Bena Mae’s Kitchen: Turning loose of the ‘devil you know’

You’re in a meeting; a staff meeting, club meeting, civic meeting or a myriad of other types of meetings. A motion has been made to propose a new idea or change a rule and a vote is taken. A hand goes up and someone says, “But we’ve always done it this way”, or “that’s not the way Grandpa did it”. But most often the response is “It won’t work”.

Count on it, there is always someone who is reluctant to change. They prefer to play it safe and stick with ‘the devil they know rather than the devil they don’t know.’  These naysayers are famous for getting in the way of progress.

Think about it. If Queen Isabella of Spain had refused to finance Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the new world in 1492, people would be going around thinking the world was flat.  This is not to say that some people still believe it, anyway.

The invention or discovery of fire is said to be the cause of our survival today. When the Neanderthals lit a branch caused by lightning or a volcanic eruption, they could have seen it as a destructive force not to be reckoned with and stamped it out. Instead,  they kept it burning as they moved from place to place, thereby saving and providing Boy Scouts with a bonfire around which to sing “Kum Bah Yah”.

Television. When the first patent was filed, it was the beginning of the biggest cultural change in our lifetime. Today,  the jury is still out on whether it serves as an educational benefit or is a cultural curse. My goodness, haven’t they seen “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”, yet?

And ladies, what would we do without the microwave. In front of which we read a cookbook of delicious recipes while we nuke a Stouffer’s Frozen Dinner for 60 seconds and impatiently say  “hurry up”. 

When Henry Ford invented his first car he advertised that you could get it in any color you wanted as long as it was black.  Today, were it not for change, we would be driving a black car on square blocks but for the invention of the wheel. 

And lastly, the printing press really changed the world more than almost any invention. At one time, books and reading were only for church and government leaders. Only the most educated and rich people had books. Think about it as you read this newspaper. Or when you are reluctant to turn loose of the ‘devil you know’.

I like this pizza because I’m not fond of the tomato sauce version.

Chicken Ranch Pizza

Campbell’s Kitchen

1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell’s®

Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup

(Regular or 98% Fat Free)

1 (12 inch) prepared thin pizza crust

1 (4.5 ounce) can Swanson® Premium

Chunk Chicken Breast in Water, drained

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

ranch salad dressing 

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spread the soup onto the pizza crust to within 1/4-inch of the edge. Top with the chicken, cheeses and bacon. Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the crust is golden.

Drizzle the ranch dressing over the pizza.