There are certain weekends on the calendar that just mean something. Memorial Day weekend is one of them, and for more reasons than most people stop to think about.

Before I talk about camping, cookouts, and the radio station I’ve been waiting all year to turn on, I want to take a moment to say what this weekend is actually about.

It’s about the men and women who gave everything so that we could have the freedom to do all of those things. Every time I see an American flag flying from a porch, lining a cemetery, or waving from the back of a truck, I try to let it stop me for just a second. That flag isn’t just fabric and color. It’s a symbol of sacrifice! Real sacrifice. Sons and daughters, husbands and wives, moms and dads who never made it home.

We owe them more than a long weekend. We owe them our remembrance, our gratitude, and our respect.

So, before the grill gets fired up and the fun begins, I always make sure to pause and say thank you to the fallen, to their families, and to every veteran who carried that flag forward.

Now. With that on my heart, because it’s always on my heart this weekend, let me tell you about the other things that make Memorial Day weekend feel like Memorial Day weekend to me.

First of all, the Rock ’n Roll 500. If you know, you know! My favorite!! There is a radio station that spends the entire weekend playing nothing but classic rock, and I am here for every single minute of it. (99.3 WZXR, just in case you don’t know.) It is not Memorial Day weekend without that music coming through our speakers. It just isn’t. Something about those old songs, the windows down, the warm air, it just feels like freedom. Which, come to think of it, is exactly what this weekend is about. Chris and I voted for our favorite songs this year. Metallica, Ozzy, AC/DC, Theory of a Deadman, Tom Petty, Nickelback, Eddie Money, The Police, and so many more were all some of my votes! All the classics before the 2000s.

Secondly, it’s our first camping weekend of the season at the river lot. There is nothing like that first trip out! We got a new camper this year, so we are extra excited. We just couldn’t pass it up. It’s absolutely beautiful! We can’t wait to get everything set up, settle in, hear the water, and breathe that air. After a long winter and a busy spring, that first weekend at the river lot feels exhilarating. It’s one of my favorite feelings of the year!

And thirdly, my regular readers are going to laugh because they know exactly what I’m talking about! Cruise control goes ON this weekend, people! I don’t care where you’re headed or how late you’re running. Every year, like clockwork, our area is crawling with police, and every year, somebody learns that lesson the hard way. Not me. Not this girl. I click that cruise control on, and I enjoy the ride with the good ole Rock ’n Roll 500 blaring in the background. Every. Dang. Year.

Memorial Day weekend has a little bit of everything. A little reverence, a little adventure, a little music, and a little common sense behind the wheel. It’s one of my favorites. I hope wherever this weekend finds you, you take a moment to remember why we have it and then enjoy every single bit of it. Happy Memorial Day.

Copycat Longhorn Steakhouse Parmesan Crusted Chicken
*Stay tuned! Next week I’ll have a side dish that goes amazing with this!*

Ingredients:
• 2 large Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, (or 4 chicken cutlets, thighs are also fine to use)
• 1/4 Cup Ranch Dressing
• 1/4 Cup Italian Dressing
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Black Pepper

Parmesan Topping:
• 2.5 oz Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Ranch Dressing

Breadcrumb Mixture
• 1 Cup Italian Style Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted

For Cooking
• 1 tsp Avocado Oil
• 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 4 Provolone Cheese Slices
• 2 Mozzarella Slices

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325.

Cut chicken breasts into fillets or use cutlets.

Mix ranch dressing, Italian dressing, and seasonings in a bowl. Marinate chicken in the mixture for at least 60 minutes or up to overnight.

Combine the shredded Parmesan cheese with the ranch dressing and set aside.

Mix Panko breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, and melted butter in a separate bowl, then set aside.

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat until the chicken has browned on both sides. Place in the oven at 325 for about 40-50 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

THEN: Top each chicken piece with provolone and mozzarella cheeses, then add the Parmesan mixture. Broil for about five minutes.

Add the breadcrumb topping and broil for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheeses are all melted and the breadcrumbs are nice and toasty.

This recipe is absolutely incredible!!! ENJOY!