February Redwork Snowman

The old Roman calendar was a ten-month moon-cycle calendar, with a couple of nameless moon cycles left over in mid-winter.  Each new year started in spring with the growing season.  Rome's second king, Numa Pompilius, took those sixty blank days and made two new months out of them.  February comes from the Latin word "februum" meaning "purification."  February was the month of purifying rites, to start the new year on the farm with a clean slate where the gods were concerned. 

February Twilight

                                    

                                     I stood beside a hill

                                          Smooth with new-laid snow,

                                     A single star looked out

                                          From the cold evening glow.

                                     There was no other creature

                                          That saw what I could see -

                                     I stood and watched the evening star

                                          As long as it watched me.

                                                                  Sara Teasdale

"Life, like a coin, always has two sides.  If I turn the February coin over, I find that we have had time for many pleasant things while the weather was bad.  Trying out a new recipe which is one of the fancy, time-consuming ones, for example.  Or re-reading a favorite book which we already practically know by heart.  Or writing leisurely letters to friends."  Gladys Taber

Here's a fancy, new recipe for you - although not a time-consuming one!  I got it from my mother.  She says, "This is a nice dish for a company dinner.  The breasts can be prepared for baking ahead of time and refrigerated until time to bake them."

   

Chicken Breasts Parmesan

6 large, boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1-1/2 sticks butter

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1-1/2 cups bread crumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  In a small saucepan, melt the butter.  Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and Dijon mustard.

3.  Mix together the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.  Put the mixture into a flat pan.

4.  Dip each chicken breast first into the melted butter mixture and then into the crumbs, shaping the chicken breast into an oval as you put it into the crumb mixture.

5.  Place the chicken breasts on a greased baking sheet (with shallow sides) and bake 45-60 minutes, until golden brown. 

You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post:   http://www.starwoodquilter.blogspot.com/2013/01/eating-snickerdoodles-while-reading.html