I have never seen anyone so excited.
Yesterday was John's first day of college...EVER.
He was so excited the night before he said it felt like Christmas. He couldn't sleep and was smiling so big all night. He hasn't been in school for 4 years because right after high school he served his two year mission in Mexico, and he's has been working for his uncle for the past year and a half. He has been talking about how much having that break made him appreciate the chance to get an education.
He woke up before his alarm went off at 7 AM, and jumped out of bed and showered and had breakfast all before 7:30! (We are 15 minutes away from campus and his first class is at 10) I was so excited for him too that I got up with him.
He had been talking about getting school supplies all week. I picked up a school supplies list from Kroger for the local elementary school and gave it to him...he was worried because he didn't have safe scissors, a glue stick, or a box of tissues.
The night before school he wanted to pick out his "first day of school outfit". It was all a quite precious scene. I love that boy more than life.
So, this whole experience has got me thinking about how quickly this life moves. It seems like just yesterday I was standing in the check out line with my mother holding some good ole Elmer's glue and a Lisa Frank notebook. I can't believe how fast the time is passing. It makes me wonder,
are we doing things of purpose with the small amount of time we have here?
I sure hope so.
So, yesterday when he was away learning I made him a first day of school banner and put it over our fireplace.
When he came home we had Chicken Milanese from the "California Pizza Kitchen" Cookbook. Yum. I didn't have a meat pounder thingy so I just used our hammer.
I cut this recipe in a quarter since it was only the two of us eating but I still needed the entire egg.
8 chicken breasts
1 egg
1 cup Dry bread crumbs (plain)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
3/4 cups olive oil
8 cups arugula
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups checca (recipe to follow)
2 lemons
1. Place the chicken breasts between sheets of waxed paper and pound them to thickness of 1/4 inch.
2. Crack the egg into a shallow dish and beat it lightly with a fork or a whisk. Combine the bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in another shallow dish. Dip both sides of each chicken in the egg, shake off excess, and then dip into the breading mixture, coating evenly. Stack the breaded chicken pieces on a plate.
3. Heat half of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Cook half of the chicken breasts on one side until golden brown. Turn and cook the other side. Remove the chicken to a large serving platter covered with paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken.
4. Distribute the arugula over the chicken and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil. Spoon the checca over the arugula, sprinkle with Parmesan shavings, and serve immediately with lemon halves on the side.
(I cooked the checca in the pan with the chicken and added red wine vinegar, it made the flavors pop so much more!)
Checca:
Combine 4 roma tomatoes cut into quarters, 1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 large fresh basil leaves chopped, and 1/4 cup olive oil.
*Add a little red wine vinegar to this!
