Day Two on the Road!

Day Two with the gang in Gatlinburg, Tennessee!

We had breakfast and then headed down to the main drag and shopped 'til we dropped.

I had already made a few purchases--two T-shirts for Sam--when I was ready for a little breather.

Willy needed a break too. He found a great resting place among the pansies.



















And then he took a ride on the Earthquake.

After a dip in the fountain,


















And a ride on the ski lift,


















We found the perfect T-shirt for him, but it didn't come in his size.


















Then we stopped for lunch. We had a cute waiter, but Terri got him blushing by telling him I wanted my picture taken with him. We told him Terri was out of control and not to pay any attention to her. I had a Reuben sandwich and chips, which was very tasty, and the restaurant had a very interesting decor, as you can see. Weenie Man felt right at home.


















After lunch, we kept right on going. Got a massage in one of those water massager things, and bought some dark chocolate espresso coffee beans for Budley.

By then, my feet were killing me, so Angie and I went back to the hotel and took a dip in the hot tub. After a little rest, we went out to dinner at Calhoun's. They claim to have the best ribs in America, and I'm here to tell you, they aren't lyin'!



















And now, since it IS Tuesday, we need a recipe! I freely confess to having committed grand larceny, stealing these recipes from Mellanie Szereto's blog. She brought them both to our Sextet critique group meeting this past Saturday, and I totally pigged out on the Chicken Ranch Dip. It is AWESOME!!!! And the Artichoke Dip is fabulous too. She says she normally doubles both of the recipes, and trust me, it won't go to waste!

Chicken Ranch Dip

4 1/2 oz. can of white meat chicken or 2 chicken breast tenderloins, cooked and chopped
2 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (I use Neufchatel)
2 teaspoons ranch dressing mix (about 1/4 envelope)
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Saute onion in margarine. Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Blend well. Transfer to oven-safe dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve with crackers or chips.

Artichoke Dip

1 can artichokes, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise (I use light)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Transfer to oven-safe dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Serve with crackers or chips.