South Alabamian

Alabama the beautiful!



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I’m not sure what marketing genius came up with the simple three words “Alabama the Beautiful,” but goodness they did a day’s work that day. This state is complex and rich with history, geography and beauty in so many ways.

Where is she going with this you may ask yourself? As soon as I was old enough to travel, I began to appreciate our fine state with a deeper love and admiration than I ever thought possible. I found myself longing for home no matter where I traveled.

Everyone knows that our beaches are some of the prettiest in the world, but have you driven under the canopy of trees of Magnolia Springs or on Dauphin Street in Mobile? The splendor of the ancient trees and the dappled light is something to appreciate.

Have you traveled over the Edmund Pettus bridge in Selma and remembered that Martin Luther King, Oprah, and many presidents have passed the same way?

Have you ever noticed that the state for many years opted to stop mowing the median of the interstate and planted wildflowers? They can still be seen between cuttings, and the natural beauty is still a treat.

Have you ever viewed the skyline of Birmingham at night? The Vulcan has an elevator to the observation deck that shows breathtaking panoramic views. Well they might just have taken my breath, because I wanted to see it but I’m scared of heights.

Have you ever watched a summer concert outside at the Wharf in Orange Beach, Oak Mountain Amphitheater or the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater along their River Walk? Our weather is beautiful, and on a starry night it reminds me of one of my favorite songs, “Stars Fell on Alabama,” sung by one of my favorite Alabamian’s, Jimmy Buffet.

So from Huntsville to Dauphin Island, this state is unparalleled to any other. I’m just going to remind myself in September when the love bugs appear again and a hurricane is in the Gulf.

With age I have began to realize that the most beautiful part of Alabama lies in its citizens. Standing in a stadium on Friday night or Saturday afternoon, waiting in line to hug a friend or an old coworker who just lost a loved one, we truly see each other here in the South. Years fall away and there is a beauty in the way we know each other’s history, each other’s Mama, and where we live even if we don’t visit as much these days in the age of social media.

Our friendliness is unparalleled. So when someone holds the door for me at the gas station these days, I’m truly grateful and know that it’s going to be a beautiful day.

With baseball and softball games and practices starting up and all of us in a rush, easy make ahead recipes are so helpful. This recipe can be thrown in the crockpot in the morning too. Serve with a side salad and vegetables.

Easy Chicken and Rice

3 chicken breasts, cut
into cubes
2 cups water
2 cups instant white rice
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream
of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream
of celery soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can cream
of mushroom soup
salt and ground black
pepper to taste
½ cup butter, sliced
into pats

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease sides and bottom of a casserole dish.

Stir chicken, water, rice, cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, and cream of mushroom soup together in the prepared casserole dish; season with salt and pepper.

Arrange butter evenly over the top of the chicken mixture.

Bake in preheated oven until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, 1 hour to 75 minutes. Cool 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

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