Do you know what today is?

I got up this morning and was watching TV for a few minutes before everybody came out and started their day (I do that on most of my days off from work). On the days that I work I am typically at my destination an hour away from home by 6:30 am and since I am a horrible caffeine addict I have to get at least a cup or two of coffee in me close to that time every day or the results are not pretty. Kris came into the living room, sat down and said the words that every guy fears...

Do you know what today is?

I know I have a very precarious hold on my "man card" anyway, "honey I have brioche bread crumbs in the pantry" took care of that pretty well but those six words even scare me. I went through everything I could think of quickly in my head; anniversary? no, birthday? no, kids birthday? no... I had to admit I was lost.

A year ago Kris, Miss Lu and I got up and took a train into Chicago where we spent most of the day at the Daily Center. The morning was spent with a Lawyer then we had lunch, went shopping and came back to court. That was the day I went into the office of the court of Cook County and had my fingerprints put on file.

"Ok," the Officer said, "your prints are in the system, if you decide to take up a life of crime I suggest that you buy some gloves." Good advice I suppose, hopefully I won't have to use it. A year ago is when I adopted Miss Lu. The reason that it doesn't stick out in my head so much is that isn't the day she became my kid, the stubborn, opinionated beast was one of my kids as soon as I walked in the front door of the house that I now live in and met her. I showed her pictures of my oldest two daughters and we talked for a few minutes about the things that she and I find important. Since then she has done what any kid should she argues with me, throws things at me, tells me that she loves me and hates me (usually a few minutes apart). She has a knack for picking up my worst habits and has started to take a shine to science fiction movies (yeah mom likes that). Yes, she has been one of my kids since we met, the courts just took a couple of years to catch up.

In honor of the official day Kris and I got cake! and I made one of the girl's favorite meals, Breaded Chicken and Mashed Potatoes:

The chicken is easy take a couple of Chicken Breasts and pound them flat then dredge them in Flour, Egg wash and Bread Crumbs. Fry for a few minutes then finish in the oven while the potatoes boil. I won't spend too much time on the potatoes but the chicken is easy:

Flour mix
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp salt
fresh ground black pepper until I get tired of grinding

Egg wash
1 egg
a splash of milk.
Breading
1/2 cup bread crumbs (seasoned with whatever you like)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

This has been a staple in the house for ages, it has always been one of Miss Lu's Favorites. It is best cut up and dipped in the mashed potatoes and eaten.