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Don't you just love coming home again after a vacation? It is so fun to go, but even more fun for us to come home. Every thing always looks new again to me for some reason, that is after all the bags, boxes and bins are unloaded.

The food that we took worked out well. It is so much easier with little ones to have meals in instead of making them sit through long dinners out. The preshopping and cooking really helped all of us to be able to make the most of our time with minimal effort expended to feed everyone.

Baked Spaghetti from the recipe that Phyllis Hoffman has in her book Gracious Tables was the favorite so I thought I would share it here for you.

Baked Spaghetti
Yield: 8 servings

1 pound ground chuck
1 pound ground Italian sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces uncooked linguine pasta
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup chopped green onion
2 cups shredded Colby-Jack cheese blend

1. In a Dutch oven, brown ground chuck, sausage, garlic, bell pepper, and onion over medium-high heat, until meat crumbles and vegetables are tender; drain.
2. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, basil and sugar. Reduce heat and simmer, 30 minutes.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions, draining well.
4. Preheat oven to 350.
5. Place pasta in individual baking dishes or a 13X9X2-inch baking dish.
6. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, cream cheese, and green onion. Spread evenly over hot pasta. Top with meat sauce.
7. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until heated. Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

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Baked spaghetti is a meal in itself, needing little in the way of sides. Garlic or cheese bread sticks plus an easy-does-it tossed green salad are plenty.

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To feed our group of 13 I doubled the recipe and we had some left over for lunch the next day. The boys really enjoyed this hearty dish. Sorry I don't have a picture to show you ;(

The picture above is a kind of weird colored picture take in our dining room looking through to the living room. It is really much lighter and brighter in real life.

Hugs,
Sue

Cooking & Packing

With this as inspiration,
and this scribbled menu as a guide,
I am praying for this list of tasks to be finished before we head up north to celebrate the 4th of July.

Hope you are all enjoying this glorious day.

Hugs,

Sue

Phyllis Hoffman's Fried Chicken Recipe

Sweet Penny from Lavender Hill Studio, who makes the most beautiful Mosaic pieces, said that she would love to have Mrs. Hoffman's Fried chicken recipe, so here you go Penny:

FRIED CHICKEN
yield: 4-6 servings

2 quarts chicken broth
1 cup white Worcestershire sauce
1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) chicken cut into 8 or 9 pieces or 3 pounds chicken pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground white pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup or more canola oil or other vegetable oil (for frying)

1. In a large bowl, combine broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add chicken and marinate for 1 hour, covered, in refrigerator. Drain chicken and -pat dry with paper towels.
2. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, combine flour, salt, and pepper.
3. In a medium bowl, place buttermilk.
4. Dredge each chicken piece in flour mixture, dip in buttermilk, and dredge in flour mixture again. Set aside.
5. In a large heavy skillet (preferably cast iron), pour 1/2 inch oil and heat to 325 over medium-high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, beginning with dark meat pieces. keeping oil temperature between 325 and 350, fry chicken on each side for 5 to 6 minutes covered, and then 5 to 6 minutes uncovered, turning twice. Total cooking time should be 20 to 24 minutes. (Chicken is done when a thermometer inserted in thickest part registers 165). Drain chicken on a wire rack.

Tip: If you have the time, marinate chicken pieces overnight in buttermilk rather than chicken broth and Worcestershire. Buttermilk, which has acidic properties, tenderizes the chicken and improves the flavor.

To make this chicken I did the soak overnight in buttermilk option that Mrs. Hoffman recommended in her Tip and I recommend it to. The soaking overnight in the buttermilk is what I think made this chicken so delicious.

The picture above is page 161 from the book ~ Southern Lady ~ Gracious Tables by Phyllis Hoffman and is available on Amazon.

Tina at Cherry Hill Cottage, who has an adorable cottage herself, is featuring photos of her sister's Texas home that are amazing. If you like looking at cottage style homes you might enjoying seeing Kathy's beautiful home.

~ Phyllis Hoffman Fan ~

This is my current favorite book. Have you seen it yet? Not only does it contain gorgeous pictures of table settings, it has delicious recipes in it too. A couple of weeks ago I made the fried chicken that was soaked overnight in buttermilk. John is not a fan of chicken but he even loved it.
Phyllis Hoffman is the lady that brought back Victoria magazine last year. She also has introduced several new magazines that have become my favorites too. The picture above shows her holding a copy of Paula Deen's magazine that is such a treat to read. My other favorite is Southern Lady.

Most of you are probably familiar with Mrs. Hoffman's work but if you haven't read any of her magazines or books you might want to pick up a copy at the store. I'm a big fan of hers these days. Any other fans out there?

The top photo above is from Amazon the second one is from the National Alumni Society.