Author: Joy Hurt

Winter is melting in early spring here on the high desert plains of Northwestern Nevada. March is such a strange time of year. Today, the temperatures should be in the 50’s, while the last of the storms passed last night. Winds over our little town were at least 39 mph.

Living on the desert, one must be prepared for the weather to change at a moments notice. The road was dry. In two hours, it was under water. By the end of the day, dry again. Winds whipped at 39 mph and then died down to nothing. There is never a dull moment around here.

As desert widow, I need to be tougher than I ever thought possible. Sometimes this can be difficult when the river of life is rushing by. When uncertainties gets me down, I remember the following thoughts inspired by “You Gotta Be” by Des’ree.

Listen as your day unfolds
Challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Stormy skies may cause you tears
Go ahead, release your fears

My, oh my, oh my.

Remember what your mother said
Read the books your father read
Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time
Some may have more cash than you
Others may take a different view

My, oh my, oh my.

Time asks no questions, it goes on without you
Leaving you behind if you can’t stand the pace
The world keeps on spinning
Can’t stop it if you try to
The best part is life’s mystery staring you right in the face

But Always Remember……..

You gotta be bad
You gotta be bold
You gotta be wiser

You gotta be hard
You gotta be tough
You gotta be stronger

You gotta be cool
You gotta be calm
You gotta stay together

All I know for sure is this…..

LOVE will save the day

Whatever you do today, find the strength to practice just a little more patience throughout your day. If the sun shines, go dance in it. If it’s raining, enjoy a cozy day inside. And, for you living in the Sierra Nevada’s, have faith. Spring is just days away, along with the thaw.

More tomorrow.

Would you know my name?
If I saw you in heaven
Would it be the same?
If I saw you in heaven

I must be strong
And carry on
‘Cause I know I don’t belong
Here in heaven

Would you hold my hand?
If I saw you in heaven
Would you help me stand?
If I saw you in heaven

I’ll find my way
Through night and day
‘Cause I know I just can’t stay
Here in heaven

Time can bring you down
Time can bend your knees
Time can break your heart
Have you begging please

Begging please

Beyond the door
There’s peace, I’m sure
And I know there’ll be no more
Tears in heaven

_{Eric Clapton}

Naomi represented so many different things to each of us. Youth. Beauty. Innocence. Wonder as she found her own way in a new life.

Naomi was just an independent 18-year-old girl going to work on an early March morning. She was kidnapped and then murdered on the lonely high desert plains of Northwest Nevada.

She loved rainbows and The Beach Boys. She had big dreams that she was working towards.

Rest In Peace, Naomi. Enjoy heaven’s rainbows. We’ll think of you every time one appears here on earth.

More tomorrow.

What a weekend it’s been. Days seem longer now that the time has changed. Here on the high desert plains, the snow has stopped. For now. The daytime temperatures are in the low 50’s. Pleasant. Except for the atmospheric rivers that are flowing right over the top of us. All of those things combine to make for high desert flash floods.

I’d only read about such things until a few days ago. When studying for my Nevada Driver’s License test last summer, I learned that as little as 6″ of water can cause you to lose control of your vehicle. Fast moving water doesn’t help. There are signs everywhere.

“Don’t Drown. Turn Around”

The meteorologists here have been warning everyone to prepare for the worst. In case you haven’t been following the snow pack in the Sierra Nevada’s, here’s the latest. Emerald Bay at Lake Tahoe has frozen over for the first time in decades. Yosemite National Park is closed indefinitely, perhaps until Spring 2024. Donner Pass has received at least 17′ of snow in the past month alone. The surrounding desert mountains where I live are covered in snow. At least they were until an atmospheric river came along.

Once you live in a remote area, you begin to understand that the roads are what they are. Some are gravel. Most are riddled with pot holes. But very few have flowing rivers raging over them. On Saturday, I traveled on one such road twice. The first time, there was no water on the road. None. It was early in the morning, but I would have noticed if 1/2 of the road was covered in water. It wasn’t.

Just an hour later, the entire road was under 3 – 4″ of water which was traveling downhill at a pretty good clip. Not just a small part of the road, but at least 100 yards. The atmospheric river and warmer temps had melted the snow pack on our desert mountains. This water was coming down the hills, hitting the high desert plains and gushing down the hill.

Due to some untimely construction on our local irrigation canal, the water had no where to go. My two favorite horses were each on their own little island as the water rushed past them. There were flashing lights and “Severe Flooding” signs warning everyone of the disaster. Thank goodness my neighborhood was built with a great drainage system. It’s the people on the little road that leads to my neighborhood that got hit pretty hard.

This is only the beginning. In Tahoe, the Raley’s Grocery Store has been closed due to fears that the roof may collapse. It’s one of the only large grocery stores in town. Ski resorts have closed due to the possibility of avalanches, and the fact that snow is burying the lift chairs. Unbelievable.

I plan to keep an eye out. I don’t own a canoe, but am thinking it might be the time to invest in one. Water wings, at the least. All this has made me aware of a need for emergency plans. One never knows when disaster will hit. There is only one main road in and out of my neighborhood. If that is washed away, it could be disasterous.

Every home should have a Go-Bag ready to grab and run. Birth certificates. Insurance documents. Perhaps a current back up of computer files. Some cash. Things you would need if trouble comes knocking. For detailed information on planning for disasters, go to Ready.gov. There you’ll find complete information on being ready for the unexpected.

Whatever you do today, check out the crazy weather over the Sierra Nevada’s, and other parts of the country. Then, remember to be grateful if you are living in an area that’s not under 17 feet of new snow. No flash floods in your area? Celebrate! Things could always be worse.

More tomorrow.

Thursdays are always special. It was only last summer that Jesus took the wheel and drove me to a group of the best friends any woman could hope for. The Bible Babes. Since then, we have grown closer each week, sharing fears through tears, while receiving cheers from our dear friends. Each week has brought new challenges for each woman in the group. This week was no different.

Through the time spent together yesterday, one thing becomes clearer every week. We all suffer through similar trials throughout our lives. Some people have wins while some suffer losses. But, we all live through the very same problems. Be it marriage or our relationships with aging parents. Calamitous kids or devious neighbors. It seems that when one woman brings up a topic, the rest of us nod along remembering that very time the same problem was on our personal doorstep.

Our group of women range in age from younger to older. We range in size from Petite to Non- Petite. We are diverse in our race, culture, and backgrounds. But, when we walk through the door, we are equal. Each person plays a vital role as teacher.. We’ve all learned different lessons through life while learning new things every day.

Patience.

Kindness.

Understanding.

While praying for these things for ourselves, we find we can practice on others. What a blessing on days when the world seems to be closing in. Anxiety and fear can poison our thinking if watered with doubt, insecurity, and self loathing. Haven’t we all experienced times like that? What an absolute blessing to be with women that are wiser and more experienced on the days we need them to be so. There will come a time when the tables will be turned and the favor will be returned.

Today, as we sat around the table, the conversation was real and revealing. The best thing shared was the faith and knowledge that even the worst situations don’t last forever. That for every bitter word spoken to a loved one, there is also an opportunity for apologies and forgiveness. Until our last breath comes, there’s always another chance to try again.

Yesterday, we didn’t get to our regular Bible Study. The Chapter Quiz will wait until next week. There were real life issues to discuss. Real hurting hearts that needed the warm comfort of sisters that have been there and know. I’m so blessed to call these women “Friend” and “Sister”.

Remember, the following…..

Friendship describes a healthy relationships between two or more people. Healthy relationships contribute to mental health. A true friend tells you the truth, even when it’s hard to hear and even harder to say. They set healthy boundaries. Friends understand you, and if they don’t, they give it their best shot. Besties are loyal. They show up when you need them to and give you a little space when needed. Friends are priceless gifts in life. We should all be so lucky to have a handful of true friends in our lifetime. No finer riches are there in this world than a true friend.

As each Thursday morning ends, I think back to the day last summer that loneliness had me down for the count. Sitting at the kitchen table, I could do not more than cry and pray out loud for true friends, not really believing that God just happened to be listening in. Jesus took that wheel and drove me straight into their arms. How much richer my life is for having met them!

Whatever you do today, don’t settle for loneliness. Don’t look for a cave in which to hide. It may seem foreign, but try something new. Try a new sport. Maybe bowling or pickle ball. Go out for a walk in your neighborhood. Join a group. Call a friend. Get involved. It if feels weird, fake it until you make it. The world is full of new friends just waiting to say Hello! Don’t miss out.

Have a wonderful weekend. I’ll be back on Monday.

As we all know, memories of those we love are the most precious cargo we carry through life. From 2010-1015, I was blessed beyond anything I deserved to be the hospital teacher at a Children’s Hospital in the Central Valley of California. There, each day, I sat bedside with very sick children, teaching them cursive, spelling, and math in preparation for their return to school.

Hope. Determination. Fortitude. Love. Laughter. Faith. Acceptance.

The list of admirable qualities in my young students and friends remains endless. These children were warriors against the very diseases that robbed them of their lives.

In 5 years, I graduated 35 children to heaven. There, they play. Eternal recess until they hear the bell. When Mrs. Hurt arrives, it’ll be time for school again. What a perfectly delightful reunion it will be.

Alyssa was six when she died. It was over a holiday. I didn’t get to share one last goodbye. One last giggle. On her last game of hide and seek, she chose a place in which I couldn’t go to find her. Not just yet, anyway.

On the day about which this poem was written, another student had taken a turn for the worst. She lay in ICU, very, very ill. Lexie, 12, and Alyssa were besties. It was only natural for Alyssa’s mom, (destroyed from the loss of her only daughter), to visit Lexie’s family, (about to lose theirs).

I got the call on a Sunday.

Lexie was in ICU.

I wouldn’t miss another chance to say Goodbye. And so, I sped 45 miles on a Sunday afternoon to visit a student and a friend.

Lexie did return to 8th grade, which was her one desire in life. She did get to visit DisneyWorld in Florida. She did get to giggle many more days with her silly friends. Lexie didn’t get to make 14, passing away on an early spring day before the almond blossoms turned the world pink.

Grief. It comes in all ways to all people. One thing is for sure. The sweetest memories are worth carrying a lifetime.

Whatever you do today, give support and help to a mom you know. Mom’s are raising human beings the best way they know how. Smiles and hugs can help any mom make it through another day. And, Please send sweet prayer to my Alyssa and Lexie. They LOOOOOVVVVVEEEEDDDDD surprises.

More tomorrow.

JUST BY CHANCE — by Joy Hurt

We could’ve taken different elevators. 

I was going down.

You were going up.

I could’ve been late.

You could’ve broken a heel.

I could’ve decided not to come to ICU that weekend afternoon.

You could’ve taken a wrong turn to the bar.

A million little things might’ve prevented our meeting.

But

In a service elevator on that winter’s day,

Tunneled in a very large Children’s Hospital

We were together again.

Your precious Allyssa, now Heaven’s angel-girl, was there with us, too,

I’m sure I heard her giggle in that way she always did.

A toothless little sound exploding out of sheer happiness

When her world was going juuuussssssttttt right.

Alyssa was a child for which every day was JUUUUSSSSSSSTTTT right,

Even with cancer dragging her away from us.

My heart remembers her every day.

She was everything good and happy. 

An angel now, wearing the finest shade of pink, pink, pink wings.

Elevating two floors closer to heaven, I listened as you spoke to me,

Lifting me from the depths of worry for another of cancer’s children.

Lexie-Girl.

Trapped just this side of heaven in a very real hell here on earth.

There you were in beauty and strength.

My friend, an inspiration. 

Alyssa’s mom.

Helping others while healing yourself.

Enchantedly confused, I came out of the elevator to follow you,

Before I “snapped to” and remembered,

I could no longer follow you down our hall to her.

You went on to coffee.

I went on to help others struggling with their hospital journeys.

Later, we met again while visiting a common friend.

Happy angel giggles swirled in the wind just outside the window. 

We both smiled, knowing Alyssa was never good

At hide and seek.

For six years, she commanded center stage in life.

With throat swelling and eyes leaking,

I had to walk away.

Thoughts turning again to Sweet Miss 6,

My 1st grade hospital student,

Alyssa.

So lucky was I to have met someone like you, A.

I learned so much in our time together.

I will never forget you.

To infinity and beyond, Sweetie Pie.

I could’ve made a wrong turn

And

missed

YOU

all

together.

XOXOXO

More tomorrow.

I love jigsaw puzzles. With focus, concentration, and time, a complete picture is made from a box of broken pieces. At first, the edges are the only obvious ones to be found. Little by little, the most recognizable shapes come together. Finally, the background becomes clear. Healing through grief is life’s most difficult puzzle. Picking up the pieces, a new life is created. Many of the pieces don’t fit anymore, but become beautiful memories that provide comfort along the way.

I’ve made so many missteps along the way while trying to force pieces into the wrong places. When you lose your spouse, all the edges are gone. I learned that the hard way. Lifelong “Should-s”, “Shouldn’t-s”, “Maybe-s”, and “Why Not’s” disappeared. Alone in my widow’s fog, I chose new rules for a new life. During the last 35 months, a picture is forming of a very different woman that I truly like. The real ME.

While forming new boundaries for my life, the centerpiece that had been missing the longest was found when I was baptized in on December 12th, 2021. Now, worries that used to shade everything are delivered to God in prayer. When the worry box in my head gets full, I ask for HIS help.

During the last 35 months, I’ve prayed myself to sleep, asked for the protection of angels around Winterpast and two little souls who rest inside. Sleeping peacefully provides healing during the worst life has to offer. Grief. The journey through loss and despair is unique to each one of us, but together, recognizable. It’s hell on earth. Plain and simple. Hell on earth.

Yesterday, while traveling to the Biggest Little City to the West with a dear friend, I was reminded that everyone’s journey through grief doesn’t always involve the loss of a spouse. It could be a Mom, Dad, sister, brother, or dear friend. It could be a beloved career or the loss of the best pet in the world. Life is full of grief. Life is also full of love and support to get us through the worst.

I’m so thankful for all the friends I’ve made during the last 35 months. People that’ve stopped to listen. Those that had a hug just for me. Those that shared a heartfelt tear while telling their stories to me. I’m so blessed to have healthy and happy days to share with them when life gets tough. This week, my dance card is overflowing with adventures. Lot’s of friends. Lot’s of love. Lot’s of pieces that have fit together to make the most beautiful picture of hope, faith, and a new life.

35 months. Life is good VST. Have fun up there in heaven. God will choose my ETA. Until then, please know life is really, really good here on earth.

Whatever you do today, find some pieces that’ve been missing. Change up the edges that aren’t working anymore. Find splashes of color that fit together to make a beautiful new picture all your own. Do some living! Spring is a lovely time of year.

More tomorrow.

Chicken Pot Pie has been a comfort food of mine for decades. It started long ago when I was a girl. On days when my mother was in town, shopping for an army of hungry girls and a farming husband, she would allow herself one little treat. She would stop at the Chicken Pie Shop located in a quiet little town just to the East of the Vineyards where we lived.

The shop was owned and run by Germans and the pies were out of this world. Homemade crust. Ooey-Gooey goodness waited under the perfectly browned crusts. The pies were placed in pink pastry boxes and tied with cotton string. She always bought 8. Just enough for a meal and Dad’s lunch the next day. Sometimes they were already cooked, sometimes they came waiting for the oven. They never disappointed. I bet the TJ and the Goddess of the Central Coast remember this place from long ago. Yummmm.

The shop was sold over the years. The magic was lost and the place finally closed up. Another gem of the past, gone forever.

Since we met, MM and I have been fascinated at the things we have in common. We both married old high school friends after reconnecting at our respective high school reunions. We both enjoyed long and happy marriages. We both took care of our spouses through some very tough illnesses, watching over them until they left us, both in 2020. We both garden. We are both owned by high maintenance dogs that happen to like each other. And, we both LOVE Chicken Pot Pies.

Last Saturday, Chicken Pot Pie was a natural choice for a cold, snowy day. This recipe, although not quite as good as the one I remember from childhood, is pretty good. It beats Marie Calendar Chicken Pot Pies (our favorite until this came along) all to heck.

You may want to invest in some single serving ramekins or disposable aluminum pie tins if you want individual servings. They freeze nicely. Enjoy

Almost the World’s Best Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients

• 1 rotisserie chicken, skinned and deboned –
• 1 bag of frozen peas and carrots
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cups Half and Half
• 2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

1. Gather all ingredients.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
3. Debone the rotisserie chicken, discarding skin, fat, and bones. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
4. Melt 2 Tbsp butter and saute the celery until soft. Then, add the peas, carrots, and prepared chicken and set aside.
5. While the chicken is cooking, melt 2 Tbsp butter in another saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed.
6. Slowly stir in chicken broth and cream. Add remaining butter. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
7. Place the pie crust in a 9″ pie tin. You can also use a casserole dish of a similar size. It is not necessary to precook the pie crust. It will cook nicely.
8. Place chicken and vegetables in the bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over top. Cover with top crust, seal the edges, and cut away any excess dough. Make several small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
9. Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. (As this may bubble over, place a foil-covered cookie sheet underneath for easier cleanup.) Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Important note !

Normally, my finished meals do not begin to resemble the photoshopped pictures. In this case, mine turned out more beautiful because I used a pretty casserole dish instead of an aluminum pie tin. I’d recommend that change.

Of course, by adding a dinner mate that also loves Chicken Pot Pie, your meal will be seasoned with happiness, great conversation, and laughter. This recipe made four large, satisfying servings, (and we LOVE Chicken Pot Pie).

Whatever you do today, remember this. Forget what anyone has told you in the past. You CAN cook. Follow any recipe and, with a little practice, you can get on that horse and ride.

Thank you to the “Allrecipes.com” for these delightful pictures and recipe. Without you, this wouldn’t have been possible.

More tomorrow.

“Give It to God and Go to Sleep”. Well, some days that’s easier than others. This weekend fell in that category. Sad, because it had all started out so positively.

One of the best treats in my world is going out to breakfast on a sunny little late winter day for breakfast. Friday, the meteorologists had scared us half to death.

Snow.

More Snow.

Be prepared.

The pass is closed.

Snow.

More Snow.

1 -4′ possible.

That was what we all heard over and over. Again, why is it always the “it could happen” threat? Guess what! It didn’t amount to more than a few flakes in our dusty little town next to the interstate

So, breakfast was on at the Tee Pee Bar and Grill (TPB&G). Slowly, the place is recovering from the devastation of Covid. Patrons are returning on a regular basis. Saturday, the cutest young new waitress was shadowing another. We got the service of two for the price of one.

Scrambled eggs, crispy hashed browns, bacon, and the best biscuits and gravy in town. That’s what you can look forward to at the TPB&G. Going there with MM is an added bonus, as we usually run into at least one life long friend while dining there. MM knows the entire history of the place, down to the very hidden location one could find arrowheads similar to those on display. TPB&G is also a museum displaying artifacts of the Piute tribe collected long ago.

Anyway, the breakfast was delicious, but MM wasn’t quite himself. We’d made plans to travel to the Bigger Little City to the West to visit Costco. Any time someone mentions “going to town” to two country people, there’s excitement. With nothing specific on our shopping lists, we’d be free to roam the aisles and pick up a little of this and a little of that, as one always does at Costco. At least this one.

It was when we got up to go the car trouble hit. MM needed to stop a few times on the way because of a back spasm which became more severe with each step. By the time we reached the car, we were experiencing a medical emergency of the worst kind. MM couldn’t stand. He was in an incredible amount of pain.

I never understood back issues until I experienced them. It’s the worst pain that renders one helpless. The times I’ve suffered, I’ve ended up in bed for days. I never understood until it happened to me.

What to do?

MM finally ended up on his knees by the passenger door. Each time he tried to muscle through, get up, and get in, he would go back to his knees. Think of the Marine part of MM. MM is a TRUE Marine. This was not normal behavior for him. Usually pain free, as many men claim to be 100% of the time even when they AREN’T, he was in horrible pain. I knew I couldn’t lift him into the car. Our beautiful breakfast was turning into a nightmare on Main Street.

It was then I knew what I had to do.

I prayed for Billy.

Outloud.

I prayed for him to have a healing to allow him to get in the car. I did it out loud, right by the car, as Billy was on his knees.

Well, wonder of wonders.

Just.

Like.

That.

Billy was able to stand, although still in serious pain, and get into the car. He was also able to get through the pain to walk into the house when we arrived home.

Just.

Like.

That.

The weekend turned into one in which I got to practice domestic chores for my friend who couldn’t. Although much better, he is still mending as I write this. It was a weekend to reflect on the fact that, as humans, we need to depend on God to help us through pain and hard times.

We need to remember to ask.

He’s always there, listening.

The weekend included some delicious Chinese food from Beijing’s Best, and a homemade Chicken Pot Pie which I will talk about tomorrow. There was time to get caught up on more golf than I ever knew was televised, and hours of “Wicked Tuna”, a fishing show. It was a time that I could help someone very dear to me while he was truly down and out. Like we all do when the unexpected happens, we made the best of it.

Whatever you do today, if stuck, consider talking to God about the problem. You might not get the answer you wanted, but you might get the answer you need at that very moment. Above all, remember, when the day is done and the full moon shines the brightest, “Give it to God and Go to Sleep”.

More tomorrow.

Today is an absolutely beautiful day on the desert. The sky is cobalt blue. Jets leave their graffiti in long white trails in the sky. According to the chatter of the birds in my trees, more are coming soon. Within the month, we’ll get back to Daylight Savings Time and spring.

What an amazing and wonderful time to be alive. There are so many things on my to do list, I’m tired just looking at all the things I need to do as spring approaches. With the tremendous snowpack in the Sierra’s, the runoff surely to follow may even turn the desert green as the temperatures warm.

My study group met today at our usual time. As the weeks go by, I am so thankful for their friendship and love. As a little funny, we’ve named ourselves the Bible Babes. Fitting in many ways. All beautiful women in their own right, we are also young in our knowledge of the Bible. We have just started our quest to find places in our community to share our kindness and love. We are just beginning to learn more about The Bible. We’re also new friends to each other. What a place to smile. At least there is one place we can be considered Babes.

We have decided to take our special kind of fun to the local Assisted Living Facility. The last time I went there, I had a basket of Wook-lets to share. This time, I’m going to have the love of our women’s group to offer on whatever terms they will accept us. Perhaps with song. Perhaps with quiet visits. Definitely with a dose of happiness and giggles. Just the thought of what could become of this latest act of kindness is dizzying.

As for the Wook-lets, four of them have found their fur-ever homes. Homeward bound, they will leave their sisters and brother next Friday. Hard to believe that just a few short weeks ago they were little black and white blobs, totally dependent on Wookie and us. Now, they run and play. As puppies do, they are growing up.

Although there may be sadness in the things we face today, there is one sure thing. Loss and Goodbyes don’t make up who we are. I’m not the only only person to have said Farewell to a pet. The best thing to remember is that these furry friends will go on to give comfort and love to those around them. That’s just what dogs do. For me, there is comfort in knowing that.

By reading my blog, you’ve give me a place to grieve openly over the past three years. It makes every minute, hour, and day easier because of the shared experience of those who grieve. Remember what Winston Churchill said. “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” We’ll all be stronger by remembering that.

Farewell, little Wookies!! Have wonderful lives!! Wookie, MM, and I will love you forever.

Whatever you do this weekend, have some fun and enjoy the moment. There is plenty of time throughout the week to handle problems and grieve. Take some time this weekend to enjoy some sunshine, hug someone, and smile. We have so much to be thankful.

I’ll be back on Monday.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded thin and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 cup dry white wine
• ⅓ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta, cooked and drained

Directions

1. Whisk flour, pepper, and paprika together in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture until evenly coated.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute; transfer to a plate.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the same skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
4. Pour wine into the hot skillet and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping the browned bits from the bottom and sides of the pan with a wooden spoon. Boil until wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth, reserved garlic, lemon juice, and capers; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in parsley and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Reduce the heat to medium, return chicken to the skillet, and continue cooking until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.
5. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook angel hair pasta in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain well.
6. Transfer chicken pieces to a serving dish and drizzle with a few tablespoons sauce. Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat with remaining sauce.
7. Portion noodles onto serving plates and top with chicken.

Last night, I prepared, cooked, and enjoyed this meal with MM. Such a culinary delight, fragrant and delicious, I had to share it with you. As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m not much of a cook. This dinner was so easy and delicious, I’m beginning to think there might be a cook hiding inside somewhere. Compliments from my dinner guest certainly increased my confidence. For once, I had fun in the kitchen!

Whatever you do today, look through some cookbooks and try something new. Better yet, look online. Get a little adventurous in the kitchen. You just might surprise yourself!!

More tomorrow.