As I am writing this (and it will post much later), Ann B Davis, Alice from The Brady Bunch television series has passed away. It got me thinking of other TV maids and butlers. Here are my top 12
12) Tony from Who’s the Boss – I was never a huge fan of this show but anyone could spot that Alyssa Milano would grow up to be a big star.
11) Mr. Belvedere from Mr. Belvedere – This is another one that missed me but I know he is beloved by quite a few.
10) Mrs. Garrett from Different Strokes – Mrs. Garret was the substitute Mom of the household. She was there when needed but gone when not. A voice of caring and reason to the household. She is also one of the couple of these characters to move on to another show playing the same role (Facts of Life).
9) Rosie from The Jetsons – One of the first wisecracking maids, Rosie was a robot that held her own against a clueless George.
8) Rosario from Will & Grace – Having to be a housekeeper for Karen, Rosario took more abuse than anyone on the list. She learned to first live with it, then give it and ultimately seemed to crave it.
7) Alfred from Batman – As another site put it, it is hard not to love a butler that never questioned the bullet holes in your clothes.
6) Benson from Benson – Stated on Soap, Robert Guillaume played a perfect balance between respect, responsibility and sarcasm.
5) Geoffrey from Fresh Prince of Bell Air – Geoffrey went deep into the sarcasm and was often the deliver mechanism for a one-liner as he walked through the scene.
4) Mr. French from Family Affair – Mr. French was the epitome of class and provided the moral compass to the family (not that there was ever much straying from the well-behaved line.
3) Florence from The Jeffersons – Along the line of wise-cracking maids, Florence occasionally would show her vulnerable side. Ever the friend to Louise and ever the foil to George.
2) Berta from Two and a Half Men – A drug using, foul-mouthed, con-artist biker chick, Berta was queen of the household because everyone knew taking care of the
1) Alice from The Brady Bunch – Nobody beats Alice. Nobody.
Pork Chops With Apples and Garlic Smashed Potatoes
One episode of The Brady Bunch had characters say “Pork chops and apple sauce” like Humphrey bogart. Not quite applesauce, but there are apples!
I couldn’t get the fingerling potatoes but did find small ones.
Boiling the potatoes
Frying the chops.
Getting the mix going.
Using the Cast Lite pan to get a nice sear.
Mashing the taters!
A great combination!
Pork Chops With Apples and Garlic Smashed Potatoes
prep 10 M ∙ cook 30 M ∙ makes 4 servings ∙ difficulty Easy ∙ source Foodnetwork.com
INGREDIENTS
- 1 pound small fingerling potatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- Kosher salt
- 4 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops (5 ounces each)
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
- 2 Granny Smith apples, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3/4 cup apple cider
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
DIRECTIONS
Put the potatoes and garlic in a saucepan, cover with cold water and season with salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then uncover and continue cooking until tender, about 15 minutes. Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, rub both sides of the pork chops with the sage, and salt and pepper to taste. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat, then add 1 teaspoon olive oil and sear the chops until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet and add the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Add the onion and apples and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cider.
Return the chops to the skillet. Cover and cook, turning once, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Return the potatoes to the pan; add the buttermilk and mash, adding cooking liquid as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the pork chops, onion and apples. Drizzle with the pan juices.
Per serving: Calories 413; Fat 16 g (Saturated 5 g); Cholesterol 76 mg; Sodium 98 mg; Carbohydrate 40 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 26 g
Rantings of an Amateur Chef 
I have six kid, can I have my own Alice????
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Sorry Lori. Have to have 3 and 3 to get Alice. 4 and 2 just doesn’t work.
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I have a smaller stomach now; but I still love to eat delicious , nutritious food. I don’t have a maid, nor a dishwasher so I best go wash dishes. I’ll reblog this, so I can write it down later.
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Reblogged this on Catholic Glasses.
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Reblogged this on News With a Catholic View.
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Kryten from Red Dwarf….! 🙂
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I hadn’t heard about her passing. She was a good actress and a great maid. Like so many you mentioned. And the pork chops look so good. Pinning it to Pinterest so I can get it later. 🙂
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