We FINALLY closed escrow on our new home!!!!

Just two whole months after originally scheduled, but who’s counting?

I just wanted to check in with you guys and let you know I haven’t forgotten about you.  We are just up to our ears in boxes and, with a little Savannah who has recently learned to crawl, we definitely have our hands full at the moment.  Yikes.

So far, I’ve unpacked the kitchen…mostly.

As for the rest of the house….um….ugh….not so much.

We are extremely excited to finally be in our own home and look forward to lots of wonderful memories in the years to come.

As soon as we conquer the inundation of boxes from the move, I’ll be sure to post a tasty new recipe and share more photos of the house.

Take care!

Whew.  You all blow me away.

I can’t begin to explain just how much your comments, emails and messages meant to me over the past week.  I feel so supported by you and I really, really appreciate it.

*Oh, in case you have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about, you can check out my last post on my new career goal.

Among the amazing support and offers of encouragement many of you shared, there was also a concern as to whether I’ll keep posting recipes on the blog.  So, to you, I have three simple words: Easy Chicken Marsala.

Heehee.

To give you an idea of just how easy this meal is to make, consider this:  We are almost completely packed up and ready to move.  Boxes are stacked to the ceiling in our office.  We have been using disposable plates, cups and silverware for longer than I’d like to think about.  I had exactly two pans, less than three spice jars, a random Ziploc bag with a cup of all-purpose flour, kosher salt, pepper and a handful of cooking spatulas in my kitchen.

And I was still able to easily make this for dinner the other night.

(And, yes, I am going a little crazy waiting for our new home to close.)

Chicken Marsala is wonderfully simple and tasty.  It gets a subtle sweetness from the Marsala wine, but it’s still quite savory and delicious.  I like to serve it over bow-tie or egg noodles, but that’s just me.

Easy Chicken Marsala

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. herbes de Provence (can substitute dried oregano)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
20 small cremini mushrooms, stems removed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Directions

Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and pound evenly until approximately 1/4-inch thick. Once flattened, season both sides generously with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Cut into large chunks if preferred.

In a large bowl or large Ziploc bag, combine flour, salt, pepper and herbes de Provence.

Heat the oil on medium-high in a large skillet. Dredge the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Fry the chicken for approximately 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once and repeating with other side. Remove the chicken and set aside.

Add the chopped onion to the drippings in the pan and saute until sweating, about 2-3 minutes. Next, add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour the Marsala wine in the pan and boil down for 2-3 minutes to reduce. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce again. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan, cooking 1-2 more minutes while the butter melts and the chicken heats through. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.

Serve over egg or bow-tie noodles, if desired.

So…I’m at a crossroads in my life and I’d like to share it with you.

First off, I have decided to go back to school.  For nursing.

No, not for culinary school.  Not for Psychology. Not for photography.

Not even close, really.  Nursing.

Dustin and I have been talking a lot lately about our family, our future, our goals, our motivations, our dreams, our plans and so on.

I’ve realized something: I’m just not a business woman.  It was very hard for me to admit this, but it’s true.  I learned so much in the process of creating Sweet Pea Chef, but, if I’m being honest, I don’t want to run my own business.  Though I didn’t know this about myself when I started, I know now I don’t want to be an entrepreneur — at least, not in this way.  I don’t want to make all the decisions, do all the advertising, pay all the bills.  I just don’t wanna!

What I do want is to cook.  And to eat.  And to enjoy my two amazing little girls and my wonderful husband.  And to start to be my own person again.

It’s time for me to re-discover Lacey.  For most of my life, I was Lacey Stevens.  Then, I was Lacey Stevens-Baier.  Then, I was Sweet Pea Chef.

Now, I am Lacey Baier.  I like Lacey Baier.  She has confidence.  She’s a pretty cool mama.  She wears make-up and dresses like she’s worth something.  She has a food blog where she shares her foodie and photography hobbies.  She cares what people think about her.  She accepts it’s okay to care and to be sexy. She knows what she wants and she embraces it.

She’s gonna be a nurse.

Frankly, I haven’t known how to treat my blog now that I have made these major changes in my life.  I’m still not quite sure, either.  What I do know is that I need this blog.  I need this creative outlet, this journey to “enjoy,” this connection with you.  This blog has played an amazing and powerful role in my life.  It is, in a large part, what has helped me be…me!

For that, I sincerely thank you and I hope you stay with me on this new journey.