In an earlier post, I spoke of the amazing fried chicken that my mother, the little Chinese woman from Taiwan, learned to make in Kentucky. I remember the meals of warm fried chicken, white rice (because we ate rice with everything instead of potatoes!) and green beans that consistently filled our dinner table when I was growing up. But the next day I also LOVED the leftover cold chicken, when the crispy crust is soft but just as salty and delectable as the warm version the night before. It was the best leftover in the refrigerator!
So as my family grew, fried chicken became a staple in our home as well. And being young and on a budget, many times our family entertainments were simple and inexpensive so picnics were top of the list.
1 batch Cold Fried Chicken +
a blanket + extra yummies =
Butterfield Fun
We picnicked a lot in the summer. For my kids, there was just something about eating a meal outdoors then getting to run around on grass barefooted, throwing a frisbee and rolling down a hill. We did Shakespeare in the Park almost every summer, the Dallas Arboretum every other weekend in the spring and again several times in the summer and countless trips to local parks. Now that my kids are grown, it’s remarkable that it is still a favorite activity. And what better time of year than the first week in September to pull out the rolling cooler, grab low profile lawn chairs and head to the the outdoors to listen to music as the sun sets and the stars come out? Even empty nesters can picnic…without the hill rolling, of course! Have a great week!
