Our family’s go to comfort food is an old casserole, Chicken Divan. The recipe we follow was given to me by a long time friend. She got it in high school home economics class. I’ve seen other versions and even tasted a few, but none compare to ours.

We had a bit of a stressful day early this week and our younger daughter had a very stressful day. We were helping her out and her father decided to make Chicken Divan for her and her daughters for their dinner that evening.

We went shopping for the ingredients:

• Chicken (3 large half breasts, baked or roasted and cut or torn into bite-size chunks)
• Broccoli (1 bunch, blanched, or 1 bag frozen, steamed)
• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 1 can Cream of Chicken soup
• Mayonnaise (1 cup)
• Cheddar cheese (about 2 cups, reserve some for the top)
• Rice (the usual amount you cook for your family)
• 1-2 teaspoons curry

When I make this, I layer the cooked broccoli in the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish, then add a layer of chicken. I combine the remaining ingredients except some of the cheese then spread it over the broccoli and chicken. Top with reserved cheese and some crushed saltines or breadcrumbs. We serve it over rice. It is not healthy or light or in any good for you except that it has broccoli and is supremely delicious and no matter how bad your day/week/month/year was, a couple spoonfuls of chicken divan over rice will redeem your day. I guarantee it.

Stud Muffin and I figured Beautiful Younger Daughter would have the curry and crackers or bread crumbs also needed.

We headed to her house.

I napped on the couch, since I’d been up at five that morning and needed a few minutes siesta.

He put the casserole together in the kitchen.

But he didn’t realize I was napping, and kept hollering questions at me (“How much cheese?” “Mix everything together?”). He thought I’d “get the hint” and come in the kitchen and help him.

I did not.

I hollered the answers back without even opening my eyes (“About two cups, save some for the top.” “Yes.”).

He put the dish together, covered it with foil and left it in the fridge for BYD to heat at dinner time. As we were saying good-bye, he noticed the mayo on the counter. He’d forgotten it. Oops.

Later, he got a text from BYD that he’d also forgotten the curry.

Oops again.

She knows he intended to leave her Chicken Divan, not Shadow of Chicken Divan.

I think it goes to show that sometimes, even though we tried our best and our best wasn’t good enough, we have to be satisfied that our intentions were loving and leave it at that.