I don’t know what it was about this dinner, but it was always so good, and we could not wait until the next time we could have one. The restaurant that made them is long gone, and that is a huge shame. It was by far one of the best meals I had as a kid, and I could always count on it being the same each time I ordered it.

The chicken dinner we had came with two pieces of chicken, a bun, coleslaw (that we never ate) and a small portion of macaroni and cheese. My brother and I always asked for it the moment we came to Dad’s house, and many times he had already ordered it by the time we got there. He loved the chicken dinner as much as we did, and he waited until we were there for the weekend before he would get it for himself.

Looking back, I know that the chicken dinner was not the best thing for us health wise, but it was always a great treat. We saw Dad every other weekend back then, so it wasn’t like we were eating it every day. If that restaurant were still open I would imagine he would still get them, and we would most likely order the chicken dinner when I go to visit him.

It’s probably a good thing they aren’t there any more. The people that took over that particular business once the first owners decided it was time to retire had the same menu, but for some reason the dinners were just not the same.

You don’t have to order out for a great chicken dinner. You can make your own at home, though if you know of a great place like I did, you may not want to bother with the mess. A good chicken dinner will take hours to prepare, but when you are done you are going to know it was well worth your time.

It doesn’t have to be bad for you if you use good oils like Canola oil to fry your chicken dinner. Just remember to have it for a special treat. Even with the healthy oil you are going to be putting down a lot of extra calories.

As a result we both have similar tastes when it comes to decorating as well as the foods we like. We each grew up in a home where meat and potatoes were served at most meals. There were times when the potato recipes were substituted with dumplings; however my father had a passion for potatoes.

My father was a hard working farmer. He also had a full time job in a factory to supplement the family income. He always said that he worked to supplement his hobby of farming. He did not like fancy meals except when it came to potatoes.

My mother loved to cook and would get frustrated with the simple meat and vegetable meals that my dad preferred. She started making different potato recipes that she found in cook books and magazines. She served some of the most delicious potato recipes that I have ever tasted. She also would experiment with different variety of potatoes.

It has been many years since I have lived at home. My parents are retired and my father has finally given up the farming hobby. My mother cooks much simpler now that they are not doing the physical labor of farming. I asked her if I could look through her potato recipes. She started looking through her recipe drawer and we were both amazed at the number of potato recipes she had collected through the years.

We were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee and going through the recipes when my dad came in from a walk. He sat with us and we talked about the different potato recipes and also reminisced about the days past. Mom talked about the days of cooking for neighbors that would help with the farm work and having special company dinners on Sundays. She talked about missing making formal dinners and being invited out to formal dinners. I asked if I could take her collection of potato recipes and other ethnic recipes to make copies.

When I returned to my home I told my husband about the conversation I had with my parents. We decided that it would be fun to invite them for a formal dinner. I sent them an invitation and also one to my aunt and uncle that were often guests at mom’s Sunday dinners. I made an old fashioned beef roast dinner and set the table with china, crystal and taper candles.

Mom and Dad and my aunt and uncle enjoyed our Sunday together. We did more reminiscing and also talked about what different family members are doing now. At the end of the evening my husband and I decided that we will continue to invite company over for formal Sunday dinners at least once a month.

I told her that one of the things that her father and I used to do when we were first married was to go on picnics. I have several picnic recipes that are fun and romantic. My daughter thought this was a great idea. They have several spots by area lakes, where they like to go for hikes. My daughter asked if I could share some of the picnic recipes with her, so she could make them a nice dinner.

We started going through the cabinet where I store all of my recipes. My daughter could not believe the number of cookbooks, recipe boxes and folders I had. I had one folder that was marked outdoors. I told my daughter that the picnic recipes would be included there. She asked what other recipes were included in the outdoors file. I explained that they were recipes for grilling as well as side dishes that I serve when we entertain outside. The picnic recipes that are our favorites include smoked salmon rolls, a special cracker made with sesame seeds that I served with smoked sausage and grapes mixed with brown sugar and sour cream for dessert. My daughter was very excited about the picnic recipes and told me that they had a bottle of wine that they received as a wedding gift that she would take along.

The day before their anniversary my daughter and I went out for lunch and then went grocery shopping for the items needed to complete the picnic recipes. As we were shopping for the ingredients I began to realize how long it had been since my husband and I had gone on a romantic picnic. I picked up several of our favorite foods and decided that I would surprise him by having a picnic supper ready to go after work. The weather was perfect and we found a nice quiet area in one of our favorite parks. We had a very enjoyable time relaxing and talking without the distraction that come with being at home or in a restaurant. My husband and I agree that we are not going to let as much time pass in between using the picnic recipes in the future.

The cookie jar dates back many years. There are several companies that have specialized in creating a new cookie jar each year for collectors. Many of these creations are of a limited number so the value increases rapidly through the years. An extensive collection of this type of cookie jar can be worth thousands of dollars.

Often times at estate sales and auctions the cookie jar is one of the first items to be carefully looked over. Some of the manufactures of the collectible cookie jar have a small detail altered on certain jars to raise their value. This might be something as simple as different eye color on the cookie jar that is in an animal shape, or increasing or decreasing the number of decorative objects that are on the cookie jar.

The cookie jar is so popular because it is also functional. It seems that most kitchens that you walk into have a cookie jar on the counter. This does not mean that there is a supply of cookies in this kitchen. Most people store a variety of things in the cookie jar. For some families the cookie jar contains lunch money that can be grabbed as needed. For other families the cookie jar is the storage area for car keys and extra house keys. There are also families that use the cookie jar to place cookies in.

The cookie jar can be as simple as a plastic storage container or decorative cardboard box. It can also be as ornate and valuable as fine jewelry. If you are considering a collection the cookie jar is a popular route to go. One of the draw backs of having a cookie jar collection is that they do require space. Also the cookie jar collection is best displayed in the kitchen area, so keep the size of your kitchen in mind if you are going to start collecting them.