My Maman's Bean Pot~And Easter Snippets~

The lid is sadly missing~:( But this was my mom's bean pot..I've had it for over 37 years..I love it..It makes the best beans:)
We serve QC baked beans w/ our Easter Ham..My daughter was gracious ..and hosted Easter this year..her ham..her dad's recipe..was delicious..she made a new recipe of make ahead mashed potatoes and they were sublime..I brought dessert..hen pie.. and the beans..MY other daughter brought her home made bread and a wonderful spinach and strawberry salad~

I am always happy to make this recipe..as it is from my mom's original Jehane Benoit Cookbook..

Old Fashioned baked Beans~


It's very easy to make..this is my easy abridged version:)

The night before..you soak 4 cups of white beans..I use Thompson's.. let them soak for 12 hrs..in 12 cups of water..
In the morning..simmer them in their soaking liquid until the skin seems to loosen..ap 1 hr..

Have some pieces of bean pork ready and rub the pot with them..
Place the beans and the soaking liquid in your bean pot.. I reserve a bit of the liquid to make the brown sugar mixture..you will see further on..

Place a red onion that you have covered in ap 1 tsp of dry mustard..in the middle of the beans..nestled:)

Mix 2 cups of brown sugar..1 tsp of salt.. 1/2 -1/3 cup of molasses..and some savory..to taste.. mix it in the bean pot gently..
Add several slices of bean pork .. on top..I usually add a few tiny pieces..Make sure the liquid covers the beans..I never have to add liquid during the cooking time and never have to mash a cup of beans to thicken..
Bake for ap.. 6 hrs at 300 F..but check them..And mix every hour..

They were perfect for us..and thicken up overnight too..I then placed them in a crockpot for practicality and brought them over..Ours were thick enough..sweet enough delicious enough.
I amalgamated perhaps 2 of her recipes to get this..

They are so good:)

But of course they are what my memories are made of~

The dessert was Hen Pie..But this time it was Chick Pie..I didn't find a big hen:( But found little ones..


The base is an Oreo cookie crumb crust..the top a rich mousse.. then chocolate dusting ..and chocolate curls..or shavings..then the chicks:)and the added Eggs..etc..

I placed my dish in a nest of straw and glitter ..in a wicker basket..




The recipe is from Ricardo..You can find it here..

The kidlets were so cute.. from age 5 down to 19 months..

My daughter's table was so pretty with her Egg tree and Noah was quite smitten:)


I loved that he was smitten with the pie too:)He is 2..,full of charm.. and full of beans:)

Soul Food #87~

~Let the little children come to me~

Eddie's Almond Roll Again~

Just because..we enjoy it so much ..in case you missed it the first time around..and the first time..I didn't have the sweet butterflies I saw at la Casserole Carrée..that beautiful food blog I have raved about..She didn't use them on this dessert but I thought they would work~You toast the almonds and make a little melted chocolate body on wax paper stick the wings in and there you have them..I scattered some on the cake pedestal..I don't know if that is how Mme.Carrée made hers..It's my take.


It's like a cookie cake:)
It could even work for Easter..

You can find the recipe and past photos here~





But it's lovelier as a tea time treat I think..This is a keeper recipe:)
I would like to wish you joy in your heart for Easter~and Passover~♥

Soul Food #86

Thou shalt not covet~

I have been IN LOVE with those beautiful Pottery Barn cushions ...the Nest ones..

I don't have Pottery Barn here.. so I bought little JPEGS on ETSY of a few favorite designs..and had fun stitching a small NEST pillow for the sunroom~


A little silver heart to dangle..

I used Avery Iron On TShirt Transfer Sheets in Light..
I know the pillow doesn't come close to the onlong beauty at PB.. but the words..are the same~

Have you noticed how in the day..a shamrock plant is open to the world..and as the sun fades..it sleeps too? Leaving it's tomorrow buds still searching for the light?And a new day to start afresh?


My friend gave us that plant for St-Patrick's..It's still going strong~

It's a pretty little thing~The Paris Graphic is of course from The Graphics Fairy~ With Thanks~

NEST..I love that word..it means so much really.

O~

Om~ Oh~
O Magazine~


I just started a subscription to this magazine..I pass it along..I like it..In fact last month I snipped a recipe..It was too pretty to pass up and we eat a heck of a lot of salmon..

I am glad I anticipated making this..and had bought the Garlic Chives at my Asian market..

Because..I really didn't feel like cooking.. but this was incentive ..I made my rice..



added some preserved lemon..it was basmati rice..my microwave method..9 minutes foolproof:)IN a corning ware covered dish ..with a scott towel in between.. some butter and broth..1 cup rice ..2 cups delicious broth.. sautéed shallots.. frozen peas.. and the lemon.. Mix everything..cover w/ Scott towel..the lid.. and zap..9 mins high fluff w/ fork.

It went nicely with this dish~



It's as easy as 1-2-3 and pretty pretty..

Prettier if you had the salmon they recommended..I only had filets..theirs was chunky and thin rectangles.. beautiful..

Mine was not but this will give you the idea..It's a keeper recipe and it was a great practice run..I would usually not post a full meal that was this unpretty but you just have to have this recipe:) Healthy.. wrapped in rice paper and envelopes a mini garden! What's not to love?



Their photo is herelook how gorgeous..

It's easy and fun to make..

La Recette~


Serves 6

Ingredients
Note: Garlic chives are available year-round at Asian supermarkets and at regular supermarkets in the spring. They have a mild, garlic-like taste. If you can't find them, use regular chives instead.

6 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless salmon fillets, preferably wild king salmon
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 tsp. sugar, divided
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 egg yolks
6 round (8-inch) rice paper wrappers (also called spring roll skins)
1 bunch garlic chives (or chives), cut into 4-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. canola oil
Directions
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Season salmon all over with 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. sugar, and pepper; cover loosely with foil or plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. sugar. Add salmon fillets to bowl and toss gently to coat; set aside (don't cover this time).

Fill a wide, shallow dish with cold water. Working with 1 at a time, dip a rice paper wrapper into water, submerging it until just flexible, about 5 seconds. (Wrapper will become softened and more fragile a few seconds after being taken out of the water, so don't soak too long.) Carefully transfer wrapper to a clean, lint-free kitchen towel. Pile some of the chives (about 4 or 5) in the center, and then arrange a piece of salmon on top, skin side up. Roll salmon snugly in wrapper, envelope-style, pressing out any air as you go. Transfer to a large plate and repeat process with remaining wrappers, chives, and salmon.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange 3 of the wrapped fillets in skillet, chives side down, and fry, flipping once, until crust is golden brown and salmon is just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer briefly to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat process with remaining wrapped fillets; serve immediately.

PS..I squeezed lemon on our fish..and would not hesitate to cook w/ a soupçon of sesame oil..because we love that flavor.


It is lovely~

Soul Food #85~

Details create the big picture.
Sanford I. Weill

It was Canadian Cancer Daffodil time in our area.. let's see ...a big bunch of Costco tulips for $10..00 or little bunches of 3 daffodils for $5.00 for cancer research?
A no brainer..
Or both:) Or More..or less..

Texture courtesy of :Free As a Ladybird~ Thank you~

Blackbird Cookies:)

All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Just kidding really but I think I will call them that.
I had a Craving for a moist chewy chocolate chip cookie and found a recipe here..

I made a small change..I added not only semi sweet chocolate chips..but milk chocolate (my favorite) chips and peanut butter chips..
So that's why I named them differently~
They are big fat and moist.. 1/4 cup of batter in each cookie..
Mais une fois de temps en temps:)



I chilled my batter for 1/2 hr..as suggested in one of the reviews~and baked for 20 minutes..but keep an eye open;)

La Recette~

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 285 | Total Fat: 13.9g | Cholesterol: 43mg

I had 1 1/2.. not good for you calorie and fat wise..but it had been so long!~
Enjoy..these are good.

Soul Food #84~

With a little help from Freezer Paper.. and graphics..from a site that no longer exists:( And The GRaphics Fairy..link below...~ I made a few little gift bags for Easter~ You can add flowers by inserting a vessel for water and blooms..or candy..whatever you wish..They are not well made.. like double hemmed etc..they are frayed and shabby a bit~ Like me:)
You can add glitter ..and ribbon..and those tiny organza flowers I love..
Many of the tutorials are on my blog~ Have fun.

Hope this gives you ideas for Easter crafts~



The above..were done with graphics from the wonderful Graphics Fairy~
Enjoy~I really enjoy her search page..she has made it so easy for all~