Ice lake~

Picnic Anyone? -10 F.

Our mailbox w/ it's winter hat~ tough shot at -10..and freezing hands.

It was so cold January 4th and 5th..how cold was it you ask?
-10 F..

it makes the lake beautiful..
going to the mail frightful..

having tea..delightful;)

And it brought the last season of Dowton Abbey to our television screens..
I am looking at all the small details even more..

and loving Mrs.Hugues and Mr.Carson last night..now I am not going to say another word..in case some of you PVR it and have not gotten around to it;)


I really enjoyed the above veal dish..it's from that book I like so much..3 Times A day~Go look the site is up in English too now..they just had a baby girl..such an exciting time in their lives..
Italian Veal Polpette..
I just love pasta and I love a nice broad tagliatelle with a rich sauce.
Always my kind of meal..and always one of my very favorites.

It is the perfect weather for this kind of food..and I always warm the plates..Jacques does too..
Here I am talking about cold weather..snow..and yet I've added an old photo I found of my brother John and sister Michèle.. in summer..they are both gone..Michèle was 5..(I cannot even imagine what my parents and brothers went through..devastating..look at that face..she's the wee one w/ bent arms... and my brother was in his 40's.He would be 72..
You are looking at how kids swam;) In our backyards..in Mtl ..in the 40's.I am imagining that back rectangular thing is a sandbox.Look at all the washtubs!
Now Littles swim in pools .. soak in hot tubs..many have their own..~
Such a different time.
I love when I come across these old shots.Treasures.
That was McClynn street.Our backyard.

My daughters find the cutest tea cups:)
And a dear young girl the best tea..perfect for the first epi of DA~

Epiphany  was January 6th..yesterday..so our tree will be put away soon..

It is a tradition to make a Galette Des Rois..I love making them..but I knew it would be the 2 of us..  and I still have shortbreads and magic bars and nanaimos♥..so again I made a mini one..for him alone..
and this year..I stuffed it w/ Dulce De Leche..you can go way off the beaten track w/ this dessert..there are no Galette Des Rois policemen in homes..and Jacques likes DDL..I am an almond anything lover..he is an anything lover;)
And since I was not having any this worked..I love the little good luck charms inserts;)
When you make a large one..w/ a larger crown..the person who finds it..wears the crown!

For the veal...
La recette~

1 28ozs can of San Marzano tomatoes..or equivalent quality.
A bit of EVOO
1 yellow onion  very finely chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cloves of garlic freshly chopped
3 tbsp freshly chopped basil
Pasta of your choice

For the polpettes

1 lb ground veal
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup fresh chopped basil  (more for serving)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese..(more for serving
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.


How to~

Pour the tomatoes in a bowl and crush with a fork.Set aside.
In a pot over low heat ,heat a bit of olive oil and sauté the onion until soft and translucent.Season w/ salt and pepper.
Add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes.
Pour in the tomatoes and bring to a boil..simmer for 30 minutes..Add the basil..adjust seasonings if necessary..and set aside.


In a large bowl,combine all polpette ings.Season GENEROUSLY w/ salt and pepper. and shape into 8 meatballs.
Carfefully place the meatballs in the sauce and simmer ap 30minutes..flipping the polpettes halfway through cooking.
Serve the polpette and sauce over your prepared pasta of choice sprinkle with basil and parmesan cheese..

***************I add crushed chili flakes to the sauce..and have a small vessel with additional at the table.
The trick to delicious dishes like this..is to taste..taste the sauce and make sure it is well seasoned..no one likes bland ;)
And warm your plates first..especially if you live in QC:)
Every warm meal we eat..no matter who is cooking..we like to warm our plates..the food stays warmer..cold hands like mine can be warmed on them too as a bonus~

Enjoy~

Quiche ~Pol Martin~ Russell~Watercolor~Will Travel:)

That's exactly what our   potting shed looks like right now after a lot of snow..no blue skies  in sight..mais beaucoup de neige~
I have not ventured near the potting shed as the paths were just being plowed;)
We have someone do the driveway now..but everywhere we have lived Jacques has always made little paths around the house leading to things..I love that.
And I love even more seeing Littles outside playing in the snow..
Making snowmen,building forts..♥
Oli told me the snowman's name was Russell~
It's snowed every day now..

For Christmas brunch I mentioned I had made a really good quiche..
A really easy and delicious quiche ..a recipe from Pol Martin.His real name was Halna du Fretay.
Pol Martin was a very popular chef/cookbook author who was born in Nantes,France and arrived in QC in 1954..the year I was born..
I don't know if my mom knew of him..it was always Jéhane Benoit at our home..
He passed away in 2007,not without leaving an indelible mark on Québec gastronomy.
I have two  books of his   a large one  and a smaller one..and took pleasure  in going through them during the holidays.
Jacques had bought me these books to inspire me:)
When he worked traveling salesmen stopped at his office w/ books..actually yrs later at our office..people stopped by also..anyways Jacques is responsible for these two.


This recipe is not from the books..but  from a cooking forum.

I modified it by adding bacon and made it for Christmas morning.Ham would be excellent in this quiche.
The great thing about a grand quiche is you can bake it the day before and simply reheat the next day at ap.250F.
It is rich..I won't lie,but it's worth it once in a blue moon.

While we were in Florida..I received this..from me..it had been on my wish list..
I am glad I did get it..as our $ was worth more when I wish listed it in my head..and then our dollar kept dwindling..
so almost as soon as I got to Fl..chaching:)

No regrets.

I bought a few Daniel Smith tubes in the last few months..and have put  a few in it..and a few others..
the only color so far that I dislike in DS..is Buff Tiatnium..it's so opaque..like an acrylic..no..not my fave..I bought it for sand:)
So one out of six is not bad.
My 2 faves so far..Quinachrodone Gold and Indanthrone Blue..Pyrrol Orange and Quinachrodone Rose are pretty cool too..and Ultramarine Turquoise..(I think that is the latter's name).. I was thinking beach when I bought my tubes:)And my online art lessons.

When I return to the US I will look into M Graham's ..a new friend on the beach introduced me to them:)
They have honey in them..
I can't believe we don't carry the sets here in Canada.


Ok back to this dear travel kit..I showed the boys when they arrived in FL..they said..a new purse?:) So cute..then I opened it and showed them.Max was quite impressed.

So..the kit does not come w/ everything I have shown here..
But it is a lovely leather  ish..I can't tell if it's real..(I bought a so called real leather purse ..cross body..in Italy..and the joke was on me...)


 ...crossbody  magnetic snap shut case..it has vessels that open for containing water..2..and 2 collapsible water cups.. ..a cute litlle closed palette..a brush in the palette.. a sponge..and they add a Kilimanjaro watercolor block.
I love this set.
It will make spring and summer a little more interesting to me.
Going to the park etc..
I bought this kit through Cheap Joe's.
Now that would be my Toysrus:)
Ahh..DA..back..to please us all~


La recette~

Pastry of your choice to fit a 9 inch quiche pan.
Mine is old and ceramic..white w/ a blue trim.

Preheat oven to 475F.

4 slices of bacon chopped

1 yellow onion chopped

3 eggs
1 1/2 cup heavy cream

salt,pepper,chopped parsley,paprika to your taste.

1/2 cup grated Gruyère cheese
1 beaten egg

Place your rolled out pie dough into your quiche pan and brush w/ a beaten egg..it is recommended to blind bake in some of the recipes..the one I had found never said anything so I did not and the crust was swell.Some also said prick w/ fork..mine did not.
I chilled mine until my filling was prepped.

Start by rendering your bacon until cooked..remove..drain on paper towels..
Sauté the chopped onion in the bacon fat until transparent.Drain also.
Mix the 3 eggs cup and a half of heavy cream ..salt pepper and onion and bacon.
Pour into your quiche pan over the chilled crust.
Sprinkle with  1/2 cup of grated gruyère cheese.
Bake for ap 30-35 mins or until  a knife comes out clean when inserted in the center.

It's creamy..and wonderful.

it's here actually

Have no idea where this came from..it was on a blog..that I did not keep the URL..and she had no clue where it came from..but it pretty much sums up here now:) It has arrived.

Very cool:)

2016 ~Is just around the corner~

Best Wishes for the New Year~

Hope you all had a nice Christmas..

Not only did we have no snow for Christmas.. 
it got better..or worse ..depending how you see things..no pun intended.
On the 24th around noon..I  was in the car ..had the sunroof  open..listening to Christmas music ......trying to find the cool part of no snow for Christmas..like almost 70F..picking up the last of the mail..when howling winds arose..

.. we proceeded to have NO ELECTRICITY from 2PM on..
That's right Christmas eve..day and all night through till 4 AM Christmas morn..no power.
Nothing.
Thank goodness Frédérick and Caroline were the hosts..if anyone can pull off  Christmas dinner for 12..w/out power..it's them.He had decided  against a turkey this yr..wanted to switch it up w/ different cuts of lovely meats..thank goodness..
How Fred managed to cook duck,lamb,veal,etc..w/ a generator powering the toaster oven,some lights..very few..a tv for 4 active boys..he pulled it off w/ starmanship.
Their stove top is gas....not the oven..the BBQ was fired up..and the toaster oven for apps and my Duchess Potatoes.
We had candles everywhere..a disco battery operated ball that lit up all the ceilings..
It's  a Christmas..I won't forget for a long time..
An Iphone for Christmas music..Alain on guitar w/ Giu singing..
The streets were pitch black..no lights ..no trees lit up..no snow..
What can I say?
Counted my blessings to be with them.
And compared to real issues  as England is facing w/ floods and the southern states of the US w/ tornadoes..this is such small change..not even.

Christmas morn arrived  and everything  was back to normal w/ power..yet still strange sightings..the boys in their pjs throwing the  football on the  green grass.Du jamais vu.
Just like on Christmas movies filmed in California.
Un forgettable.
Brunch was done with a nice little variety of things including a great new salad..the only differences..I used feta..I had plenty ..and pomegranate seeds for Christmas..Keeper.
You have probably noticed the potatoes and salad came from a new to me this year blog that I love..Saving Room For Dessert.
I made a new quiche..I'll type up the recipe and share it soon..rich and decadent..we had chocolatines..clementines,yogurts,smoked salmon ,bagels,cream cheese, pecan praline bacon,kielbasa,..and Marie's fantastic Christmas Morning cranberry/white chocolate muffins..keepers!
Thank you for inspiring me with these 3 new to me recipes girls~
All of them can be eaten all year:)

Our tree was the welcome recipient of treasured new ornaments.
With every passing year,the memories come out of the boxes..and tender thoughts are associated with each and every one.
♥

Any of you happen to catch the Christmas special of Call the Midwife? Sooo good.
I just love that show..best Christmas special.Always.

I am truly enjoying Shari Blaukopf's second Caftsy Class..the first one was on Landscapes,,the second is  on Sketching The City in pen and watercolor.
I have set up my easel in my craft room..and the light is nice for painting..learning many new things..she keeps her pen and brushes loose and lively..the opposite of me..so I am trying to get out of my comfort zone and it's not that hard...to get out of my zone..not to paint well:)..Yet.
I encourage you to look the classes up..the snow is starting here and winter is long.
I love painting..and I can't bake right now..we have leftovers.
Had the boys for a sleepover last night..all 4 of them and it went well..Bingo..Pictureka..coloring..snacking..movies.
I can tell time is flying by..as it was Max who read Noah and I our bedtime story at 11.30 PM..it's a great feeling to hear your Little read a whole book..so well..we wondered who would sleep in the middle..Noah assured us he doesn't fart :) LOL Jacques and I cracked up.
Out of the mouths of babes..
Jacques slept w/ Lucas and Oli..and as we always do the boys made up a family story before falling asleep.Oli was so tired he said a few lines and then  said ..that's it:)

See those marsmallows on one of my calendars?  All 4 boys liked this idea..I saw beauties here..took a shortcut and used edible markers on bought marshmallows..they are more than adorable floating on hot chocolate..beware though..you must slice the marshmallow in half or else they are top heavy..fall over and drown..I was crestfallen in front of 3 of The Littles..(my first trial)..halved they float perfectly.
Ahah..I am just adding this..this is how cute they look..my daughter took the rest of the bag home and offered hot chocolate to the kids playing w/ Noah outside..:)They make me smile:)

My hyacinths :) Makes me so happy to see something growing indoors..M gave me those for Mother's Day..I left them outside this summer..put them in the fridge..in August..planted them 2 weeks ago..
We had a touch of snow yesterday.. apparently..a lot tomorrow~

All the best for the coming year..Bonne et Heureuse Année~

Dear Santa~

Apparently we have had a few green Christmases..how quickly we forget!
In QC..in December..the skies are grey if it's not cold and snowy..and the days are bleak..which means taking photos is a pretty bleak affair also...so pardon the newly found TV setting on my camera..that creates a heck of a lot of noise..but hey..the shutter clicks;)

Marie reminded me there are now 5 days left until Christmas.

I am ready..I am..I need one gift certificate..and the Xmas eve and day fare..
but Santa has wrapped the gifts..baked the sweets..

I've been keeping busy otherwise too.
I know I said  was done baking..but..I received a very cute package in the post  and  saying those words..
well.. they were not engraved in stone after all..

The fun gift..a snowglobe cookie cutter:)+
 A complete surprise to me..that night I went to bed w/ visions of not sugarplums in my head but snowglobe cookies..

I had recently painted in watercolor ,a small Christmas vignette that I saw.
I don't think there is a law that you cannot try and paint something you have seen..as I have seen a lot of Masterpieces recreated)
So I knew I liked practicing this figure..and applied it w/ food colors on a flooded cookie.
FUN.Fun .fun.
The others I used my crazy royal icing(follow the recipes..don't wing it:)..and practiced.
I am happy with them.
Regular sugar cookies..and I modified a royal icing because I want less..I digresssed and it showed.

I also enjoyed stitching a few gift bags together..
I used some of my rubber stamps and scanned them..then added them to text..added vintage tones..printed on Iron-On transfer paper..placed on cotton and then stitched up like a pouch..added charms.
They are just right for gift cards..ornaments..$$..
NYE sleepover is now Dec 27th..and Christmas eve concert may be  off..Max has told me he has stage fright..in other words;)
At least they know the song.
I would have stage fright too.

Last year around Christmastime..Caroline and I stopped at a very cute coffee shop here in town..we each ordered a coffee and a shortbread..the coffee came w/ a candy cane in it..I loved the added touch~Don't hesitate to serve a nice cup of coffee w/out sugar and add a cane..cute..minty and delish..I like froth on mine:)

While we were in Florida..I had the opportunity to go to Trader Joe's twice♥
I bought the candy cane tea there and the boys liked it at night while we watched movies after dinner in Fl..
I brought some home and have added candy canes for the boys..they love it♥

I enjoyed packaging up some some shortbreads for my neighbor..in this super cute gift box..
packaging helps so much ..it almost makes food taste better don't you think?


Hahaha..I see I am not the only one who favored bow ties at one point..that's Lucas..:)  And Max has that great smile:) A bit like a little old soul no?
So Caro..would have put the bow tie on L:)

and Giulianna and Adamo who are now 13 and 16 are in the background..they were adorable..and now they are handsome and beautiful.
flew by..all those years..

I used to put place cards ..to make pretty tablesettings..now for Christmas morning..I still do them..but Jacques places them..he knows who sits best beside who now..talking Littles here:)

Merry Christmas.

My niece sent me a hand drawn card..w/ her words in it..this is what she wished us..I kid you not..so I am sending the wishes along to you as I could never compose such a straight from the heart over the top greeting.:)I know there are some grammatical errors both in French and in the translation..but believe me..this girls writes better than many university grads I know~So I am leaving it as is.And translating..as is.

Her words in French:
" Chère tante Monique,oncle Jacques,Mylène,Caroline et toute la famille..je vous souhaite  a tous un Noël  féérique avec gigantesque affection,surprises,jouissance,prospérité,gaité et que le soleil rayonne autour de vous tous."
I wish you all a magical Christmas with gigantic affection, surprises,pleasure,prosperity,delights and may the sun shine around you all.

I just want to add health~

 above...via zsa zsa bellagio

I'll be back in the new year..and way before.. on your blogs..seeing what you are up to before that..
from now..till then..
I just cannot seem to keep quiet..I guess I am not a mouse;)

Not a creature was stirring..not even une souris~

It's really not beginning..

...to feel like Christmas outside..unlesss it's night..and I am in a car..and outdoor decorations are lit....and the radio is on with all Christmas songs..

It's Grey and Dull and Gloomy here...not indoors ..and not family wise..but definitely landscape wise..
I am not used to this..mais pas du tout.
Everyone loves it..except me..it seems.
I need to see white..well..I would like to see white..none in view  mild until Dec29th at least..

I think I have finished baking ..except for Christmas Eve and Christmas brunch..
but as far as sweets are..I think I am.
Our home is adorned..with decor from far and near..old and new..
all treasures for certain.

I LOVE getting Christmas cards and sending some..or little things that make me think of someone.
I don't think I will ever stop.
When I worked..I sent out at least 100 cards..but it felt like an obligation..the token calendar etc..a few felt special though so I knew when I stopped working I would continue to do so.
It makes Christmas special.
Thank you.

We had 3 of the boys for a sleepover Saturday  night..dinner and breakfast..Susan had posted about her 2 adorable grandsons decorating the Nordic Ware gingerbread house cakes..I knew it was a brilliant idea..
Sunday morning proved to be an opportune time..
I will do again next year..
the 3 boys..have a new friend since this summer..Katie.. Katie's mom..I knew her as a child..and all these years later..Caroline is friends with her..and they moved on the same little private lane..
Katie's mom.. has said: "Three Men and a Little Lady".
I jumped on the chance to take her pic by Caro's tree..
She is  just a bit older than Oli..and is very comfy w/ all 3 boys.
It's adorable..
And she takes CHARGE.
Grey sweater..pink sparkly tutu dress w/ rose corsage..grey leotards and white shoes..hair recently braided in Turks and Caicos..
I mean c'mon:)
And outside playing in dirt w/ 3 boys in boots and coats.
I wonder what the future holds?:)
I asked the boys what their favorite Christmas song was was..
"Have a Holly Jolly Christmas"...Lucas and Max said..I said well let's sing it..we only knew the first two bars:(
I printed up the lyrics and we watched Michael Bublé sing it..and they started practicing..I am telling you..we had a ball..and they got into it..so hopefully Christmas eve they will surprise everyone w/ a show..
That's what we did as kids..we put on shows..wearing our auntie and uncles coats that were placed on beds..
I still remember the fur smell of my aunties coats:)
I looked though old pics..whatever we have..
This would be about 35 yrs ago..I liked that we matched ..LOL..visibly..I cannot believe he went for it..love his bowtie and my monogram sweater with ruffled high neck and my mom's pearls.the girls in their kilts and white leos and red shiny shoes..because I wanted red shiny shoes when I was  a Little..

And this one of our Mylène who is now 40..she was 2..
See that Santa? He was scary looking but he had been my parents'..hard plastic face..not sure when he was eventually disposed of but M doesn't look too scared:)

Caroline just about 2 also..
on Santa..

I'm telling you..I could have eaten them up.
These were taken w/ a Polaroid..that's what I used to shoot with..ohlala.:(

Remember those little flip albums?

Now we have beautiful BOOKS~
And our daughters have many with their families..memories to last forever.

I find Christmas is a time to linger on the memories of past Christmases..
I actually enjoy feeling a little sad..nostalgic..once in a while..about the past..
all the while hoping for bright futures.


 Ok back to Christmas food:)


I like appetizers..and these caught my eye..
I am glad they did because they are really good..I love a little crisp with wine..
I made minis and reg stars and they tastee good in both sizes;)

La Recette  
Courtesy of La Fourmiele

180 grams of flour
 a large pinch of salt
a turn of your pepper mill
100 grams of cold butter..cut up..
 1egg
25 grams of tarragon mustard..such as Maille..or just add tarragon to a fine Dijon..or another type which is what I did.

90 grams of grated Comté cheese.I used  a swiss gruyère.

In your stand mixer blend flour and salt and pepper add the cold butter that you have cut into small pieces(or grated)..mix on medium speed until you get a "sablé" textutre.. add the mustard and egg and blend ..add the cheese and mix until homogenous..I still had cheese strands:) Perfect.
Pre heat your oven 180C
Roll out pastry on a floured surface..cut into shapes,place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake ap 15 minutes.
You want golden and baked through..Really good..keeper.

Enjoy enjoy enjoy.
PS You have no idea how I am grateful for your company.