Simple, but succulent
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The Furr family (from left) Hartwell, Wilson, Denise and Prentiss.
When Bill and Denise Furr and their three children sit down for dinner, they're likely to eat simple foods prepared with olive oil and herbs.
One of the Northeast Jackson family's favorite meals is rosemary chicken, whole wheat pasta served with butter and grated Parmesan cheese and steamed green beans.
"I don't do anything fancy," said Denise, a Realtor with Donald Cooper Realty who looks for easy-to-prepare, kid-friendly recipes that everyone in her family will eat.
She cooks supper three or four nights a week, working around the extracurricular activities of son, Wilson, 10, and daughter, Hartwell, 7.
In the fall, Wilson, a fourth-grader at Jackson Academy, plays football on Monday nights and takes to the golf course on Wednesdays. Throughout the year, he plays every sport available for his age group except soccer.
Hartwell, a second-grader at Jackson Academy, plays soccer on Tuesdays and also studies gymnastics.
"Plenty of nights we eat something from Chick-fil-A or Piccadilly," Denise Furr said.
On the days with the least demands after school, Furr may put a casserole dish with chicken in the oven to bake while 20-month-old Prentiss naps.
Steak and potatoes, pork chops, roast beef with potatoes and carrots are also family favorites. Soups and chili are popular, too.
Once a year, Denise Furr and her mother, Lulu Maness, cook Italian-style spaghetti sauce and freeze it.
"We have a huge lobster pot to make it in," she said.
Denise often substitutes ground turkey for ground beef when making chili and she selects whole wheat pasta.
"The children don't even notice that," she said.
Bill Furr, a regional sales manager for a medical equipment company, sometimes grills chicken or steaks on weekends.
"We love it when he grills," she said.
Denise Furr belongs to two cookbook clubs. Each member prepares a recipe from the cookbook featured at the monthly meeting and members sample.
"It's a great way to find new recipes," she said.
The family makes an effort to live a healthy lifestyle that's in sync with Just Have a Ball, a non-profit organization that Wilson and Hartwell started in January one day during winter break when they were thinking of something to do.
Just Have a Ball collects and gives away balls. Wilson and Hartwell team up with Luis Bruno, chef at the governor's mansion, and they often speak during the school assemblies in which balls are distributed.
The idea that inspired the organization is simple: A new ball is what kids need to get off the couch and burn some calories and have some fun.
"We don't give away tennis balls because you would need a racket or baseballs because you would need a bat," said Wilson.
Just Have a Ball has collected more than 5,100 balls and $20,000, Furr said. The NFL has donated footballs and so have many Mississippi businesses. Mid-South Produce delivers for free balls to be given away.
The President's Challenge, a program to encourage physical activity, has endorsed the organization. The U.S. Handball Association has taken note, too.
Want more info about Just Have a Ball? Call Denise Furr at (601) 503-4000.
Rosemary Chicken
Place four to six chicken breasts in a casserole dish. Pour a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil over chicken. Top with fresh rosemary. Bake at 350 degrees until fork tender. The rosemary will produce a great aroma that will make your entire house smell good.
Kid-friendly Whole Wheat Pasta
Cook pasta according to the instructions on the package. Drain. Drizzle with olive oil, add butter if you like and serve with a generous amount of fresh grated Parmesan cheese. Resist the temptation to use Parmesan cheese from a box; fresh grated Parmesan cheese makes this dish.
A Cool Dessert
Instead of buying your favorite flavor of ice cream, opt for peach sorbet, strawberry sorbet or raspberry sorbet. Serve a scoop of sorbet in an ice cream cone and there's no dish to wash.
