Are we there yet…

You don’t have to leave your home to travel oversees. Thanks to Betty Crocker, last week was deemed International week at the Harvey  house. Tired of meatball Monday and taco Tuesday, I decided to branch out and try a few recipes. Here were a few of our favorites:

Sweet and sour pork:

1 lb boneless pork loin chops, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion stir-fry (from 1-lb bag)
1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks, drained
1 jar (11 1/2 oz) sweet-and-sour sauce

1. In medium bowl, toss pork with egg. In 1-gallon resealable food-storage plastic bag, place Bisquick mix, salt and pepper; seal bag and shake to mix. Drain excess egg from pork. Place pork cubes in plastic bag; seal bag and shake to coat.
2. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Place pork in single layer in skillet. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown and crispy on outside and no longer pink in center. Drain on paper towels. Cover to keep warm.
3. Reserve 1 tablespoon oil in skillet; discard any remaining oil. Add bell pepper mix and pineapple; cook over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in sweet-and-sour sauce and pork; heat to boiling.

Chicken Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream:

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 box Chicken Helper® fettuccine Alfredo
1 cup hot water
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup chopped dry-pack sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and onion; cook 15 to 18 minutes, stirring onion frequently and turning chicken once, until onion is tender and juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, fill 2-quart saucepan 2/3 full of water. Heat to boiling. Stir in uncooked pasta (from Chicken Helper box). Gently boil uncovered about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender; drain. Set aside.
3. In same saucepan, mix hot water, half-and-half, tomatoes and sauce mix (from Chicken Helper box). Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened.
4. Cut chicken into slices. To serve, spoon cooked pasta onto serving plate. Arrange chicken slices and onion over pasta. Top with sauce mixture. Sprinkle with basil.

Spinach and Artichoke Lasagna

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, coarsely chopped
1 box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
1 jar (15 to 17 oz) roasted garlic Parmesan or Alfredo pasta sauce
9 uncooked lasagna noodles
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (12 oz)
1 package (4 oz) crumbled herb-and-garlic feta cheese (1 cup)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13×9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is crisp-tender. Stir in broth and rosemary. Heat to boiling. Stir in artichokes and spinach; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce.
3. Spread 1/4 of the artichoke mixture in bottom of baking dish; top with 3 noodles. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers twice. Spread with remaining artichoke mixture; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with feta cheese.
4. Cover and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 minutes longer or until noodles are tender and lasagna is bubbly. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before cutting.

Alright, alright…I’ll admit, I’m from the south and am not a huge fan of Paula Deen’s. On more than one occasion, her recipes have been categorized as “non-repeat” offenders in our household. That being said, I do have a few favorites that are worthy of all of that extra “budder” (butter). Here is one that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Gooey Toffee Butter Cake:

Cake:
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 large egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup almond toffee bits or chocolate toffee bits

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by-2-inch baking pan.

For the cake: In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.

For the filling: Still using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Dump in confectioners’ sugar and beat well. Reduce the speed and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Fold in toffee bits.

Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don’t be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don’t bake it past that point!

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares. Just remember that these wonderful cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way!

The Boss man was released from the hospital this morning and will undergo more tests at UVA next week. The latest ultrasound did not show any blockage, but pointed to an enlarged left kidney. Please continue to pray for God’s healing touch as their family awaits the next series of tests.  

Now that we’ve got precious Boss back home, I want to tell you about my very talented and creative sister-in-law, who just opened an Etsy shop. Lauren is an absolute jewel to our family. Not only can she cook a mean macaroni and cheese, but she can also paint. Please stop by her shop and blog to browse through her unique collection of paintings, children’s wall art, and stationary. Here are a few of my favorite pieces. 

Llama watercolor stationary

Pumpkin on old barnboard

Mary Reese wall art

Hendley wall art

Hand painted bathroom stool

Last but not least, I want to share a fabulous and easy peasy recipe for Banana Bread. The recipe comes from Garrett’s step-mom and is an absolute favorite around the Harvey house.

 Meme’s Banana Bread: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan.

1 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
2 1/3 cup Bisquick mix
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Beat all ingredients vigorously for 30 seconds. Bake 55-65 minutes.

To make your banana bread even more fabulous, cut off a slice, spread with butter, and zap it in the microwave for a few seconds. It is seriously melt in your mouth good! For an easy and delicious dessert, serve warm banana bread with a dollop of caramel sauce (I use the kind in the jar) and a scoop of vanilla ice cream! I promise you, you won’t be disappointed by this tasty treat!

I know we need it, but these last few days of rain have put a damper on our outside plans. Thank the good Lord for a front porch, rain boots, and Sesame Street.

A dinner party on Thursday, a weekend trip to Athens on Friday, G’s 29th birthday on Saturday, and the arrival of Trent and Lauren’s new puppy topped off our weekend. We’ve been mighty busy around here lately, but having lots of fun!

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

* ½ cup butter
* ½ cup sugar
* ½ cup brown sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 1¼ cup flour
* ½ tsp baking soda
* ½ tsp salt
* ¾ cup macadamia nuts
* 1 cup white chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 375°
2) Mix butter with sugars until lumps are gone.
3) Add ingredients in following order: egg, vanilla, flour, baking soda, and salt.
4) Mix until creamy.
5) Stir in macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips.
6) Spoon dough on parchment paper and bake at 375° for 10 to 15 minutes.

1) Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 15 minutes or until it’s well browned on both sides and cooked through. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
2) Prepare the stuffing in the skillet according to the package directions except let stand for 2 minutes.
3) Return the chicken to the skillet. Stir the soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle with the cheese.
4) Cover and cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot and the cheese is melted.

Recipes aside, here are a few pictures from our weekend in Athens…

On Friday night, MR stayed up til’ 9:15 -two hours past her normal bedtime- watching the Wizard of Oz and eating a big bowl of Big Daddy’s frozen yogurt. Those dancing Lollipop kids sure got her giggling.

On Saturday, we watched the first half of GA/Auburn game at Locos. MR, knowing very little about football, chose to wear an orange dress instead of a red one.  Her daddy was not too happy with her decision, but decided to let it go when she ate 2 of the 4 crayons that the nice waiter gave her. Sometimes, you just have to choose your battles.

Look closely, the “golden” Elmo and MR are slowly but surely becoming an inseperable pair.

We spent the second half of the game at Uncle Brother’s and Crazy Aunt Cookie’s (CAC) house.

CAC quickly moved to MR’s #1 spot after taking her outside to play in the leaves.

And finally, meet Vince, Trent and Lauren’s adorable new puppy. I’m thinking about photoshopping Uncle Brothers camouflage jacket so that this can be their Christmas card picture. And while I’m at it, I might as well take care of that pacifier hanging out of Aunt Cookie’s pocket…

This was the second year that G had to miss the annual Harrell fishing trip off the coast of Georgia. To say that he was bummed would be an understatement. Between the fishing trip and the passing of Tim Russert, I knew I had to get G out of the house to lift his spirits. What better way than starting off your Saturday with a visit to the petting zoo?

Ah yes, after MR’s morning nap, we loaded up and headed to Afton, Virginia to meet Chloe the Camel, Uncle Pete the pig, and two very adorable black and white goats named Gypsy and Oreo. We also met horses, a wallaby, sheep, and a jacob ram.

After our petting zoo adventure, we stopped for lunch at the Blue Mountain Brewery where G enjoyed a Full Nelson Pale Ale and a gigantic bratwurst sandwich. MR was exhasuted, but remained a trooper as long as we kept her belly full with bread, fruit, and whatever else we could get our hands on (I think she may have even tried the bratwurst).

Later in the afternoon, we made a quick trip to the grocery to pick up a few items for supper. Tonight’s meal: Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops and squash casserole. I know, it’s a weird combo, but it’s what G requested and being that it’s Father’s Day Weekend, I happily obliged. While the casserole did not earn a second dish award (I knew when G pulled out the hot sauce that he was not a fan) the pork chops were fabulous! The recipe is quick and easy and very tasty.

After a full day of animals, beer, and good food, I think it’s safe to say that G’s first ever Father’s Day weekend is off to a promising start. Tomorrow, Ive got even more in store for my sweet husband. I’m surprising him with breakfast–quiche lorraine, bacon, and fresh fruit. And two new Columbia fishing shirts so that he will be ready for next years fishing trip. Happy first Father’s Day Weekend, G! We love you.

Parmesan Crusted Pork Chops:

2 large eggs
1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops (each about 10 to 12 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil

Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper. Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side.

Five things I love about today:

1) MR is feeling better…not 100% yet, but getting close. Today has been a “mama” day; I love hearing her say my name even though she refers to every man, woman, and dog as mama.

2) The sun is out and there is a nice breeze. I have had the screen door open all day and if I try real hard, I can smell fried chicken coming from Wayside up the street.

3) Spending time with K, Julia, and Cazin. K is an amazing mom, cook, host, friend…. I could go on and on. Her kids are equally as wonderful! I am so fortunate to have a friend/mentor like her.

4) There is still enough spaghetti and meatballs in the fridge to do leftovers for supper. And, G’s willingness to eat the leftovers means that I’m becoming a better cook!

5) I’m caught up on the laundry, the dishes are clean, and I have not had to make a single trip to the grocery store today…life is good! 

I’m leaving you today with a recipe that my friend K used to make grilled apple, cheddar, and bacon panini’s. This recipe is courtesy of Paula Deen and is quick, easy, and very tasty!

Roasted Red Onion Mayo:
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 cup mayonnaise

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a small rimmed baking sheet, toss the red onion, olive oil, salt and pepper together. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes until the onion is very soft, stirring occasionally. Remove from oven and let cool. Transfer to a food processor and buzz until finely chopped. Add the mayo and pulse until smooth and combined.

Sandwich:
2 slices (1/2-inch-thick) sourdough, multigrain or another hearty bread
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp
4 slices Cheddar
1/2 Granny Smith apple, cored, sliced thin
Roasted Red Onion Mayo
Butter

Preheat a seasoned grill pan or griddle over medium heat. Assemble this sandwich just as you would a traditional grilled cheese sandwich: spread 1 slice of bread with some Red Onion Mayo, then top with 2 slices Cheddar, the bacon, the apple slices, then 2 more slices of Cheddar, finishing with another mayo-slathered slice of bread. Butter the outsides of the bread and transfer to the hot grill. Grill about 3 minutes per side, since this sandwich is so thick. Remove to a cutting board and cut the sandwich in half on the diagonal to serve.

The cousins are down for the count…Hendley and MR have Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease. The virus is common in infants and toddlers and is characterized by fever, sores in the mouth, and a rash with blisters. Poor Hendley has the rash all over her body. For the most part, MR has managed to escape the painful rash and sores, but has had a fever for most of the day. This morning, her fever spiked to 103 °F, causing Henney Penney quite a scare! With the help of Tylenol, we’ve been able to keep it down to 100 °F. Needless to say, little Miss Mary Reese spent most of the day resting in her crib. Sadie took full advantage of her absence and once again took over her playmat…

The Carly Cooking Show continued at the Harvey household tonight. Tonight’s meal: braised beef short ribs, brown rice, and buttermilk cornbread. The meal was delicious! The beef was tender, the cornbread sweet, and the leftover gravy from the ribs went perfect with the rice. I hate to admit it, but I’m actually enjoying my time in the kitchen!

Braised Beef Short Ribs (not a quick and easy meal, but worth the effort and time):

12 beef short ribs, bone-in
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup grapeseed oil or olive oil
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 750-ml bottle good dry red wine (we used a zinfandel)
6 cups beef stock

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Season ribs. Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed ovenproof pan over high heat. Add ribs and brown on all sides (about 1 minute per side). Work in batches if you need to so that the ribs don’t get crowded (this will help with browning).

2 Transfer ribs to a plate. Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pan and sauté, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Pour off excess fat, then add the wine, deglazing the pan, scraping off any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine by three-quarters until thick and slightly syrupy, about 15 minutes.

3 Return the ribs to the pan, add the beef stock and enough water to cover the ribs. Bring to a boil, cover with foil, and place in the oven. Cook in the oven 2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is fork-tender. Allow the ribs to cool in the liquid, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

4 The next day, remove the excess fat that has solidified at the top from the overnight chilling. Place the pan with the ribs and cooking liquid over medium heat, uncovered. Cook until the liquid has reduced by three-quarters, about 1 hour. Continue to cook, spooning the sauce over the ribs, until the sauce is thick and ribs are glazed. Take care not to burn the glaze; move the ribs around in the pan to keep them from burning.

This cornbread is love in an 8×8 pan; quick, easy, and delicious!!!

Buttermilk Cornbread:

1/4 pound butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8 inch square pan.
2 Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
3 Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

MR didn’t hesitate to pick up the phone to check on Hendley

MR going strong at 9 p.m (hence my late blog posting)

Monday at the Harvey house was full of excitement! For the first time, MR said mama! She has been saying what sounded like mama for a few weeks now, but during our trip to the grocery store it became official. We were on the produce isle when it happened. She said it as clear as a bell, mmmmmmaaaa-ma. At first I couldn’t believe my ears; I turned to the lady beside me and asked her if she heard what I did. Unfortunately, she did not, so MR and I went about our way talking and shopping. Well lo and behold, about three isles later, she repeated the word. I couldn’t have been more proud! When G got home later that afternoon she said it again–and again–and again!

In addition to adding hey, dada and mama to her vocabulary, MR has also started giving kisses! However, most of these sweet kisses are reserved for Sadie. Those two have become quiet the team over the last few weeks. MR squeals with delight when Sadie comes near. For the most part, Sadie enjoys the extra attention.

Last night was also special because I cooked for Garrett. After living off cereal, fast food, and frozen pizzas, I was ready to put on my apron and prepare a new recipe that I found. The chicken marsala turned out excellent; it was very rich, but definitely worthy of a second dish. The baked asparagus, on the other hand, almost cost us our house. After coating the asparagus with salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice, I put them on a cookie sheet and placed them in a 400 degree oven. Big mistake! When I opened the oven about 10 minutes later, smoke filled our house. Not just a little smoke, a lot of smoke; enough to make us grab MR and head outside for the remainder of the evening. Apparently the juices from the asparagus ran off of the cookie sheet and burned when they hit the bottom of the stove. Fortunately, everything turned out and we got to enjoy our meal on our outside patio. Because of the oven incident, we had to put off our creme brulee dessert and resort to sugar-free popsicles. Hoping to try out the recipe in the next few days. I’m dying to use my handheld torch!

Chicken Marsala with Pancetta and Cream (3-4 Servings):

Olive oil
2 oz pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 medium onion, diced (or you can use chopped shallots)
Flour for dredging (about 1/2 cup)
1 lb of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut or pounded into thin cutlets
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup dry Marsala wine
6 Tbsp heavy cream
Minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Coat a large skillet lightly with olive oil and set it over medium high heat. Add the pancetta and cook until just crip and lightly browned. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan, and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and cook until translucent and slightly browned, 5-10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat in the pan, and set aside.

2 Put the flour on a plate. Pat the cutlets dry. Season them on both sides lightly with salt and amply with pepper. Heat the skillet with the pancetta fat over medium high. Add more olive oil, if needed, to get about 2 Tbsp of fat in the pan.

3 When the fat is hot, dredge a cutlet through the flour on both sides. Shake off the excess flour and immediately put the cutlet in the pan. Do the same with as many cutlets as will fit in the pan without touching. Sauté the cutlets, turning once, until browned on both sides. If thin, they should cook through in just a few minutes total. Transfer the cooked cutlets to a plate and continue sauteíng the rest, adding more oil if necessary. Transfer these to the plate as well.

4 Pour off the excess fat. With the pan over med-high heat, add the Marsala and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the Marsala is reduced by about a quarter. Stir in the cream and boil until you get a nicely thickened sauce. Return the chicken, onions, and pancetta to the pan and turn the cutlets over to coat. Let them reheat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Serve with the sauce and a sprinkling of parsley.

NOTES: Next time I will add mushrooms to the recipe and double the sauce (extra olive oil and heavy cream). Serve extra sauce over pasta. I also used one (instead of 1/2) onion and omitted flat-leaf parsley.

Bill and Hendley came over before supper; Hendley insisted on sharing her sippy with MR. She is such a sweet little girl and I know she’s going to be a great big sister!

Escaping the fumes; wagon ride after supper .