one dish meal

mom came for christmas the year she was 77. while i had most of the menus under control, i wondered if she'd like to suggest the christmas eve meal. "oh", she said, "let's have chicken divan. it's delicious and easy - it's a one dish meal!" chicken divan is a perfect hotdish: cheesy broccoli with chicken on top, and white bread croutons soaked in butter slathered on top until it's baked to a crispy finish. comfort food. great warmed up. nasty good on a cold night. hurts to think about it.

the ingredients were lined up on the counter like a photograph of my first grade class. cans of cheese soup, three sticks of butter, a celophane bag of pepperidge farm croutons, a box of frozen broccoli and one more stick of butter. mom was propped up by the fire in the living room, sipping her pepsi and watching the wheel of fortune. i knew she would be wanting to guide my efforts, and wouldn't this be fun? cooking together, mom and me, like christmas eves of long ago.

"if i were you, i'd cook the broccoli ahead of time so it gets nice and done."

broccoli on the stove, check.

"melt the butter all the way before you put the croutons in - and use a big frying pan."

big frying pan plus butter plus croutons.

"and after they get all soaky, put them under the broiler for just a minute."

done.

"oh and don't forget to warm the cheddar cheese soup with a little half and half before you mix everything up."

open can. small sauce pan. half and half. got it.

by now the windows in the kitchen of my cozy upstairs duplex were dripping with condensation, and so was i. the pots and pans were beginning to burble and steam and pat sajack just got louder. it suddenly occurs to me that mom and i never DID cook together on christmas eve. i usually stayed in my room till the last minute but until now, i couldn't remember why. ah, a moment of clarity.

"use a nice big bowl, honey, when you mix the soup and the broccoli. and drain the broccoli so it heats nicely."

finally, time to assemble. 5 pots and pans, one colander, one buttery cookie sheet and 2 bowls later, the final crouton fell. i was exasperated, but i had to admit, the dish was a marvel to behold.

mom toddled out to the kitchen to take a look.

"oooo-ooooo! that looks DELICIOUS! wasn't that easy?"

sure was mom - the easiest one dish meal i ever made.

more pepsi?