Appetizing Muse

This morning I finally assembled the layered spinach salad I mentioned a few days ago, and left it to chill. Wilbert and I then went grocery shopping and on impulse bought a 24.2-ounce bag of Chef's Choice Chicken Stir Fry. The prepared meal came with three packets: one with vegetables, one with pre-cooked sliced chicken and another with the "gourmet" sauce. Since I've never used the brand (and rarely make dinner from a "bag"), I decided to add extra chicken because what came with the meal seemed a bit paltry. I slow-boiled six drumsticks and later pulled the meat off in medium-sized chunks.

When it came time to throw the stir fry together, I added the drumstick meat with the packaged offering along with the rest of the ingredients. I have to say the meal turned out rather well. Even the vegetables were crisp-tender just the way I like them, and the "gourmet" sauce had a sweet tang that lasted well into the next bite.

However, the best part of the meal was the layered spinach salad. When dinner was just about ready, I took the salad from the refrigerator and added the last of the ingredients: crumbled bacon and Spanish peanuts, both of which acted as a "crust" of sorts. Wilbert is not a big fan of radishes or Ranch dressing, but he raved about the salad combination and even packed up a portion to take to work. I cut the ingredients in half when initially assembling the salad, and the result was plenty for two people with more than half left over. I also used baby spinach (pre-stemmed and cleaned). The leaves were tender and manageable.

That's my bit of cooking for the weekend as I have writing to tend to. Ever grateful for a meal from his webmaster-recipe-hound-author wife, my husband took care of the dishes without one grumble of protest.