Bena Mae’s Kitchen: Purgatory in the waiting room

I sat in the cold sterile waiting room at the medical center some time ago trying to transpose my thoughts to a happier place. I was surrounded by several other ladies, who, like myself, were clad in loose shapeless gowns. We were all of one mind: What would the monster machine inside the X-ray Room reveal? The scene was almost surreal, we all had the same look on our faces, like an old black and white horror movie. I had sat through this procedure several times and it was deja vu all over again.
The nurse had brought me a large container of horrible chalk-like liquid to drink before I was to take the MRI. Immediately, my gag reflexes went into overdrive. How was I going to get it all down? I decided to make it a game; three gulps, then rest awhile, then three more gulps, rest some more. At this rate it was going to take all afternoon. And I was getting sicker by the minute.
Desperate for a diversion, I went to the magazine rack to see if I could find some kind of reading material to occupy my mind. The selection was a disappointment…Field and Stream, Car and Driver, Motor Week, Nascar…who subscribes to this stuff? No Bon Appetit or O-Magazine in the whole bunch. (Note for doctors’ offices, update your reading material, please!)
The TV that was hanging on the wall was no help at all. It was set on the business channel. What was happening on Wall Street was the furthest thing from my mind. So I settled on counting the squares of blue and white tiles on the floor. And gulped some more of the tasteless brew from hell. I failed to drink it all before they came and got me and took me to ‘The Room.’
They laid me on a table with a large donut-shaped machine hanging over my body. Now I am claustrophobic and can’t stand anything close to my face. So I began praying that I wouldn’t hyperventilate. Then the machine started moving over my body. BREATHE, a deep automated voice from somewhere said. DON’T BREATHE, the voice said as the machine moved downward. I was trying to obey its orders but kept running out of breath.
I looked for Boris Karloff to stand over me any minute
This went on for an in interminable period and I was able to breathe a sigh of relief when I was told I was free to go.
I don’t know the definition Wikipedia has for waiting rooms, but I have my own: Purgatory!

You don’t have to wait ‘til Thanksgiving for this fall entrée.
 
Chicken Stuffing Casserole

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt, pepper, dried thyme
1 carrot
2 celery stalks, 1 stalk diced
1 yellow onion, cut in half, one half diced
6-8 mushrooms sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can cream chicken soup
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup milk
4 cups stuffing mix (I used Pepperidge Farm)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2-3/4  cup reserved chicken broth
    from poaching chicken
salt and pepper

Directions
Place chicken breasts in a pan and add just enough water to cover. Add about 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme, plus 1/2 onion, 1 celery stalk, and carrot.
Bring to a boil and immediately reduce to a simmer for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and cover. Let sit 30 minutes. Remove chicken from liquid and set aside. Save 1/2 cup of broth. Dice chicken once cooled.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add diced onion, celery, and sliced mushrooms. Saute until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Add chicken soup, mayo, milk, and reserved chicken. Mix well. Stir in 1 cup of stuffing mix.
Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and transfer chicken mixture to dish.
Add remaining 3 cups of stuffing mix on top. Pour melted butter on top and then chicken broth. Pour chicken broth on slowly and evenly so that the stuffing mix soaks it up as much as possible.
Bake for 30 minutes