use a food chopper), and place in a medium bowl. Dice the apple into small pieces, add to chicken. Add pecans, craisins, and lemon juice and mix together. Add the mayonnaise and spices. These goes best on some fresh whole wheat bread.

I make mine in a lidded bowl for easy storage. Keep refrigerated and use within 7 days of cooking the chicken. If you used canned chicken, use within 7 days of making the salad.

Yesterday I was falling asleep driving home from school, so for the safety of myself and everyone on 67 I stopped in at Barnes and Noble. I found the most interesting book. It's called, My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals. It's 50 famous chefs' answers to the questions, "What would you eat for your last meal? What would you drink? Where would you dine? Who would dine with you? What music would be playing? Who would cook your meal?" I love some of their answers. Some want an elaborate meal with foods that I cannot begin to pronounce, much less spell. Some simply want something simple and comforting with their spouses and no one else.

So, it got me thinking about my last meal. For dinner, I want my pot roast with the freshest ingredients possible. On the side I want my roasted potatoes and the best French bread. Oh, and my Mom's sweet potato pie! I would, of course, be drinking milk. I love milk! I would like to dine next to a fire at sunset surrounded by giant trees. Something soft and Celtic would be playing quietly. I would want my last meal to just be with Daniel. I'd want it to last for hours; just the two of us talking and laughing, or just enjoying the quiet together. For dessert, my Mom's chocolate cake that she has made for nearly everyone of my birthdays. Fresh out of the oven with a little bit of homemade ice cream. At dessert, I think I'd like to have my family and close friends. After cake, the perfect cup of coffee. Not bitter, not too strong, and the perfect amount of cream and sugar with a hint of vanilla. I think I would like to cook this meal, as long as Daniel sat in the kitchen telling me how to cook ;) This sounds wonderful :)

What would your last meal be?