Anticipation. Waiting for something to happen. Hoping that things will work out the way we want them to. I had been in a state of anticipation since early December, waiting until the day I turned 62.
Those who read my column realize that I love puns and other plays on words. So does my sister Terri. I have told the story before about calling her one evening. She happened to be driving home from work. All of a sudden she exclaimed, “Ewww, I just hit a frog!” Without a second thought, I declared, “I bet it croaked!” We both burst out laughing, and it is a wonder Terri did not have to pull off on the side of the road until she calmed down.
Terri is 22 months younger than I am. When she called me to wish me “Happy Birthday” the year I turned 42, my sense of humor took over. I declared that we were the same age. “How do you figure that?” she inquired. “Well, you are 40, and I’m 42” I replied, making it sound like “40, too.” (It works better when spoken.) She just groaned.
Ten years later, Terri telephoned me the day I turned 52. “It’s nice to be the same age, don’t you think?” was my question after she gave the usual “Happy Birthday” greeting. “You’re older than me. How can you say we’re the same age?” “Well, you’re 50, and I’m 50, 2.” She groaned again at her sister’s wit.
Fast forward another decade. Terrie turned 60 in December. I eagerly anticipated her birthday phone call last week. I hoped and prayed that she would have forgotten about my warped sense of humor. The telephone rang several times on my birthday, but it wasn’t Terri. I loved receiving each call; however, I was waiting for Terri’s birthday greeting. The evening grew later and later, and it didn’t come.
My phone rang again after 9 p.m. “Happy Birthday!” Terri said when I answered my phone. “I’m so glad we’re the same age!” I declared. “What do you mean by that?” “Well, you’re 60, and I’m 60, 2,” I stated. It took her a minute to realize what I said. She groaned while I burst into laughter that would not stop. “I pulled that same joke on you when you were 40, and again when you were 50” I managed to tell her. Laughing herself, she claimed, “I’m going to remember this when I am 70 and you turn 72!”
Sometimes good things are worth the wait. Here are a couple of slow cooker recipes that will prove my point:
Slow Cooker Balsamic Chicken
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into portion sizes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, chicken broth, brown sugar and garlic; set aside.
Season chicken breasts with basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper, to taste.
Place chicken breasts into a 6-qt slow cooker. Stir in balsamic vinegar mixture. Cover and cook on low heat for 5-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Serve immediately.
Beef Roll-Ups
1-1/2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1 small can enchilada sauce
2 cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup water
1 (4-ounce) can green chilies, drained
8 ounces processed American cheese, cubed
Flour or corn tortillas
Place all ingredients in slow cooker. Stir to mix. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Serve with warm tortillas.