Bena Mae’s Kitchen; It’s deja-vu all over again

It’s deja-vu all over again

I once wrote that I had my second cup of morning coffee while turning on the TV to see who got shot that day. It was not an idle thought, as proven by the many mass shooting that have occurred in past years.

This is not an easy column to write as I, along with the rest of the nation, am filled with heartbreak, sadness, futility and deep raging anger over the carnage by a gunman on a college campus in Oregon.

I have no easy answer to this epidemic of wanton mass murder and neither, it seems, has anyone else. It will be put on the back burner until the next time it happens. And it will happen, my friend. You and I know that.

I need to take a break. And that is not to say that I’m not thinking of those affected by the horrible senseless killing of those poor innocent people who were murdered or the families of those involved. But I’m trying to restore my sanity if only for a few hours.
So I take refuge in the one thing that puts me in a calm place, “The Andy Griffith Show.”

Since I subscribe to NetFlix, I am able to get more than a hundred episodes of the show. Call it a placebo, but anyway it works for me when I want to get in a comfortable place in my mind. And the way the world is going today, I need that kind of refuge.

Little did we know that when we first heard the theme of “the Fishing Hole” as a boy and his father walked down a country lane, their fishing poles over their shoulders, that we were hearing the anthem of what would become the most beloved and enduring show on television. And what an impact it would have on our lives. It is a small piece of Americana that gives joy and pleasure to this day and affords us a respite from the cruelties of the world. The show reflected such a sweet innocence, never fake, never false, that we remember with such fondness.

Mayberry, Mayberry, How grateful we are for the technology that allows us to return to you during stressful times like these.

I love to eat at Cracker Barrel restaurants.  Everything is good there.

Cracker Barrel Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli

Ingredients
4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups frozen or fresh broccoli florets
2 tsp seasoned salt
1½ cups Ritz cracker crumbs
    (about 1 sleeve)
3 tbs butter, melted
½ cup shredded sharp cheddar

Sauce
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tbs butter
1½ cups cubed Velveeta
    
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray or grease the bottom of a 11 x 7-inch baking pan.

Place chicken breasts in prepared pan. Sprinkle seasoned salt over the chicken breasts. Set aside while making sauce and buttered crumbs.

Place sauce ingredients in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HI in 30 second intervals stirring after each 30 seconds, until Velveeta is melted and sauce is smooth.

Prepare buttered crumbs by processing the crackers either in a food processor or placing them in a bag and using a rolling pin. Be careful not to over process the crumbs!! You want some larger pieces in there for the crunch factor!! Drizzle with the melted butter and stir until all the crumbs are coated.

Pour half the sauce over the chicken breasts. Add broccoli evenly across the top of chicken. Pour remaining cheese sauce over broccoli and chicken. Top with the buttered cracker crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes, or until chicken test done (180 degrees F) in the thickest part.
Remove from oven and top with the shredded cheddar.

Serves: 4