Now this is Fantastic~ LONG post though~

So the weekend flew by..even with a full day of rain..
Rain is soothing in fall..do you find?I do..leaves twirling..colors..etc..
It's Sunday evening right now....chilly..and we have this in the oven..but with chicken breasts..figs are still gorgeous and available here..from elsewhere..and I still have sage..no frost yet..
I have made a few of her recipes that we have loved..
So I bought her book:)
It's here and I can put all the recipes I have made from her in it..
She is a lovely girl..with great recipes..cute family..My daughter's 39th birthday dinner was from her:)  The recipe..that is..
And how nice the feeling encouraging hard work and talent.
Now I have to YouTube and get a refresher course on how to tie my meat..I promise I once knew how!
Today?
Snip here snip there...

Garlic is planted:)  I have 6 rows of ap 5 bulbs..so I should technically get 30 bulbs of cloves  if we are lucky..next summer~
If it works..I will chose a larger bed..this is make shift full sun beside my blueberry bush..things got moved around and I enriched the soil ..Fingers crossed..
Tulips are done too.I treat them like annuals now as most of the ones I favor do not come back:(
So Parrots this year..and we will see..
Oy was feeling quite oy..afterwards.:)
She needs a good scrubbing before she goes south in the potting shed.
So 5 beds are down.and counting..It was so much easier 12 years ago.

I love Pinterest and whatwouldIdoifitdisappeared?
I pin recipes....ideas..quotes..words..so many folders so much stored stuff all in one perfectly neat adorable package that follows us wherever we go as long as there is WI~FI..
Our rceipes and lists can come anywhere with us..no books to drag recipes to bring..it's all there.
I Pin art I love..art lessons..
Like his little one I found..
A Pumpkin drawing/painting class..
I think it's meant to be for kidlets..but I enjoyed it and I paint like a kid.
I actually like his voice..and felt good following his ways.It was quiet..not rushed.. and not too long..
Sometimes I tune in and they lose me talking fo so long before they start.
I would be guilty of that:) ..I did not use the dryer.I like quiet.
Take some paper.. a pencil .. a permanent pen..some paints and have fun.
A cup of Green Seduction David's tea...is nice doing it too.

When I saw and read about this dish..on Pam's Blog..
I just knew I would have to make it..and waited until I had the kale..beautiful kale..
It would be on my top 10 salads list..
..and I made errors..
Imagine..and it was still so good.
I forgot the pecorino..and only had dried tarragon..
plus..I  had already bought Chioggia beets so they needed to roast longer....
It's not a salad you whip up at the last minute..because your beets need to roast and you cook your bacon and garlic and wilt the kale..
But to us it was a meal..not a side..so worth the time..
I love quinoa..love beets.. balsamic..kale.. garlic..and  bacon.
I served the dressing on the side..only because once I plated it..I knew my whole sliced beets would look off w/ the delicious dressing on them..
All cut up..perfecto..but in slices..I wanted to see the color..so I put the dressing after.
A beautiful sprig of fresh tarragon would look lovely if you are serving like this.
Pam has lovely recipes..and is an accomplished professional photographer..when you click on her site..make sure you check out her Photography blog.  and her other blogs:)
I was in awe when I discovered it..I would take photo lessons from her..my grandsons and family would benefit greatly.

SO talented.
And the colors of fall~♥

La Recette~
Courtesy of Pam and Donna Hay
Balsamic,Roasted Beets ,Kale and Quinoa Salad~

1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar(I think you could get away with less)
2 tbsps olive oil
sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 kg of baby beets trimmed and  scrubbed clean(I used reg Chioggia beets)I used less..just 2 of us..
1 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves
1/2 cup red quinoa rinsed(I used reg quinoa..I have red prefer reg. don't know why:) )
12 ounces of speck or bacon thickly cut..I used bacon and used 4 slices
14 ozs purple kale stems removed and roughly torn..my kale seemed all green:)
3 garlic cloves sliced
shaved pecorino to serve..

Preheat oven to 400..in a shallow pan place balsamic vinegar sugar 1 tbsp of oil ..mix..add your beets.. s and p..roast covered in foil for 1/2 an hour..remove foil roast an additional 30 minutes(Mine took much longer,I wanted knife point tender and my beets were reg sized)..
Remove from oven ..add tarragon leaves to the cooking liquid and set aside.
While the beets are roasting cook your quinoa in 1 cup water (I used broth)..Bring to a boil and cook for ap 15 minutes..mine took less long.. remove cover and continue to cook until water evaporates..(I don't have this need)..remove from heat and  set aside..I always like to cook my quinoa way ahead of time..so it cools.
Heat the remaining tbsp of oil in a pan and cook bacon until crispy..remove bacon and add garlic..  cook until fragrant..
add kale and cook until just wilted..ap 2-3 minutes..mine took longer..
add the kale mixture to the quinoa..(I did the opposite I added the quinoa to the pan..mixed all checked for taste..added some cut up beets..) served with the sliced beets on top..then the bacon..and served the reserved dressing on the side..
I forgot the pecorino:)

We have had some beauty days..and some less beauty days..Sun..and warmth..then curtains of rain..
Trying to take advantage of the nicer days to get the chores done..
Everything is gold and red..the market stalls are overflowing with gourds, squash,pumpkins and color..

Except..
The back of our home..where the wildflowers grow..a totally different look!


Bleu..comme le bleu de tes yeux♥

Asters~
When all other perennials fade..asters glow..
A wild child~

PS  have you seen this?
Love it..  4 sisters..40 yrs..I have been to ..Wellfleet..Truro..Woodstock..Chatham..Falmouth..Eastham..Ipswitch..Boston..Heartbeats for me.
Go peak..It's worth it..lucky girls...to have each other..and for so many years.♥

Footnote..The meal we made from Gina's Skinnytaste was delicious..keep the juices after cooking..and pour over all..we ate everything...

Zucchini Blossoms~ Love them....Sunflowers too♥

I have to say..figs are pretty amazing on pizzas too..

We are avid home made pizza fans here and eat all kinds regularly..
A cinch to make and always different!
I must admit I buy the blossoms because they speak to me..
At the market.... Jean-Talon..I think we happened upon the nicest girl..have to tell you..Jacques must have mentioned 5 times how pretty and nice she was..
And she was..girl next door Ivory soap pretty..
And so helpful.. she sold us these in FULL bloom..and told us they would close on our way home..she didn't sell us the ones lined up..she went into a cooler and took out female blossoms..and made sure I had small zucchinis at the end for my pizzas,
I ♥ her.
On that one  pizza...I put garlic scapes too..
On the fig one..I had pesto(home made) instead of a tomato sauce..
We loved both.
I do encourage you to try making your own pizzas at home..
There's nothing like it..

I love all the small finishing touches..

From a simple Pizza Margarita..to a BBQ chicken one..to figs or zucchini blossoms..eggplant..roasted red pepper..
They all taste sooo good made @home.~
Give it a try..
All my dough is made in the bread machine..find a recipe you like..dough cycle..then shape..bake on stones..bottom of the oven at 500F pre-heated for 30 minutes..bake for ap 8 minutes..perfect crust perfect tops.
If you want the top a bit more baked..as in the zucchini blossom one..broil at the end unti it achieves this colr.
You will have a perfect crust w/ this method..
The dough I have been using lately is this one..I've shared it before..when I made her Chicken BBQ Pizza that I love..
So Saturday it's supposed to rain..
Great day to make pizza!

As for tomorrow..I'll continue in preparing for winter mode..
2 garden beds have been put to sleep.. with A LOT of invasives shovel pruned..(so hard..to do when the roots are like cement..)..
Many more to go..
Next year will be a challenge.. I have ripped out so much..But I feel like starting certain spots fresh.
Maybe more annuals..
And my winter tires are on my little wee car already..It's a zoo later in the year at my garage....more zoo than  even today..
Checklist is getting done..

Bon Weekend~

Tea Time~Et Sablés Bretons~

Prettiest Indian Summer ever right?
The weekend was like a trip down south...I am just about to publish this post w/ the windows open and a nice breeze at my back after a really warm delicious day~
Every breath I took..I thought..take it all in.. soon this will be a memory you look forward to~


I love tea..s..an occasional cup of coffee too..but for some reason tea makes me less jittery.
Imagine my surprise when TeaVivre asked me if I would like to sample some of their teas.
Someone must have told them how often I talk about teas here..
In the offering..there was no asking to do a post..no return of favor..just..would I like to sample some teas.
I did tell Alison I would mention their teas..as I had sampled a couple before..from Ann T..
And that I enjoy them very much.
She even asked if the selection she made for me was agreeable and I mentioned I prefer greens..whites..flavored..blooming teas.So she subbed some blacks..and put in my preferences..

The loveliest assortment came to my post office from TeaVivre..the packaging is fresh and sparkling..like the teas..
My first taste was the Organic Superfine Dragon Well Ling Jing Green Tea..

Tea is always better w/ a treat..a childhood friend was in France and sent me an email :) At about the same time..I decided to make ..

 these again~

You should not mess with perfection right?:)
I seem to make them a lot..and often with variations..
I would like to try these next..

But stuck to my faves..


La recette~

150 grams butter
250 grams of sugar
3 eggs
vanilla
 250grams self rising flour
250 grams reg,flour
pinch of salt

Cream butter and sugar until white and glistening..
add eggs one at a time
add vanilla
sift the flours and add them to the creamy mixture
Until it forms a nice homogenous dough that you shape into a ball..
I used my KA for all of it.
Wrap in cling and refrigerate for ap 8 hrs.
After the resting period roll out to 2 mm and cut w/ cookie cutter of your choice and palce on a cookie sheet that you have put parchment paper.
Make a glaze w/ a pinch of salt,1 beaten egg and one tbsp of liquid caramel..
glaze twice letting dry between each coat..
take the tines of your fork and make impressions
Bake at 220 CELCIUS until golden..abot 10 minutes..if you want them drier leave 1 or 2 minutes more..
Place on rack..cool.

I use this liquid caramel now..you can use a dark cor syrup as I have in the past.

I made half the recipe..it fills one Bonne Maman jar.
And your home will smell divine.
Beware.. when adding the cold water..I took it off the stove.. and held it at arm's length the whole time..it splatters boiling hot sugar syrup ~

You need
1 tbsp vinegar
500grams superfine sugar
12.5 cl of water
and additional 25 cl of cold water
Mix first 3 ings in a pot for the stovetop.. cook vigorously  ap 15minutes until it starts to become blond..
******** see note above..  reduce the heat..gently add the remaining 25 cl of cold water..
cook vigorously one minute more.
And there you have it.


They are lovely with tea..

My friend sent me a photo of the Eiffel Tower..she was spending  2 weeks in France..mostly Paris and Normandy~
She is back now..but it was fun  hearing about  my friend whom I met when  I was 10..being in Paris..
It's a long way from Versailles Gardens..:)
That's where we grew up:)..  How appropriate n'est-ce-pas?
Not the French ones though  ...a suburb of Mtl..in the 60's.
I was happy for her..♥
And grateful to Tea Vivre for my generous assortment of teas.
I love loose leaf teas..there's beauty in every leaf.

Thanks TeaVivre..that was fun..to receive such a nice package..to prepare it..taste it..photo it..
Wonderful teas.

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins~ and Spooky things:)

Every time I try a new muffin at Les Moulins Lafayette ..that I fall in love with..I try and recreate it..This time I only had to try 2 recipes and on the second one..I found my perfect Lemon Poppyseed Muffin.
It's sooo close..  in my mind it's spot on.
It is from Cook's Illustrated.

A neat thing about this recipe..is that you can whip up a batch..put them in a muffin tin..cover with cling and refrigerate unbaked..They say so!
So I will make these for Christmas morning I am thinking:)

On a side note..this home..in the trees..is in one of our 100 yr old maple trees..
It's spooky and in trying to get a photo I stumbled in some brambles..ouch..


We will wait till December and frost..
No one should be w/out a home..
Plus I am scared.
After 2 bites this September and one swelling and itching for days w/ a bruise still.. 2 weeks later...I am in no mood to mess with nature..

Scratch scratch..

I had to show you Noah..His name is Noah Jack.. ..he's our 6 year old~
Look what he and his mom are coming up with for his Halloween costume.
His face:)  Just cracks me up on this..
This is not Noah's face usually..he's got a twinkle in his eye and mischief on his face..
This is Jack Skellington's face.
Somehow I think Noah will be a chef..or and actor.
I pray for a doctor or dentist..
But so far..
He's a foodie and an actor.♥
LOVE this costume his mom is fabricating for him.

Ok back to the muffins:)


La Recette~


3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 tbsps poppy seeds
1 1/2 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
10 tbsps butter room temp
1 cup sugar(brown works too)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups plain whole milk yogurt (I have used greek..and also sour cream)
the latter makes the very best..moistest♥

Prep your muffin tin either with spray or muffin cups like I use.I love those big ones.
A silicone mold should work very well too.They are amazing.
Whisk the flour,baking powder,baking soda,salt,poppy seeds,lemon zest together in a bowl.
Using an electric mixer..beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
Reduce mixer speed and beat in half the flour mixture  followed by 1/2 of the yogurt...beat in half of the remaining flour mixture followed by half the remaining yogurt ..repeat w/ remaining flour and yogurt.

Place the batter evenly in your prepared muffin pan
Adjust an oven rack to the lower middle position and bake in a 375F pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes until done and golden.

If you are doing the refrigerated version remove cling and bake 35-40 mins.
Let muffins cool in pan for 5 mins before serving.

You could add a glaze or icing but I like these just like that.Plain on top.
There is nothing plain taste wise about these muffins..
Red wrappers would be so pretty for Christmas:)

So I hope you heard right..sour cream for the best..
And the day after..nuke for like 12 seconds to get the warm just baked effect..
Need to find red wrappers..How many more shopping days till Christmas?
Costco has everything out! Christmas AND Halloween.
Oyoyoy.
I still haven't planted my garlic or bulbs.

Supposed to be LOVELY for the next few days..so the gardens will get some primping for fall starting tomorrow..
Bon Weekend~

PS..

I love this dish..It's pretty..tasty..
Made it tonight.. I got the recipe from my daughter last year.It is spot on for Acorn squash season.
I used Hot Italian sausage.
Also pre~ordered this~ today..I really like all the recipes I have tried from her.
I don't buy a lot of cookbooks anymore..

I do love My Isabelle Lambert books..Chuck Hughes.. Maria Loggia..my LOCAL experts:)
But I do cave in for tried and trues..

I may get Dorie Greenspans new book because I love the ones I have..but was disappointed the cute dishtowel would not be shipped to Canada.I mean ..pourquoi pas?



Manger..looks gorgeous..as her blog is..

So temptations do abound..

The Bake at 350:)  You know me and cookies..

Etc..etc..

What talented people !

God gave us memories so we may have roses in December~

The last day of summer~ Sunday..was grey grey grey and drizzly..before the drizzle,I brought in a bouquet of my last fairy Roses..

And made some rose cookies..

                And painted a quick  tablescape~

I loved that quote ..God gave us memories so we may have roses in December~

It's so true and can apply to so many things~ so many connotations.

I had Pinned  these beautiful and delicious cookies that I found  HERE..A lovely blog..Torta Della Figlia~  ok..:) try here ..
And somehow knew I would post them with my last roses..you just know when your roses are the last..the last hurrah..the little brown specks..the fading blooms..
The ones that are left will be evanescent~

I took advantage of immortalizing them:)
And am sharing her delicious cookie recipe~

Luckily she has a translate button for many of her recipes..

This recipe makes 2 pans she said..
so I halved it and made 1 pan..which is more than enough for  a few days for Jacques and I.
This is a perfect cookie to go along with a cup of tea or coffee.

It's just delicious..and tastes like  little fancy  Euro pastry shop cookie and looks like one.


La Recette

For the full recipe..

450-500grams of flour
4 egg yolks
1 egg
300grams of butter..I use salted
favorite marmalade
200 grams caster sugar

vanilla extract (I use vanilla bean paste)

Preheat oven to 320-338F
Combine every ing together (except the marmalade)
I creamed room temp butter with the sugar and paste..then the egg yolks and egg then the flour.
Form together into a nice dough
On a foured work surface..roll out dough to ap. 3mm.
Cut out circles ap-7-8 cms..

Then go see her step by step tutorial:)

Take 2 circles and place with their sides overlapping each other.
Place marmalade in the middle of each circle then add a middle circle and again add your marmalade.
Roll one side to the center and then roll the other side over.
Cut in two..to get 2 roses.
Place on a prepared baking sheet (Parchment) and bake for 15-20 mins.
You can also dust with icing sugar when done..

They taste like something I had so many many years ago..and I cannot remember where..perhaps in someone's home..They were delicacies..

A Lovely New Cookbook~

A Lovely New Cookbook~  TARTE

I have spoken of Isabelle Lambert many times on my blog..you may remember when I spoke of

CITRON.. 

It was my honor to find her newest book on my doorstep from the publishers of her latest chef-d'oeuvre~

This book is a great treat..it's a beautiful book filled with a plethora of gorgeous photos and 100 pie recipes.
From sweet to salty to savoury.

From apples to quiches to tourtière.

ONE HUNDRED  pie recipes..

I am inspired by this book like I was with Citron.
It is the kind of book that makes you want to be in the kitchen..and try your hand at everything she has made.

The very next day of receiving the book.I completed 2 of her recipes.
I had everything on hand ..except apples ..and Jacques made it his pleasure to go get some:)
Have I told you that I love to bake for him?

I made her Apple-Cane Sugar  Pie , pictured above.
It's so much fun to make..
A delicious base is made..and inserted into a pastry ring. (on my wish list) I used the ring from my springform pan w/out the bottom..
An apple compote is spread over the crust and then apples are circled around with cane sugar etc.
You can tell when it's done cause your house smells like heaven on earth♥
You can use your torch to finish caramelizing if your apples are not  caramelized enough.
C'est joli comme tout et appétissant.
Jacques gave it a 10.

I also made the Tomato Feta Tart pictured above..we had that one for lunch (déjeuner)..
Did you know that breakfast in France is le Petit-Déjeuner? And that lunch is déjeuner?And supper ..dîner?
So yes for lunch we had that savoury delicious tart/pie.
Look how beautifully it seperates from the tart tin after baking.
The crust itself is so different..that's another thing I love about this book..the different crusts!
This one has thyme..flour..lemon..corn meal..
Add feta and roasted tomatoes with evoo and garlic etc..
And well it's gotta be one of the best little lunches:)
In the preface of her book..Isabelle does not frown upon buying crusts that are pre-made.
But I had fun trying her recipes and will continue.
She shares her dough recipes and methods too.

Isabelle is from France but has lived in Québec for ap 12 years.
I have Isa's approval  to share her recipes..she said recipes are meant to be shared..
My philosophy exactly! And a few of all of you too..is that an oxymoron?:)
She is the author of at least 4 very popular cookbooks that I know of..Les Gourmandises d'Isa..Pomme..Citron..and this latest one Tarte.

I'll start with her..

Tarte aux tomates cerises et au fromage féta~
Cherry tomato and feta tart~
Translated

You will need a 9 inch tart pan.With removeable bottom.

Corn meal crust

1 cup of flour
1/2 cup  corn meal
2 tsps fresh chopped thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cubed cold butter
3 tbsps ice water
2 tsps lemon juice..

Topping

4 cups of cherry tomatoes..or grape tomatoes..whole
4 tsps olive oil
1 finely chopped garlic clove..(I used a new one  home grown from my friend in Ontario....)
1/4 tsp of salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 1/4 cup crumbled feta (I love the one in a jug at Costco,already crumbled.Stodikakis

In a food processor..mix flour..corn meal..thyme and salt....add the butter.. with on off.. pulse until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs..Without stopping the machine add the water and lemon juice until the dough starts to come together..On a floured surface..shape into a ball..then flatten.Wrap in cling wrap and ref.30 minutes up until 2 days..(Great to make ahead!)
Let it come to room temp before continuing the recipe..
On your floured workspace..roll out the dough to fit your pre buttered removeable tart pan..Prick all over the base with a fork..refrigerate 30 minutes..
Pre~ heat oven to 400 F.
Cook the crust on the lower shelf ap 18-20 minutes or until it becomes golden.
Put on a cooling rack..
But leave the oven ON.
The topping..in a glass dish..13x9  ..mix tomatoes..oil.. garlic..s and p..Bake middle of the oven..30 minutes or until the tomatoes start to darken and shrivel.
Spread the Dijon on the cooked tart shell..Sprinkle half the feta..top with the tomatoes..sprinkle the rest of the cheese.
Place back in the oven for 15 minutes or until the filling is warm.
Top with fresh thyme~

This dish may be served warm..or room temp.
It's really good.

♥ Bravo Isabelle..un livre superbe avec les plus bellles recettes de tartes possible!

Bon Weekend~

Ratatouille and Sunflowers~

While the sunflowers finally bloomed..the rain came..I mad good use of the time with preserving a few things..and making dinners that took advantage of veggies in Fred's garden and Jean Talon's garden..
One of my favorite dishes is this old Epicurious recipe I started making so many years ago..Ratatouille with Penne..
It's so delicious..all you need is extra parm on top after you serve and you are in roasted veggie heaven

Here is the recipe~
I have been making it since 1999 and can't believe there are only 3.5 stars.
It is so delicious..Maybe some don't taste as they go along..or don't add enough parm at serving..
Beacause it is more than 3.5:)

The other thing we enjoyed with the eggplants..were  these..I could have just eaten those..we were having fish..I did add Italian Seasonings to the panko..The author says even adding seasonings to the eggs is a good idea;)
Eggplant baked fries..delicioso:)


Footnote..my sunflowers are struggling with less sunshine and cooler temps..but his?♥

Noah came home from school last June..his teacher had given the students tiny little plants to plant at his home....
I would say his project turned out even better than mine:)