Have You Tried These?

Oh you must~:)



Oh they are absolutely delicious little tender delicacies..I am enamored with them..



It's no secret I like Amarettis..I made some..
And there is a delicious carrot cake made with the ones I am used to..
But these are Fairy Fairy Fairy good..


And the tin could not be any prettier~
My friend Jain sent these to me and they are my new addiction..
The fairies have something to do with it as you know my love of Fairies..but in essence..the cookie is also the star..


Thank you Jain..they are sinfully delicious..Amorettis.
That's Amore~♥

If ANYONE reading has the recipe for soft amorettis..w/ hints of candied peel..so that they taste just like these..please let me know:)
The fairieswould be very pleased.

Soul Food #64~

Pray Until Something Happens~
I found this on the net.. I loved it..

Hope you do too~

The roses were a beautiful impromptu gift~and angels were mentioned~
Necessarily..the quote had to be heavenly~:)
In this huge blogosphere of ours.. we get to "know" very special people..people that inspire in many ways..
People that encourage.. teach.. lead the way by stunning examples of being good..and kind..and loving..

... by the grace they have through life's experiences..By their solid unwavering faith..
I am linking to Kathy at Sweet Up North Mornings..

And here
With compassion.
x.

Gifts From The Sea~

I was inspired to make little beach cookies while listening to some of my favorite French Sea songs..



They were fun to make.. Little cookie cutters are such handy tools..


I think I've mentioned my favorite poet when I was in College was Rod McKuen~
I still have some of his books..
This was always a favorite apart from many many more..

Gifts from the Sea


You see how easily we fit together,
as if God’s own hand had cradled only us
and this beach town’s population were but two
and this wide bed but a child’s cradle
with room enough left over for presents.
Tomorrow I’ll buy you presents.
Pomegranates and breadsticks,
tickets round the room and back
and red, red roses like everybody buys everybody.
Everybody’s got a diamond ring
And Sunday shoes.
Neckties and petticoats,
pistols and tennis balls.
What pleases you?
I’d hock my watch to buy you Greece
or sell my car to bring you rickshaws from Rangoon.
All they had down at the corner
were poppies with some lemon leaves.
They’ll have to do
till I can bring home Union Square.
I found a twenty-dollar bill when I was ten.
I bought a cardboard circus and a fountain pen
and a jackknife because I never had one before.
My mother thought I’d stolen the money.
I bought her perfume from the dime store,
She believed me then.
I was rich in those days,
for a week I had everything.
I wish I’d known you then.


I even had LPS(Don't laugh) I wish I still had them..The Sea..a whole set..In a big box..Sigh~

Tomato~Tomawto..

What do you do w/ a can of tomatoes and a small light soft appetite?



That's right.. Call it what you will.. but Tomato soup hits the spot..Wish I had some of that basil..:)

Just soften and cook onion and garlic.. add the tomatoes.. use your hand blender..add stock to give it a smoother consistency and a bit of cream..Season to taste..
Drizzle a good EVOO..sprinkle or melt cheese in it.. or..simply eat as is..I still like to soften a soda cracker in it like my mom showed me how:)


Use the empty can as a flower vase.. not bad for $0.99..a vase and a meal:)
then I got inspired by Ronelle~ I bought a new sketch pad and pen..Just because she does that to me ..go see..
She lives in France..accentuates all her recipes w/ her artwork..Creates magic in her homes..so talented!

PS..

I just want to say thank you too..to



POM Wonderful..You may remember a post I did a while back.. inspired by one of the recipes on their site.. ..It was a joy to receive these precious little bottles today~
Thank You Pom Wonderful~

My choice of wine these days:)

Soul Food #63~

Thoughtfulness paves the way for the comfort of others.
- Wes Fessler

I really really like making pasta~

Jacques had been growing a huge basil plant all summer and I wanted to honor it~



It's been the best one yet~
So I thought I would make Josée Di Stasio's recipe..


But I would incorporate Jacque's basil~
It turned out so well!

I made it early in the morning.. ..so I dried it..



In quite an unconventional manner..A new clothes drying rack.. used twice:) It worked!I may invest in a pretty rack..:) For the tabletop..



Dried..it takes more than the 30 seconds-1 min to cook..but nevertheless it was so tasty..
We adorned it with home infused pepper oil..pecorino cheese and lots of garlic..some more fresh basil scattered on top..

It is so well worth the fun of making~

It's as easy as just sitting back and watching someone make it for you~
All summer I wanted to use his basil..I am so glad this came to me~
Delicioso~
I halved the recipe.. so 1 1/2 cups of 00 flour(Milano)~ 2 eggs..and 1 tbsp oil..I love making the well and mixing and kneading~♥
It is a thing of beauty..Like stained glass almost:)

An edit here.. you don't need a roller:) You can make pasta hand made..

Bang Bang Shrimp~

While having a sleepover babysitting at one of our DD's.. already many many months ago...I glanced through her Food Network magazine and the name Bonefish Grill in an article caught my eye..It's a resto in Florida my daughter likes to go to..

The Bang Bang Shrimp tempted my curiosity..and funnily enough she told me they often order that.
We rarely rarely rarely rarely eat fried food..even more rarely now..so that's like never..

But I had to try..back then and forgot to share with you..

They are good..


We still have a hard time w/ oil.. Except for Ann's Coconut Shrimp:) but..once in a blue blue moon....

La Recette~Courtesy of the Food Network~
Almost Famous Spicy Shrimp~

Ingredients
For the Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (such as sambal oelek)
2 teaspoons honey
Kosher salt
For the Shrimp:
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
Bibb lettuce leaves, for serving
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish
Directions
Make the sauce: Mix the mayonnaise, chili sauce, honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon water in a large bowl; set aside.

Prepare the shrimp: Heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a shallow bowl. Whisk the flour, cornstarch and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in another shallow bowl.

Working in batches, dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess, dip in the beaten eggs, then return to the flour mixture, turning to form a thick crust. Fry the shrimp in the hot oil until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon.

Toss the shrimp with the prepared sauce. Arrange the lettuce in a shallow serving bowl or on individual plates. Top with the shrimp and garnish with scallions.
Do you make this? If so do you have a great recipe? Perhaps not fried?

I admit this dish was made in March..

Sometimes when we prepare a post..life happens and it gets lost in the draft(s):)

Enjoy..it is quite yummy if you decide to try it..

Nana's Special Rocketships~

Since it snowed here Friday..I better share a summer post I never did..
When my girls were little they enjoyed Jello Popsickles~..

That was over 30 years ago..and time has flown by..
I found this special mold ..and thought..since I am not shopping for new cooking things for us these days..the boys would get this treat.
Their eyes actually lit up at these..Only Noah finished his:)



1 small pack of jello
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup of sugar

Mix until dissolved..

It makes about 8 of the Rocketships~Perfect for future astronauts..girls and boys~
It is summer somewhere:) And will be again in northern states..a little recipe to save nanas..

Soul Food #62~

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. ~William Wordsworth


Keeping in touch..Correspondence.. the written word~Priceless~



Treasures..♥I keep them all.They can turn a frown right side up.In a ♥beat.

Vitamin C~Cakeform~

Some sunny days cry out for kitchen activity~


Especially if you have happened upon a recipe that made you crave a sweet w/out a photo!

I found this Googling..On Chowhound~


It's better ..than it looks ..it's moist and orangey..and cuts well and is better the next day~Easy to eat..and as good as Bonne Maman Confitures ..and fresh squeezed Orange Juice~

La Recette~

Grandmamma's Orange Cake
I just made my Grandmother's cake for the 1,276th time yesterday and thought I would share this luscious and terrifically moist recipe with CH! This is one of those recipes that the more days that go by, the moister it gets. (make at least one day before serving if you can wait)

Orange Ring Cake

1 c. sugar
1 c. butter *
3 eggs
1 c. sour cream *
1 3/4 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
grated rind of one orange
(* please have these ingredients at room temperature)

Cream butter and sugar well. Add egg yolks, sour cream, and orange rind; beat until light and fluffy. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder into the first mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry, and fold into the mixture.

Turn into a well greased and floured bundt pan; bake at 325 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven and let stand 15 minutes. Loosen carefully around edge and turn-out onto a rimmed plate. Deeply and repeatedly pierce the top of the cake with a very thin skewer (eg, like a wooden skewer used for chicken satay) and then spoon the hot orange sauce over the top of the cake slowly. (The hot orange sauce will "leak" from the cake, so make sure it is placed in a rimmed plate.)

Hot Orange Sauce

Juice of 2 oranges (a little less than 1 cup); Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 TBL); 3/4 c. of sugar; dash of salt

Combine ingredients; let sugar first dissolve over low heat, then bring to a rolling boil for 3 to 4 minutes.

(1 orange = 1/2 c. so, if you are in a pinch, 6 oz. of frozen orange concentrate could be substituted)

Permalink | Reply
By Tehama on Jun 27, 2007 06:35AM

Courtesy of Chowhound~Thank You~

Chocolate and Pear Jam~

I have had some time on my hands~ And have perused blogs..I am always astounded at how a new post ..reminds me of a recipe I saw months before and promised myself to make and didn't..

It was the case when I landed at Jasmine's Blog~Right away the sound of this jam sounded decadent..and right away I remembered her beautiful blueberry chocolate jam..

So I tried the pear one..


I had a few pears on hand.. some fine chocolate..an orange..a lemon..etc..

And decided to try it~

Predicted for the canning day was for a beautiful cold crisp.. sunny .. day..in that fallish golden way afternoon..
And I was dying to try the new labels I had printed up~
They're so victorian looking~From the beautiful Blog The Vintage Moth..
I don't know if you have been ..if not the trip along the keyboard is worth it..
Ahh..Luscious Labels for Luscious Jam~

La Recette

Confiture de poires et de chocolat~
1600 grams of pears,peeled,cored and chopped in cubes
1050 grams of sugar
Juice of 2 small oranges
Juice of 2 lemons
350 grams of dark chocolate 70% chopped.

Mix the pears and sugar and juices and bring to a boil for 1 minute,stirring occasionally.
Remove from stove.And add chocolate..MIx until melted and well combined.
Let cool room temp.
Then refrigerate 24 hrs.
The next day..rewarm and reheat on medium heat to 105 C.

Pack in sterilized jars .. leave 1/4 inch from top..and Hot water bath for 15 minutes.

Printable Version.
Thank you Jasmin for this lovely ,new to me recipe~

I made a smaller recipe..less than half because I only had 3 pears 1 orange 1 lemon..It made these 3 jars..We figured out the equivalences.Next time I will be most certain to have the number of fruits required..too delish.
C'est un délice dit mon époux Jacques..(Et c'est vrai.)

We had small croissants .. warmed them a touch and placed some of this treasure atop.♥

Soupe Du Ju~r~

When I saw Ju's Potato and celery soup..I got off my chair..and went upstairs to make it for dinner~
Perfect weather.. a very cool fall-like breeze was blowing through the curtains..
A real nip in the air..I made it and tasted it before a walk with Jacques..but I ate a whole bowl for dinner..w/ parmesan~
Quick..easy ..delish and pretty..What's not to like?
Ju Inspired too~




La Recette~


Recipe(Directly copied from her beautiful site~)
(Serves 1 hungry, growing child)or 2 adults:)
- 2 sticks celery, cut into small chunks
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 floury potato, cut into small chunks
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 to 1 cup stock
- Knob of butter
- Croutons (optional)
- About 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese (optional)
- Parsley (optional)

1. In a saucepan, heat up a knob of butter. Fry onions until they begin to sweat. Add in celery and potato and cook for 2-3 minutes.

2a. Pour in water and allow to simmer over a low-medium flame until the vegetables have cooked through and softened. The water would have been reduced considerably. Use a hand held-blender to mash everything into a smooth puree.

2b. If you do not have a hand-held blender, use a food processor (turn off the fire when you do this, obviously). Be careful, as the lids of some food processors can get blown off by the hot steam! After you get a smooth puree, return it to the saucepan, on a low flame.

3. Add stock according to how thick or thinned out you want your soup to be. I added slightly less than 1 cup.

4. Add 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese. This imparts a nice salty flavour. :) I did not need to add salt at all.

5. Top with croutons, or plain toasted bread. Sprinkle parsley before serving.

Thank Ju~♥

Soul Food #60~

Starlight Starbright..First Star I see Tonight..

Wish I may, Wish I might..Have my Wish I wish tonight~

Look at these cute Christmas ornaments you can make..The paper is vintage..found by her husband:) the star created by Miette..I made one for our tree for this year..Her little doggie is not well these days and she could use some good healing pet thoughts~Things are looking UP though!!



Go have fun visit her blog..It took me a while to figure it out..I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer these days.. but I enjoyed the quiet pleasure of making it..



She's so generous in sharing ideas..I hope you will go see..

It's a simple.. very earthy,homespun ornament in my eyes..and very French~

I also made 2 more little necklaces.this one to go w/ different things..
I still prefer the champagne beige..but this has some pearls from a broken necklace of my mom's..So I'm in love w/ it..

The tutorial is at my beige post:)



Just things to do if you have time on your hands..or like to spend time with your hands and can~Or just love being with special hands..



Enjoy~

Le Pain De Josée~

Not DiStasio this time:)

I have a few Josée DiStasio posts ready but this is from this Josée~

I love no knead breads when my machine is not w/ me.. Many kinds..Cooks Illustrated.. 5 Minute Artisan Bread..but this one is super duper easy..



Click here for a printable version.

Le Pain De Josée~
6 1/2 cups flour
3 cups tepid water
1 1/2 tbsps bread machine fast acting yeast
1 1/2 tbsps of fine table salt..
some additional flour
cornmeal

In a 16 cup mixing bowl..mix dry ingredients and then add water.. mix until combined then take your hand and circumference the bowl and dough 40 times..mixing..it will be sticky:)

Cover w/ cling and set aside ap 2 hrs at 72 degrees F..

This will make 4 baguettes..
I took 1/4 of the dough..shaped it w/ out working it a lot..as she recommends.. slashed it.. and sprinkled w/ flour..and covered it w/ a cloth left to rise 40 mins..

For 30 mins preheat your oven to 450.. add a pan of water and have your spray bottle ready:)After the 30 mins..spray the oven..and set your shaped loaf in.. Bake for 25 minutes..and there you have it..

I place my bread on cornmeal on a bread paddle and slide it on a baking stone in my oven..

I have 3 more loaves to go..How fun is that?


Thank you so much Josée~

You may remember my recent post re her Red pepper Jelly that is now one of my daughter's favorites♥

With a little cheese or pâté..they go together like a horse and carriage..
Anyone who has ever been afraid of making bread.. should try this..You will never be afraid again.:)

Truly~
Have a lovely Weekend~

A La Di Stasio~Omelet~

So easy to make..so easy to eat~
A beautifully puffed omelet from one of her recent shows~
I must admit I am "Inconsolable"..to have missed years of her episodes because we did not get her channel..Now I ..we ..are glued to the television on Fridays at 8 p.m..



You simply take 2 egg whites and beat them quite stiffly..fold in your 2 egg yolks..some salt and pepper..

and set the mixture in a non stick prepared skillet.. your egg mixture should fill the diameter of your skillet...on medium heat until you see the mixture begin to take underneath.. add cheese..(goat..or whatever soft cheese you like) ..herbs.. etc..

Place under the grill until done..remove and fold..Plate~

Success every time..it's like a soufflomelet~♥
She's my favorite show..~Ok one of my favorites..Ricardo ..too:)

The omelet is gorgeous when it comes out of the oven..



A wonderful light meal~

Apple Mignonettes~

I love visiting this French Blog.. and her mignonettes made me smile..probably because of her helping hands..the wee ones.. and the look of them..But I had to take something perfect and try and make them in taller molds....not as good ..not as pretty..But I had to share this easy little apple deseert that is ideal for smaller baking vessels~IN a smaller vessel..you would have less of a full apple taste:)






Printable Recipe


Mignonettes
100 gr of melted butter
100 gr of flour
100 gr of sugar
1/2 envelope of yeast(I buy these in specialty shops)
2 peeled cored and grated apples
cinnamon to taste
vanilla to taste
cardamom to taste


Mix all the ingredients and place in muffin tins..or a little thing like I have here..

Bake at ap 210 Celsius for 10 mins..
The recipe suggested 8..because my forms are higher..it took 15mins.

Ricotta and Butternut Squash Tart~

We watch Josée Di Stasio on Friday nights..her show is great..one of the guests shared this recipe..It looked too good on tv to pass up~


You start by blind baking your Pâte Brisée at the same time..temp and length of baking time as the squash..

Then when the blind baked tart is cooled..you add your mixture of Ricotta..egg yolks..parmesan cheese..etc..



The little pumpkin in the collage is from The Graphics Fairy~ Thank you~

La Recette..

Fresh or commercial dough..

Pat it in a tart pan w/ removeable bottom 9 inches..
Blind bake at 400 F for 30 mins..

Peel and slice squash,, lay on an oiled sheet pan..I drizzled oil on top..add freh time..bake at 400 F for 30 mins..

Remove both from oven

Let dough cool..

Mixture

1 lb ricotta
2 egg yolks
1 egg
1 1/2 cups grated parmesan
a bit of grated nutmeg
s and p.

Pour in prepared shell place the squash sices around.. and bake at 400 until set..ap 30-40 mins~

Here is a direct link..I loved this episode w/ Fred Morin from Joe Beef~
I would definitely make this again..but I would kick it up a notch..I would add quite a bit of fresh thyme to the ricotta mixture..and more salt and pepper..It needs a bit more oomph.And I am not certain I would not roast a bit more squash and purée it..and add to the ricotta.Not too much..just enough.

For the Printable my version of the recipe..Just click on printable:) I must thank Susan for my tutorial~♥

Soul Food #59

"Even if something is left undone, everyone must take time to sit still and watch the leaves turn."
- Elizabeth Lawrence

A special day~

Today..in Rome..our Brother André will be canonized~
I am quite moved by this and watching people travel to Rome for this event has left me humbled..

Just a little while ago..we had taken a little trip to Lourdes,here in QC..because I had wanted a little sacred medal of him..but it was the first weekend in October and the shop associated w/ this pilgrimage site closes end of September..Nevertheless there was peaceful beauty to be found~

And many many many people were there~

It is lovely~ it is a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes).


If you look at the rocks.. it is said that :"The mountain is also home to an unusual, natural rock garden known as the "champs de patates", so named because of the local legend that it was once a potato field, turned to stone by God because the farmer worked on Sunday."

Source..Wikipedia~

Is it because I grew up visiting the Oratory? The magic of that place as a child? Even now as an adult? Of hearing of Brother Andre all my life?And visiting Rome in 2008 and seeing and witnessing the glory of it all?

Or seeing the touching testimonial of a young Mtl man w/ sarcoma traveling there in the hope of being cured?
Whatever the reason..I am so grateful I believe.

Susan~

For Thanksgiving we went to one of our daughters..I wanted to give her a little hostess gift.. and we ..all 3 of us girls:) like these little cocottes....

Any make really:)

Susan had just posted her Baked Caramelized Onion Spread and I thought..why not put her spread in the new cocotte?:♥


The above is unbaked of course..I made some croûtons to go with~

I added the recipe in the handle..because I know my kids will love this..they loved Susan's other baked onion dish..(I am now embarrassed to say it's the same..just caramelized..I never had!)


All dressed up for the feast~


Another thing I brought were cupcakes for the kiddies..Sugar pie for the adults.. You may remember last year Susan had sent me the cute liners and headers:) The boys are older this year..I knew they would get a kick out of them~Noah..right away!










So ..a lot of thinking of Susan Sunday ....Here is her recipe..but at her site..you will find the printable version~♥
Thank you Susan~
I know you must be very happy w/ your own little pumpkin this year..bigger than last year too:)

La Recette~

Baked Caramelized Onion Spread


After making this many times, I've increased the onions and cut back a little on the cheese and especially the mayonnaise with no damage to the great flavor of this recipe. (The original recipe calls for equal amounts of sliced onion, cheese and mayonnaise)

2 cups sliced Vidalia, Walla Walla, or other sweet onion
1-1/2 cups Swiss, Gruyère or Jarlsberg cheese, shredded (I used Jarlsberg this time)
3/4 cup mayonnaise (I always use Hellman's Light)
Some cayenne for ‘kick’, about 1/2 teaspoon

Sauté the sliced onions in a heavy frying pan over medium heat with a little olive oil until soft, translucent and golden (don’t let them burn!).

Mix the caramelized onions with the shredded cheese, cayenne and mayo and pour into a shallow, oven-proof dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Garnish with parsley and serve with fresh baguette slices or an assortment of crackers.

Enjoy!

Footnote..I have to say the kids were resourceful..No room in the oven for the veggies and potatoes and Susan's dip..Alain went straight to the BBQ and the last 3 items were cooked to perfection on time~ Thankfully the weather was clement..

The smile of the evening..was when Jacques,my husband,very French,but speaks English beautifully..looked at the stuffed bird and said "Oh a Thunderball♥"..Yes instead of Butterball..so this will be the Thunderball year~

We had live music.. live action..:) W/ 6 children and 4 of them being under the age of 5..it was chaotic at times..both my daughters handle chaos well..:) Very well..

Adamo and Giulianna are so sweet and so grown up..and just are so nice.:)The small ones IDOLIZE them..

The best gravy in the world was served.. Chef Frédérick.. kicked up J's gravy a notch by amalgamating some corn starch w/ wine.. adding it.. a touch of brown sugar..and a Whiskey..Si bon!!♥