tick tock tick tock time

There are lots and lots of ways to measure time. AM, PM, AD, BC … BCE as they call it now. I prefer BK and SK … before kids and since kids. They do change everything. When we were BK we didn’t eat together as often as those I always referred to as “normal people.” We had opposite hours, long commutes, overtime. We had meals together when somebody had a day off. He would wait up and we would have dinner delivered at 12:30 a.m. some Saturdays. Needless to say, we’re older now and can’t eat that late anymore. But, really and truly, I think our favorite meal in the BK years was Sunday breakfast. Actually, it was brunch, but not the fancy kind. Diner food. Yummm. Chili and a burger at the bar near our house. Yummm. Then in good weather he would walk me to work and that was the end of our weekend together.

Cooking for two was always hard. Usually I made food that reheated easily because I would take some to work and he would eat his when he got home. Sauteed vegetables were a big treat. It meant we had time to cook together and eat together all in the same day. Now, in the heart of the SK years, these are the only kinds of meals we share just the two of us. We go out to eat, just the two of us, only a few times a year. So we started to make dinner for two happen at home on days like today, Valentine’s Day, by sharing a special dinner after the kids are in bed. It’s a simple recipe we tend to prepare, but it seems like such indulgence. Some steamed broccoli or asparagus on the side. Yummm.

After all, two, no matter who, is a gathering too.

Champagne Chicken
Mary’s Trattoria, 1313 E. 15^th St., Tulsa, Okla.

2 6-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup flour, sprinkled with garlic, salt & pepper
2 Tbsps. butter
2 Tbsps. olive oil
½ cup sliced mushrooms
4 oz. champagne
4 oz. heavy cream
cooked fettucine

Place chicken breasts between two layers of plastic wrap and flatten to ¼-inch thickness. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour and shake off excess. Place oil and butter in sauté pan and bring to medium heat. Place chicken, smooth side down, in heated oil. Sauté 2 minutes. Turn chicken, add mushrooms and champagne and sauté 2 minutes. Add heavy cream and simmer 8-10 minutes Arrange over cooked fettucine and sprinkle with chopped parsley.