Floral confusion

I do not have a green thumb. None of the flowers I've featured here have been personally grown by me. This fact is not particularly remarkable unless you know that I come from a family of landscapers and horticulturalists. Many, many people in my family make their livings by keeping plants alive.  I am clearly not one of them.

My thumb isn't quite brown - maybe closer to yellow.  Chartreuse? The color of wilting African violet leaves (not that I have one of those on my window sill or anything . . .).  However, there is one plant that I can't seem to kill off. It started as a tiny little rose poinsettia I bought at Home Depot a good three (maybe four?) years ago. Now it is a serious houseplant. I have no idea how that happened. I've managed to keep the poor thing alive, but living in my house has left it in quite a confused state. Over the years, it has gone from turning red right around Christmas to turning red anytime it damn well pleases. With such a chilly spring, the pop of color has been quite welcome, even if it is a distant reminder of the winter holidays.

Two birds with one stone

Me: "I feel like we are constantly grocery shopping and constantly doing laundry, and yet there is never anything to eat or anything to wear."

Chris: "We should just start buying edible underwear."

Pork Chops with Country Gravy

I found this recipe in an issue of Cooking Light that I took from the jury room of my county courthouse. In case you were wondering - I was excused. Which is probably a good thing since people that steal stuff from courthouses don't usually have the best moral compass. But I'm so glad I showed up to perform my civic duty that day. I got a whopping $8 and one of my favorite weeknight meals. This was the recipe that helped me get over my gravy fear, fortunately for everyone but my thighs (who can just shut up about it, already).

Pork Chops with Country Gravy
Adapted from Cooking Light
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. dried marjoram
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. dried sage
• 4 boneless loin pork chops
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tbs butter
• 2 cups milk

Directions:

1. Combine flour and spices. Season pork with salt and pepper and then dredge through flour mixture. Set aside remaining flour for gravy.
2. Melt butter in skillet over medium high heat. When hot, add pork chops. Brown well on each side, then lower heat and continue cooking until cooked through. When done, remove to plate. Keep skillet on medium heat.
3. Combine leftover flour mixture with milk in a bowl. Search frantically around your kitchen for a whisk. Expand search to living room and find whisk in toy box. Wash very, very thoroughly.  Actually, you can probably skip that part if you don't have a toddler obsessed with kitchen utensils. 
4. Use newly sterilized whisk to stir milk/flour slurry in to hot pan. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly.  Season with salt and pepper (lots of fresh cracked pepper). Cook for about two minutes, until very thick. Pour over pork chops and mashed potatoes.

These are, in fact, cherry blossoms

Except for when they're tulips. Or a lady walking seven (7!!) dogs. On Saturday, I missed a chance to shoot the cherry blossoms with some photography friends because of the wacky weather we had. Of course, today was absolutely gorgeous so I headed out for a lunchtime walk.

I would have loved to have those girls with me though - I got some nice photos, but I think a lot came out rather cliche and touristy. I could have used some tips or inspiration. However the weather was amazing and, while slightly crowded, there were probably far fewer people jamming the sidewalks then there would have been over the weekend.

(Look! Even the port-o-potties are pretty!)

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

This was a fairly simple recipe as far as America's Test Kitchen/Cook's Country recipes go, and yet I still thought it was overly complicated. The sauce did turn out surprisingly well and I might follow the basic idea for that the next time I make chicken parm, but for the chicken itself I'll stick with my tried and true method, Progresso bread crumbs and all. I think the biggest thing I learned from this dish is that smoked mozzarella is amazing stuff and should be used at every available opportunity. I subbed that and fontina for the mozzarella and provolone in the original recipe.

Skillet Chicken Parmesan
Adapted from Cook's Country
Serves 4-6

*Note: this requires a very large skillet with tightly fitting lid.

Ingredients:

For the bread crumbs:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 1 tbs olive oil 
• 1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh basil

For the sauce:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh basil

For the chicken:

• 3 tbs vegetable oil
• 4 chicken breast halves (about 1.5 lbs), each sliced in half horizontally
• 1/2 cup flour
• Salt and pepper

To finish:

• 3/4 cup grated smoked mozzarella
• 3/4 cup grated fontina cheese
• 3/4 cup fresh grated parmesan

Directions:

1. Toast the bread crumbs in a skillet over medium high heat, stirring constantly. About five minutes. When golden brown, toss with oil, cheese and basil. Set aside.
2. Combine sauce ingredients in bowl and set aside. 
3. Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat in large skillet. Salt and pepper chicken and dredge in flour. Brown four pieces at a time (so as not to crowd skillet) about 2-3 minutes each side. Remove to plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium and add tomato sauce, scraping bottom of the skillet. Add chicken back in, including any juices that may have accumulated, nestling in to sauce. Top each piece with handful of mozzarella/fontina/parm.
5. Cover skillet and cook about five minutes more until cheese fully melts. Plate each piece of chicken with hefty dose of sauce and top with handful of breadcrumbs. Serve with pasta.

Portrait of paternal patience

Lately, the Peanut has been a beast when he wakes up from his naps. No matter how short or how long, getting him out of his crib has been like wrestling an angry bear who's just woken up from hibernation. Except the bear would probably take the snacks and milk proffered to him and not throw them across the room. Today, Chris tried taming the savage beast with a series of techniques, including rocking in the rocking chair, a visit outside and finally cuddles on the couch. I'm hoping this is a phase, because I'm starting to wonder if two hours of peace (for me) and rest (for Peanut) is worth the resulting twenty minutes of torment (for the entire house).

How dare you. (Although I guess we should probably get used to this look, since it will be inevitable in the teen years.)

Settling down.

Now someone else needs a nap.

Friday bliss: Hill Country Barbecue

Today a few coworkers and I braved the ridiculous lines to try then new Hill Country Barbecue in Penn Quarter. The food was amazing, but everything else about the experience was crowded, uncoordinated and slow.

Not a whole lot made it home to be photographed - but this is cornbread with a really interesting ancho honey butter. Not pictured: out of this world mac and cheese, a rib the size of my forearm and the best smoked chicken I've probably ever had (no offense, Dad). I just hope they get the rest of their act together so that we can better enjoy our meal next time. Now I've got a hankering for some brisket.