Who Made It Best?

Last week I was prompted to purchase a Panera Strawberry Poppyseed Salad, a seasonal product, before they “went away.” J and I shared and enjoyed it for supper.

It reminded me of the McAlister’s Pecanberry Salad (which is also seasonal), so we shared and enjoyed that the next night.

Panera Strawberry Poppyseed & Chicken Salad $10.59	Grilled chicken, fresh strawberries and blueberries, fresh pineapple, mandarin oranges, crunchy pecan with fat-free poppyseed dressing on mixed greens including romaine
McAlister’s Pecanberry Salad $9.69	Grilled chicken, fresh strawberries and blueberries, candied pecans with fat-free raspberry pecan vinaigrette on mixed greens

Both salads were tasty. I liked the additional fruits in the Panera salad. And the mixed greens were slightly better. I enjoyed both the dressings. I especially liked the candied pecans in the McAlister’s salad. Overall, these two salads rated about the same.

I’ll look forward to these salads next summer.

Left: Panera
Right: McAlister's

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Who Made It Best is a take-off of Us Weekly's Who Wore It Best

Covid Humor

Bank Fraud

I committed bank fraud.  Maybe.

Background:  My health insurance is through my state retirement account.  It includes medical, dental, and vision.  The state is extremely slow in paying the dental claims.  I, therefore, pay the dental charges myself at time of service -- 5% savings! -- and then the state reimburses me.  Right now the state is more than 18 months late in making the reimbursements.

A couple weeks ago I received the reimbursement check for January 2019.  It included a separate check for interest, too.  One day last week I was cleaning off the table and found an unopened envelope from the dental insurance provider.  Turns out it contained the reimbursement check (and interest) for July 2018.  The checks were dated November and included a notation "void after 90 days."  Well, this is now well passed six months so they were no longer valid.  I was not happy .... with myself for not having opened the envelope when I received it .... and with the state for taking so long to send it that I did not recognize what it was.

Today when I did my monthly banking business I deposited the checks -- the ones that I received two weeks ago AND the ones that I received over six months ago.  I figured I would just play ignorant: "Oh, I had no idea it said void after 90 days.  Is it really over 90 days old?"  Turns out the checks were all deposited.

Now, I'm wondering:  If the state declines paying on them, will I have to refund the money?