Bon Appétit!

Lentils and bulghur

2010-09-05T15:54:00.000+02:00

Tex-Mex night at our house... but I had neither black beans nor rice. Improv: lentils and bulghur! New favorite. Works as a side or wrapped in a tortilla with salsa, cilantro, sour cream... Options are endless.

1 cup uncooked bukghur

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 1/2 cups lentils

2 Tbsp white vinegar

A few dashes of hor sauce -- OR -- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder

Salt to taste

Cook bulghur according to package instructions.

Cook lentils in 4 cups boiling water, covered, for about 25 minutes or until tender.

Heat oil in a large skillet on medium high. Sauté onions and red bell peppers for 3-4 minutes, until just beginning to soften, then add garlic and sauté a minute more. Add the lentils, vinegar and hor sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for five minutes.

Stir in bulghur. Add salt to taste.

Baked cornmeal-crusted fish

2010-09-02T15:50:00.000+02:00

Perfect for fish tacos, or just with tartar sauce. Crispy, but not greasy.

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
1/4 cup milk
4 grouper fillets (or other firm white fish, such as tilapia)

Combine cornmeal, salt, and papria in a shallow dish, stirring well with a fork. Place milk in a shallow bowl.

Dip each fillet in milk; dredge in cornmeal mixture. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake in preheated oven at 450° for 10 minutes or until fish is done (flakes easily), turning once.

Cucumber and pepper salad

2010-08-18T17:20:00.000+02:00

Great for picnics and barbecues!

1 English cucmber
1 yellow bell pepper
1 small white onion
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper
small handful of freshly cut mint

Peel abour 4 strips off the cucumber, leaving it 'striped', then quarter and sliced thinly. Cut the bell pepper into small strips and the onion into thin rounds.

Place the vegetables in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Pour over the vegetables. Season with salt and lots of black pepper. Snip mint leaves over the bowl. Toss well.

Chill, then serve.

Quick fresh tomato sauce for pasta

2010-08-14T17:43:00.000+02:00

4 large, ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt
lots of freshly cracked black pepper
rounds of goat cheese (optional)
fresh basil

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic gently for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over hot pasta with fresh basil and goat cheese.

White chocolate & bissap oatmeal cookies

2010-07-30T12:45:00.000+02:00

I've been experimenting with bissap flowers lately and wanted to try a recipe using them in place of dried cranberries. Score.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp orange zest
3 cups oats
1 cup white chocolate, chopped into pieces
1 1/2 cups dried bissap flowers, rinsed

Dried bissap flowers

Soak the bissap flowers in hot water for 10 minutes. Carefully drain water (it stains!) then chop the flowers into small pieces (raisin-sized)

Combine, flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large bowl. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats and white chocolate chips, then the bissap at the end. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto baking sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on baking sheets for two minutes, then remove with a spatula.

Cucumber, tomato and mackerel salad

2010-07-23T17:07:00.000+02:00

I love canned mackerel. (The plain kind - not the ones marinated in sauces.) You can get a can for about a euro here, and it's enough for two lunch salads.

Lettuce or greens, washed
ripe tomatoes, sliced
cucumber, sliced
carrots, peeled and sliced
vinaigrette
nutritional yeast flakes (optional, but sooo good)
freshly ground pepper

Toss the lettuce with a little vinaigrette. Top with veggies, mackerel, then yeast flakes. Voilà!

More marinated vegetable salad

2010-07-21T15:19:00.001+02:00

I know I've already posted a version of this recipe recently, but we've been eating huge bowls of it for dinner about 3 nights a week. So good.

1/4 head purple cabbage, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 cucumber, sliced and quartered
2 med tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
1 sm onion, chopped
1 cup canned corn
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
Italian dressing

Optional: feta cheese or sliced grilled chicken

Combine vegetables in large bowl, along with feta or chicken if you're including it. Pour 1/2 cup Italian dressing over top, and also the lemon and black pepper. Stir to coat vegetables lightly. Add more to taste.

Let marinate two hours in fridge before serving. Or don't :)

Tabouleh recipe, right off the box

2010-07-18T20:38:00.001+02:00

This recipe is pulled from the box of bulghur I bought recently. (Well, pulled and translated!) It was a big hit with my family, so I've made it twice this week.

2 bunches of fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 Tbsp of fresh mint, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
6 ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup bulghur, medium
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil

lettuce leaves (optional)
pita bread (optional)

Optional add-ins: chopped cucumber, chickpeas, chopped bell pepper, lentils, chopped green onions, cinnamon, allspice, crushed garlic

Bulghur, fine grain

Heat a large saucepan of boiling, salted water. Add 2 cups bulghur. Cook at a low boil for ten minutes. Drain off excess water. Let the bulghur cool to room temperature.

Combine all remaining ingredients, stirring into the bulghur mix. Serve immediately or, if you prefer, chill first.

Serve tabouleh on a bed of lettuce, accompanied by extra lettuce leaves, lemon wedges and warm pita bread.

Iced coffee with almond

2010-07-14T04:36:00.000+02:00

I've been making iced coffee for a while now, but picked up some good tips over at The Kitchn. My version is pretty strong, but not bitter. I prefer to chill the ingredients (rather than using ice cubes), dilute with milk for a creamier coffee, then top with froth.

1 cup double-strength brewed coffee

1/4 cup milk

optional: sugar (Use less than you normally would. Just enough to take the edge off.)

optional: 2-3 drops almond extract

Mix all ingredients. Stir until dissolved/mixed, then refrigerate until chilled.

Tip: For faster iced coffee, dissolve 3 Tsp Nescafé instant coffee + sugar in 1/4 cup hot water. Add 1/2 cup cold water, 2 ice cubes 1/4 milk and 2-3 drops almond extract.

To serve the iced coffee, pour 1/4 cold milk in a tall glass. (Needs to hold at least 1 cup coffee + 2 inches froth.) Froth milk using an aerolatte - the world's greatest invention. Pour iced coffee mixture slowly in the center of the glass.

Drink up!

Tip: You can make several batches of the coffee ahead of time and just keep it in the fridge for when the mood strikes.

Broccoli slaw with purple cabbage and bacon

2010-07-11T01:59:00.000+02:00

This is an adapted version of Aunt Betty Ann's broccoli salad. I think it's a close relative of broccoli slaw... but my family always talks about it referencing my great aunt.

1-2 heads broccoli, cut into florets

1 small red onion, chopped (I used a shallot)

6-8 slices bacon, well-cooked and crumbled (I used French lardons)

2-3 carrots, grated

1 small wedge purple cabbage, chopped

Dressing: Whisk until smooth.

2 Tbsp mayonnaise

2 Tbsp white vinegar

2 Tbsp sugar

1/4 cup light cream

freshly ground pepper

Mix vegetables. Pour dressing over top and stir until coated. Refrigerate at least two hours.

Agua de Melón (Mexican melon water)

2010-07-08T01:43:00.000+02:00

Move over sweet tea. I've got a new (and healthier) summer drink.

Mexican Aguas Frescas are made with simple ingredients and are amazing on a hot summer days. The variations are endless.

For the fruit, you can use melon, strawberries, watermelon, peaches, mangos, papayas, tamarind, hibiscus (bissap) flowers, pineapple... You can use herbs such as mint or basil as the accent.

For my first trick, I chose melon and mint. Mmmm... Good choice.

1 melon, cut into pieces and peeled (about 4-5 cups)

1 Tbsp lemon juice (or more, to taste)

1 Tbsp sugar (I skipped this)

pinch salt

mint garnish

lemon slices

water

ice

Using a food mill, purée the melon. Discard the fruit pulp. Pour the juice into a large pitcher. Stir in salt, lemon juice, (sugar). Guess-timate how much juice oyu have. Add about half that much water into the pitcher. Chill well.

Serve over lots of ice with lemon slices and mint sprigs. (These are more than just pretty. Their flavors highlight the juice!)

Moroccan Chicken and Lentils

2010-07-03T08:01:00.000+02:00

I love lentils. My husband tolerates them. He loves Moroccan food. I tolerate it. But this recipe had both of us emptying our bowls and going back for more! (UPDATE: Also good chilled on a hot day!)

Lentils
5 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
3-4 dried apricots, chopped

Combine water and salt in heavy large saucepan over high heat. Add lentils and apricots; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until lentils are tender, which will take about 20-30 minutes.

Dressing
1/6 cup tablespoons olive oil
2 Tbsp cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 garlic clove, minced

While the lentils are cooking, whisk olive oil, vinegar, cumin, chili powder and garlic in large measuring cup.

Chicken
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large skinless boneless chicken breast, thinly sliced

Go ahead and start on the chicken while the lentils finish cooking. Heat olive oil in large skillet over high heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken. Sauté until chicken is cooked through.

Once the lentils are tender, drain off liquid and pour the lentils over the chicken. Stir in the dressing. Simmer five minutes. Salt if needed.

Serve hot with toppings.

Toppings
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
lemon slices

Roasted peppers, potatoes and sausage

2010-07-01T15:14:00.000+02:00

A quick one-dish dinner with great flavor

4 bratwurst sausages
2 lg potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lg onion, cut into 1/8th
1 red pepper, sliced
1 yellow pepper, sliced
4-6 cloves garlic, peeled
olive oil
salt
freshly ground pepper
lemon juice

Pour 1-2 Tbsp oil into a large glass or ceramic baking dish. Place it in the oven and heat to 400°.

Once hot, add the potatoes to the pan and stir them around to coat with oil. Bake 15 minutes.

Add peppers, onions and garlic with another 1 Tbsp oil, stirring to coat. Place the sausages on top of the vegetable. Prick the sausages with a fork. Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring once and flipping the sausages. The potatoes will 'puff' a bit and turn brown around the edges when they are done.

Serve hot with salt, pepper and lemon.

Romaine hearts salad

2010-06-26T15:06:00.000+02:00

This salad doesn't really require a recipe, but I find I eat significantly more salads when I see how other people are eating them. Visually inspired, I guess. I've has this one a lot recently, so thought I'd share it. (This post by Mark Bittman always inspires me to eat more salads.)

Romaine hearts, washed and torn into pieces
Grated carrots
Ripe cherry tomatoes
Sliced fresh button mushrooms
Nutritional yeast flakes
Balsamic vinaigrette
Salt & freshly ground pepper

Vincent's spicy apéritif dip

2010-06-25T10:56:00.000+02:00

1 loaf French baguette bread
extra virgin olive oil
piment extra fort, moulu (ground cayenne hot pepper, like this one from Bahadourian)
nutritional yeast flakes

First, don't knock the nutritional yeast until you've tried it. Not sure how popular it is in the US, but it's very popular here - and with good reason. It's a nutty, rich taste that adds a great flavor to salads, breads and apparently... dips.

Pour a couple glugs of olive oil into a saucer. Add about 2 Tbsp of hot pepper and 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast.

Serve with pieces of bread, mixing the dip as you go and adding more of each ingrdient as needed.

Pasta with pesto rosso

2010-06-23T14:53:00.004+02:00

A quick pasta dish that I love.

1 cup of your favorite pasta (mine is fettucine), cooked
1 Tbsp pesto rosso (sun-dried tomato pesto)
1 Tbsp feta cheese, crumbled
a couple black olives, sliced (optional)
fresh basil, snipped

Toss together and voilà!

Claire's traditional Alsatian onion tart

2010-06-21T22:43:00.001+02:00

This is my friend Claire's recipe for a traditional Alsatian Onion Tart (la tarte à l'oignon), made with fresh onions from the morning market.

1 recipe pâte brisée or other flaky pie dough (Claire makes her own and adds about 1 Tbsp whole flax seeds in with the flour)
4-5 medium onions (purple and white), peeled and very thinly sliced
3 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Grated nutmeg
Pinch of cumin

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Roll out the pâte brisée and place in a tart dish or pie pan. Sprinkle a pinch of cumin on the crust.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and sauté the onions slowly, stirring regularly, until they are lightly golden. Remove the skillet from the heat.

In a small bowl, beat the egg and cream together. Add a pinch or two of salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Add this to the onions, stirring to combine.

Fill the tart dish with the onion and egg mixture. Bake tart for 25 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown and set. Bon appétit!

Marinated vegetable salad

2010-06-16T15:43:00.000+02:00

It started off as a Greek salad... but I just kept adding more and more to it! We ate huge bowls of it with some French bread for dinner the other night. And it's been requested again for tonight.

1/4 head cabbage, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 cucumber, sliced and quartered
2 med tomatoes, chopped
1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
1 sm onion, chopped
1 cup canned corn
1 handful black olives, pitted and cut into quarters
2-3 cloved fresh garlic, crushed
freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
Italian dressing

Optional: feta cheese or sliced grilled chicken

Combine vegetables in large bowl, along with feta or chicken if you're including it. Pour 1/2 cup Italian dressing over top, and also the lemon and black pepper. Stir to coat vegetables lightly. Add more to taste.

Let marinate two hours in fridge before serving. Or don't :)

Empy-the-fridge pasta

2010-06-14T08:41:00.000+02:00

Okay, so maybe I could have come up with a more appetizing name for this dish. But at least you know how it came about! Really great way to use up bits of veggies, and the dressing gives a good kick. I usually eat this in a wrap sandwich, but we didn't have wraps... so over pasta it went!

1-2 sliced smoked, sausages Italian sausages, or chipolatas
1 medium carrot, cut into thin rounds
1 large zucchini, cut into thin rounds
1-2 sliced red bell peppers
1 sliced onion
2 crushed garlic cloves
¼ c Italian dressing
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
goat or feta cheese (opt)
hot pasta

Heat a non-stick skillet to med-high. Cook sausage and carrot slices in Italian dressing for 3-4 minutes. Add remaining veggies and sauté until tender crisp. Sprinkle on vinegar or lemon juice. Serve over pasta, with cheese if you want.

Kendra's Mexican lentils

2010-06-11T20:33:00.000+02:00

Part 2! See the first part in the post below.

2 tsp taco seasoning (I didn't have cumin)
1 red pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil for sautéing
2 cups lentils, rinsed
4 tablespoons tomato paste
5 1/2 cup water (or a little more)
salt to taste
cooked brown rice or quinoa (I did half and half, actually)
chopped fresh tomatoes
chopped fresh cilantro
lime juice

Heat oil in saucepan. Add red pepper and garlic, and sauté for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lentils, and continue to stir and sauté for another five minutes.

Add tomato paste and stir until it is mixed with the lentils a little bit, then pour in the water. Add taco seasoning and salt to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, then let simmer for 30-40 minutes until lentils are soft and mixture is thick.

Spoon over rice/quinoa, and top with fresh tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice.

Kendra's lentils with plantains

2010-06-09T20:26:00.001+02:00

My friend Kendra, a vegetarian and amazing cook, shared her awesome recipe for lentils on her recipes blog. I adapted it to what I had in the pantry and then ate them two different ways. Here's the first one...

Lentils with plantains over rice

2 tsp taco seasoning (I didn't have cumin)
1 red pepper, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil for sautéing
2 cups lentils, rinsed
4 tablespoons tomato paste
5 1/2 cup water (or a little more)
salt to taste
cooked brown rice or quinoa (I did half and half, actually)
baked sweet plantains (I had some left over)

Heat oil in saucepan. Add red pepper and garlic, and sauté for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lentils, and continue to stir and sauté for another five minutes.

Add tomato paste and stir until it is mixed with the lentils a little bit, then pour in the water. Add taco seasoning and salt to taste. Bring mixture to a boil, then let simmer for 30-40 minutes until lentils are soft and mixture is thick.

Spoon over rice/quinoa, and top with plantains.

Daim cookies with walnuts

2010-06-06T09:07:00.000+02:00

The Daim bar (originally known as Dajm in the original Swedish) is a crunchy butter almond bar covered in milk chocolate. You can buy them at IKEA!

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 handful Daim candy bars, chopped
1 handful walnuts, broken

Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds). Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the walnuts and Daim candies.

Using a tablespoon, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake in preheated oven for about 12 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges.

Tip: They are even better on the second day!

Middle Eastern chicken salad

2010-05-30T17:55:00.002+02:00

I have no idea if this is actually Middle Eastern, but with the yogurt, mint, cumin and parsley... sure tasted like it to me!

2-3 cups rotisserie chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 pot plain yogurt
1 small tart apple, chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 small handful chopped mint
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
salt to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Let marinate 2-3 hours before serving.

You can serve it with crackers, as sandwich wraps in tortillas, in pita bread pockets, etc....

Food resource for Americans in France... or Europe

2010-05-29T10:58:00.003+02:00

I recently found out that many visitors this site are (not surprisingly, I guess) American expats in Europe. Cool. Me too :)

The recipes on this blog are largely made with ingredients available in France and, when necessary, substitutions for American ingredients. If that sounds like your kitchen, you may also be interested in this blog.

I started writing Lyon Eats in 2007, specifically for Americans in Lyon. But some of the posts could be helpful to expats outside our little corner of France as well.

First: The List. An A to Z listing of ingredients used in American kitchens and where to find them - or their substitutes - here. Grits, country sausage, graham crackers... all on the list.

If you live in a French-speaking country or will be visiting one, these posts may be of interest:

Ordering Starbucks in French

Translating the spice rack

Translating the veggie drawer

Translating the fruit basket

And if by any chance you live in Senegal, West Africa... my newest blog is Dakar Eats. We're moving back to Senegal, so you can expect recipes with an African flair coming soon!

Garlicky sardine and tomato pasta

2010-05-18T12:26:00.000+02:00

This recipe is for fish-lovers, like myelf. It is not for people who only like 'fish that doesn't taste like fish'. The sardines, tomato and lemon are beautiful together. And did I mention the sauce is ready in the time it takes pasta to cook?

1 small can sardines in olive oil
5-10 Tbsp tomato paste
4-5 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp hot sauce (opt)
green olives (opt)
lemon slices
hot pasta

In a small frying pan, heat 1 Tbsp of the sardine oil over medium heat. Cook the garlic for two minutes, turning down the heat if it starts to brown. Add5 tbsps of tomato paste and turn heat up to med-high. Dilute with 1/4 cup water. Add the sardines and stir gently. Once heated through, taste and add more tomato paste/water if desired. Add hot sauce and/or olives if you want. The squeeze of lemon just before serving is not optional. It's delicious.

Serve over hot pasta.

Baked French toast with PB&B

2010-05-15T01:43:00.000+02:00

What could be better than French toast? French toast with peanut butter and banana!

1 loaf going-stale-French-bread
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
ripe bananas
peanut butter (I like natural)
maple syrup

Slice half the bread into rounds. Tear the other half into bite-sized pieces. Place in glass or other heavy baking dish. Bread should almost fill it, but not overflow.

Beat eggs, then add milk, cinnamon and and sugar. Pour over the bread and stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Stir every few hours, then let sit overnight.

In the morning, bake at 350° for 35 to 45 minutes or until browned on top and feels spongy (not gooey or crispy) to touch in the center. Serve immediately (as if you could wait!) with sliced bananas and peanut butter. Honey, jam or maple syrup optional.

Roasted vegetables... with radishes

2010-05-12T12:17:00.003+02:00

We eat roasted vegetables often, so when I saw this article on roasted radishes, I couldn't resist tossing them in. The end result: the flavor (like cauliflower, I thought) was a nice contrast and I liked it, but not so much that I'd roast the radishes on their own.

4 medium potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 small onions, peeled
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
8-10 radishes, washed and tips trimmed
8-10 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
lemon slices

Pour the oil into a large ceramic or glass baking dish, then place in oven and heat to 425°.

Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots, cooking 10 minutes once boiling again. Remove carrots and potatoes, then boil the onions and radishes for 5 minutes. Remove onions and radishes.

Carefully remove baking dish from oven. Add potatoes, carrots, onions, radishes and garlic. Stir once or twice to mix vegetables and coat with oil. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until just beginning to soften and brown. Stir occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon juice over top just before serving. (Lemon juice over roasted potatoes - yum.)

Fluffly lemon cake with lemonier glaze

2010-05-09T08:25:00.000+02:00

This cake was a total accident (keep reading) that turned out amazing. It is so light and fluffy, yet moist. Just the right amount of lemon in the cake, and then the glaze packs a stronger punch so they compliment each other.

Okay, so about the accident... I started off making lemon cookies (this recipe) but substituted yogurt for the ricotta. By the end it looked more like cake batter, so I went with it. Good call, Kari. Good call.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
3 pots (125g each) of plain, full-fat yogurt
zest and juice of 1 lemon

Glaze
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Cream together butter, eggs, and sugar. Add zest and lemon juice, and yogurt and blend well. Add remaining ingredients and beat until well combined. Pour into a 9x13 non-stick baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven at 350° until light yellow and golden on the edges. A knife inserted in the center should come out clean. Do not over bake. Let cool 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Drizzle with glaze just before serving.

Fish with tomato, olive and Tuscan lemon sauce

2010-05-05T18:26:00.004+02:00

To be completely honest, the lemons don't have to be from Italy. But my friend just came back from a lemon grove in Tuscany and it sounded so much cooler as a title!

2 firm white fish fillets
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 16oz can crushed tomatoes
Pinch of oregano
about 12-15 green olives, cut in half
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
Hot pasta or rice

Heat one tablespoon of oil in a skillet over med-high and brown one side of fish. Don't cook all the way through - just until over half is white. (You will finish steaming it in the sauce.) Set aside.

Add another tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add onions and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until translucent. In the same pan add chopped tomato with liquid. Add green olives, oregano, a little salt and pepper. Scrape bottom of pan to get flavorful brown bits mixed into sauce. Place fish fillets on top of sauce, browned side up. Cook over low/medium heat about 10 minutes, or until liquid is reduced by half. Squeeze lemon over top and serve with pasta or rice.

Glazed monkey bread

2010-05-03T01:23:00.001+02:00

I made double batch of doughnuts last week and saved half of the dough - punched it down, then double-wrapped in plastic wrap, then froze it. I pulled out the dough on Friday morning and let it thaw in the fridge all day. Made up the bread that night, baked on Saturday for breakfast.

1 batch doughnut dough
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter, melted

glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp milk

Cut the dough into small pieces about the size of walnuts. Combine the butter, sugar and cinnamon. Roll each piece of dough in the mixture - don't worry if it's not even. Pile them all in a greased loaf pan.

Bake ina preheated oven at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes or until browned. While it bakes, combine the powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over the bread, then serve hot.

Beef stroganoff with mushrooms

2010-04-30T17:24:00.001+02:00

Comfort food in 15 minutes

2 Tbsp butter
1/2 pound of top sirloin or tenderloin, cut thin
1/3 cup onions
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
2 dashes nutmeg
1/2 cup of sour cream

Melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the beef, browning on each side. When both sides are browned, remove the beef and set aside.

In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium-low and add the onions. Cook for a minute or two, allowing them to soak up any meat drippings. Remove onions, placing aside with meat.

Increase heat to medium and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Sprinkle in nutmeg.

Reduce heat to low and add the sour cream to the mushrooms. If sauce is too thick, add a few Tbsps water. Stir in the beef and onions. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over egg noodles, fettucine, or rice.

5- minute banana pudding

2010-04-27T05:57:00.000+02:00

I know. It looks awful - and so yellow. But it was so good and exactly what I was craving.

1 package instant vanilla pudding
2 cups cold milk
2 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
8-12 Vanilla Wafers OR Petit beurre cookies
heavy cream (opt)

Whisk together pudding and milk as directed.

Place a layer of cookies in the bottom of a serving dish. Pour 1/3 pudding over them and spread with a spoon. Add a layer of banana slices. Then cookies, pudding, bananas... Repeat until bananas and pudding run out.

You can serve immediately with a drizzle of cream, but the pudding is really, really good after sitting a couple hours so the cookies soften.

Southern heaven. With bananas.

Sweet and sour pork

2010-04-25T19:11:00.000+02:00

I love sweet & sour dishes: chicken, fish, pork... Yes, please! This dish takes about 30 minutes to make.

2-3 boneless pork chops, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 green pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 red pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 large onion, sliced into 8-12 wedges
1 can pineapple chunks or rings, with juice
1 Tbsp oil

Sweet and sour sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup pineapple juice from can
1/4 cup ketchup

First, make the make sweet and sour sauce. In a large frying pan, mix vinegar, sugar, salt, orange juice, pineapple juice and ketchup. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until it has evaporated to the consistency of maple syrup. Add pineapple chunks to the sauce and set aside.

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cut pork into bite-sized pieces. Cook in frying pan until no pink remains. Add green and red peppers, carrot and onions for three minutes. Add to sweet and sour sauce and heat.

Serve the pork over hot white rice, with sweet and sour sauce pour over the top.

Whole apple crisp

2010-04-23T19:06:00.000+02:00

Serves 2 perfectly.

1 large apple (Canada Gris is good)
2 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup oats, uncooked
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch salt

Cut each apple in half along its equator. Using a knife or melon baller, cut out each side of the core, creating a hole.

For the topping: in a small bowl mix together flour, butter, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and salt. Press this mixture on the top of each apple. Place in a baking dish filled with about a 1/4-inch of water. Bake in preheated oven at 350° until top is browned and apple is tender, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Spinach & pecan quiche

2010-04-21T09:15:00.001+02:00

Look familiar? Well, the idea at least.

1 pie crust (pâte feuilletée)
5-6 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/2 cup fresh goat cheese, crumbled OR fromage en faiselle OR full fat cottage cheese
handful of whole pecans, toasted
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper

Roll the crust out larger than you pie pan and place it in carefully.

Beat the eggs, then stir in milk, cheese, spinach, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour into the pie pan. Gently fold the pie crust dough in over the eggs mixture. Place pecans on top.

Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 30-20 minutes or until firm and golden.

Oatmeal cookies with cranberries and orange zest

2010-04-16T08:37:00.000+02:00

These won't win any points for looks, but oh wow are they good!

3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter; softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups oats
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 tsp orange zest

Cream butter and sugars, beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth. Mix dry ingredients together, and add gradually, incorporating to the mixture on low. Stir in oats, cranberries and zest. Shape dough into 2 inch balls, place on greased baking sheets and flatten slightly.

Bake in preheated oven at 325° until lightly browned, about 12-15 min. Remove and cool on wire racks.

Mushroom & sausage quiche

2010-04-13T09:12:00.000+02:00

This variation on a traditional quiche is different in that the crust is folded over before baking. It changes the texture, but also make it more firm and easier to transport...on a spring picnic, for example!

1 pie crust (pâte feuilletée)
5-6 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 cup frozen mushrooms, thawed
1/2 cup fresh goat cheese, crumbled OR fromage en faiselle OR full fat cottage cheese
2 chipolatas (or other sausage) sliced thinly
salt and pepper

Roll the crust out larger than you pie pan and place it in carefully. Sprinkle the mushrooms and sausage evenly on the bottom of the crust.

Beat the eggs, then stir in milk, cheese, salt and pepper. Pour into the pie pan over the sausage and mushrooms. Gently fold the pie crust dough in over the eggs mixture.

Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 30-20 minutes or until firm and golden.

Brunswick stew

2010-04-10T19:10:00.000+02:00

This recipe is from Brunswick, Georgia. It's like a barbecue stew with pork, chicken and/or beef - whatever you've got leftover from other meals works great. So delicious.

1 tsp butter
1 garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 cups chicken broth (or water + bouillon)
1 lg potato, diced
1 cup cooked chicken (grilled is best)
1 cup cooked pork, shredded (smoked is best)
1 lg can crushed tomatoes
1 small can corn, drained
1 cup peas
1 cup lima or white beans
1 cup sweet tomato-based barbecue sauce
hot sauce

Get a BIG pot.

Over medium-low heat, melt the butter and sauté the onions and garlic, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth, potatoes, chicken, and pork. Increase heat until it reaches a rolling boil, stirring every few minutes.

When the potatoes are soft, add the tomatoes and the liquid. Then add the barbecue sauce, corn, peas, and beans. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for at least two hours, stirring occasionally. Add hot sauce to taste and serve hot.

Chipolata sausage gravy

2010-04-08T17:32:00.000+02:00

Finally, after five years in France, I have figured out a good way for making sausage gravy... as in sausage gravy on biscuits, sausage gravy on eggs, sausage gravy on anything that will stand still.

2 chipolata sausages
pat of butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
salt
pepper (lots of it!)

Cook sausage in a heavy skillet. Remove sausage and set aside. Once cooled enough to handle, cut into small pieces.

You want about 2 Tbsp of sausage grease/butter in the pan, so either spoon off a little grease or add a little butter to get the right amount. Over medium heat, stir flour into the grease. Stir constantly until browned. Stirring constantly, pour in 1 cup of regular milk. Once thickened, add 1 more cup. Keep stirring until desired thickness is reached. Season with salt and pepper.

Ginger and lemon tea

2010-04-05T05:33:00.000+02:00

I loved the spiciness of this hot tea.

2 cups water
1-inch piece of fresh ginger root
lemon slice
honey to taste

Peel the ginger root and chop it into small pieces. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Once it is boiling, add the ginger. Reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the tea.

Add honey and lemon to taste.

Lemon pie

2010-04-03T14:53:00.001+02:00

Tart lemon pie made with traditional lemon curd in a freshly-baked crust

1 batch lemon curd
1 prepared flaky pastry crust
2-3 cup dried beans

First, you need to 'blind bake' the crust, which means baking it before pouring in the filling. That way the bottom stays crispy and delicious.

Roll the crust out and place it in the pie pan. Place a piece of waxed paper over it, then gently pour in the dried beans. Bake in preheated oven at 375° for about 15 minutes until the edges are just barely brown - no more.

Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes. Remove the beans, then fill your pie!

Lemon curd

2010-04-02T00:52:00.000+02:00

Just four ingredients to make this deliciously tart lemon curd. Goes great on scones and as a pie filling.

3 eggs
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons)
1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon zest
3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

In a double boiler, whisk together the eggs, sugar, and lemon juice until blended. Cook, whisking constantly until the mixture becomes thick (like sour cream) and reaches 160°F. Should be about 10 minutes - don't rush it.

Remove from heat. Whisk butter into the mixture until melted. Add the lemon zest and let cool. The lemon curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Cover immediately and refrigerate for up to a week.

Oven-baked pork chops with rice

2010-03-30T17:11:00.000+02:00

Best rice ever. So richly flavored and goes so well with the pork chops, which were really tender. Big fan.

2 pork chops, bone in
1 cup rice (I used some broken rice and wild rice that I had on hand)
1 tsp beef bouillon
1 handful frozen or fresh sliced mushrooms
4 sprigs of rosemary
1 1/2 cups water

In a covered casserole dish, mix together the rice, bouillon, mushrooms, rosemary and water. Place pork chops on top. Cover and bake for about 1 hour at 350° (or until liquid is absorbed by rice). Let stand a few minutes before serving.

Roasted green beans, carrots and garlic

2010-03-27T17:13:00.001+01:00

My new favorite for green beans - fast, flavorful and delicious.

3 big handfuls of fresh green beans, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp olive oil

lemon juice
salt
pepper

Combine all vegetable in a large bowl and toss to coat in olive oil. Spread vegetables out on a baking sheet (parchment paper makes for easier clean up).

Roast in preheated oven at 450° OR, if you're feeling brave and attentive, you can broil them. Keep an eye on them though. (A little burned tips is good - charcoal is not.) Remove from oven when green beans and carrots are brightly colored and sizzling. Serve hot with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Spicy, salty, sweet roasted peanuts

2010-03-24T20:58:00.000+01:00

3 cups roasted, unsalted peanuts

Coating
1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 tsp seasoned salt

Mix coating ingredients together in a bowl. Stir in peanuts until well-coated.

Spread the peanuts evenly on the baking sheet and bake in preheated oven at 350° for 25-30 minutes, stirring three times during baking, until the nuts are deep-golden brown and glazed.

Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Applesauce breakfast bread

2010-03-21T17:11:00.000+01:00

If you're wanting a hearty, filling bread that's just a bit sweet to start your morning - this is it.

1 cup flour
1/4 cup wheat bran
1 cup oatmeal
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup oil
1 1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup plain yogurt or 1/3 cup buttermilk

In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, eggs, yogurt/buttermilk and applesauce and mix well.

In a second bowl, mix the flour, wheat bran, oatmeal, cinnamon, cloves, baking powder,baking soda and salt.

Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just mixed (flour 'disappears').

Pour batter into non-stick loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

Pear crisp with fresh ginger

2010-03-18T08:59:00.001+01:00

This was my first time using fresh ginger and I am hooked. It is delicious - and pairs wonderfully with the sweetness of the pears. Definitely going to make this again soon.

filling
6 ripe pears, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon

topping
3/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
3 Tbsp butter, cut into bits

In a large bowl, toss together the filling ingredients. Pour into a buttered baking dish.

In a second bowl, mix together topping ingredients. Using your fingertips, mash the butter pieces into the mixture until it is an even texture. Pour over top of pear mixture.

Bake in pre-heated oven at 350° for 25 minutes or until pears are soft, not mushy.

Serve warm or cool with whipped cream or heavy cream.

Kari's thai soup

2010-03-15T18:44:00.000+01:00

This spicy soup is served with a dollop of rich garlicky paprika spread and fresh mint and cilantro. I don't claim it to be authentically Thai, but definitely pulls its flavors from Thai cuisine.

Soup
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup uncooked rice, rinsed (I used broken rice)
1 carrot, chopped
1 cup cooked chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup frozen mushrooms
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Thickener
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp flour

Last minute
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 tsp fresh lemon juice
fresh mint
fresh cilantro

Topper
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground paprika

Bring broth, rice and carrots to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Add chicken, mushrooms, sugar and ginger.

Whisk together the yogurt, coconut milk, egg yolk, and flour in a medium bowl. Slowly add a ladle of the heated soup liquid, whisking after each small addition to incorporate. Once 1/4 of the liquid has been added. Slowly pour the yogurt mixture into the soup saucepan. Cover and reduce heat to very low.

Melt the butter on medium heat in a small skillet. Stir in the garlic and paprika. Cook for a couple minutes, until fragrant, then remove from heat.

Remove soup from heat and stir in lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve soup with a small amount of paprika spread swirled on the surface. Sprinkle with chopped mint and cilantro.

Yeast dinner rolls

2010-03-12T17:32:00.000+01:00

3 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup very warm water
½ cup very warm milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 Tbsp yeast
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 t salt
pinch baking powder

In a large bowl, combine water, milk, butter and sugar. Add yeast and stir until it 'sinks'. Wait about ten minutes until the yeast foams, covering the mixture. Using a whisk, dissolve the foam and beat in the eggs.

In a second bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Add half to the bowl of wet ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add remaining dry ingredients and stir in with a wooden spoon. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.

Coat larger bowl in oil and place the dough in the bowl, turning it to coat lightly with oil. Let rise in a warm place one hour or until doubled. To test readiness, poke with your finger. If the indention stays, you're good to go.

Cut the dough into 8 pieces. Roll each one into a ball, pinching the ends to form a little belly button. Dip the dough balls in milk, then place them n a baking dish about one inch apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise again until doubled.

Let rise 30-45 minutes until doubled in size. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Oven-baked barbecue pork chops

2010-03-10T21:30:00.000+01:00

These were unbelievable, if I do say so myself. So tender - just falling off the bone.

4 pork chops, bone-in
1 small onion, cut into wedges
3/4 cup Mom's barbecue sauce (or other)

Place the pork chops and onions in a large baking dish. Pour barbecue over top, using a brush to spread evenly - but don't worry, it doesn't have to be perfect. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover, flip pork chops and bake another 15 minutes. Serve hot with sauce poured over top.

Green beans in mushroom sauce

2010-03-08T22:37:00.000+01:00

I make these as a side dish in winter. Goes great with roasts, baked chicken, ham...

2 cups frozen green beans
1/2 cups frozen mushrooms
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp beef bouillon
freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp rosemary

Melt butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Stir in flour, then half the milk. Stir until smooth, then add remaining milk. Once smooth, add bouillon and rosemary. Add in frozen mushrooms and green beans. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are bright green, about 10 minutes. Season with pepper.

Exploded potatoes

2010-03-05T21:25:00.002+01:00

Mmm... these are so good. I think most people call them 'twice-baked potatoes' but my brother calls them 'exploded potatoes' and I like it.

4 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
2-4 Tbsp milk
2 Tbsp cream cheese
1 tsp butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt
pepper
oil

Rub potatoes lightly oil and pierce with a fork two or three times. Bake in 400° oven for 1 hour or until tender. When cool enough to handle, split potatoes lengthwise and scoop out potato into electric mixer bowl. Add remaining ingredients and beat well. Add egg and beat until smooth. Fill potato shells. Bake at 375° until puffed and lightly browned.

Winter buckwheat pancakes

2010-03-03T12:13:00.000+01:00

I set out looking for a recipe for breakfast, but kept finding vegan, gluten-free or crêpe recipes. But what I wanted was a warm, filling winter pancake using buckwheat flour. And, as an added twist, I wanted to eat them with sliced bananas and a thin spread of all-natural peanut butter. So I had to play around to come up with this recipe.

Dry
1 1/4 cup buckwheat flour
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Wet
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp melted butter
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 cup milk

In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir until just mixed and flour 'disappears'. Don't worry if it's a little lumpy.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot with maple syrup, peanut butter and sliced bananas.

Red beans and rice

2010-02-28T12:02:00.003+01:00

I love the Cajun recipes on Gumbo Pages. All reliably delicious and flexible. This one I had to adapt to our pantry, but still turned out great. The original recipe can be found here (also a vegetarian option). My version is below... and yes, I'm sure using dried beans would have been better, but this was still really good!

1 lg can red kidney beans, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thym
2 dashes Scotch Bonnet hot(!) sauce
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
dash liquid smoke
Creole seasoning to taste
black pepper
(salt if needed at the end, but be careful - the Creole seasoning can be pretty salty)

The meat options are bvery flexible. I just used a little of everything I had on hand.
1 thick slice of a small ham, chopped
1 Chipolata sausage, cooked and sliced
5 thin slices of spicy paprika smoked sausage
1 thick-cut slice of bacon, cooked and shopped
1 bratwurst sausage, cooked and sliced

Sauté the Trinity (onions, celery, bell pepper) until the onions turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. After the beans are drained, add the sautéed vegetables to the beans, then add the meats, seasonings, and just enough water to cover.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook for two hours or until the whole thing gets nice and creamy. Stir occasionally, making sure that it doesn't burn and/or stick to the bottom of the pot.

Serve over hot white long-grain rice.

BBQ pizza with chicken and leeks

2010-02-14T22:44:00.000+01:00

This was thrown together on one of those nights that there appeared to be not-a-whole-lot in the fridge!

1 batch favorite pizza crust
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
thinly sliced grilled or baked chicken breast
1/4 cup leeks, trimmed and sliced, then sautéed in a little butter
mozzarella
fresh cilantro

Make pizza dough according to instructions thru to spreading out on pizza stone or baking tray.

Spread barbecue sauce over dough. Top with chicken and leeks. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Sprinkle with freshly snipped cilantro.

Apple pastries with glaze

2010-02-12T16:39:00.000+01:00

This recipe is adapted from a recipe I got from my mom who got it from my grandmother. It's far too good!

1 prepared pastry crust
1 lg apple, cored and cut into sixths
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp water
2-4 Tbsp sugar
3-4 drops almond extract

Using a pizza cutter, cut the pastry crust into 6 triangles. Wrap one triangle around each apple slice. Pinch the ends to close, but don't worry if they're not perfectly sealed. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 15 minutes or until browned.

While they bake, melt the butter in small saucepan. Dissolve sugar, then add water and almond extract. Let simmer over low heat until pastries are done. Drizzle over top just before serving.

Mâche salad with honey vinaigrette

2010-02-10T22:39:00.000+01:00

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup canola oil
8 cups mâche
1/4 cup toasted pecans
1/2 cup cubed roasted beets

In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in oil until blended. Pour over mâche and toss gently. Serve with beets and pecans.

Layered taco dip, made in France

2010-02-08T18:57:00.000+01:00

Tex-Mex is one of the hardest cuisines to make in France, but this taco dip quenched a serious craving. Can be made up to a day in advance. Packs easily for picnics or pot-lucks. Dip in!

Layer 1:
1 lg can red kidney beans, drained
1-2 tsp taco seasoning OR ground cumin, if desperate
salt to taste

Using a stick blender or food processor, purée the beans and seasoning. Spread evenly in your serving dish.

Layer 2:
8-10 wedges of cream cheese, like La vache qui rit
1/2-3/4 cup either sour cream, crème fraîche or fromage en faiselle (drained)

Blend well using stick blender. Spread on top of bean layer.

Layer 3: 1 lg tomato, chopped

Layer 4: 1/2 onion, chopped

Then top with whatever sounds good to you! I used pitted black olives, sliced jalapenos and then some chopped fresh cilantro.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Soft honey & ginger cookies

2010-02-06T18:53:00.000+01:00

No molasses for ginger snaps? No problem.

2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp ground ginger (I know it sounds like a lot, but just trust me)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar + 2 Tbsps sugar (set aside)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup honey

Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and honey. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven at 350°.

Carrot pancakes

2010-02-04T16:40:00.000+01:00

These are a favorite around here! Think pancakes with a hint of carrot cake or pumpkin pie... Yeah. they're good.

1 1/2 cups flour
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup purée carrots

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg, carrots and melted butter. Stir until just mixed and flour 'disappears'. Don't worry if it's a little lumpy.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot with maple syrup.

Fancy-schmancy pigs in a blanket

2010-02-02T16:52:00.001+01:00

2 bratwurst sausages, cooked
2-3 cups good sauerkraut
1 prepared pastry crust
Dijon mustard

Using a pizza cutter, slice the pastry crust into 8 triangles, each about the size of a small slice of pizza.

Cut the brats in half lengthwise and then again in the center to make 8 little brat-lets.

Place one brat-let on the thick end of each pastry triangle. Dot with Dijon, then put a scoop of sauerkraut (not too wet, so drain a second or two if needed) on top. Roll the brat-let and sauerkraut up in the dough, pinching the end to secure it, then place on a backing sheet.

Bake in pre-heated oven at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until pastry is browned.

Broccoli & pasta alfredo

2010-01-31T04:54:00.000+01:00

I like my pasta alfredo to be about half pasta, half vegetable - all lightly covered in sauce.

1/2 cup cooked chicken, chopped
1 small handful spaghetti noodles
3/4 cup light cream (15%)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
3-4 cups frozen broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Pinch nutmeg
Salt and pepper
1-2 tsp olive oil

Start boiling water for pasta.

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, broccoli, garlic. Cook until broccoli is super bright green. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

Stir the cream and the lemon juice in a heavy pan to blend. Add the butter and cook over medium heat just until the butter melts, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Stir in Parmesan, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Cook the pasta in boiling water until tender, then drain. Pour the alfredo sauce over the pasta and toss. Stir in the chicken and broccoli... et voilà!

Fried rice with cilantro

2010-01-29T09:38:00.000+01:00

Fried rice is a great comfort food, and the cilantro adds just enough pizazz to make it interesting.

1 Tbsp oil
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup frozen peas
1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 leek, trimmed and sliced thinly
3 cups cooked, cooled basmati rice
1 Tbsp soy sauce
salt
pepper
1/2 cup cooked chicken, cut into small pieces (optional)
fresh cilantro, rinsed and chopped

Heat A couple drops of oil over medium heat in a wok or large non-stick frying pan. Add eggs, stirring to break up. When almost cooked (not too done!) remove from pan and set aside.

Use paper towels to wipe the pan clean and add remaining oil. Heat to high. When the oil is very hot, add the leeks, peas and carrots and fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add in the rice and stir well to mix in the leeks throughout. Spread the rice all around the surface area and let the rice get really hot, untouched until you hear the bottoms of the grains sizzling. Use a spatula to toss the rice, again spreading the rice out over the surface. Drizzle the soy sauce on top and toss. Add the eggs and chicken, tossing to mix the rice evenly with all of the ingredients. Let everything heat back up again. Serve with soy sauce, cilantro, salt and pepper.

Roasted potatoes, carrots & onions

2010-01-27T21:33:00.000+01:00

We love these vegetables in the winter! So good with roasted chicken, beef roast or pork roast.

4-5 small potatoes, washed and cut into 1" pieces
5-6 carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
2 large onions, cut into eighths
1 Tbsp drippings from roasted chicken, or bacon drippings, or oil
salt
pepper
fresh rosemary (optional)

Put large ceramic or glass baking dish in oven and heat to 425°. When hot, melt chicken drippings in pan and quickly spread around with a spatula to coat edges and bottom.

Heat a large pot of water to a boil. Add potatoes and carrots, cooking 10 minutes once boiling again.

Carefully remove baking dish from oven. Add potatoes, carrots, onions and rosemary. Stir once or twice to mix vegetables and coat with drippings. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until just beginning to soften. Stir occasionally. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Pear tarte, trés rapide!

2010-01-25T01:25:00.000+01:00

The other night we wanted this honeyed pear tarte tatin, but it was late and just the two of us so I cut a few corners. Still delish!

1 prepared pie crust (pâte feuilletée)
4-5 large pears (I use Williams)
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp butter
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger

Slice each pear into quarter and cut out the core. Don't bother peeling them.

Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon in the bottom of a ceramic or glass pie pan. Dot with pats of butter.

Place the pear slices in the dish, skin side down. Start in the center and work around in a circular shape.

Roll out pie crust and place gently over the pears. If there is any extra crust, just fold it back so that it just reaches the edge of the pan.

Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until browned.

Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes. Run a knife around pastry to loosen it from pan, and flip tart out onto a serving platter.

Chocolat chaud

2010-01-23T21:18:00.002+01:00

French hot chocolate is the best. Thick and rich, but not overly sweet.

2 cups milk
5 ounces dark (at least 70%) chocolate, grated
2 teaspones brown sugar

Heat the milk slowly in a saucepan. Once the milk is warm, add the chocolate and whisk until melted and steaming. Continue stirring for 3-4 minutes, turning down the heat if it begin to boil. Serve hot in small cups, with brown sugar to stir in if desired. (I like mine straight!)

Scrambled eggs with sausage, leeks and 'shrooms

2010-01-16T22:24:00.000+01:00

To be honest, I'm not much of a scrambled eggs girl. I need 'stuff' in them. This week, 'stuff' meant leeks, mushrooms and sausage! The leeks are a mild alternative to onions with a sweet flavor.

4 eggs, beaten
1 chipolata sausage, cooked and sliced
1 handful button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 leek, trimmed, rinsed and sliced
salt and pepper
small pat of butter

In a frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and leeks, cooking gently until softened. Add sausage, then eggs. Stir gently until just firm. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Butternut, apple & sausage casserole

2010-01-14T15:57:00.000+01:00

Mmm... a great lunch or one-dish dinner using my favorite squash.

1 butternut squash, peeled and sliced thinly
2 baking apples, cored and sliced thinly
2-3 chipolata sausages, cooked and cut into rounds
about 1/3 cup grated Trappista, Gouda or other mild cheese
3 Tbsp bread crumbs
2-3 pinches dried rosemary
salt and pepper

Place the apples and butternut squash slices in a baking dish.

Sprinkle with sausage, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until soft (not mushy). Uncover and top with cheese, then bread crumbs. Broil until melted and browned.

Spinach and warm roasted beet salad

2010-01-11T22:25:00.000+01:00

I found spinach at a great price the other day and also had beets and walnuts on hand. (What? You don't keep beets on hand?) A salad sounded good, but I was already so cold from the snow... so a little improv on the beets to cut the chill.

3 large handfuls spinach, rinsed
1-2 beets, roasted or boiled, then peeled and diced
goat cheese
walnuts
lemon vinaigrette (not too much)
freshly ground pepper

Warm the beets slightly in the microwave - not hot, just a little warmer than room temperature. Toss the spinach with a little vinaigrette, then top with beets, walnuts, goat cheese and pepper.

Mom's yeast biscuits

2010-01-09T22:26:00.001+01:00

My mom made these to be smothered in sausage gravy or butter with jam. Unbelievably good.

1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon melted butter

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes.

Combine the dry ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add yeast mixture and buttermilk; stir just until moist. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface; knead lightly 5 times. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 3-inch juice glass. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush melted margarine over biscuit tops. Bake in preheated oven at 450° for 12 minutes or until golden.

Peanut butter oatmeal cookies

2010-01-08T08:01:00.000+01:00

1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup oats

In a large bowl, cream together oil, butter, brown sugar, white sugar, and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the oats until just combined. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Press twice with a fork.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes preheated oven at 350°F until just light brown. (Don't over-bake.) Serve with cold milk for dunking.

Marinara sauce with vegetables

2010-01-05T09:14:00.000+01:00

1 box tomato purée / pomodoro (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup carrot purée (optional)
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1/2 cup button mushrooms, quartered
4-6 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp rosemary
1 tsp olive oil
5-10 basil leaves, sliced thinly
parmesan

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add zuchinni and cook 5 minutes or until soft and bright green around the edges. You may need to add a little water to keep it from sticking.

Add tomato purée, carrot purée, mushrooms, sugar, thyme and rosemary. Simmer on low at least 15 minutes.

Serve over hot pasta with basil and parmesan on top.

Jambon-beurre - the French answer to PBJ

2010-01-03T16:37:00.000+01:00

The jambon-beurre (translated ham-butter) is the quintessential French sandwich. You know the American peanut butter and jelly? Think much more popular. According to 2009 statistics, for every hamburger consumed in France, eight jambon-beurres are eaten with contented smiles. (Okay, maybe I added that last bit.) Every day in France, 2.2 million of these forearm-length sandwiches are sold.

It's simple, elegant and delicious.

1/2 baguette (crusty French loaf)
butter
sliced ham, good quality

Voilà. If you want to go fancy, add a sprinkling of fresh thyme, sea salt and thinly sliced cornichons. Personally, I say don't mess with a good thing.

Butternut & pumpkin gratin

2009-12-28T07:27:00.000+01:00

Mmm... perfect for lunch in winter. Warm, filling but not heavy, and delicious!

sliced, peeled butternut squash, about 1/2 inch thick
equal amount sliced, peeled winter squash or pumpkin, about 1/2 inch thick
crumbled country sausage or sliced cooked chipolatas (about 1/4 cup sausage for one butternut)
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup grated Trappista cheese
rosemary
salt and pepper
breadcrumbs

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook sliced squash 3-4 minutes. Place in a baking dish.

Combine milk, broth, flour, rosemary, salt and pepper in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a simmer. Cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk until thick. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring with a whisk until smooth.

Pour white sauce over top. Top with breadcrumbs. Bake in preheated oven at 400° for 15 minutes.

Spinach and chipolata quiche

2009-12-16T13:12:00.000+01:00

We at this at least once a week in winter. It's simple and hot, and also great leftover for breakfast!

1 pie crust (pâte feuilletée)
1/2 cup grated mild cheese (I used Gouda or Trappista)
1 chipolata sausage, cooked and sliced
6 eggs
1 cup milk
2 cups spinach, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper

Roll the crust out in a pie pan. Sprinkle the cheese and chipolata evenly on the bottom.

Beat the eggs, then stir in milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in the spinach. Pour into the pie pan over the cheese and squash.

Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 30-20 minutes or until firm and golden.

Cauliflower gratin

2009-12-14T13:05:00.000+01:00

I made this for lunch the other day and we nearly finished it off in one sitting!

1 head cauliflower, cut into large florets
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1-2 cups milk
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup grated cheese (I used Emmental, which is similar to Swiss)
2 Tbsp bread crumbs

Heat water in a large pot to boiling. Add cauliflower and cook five minutes - tender, but firm.

Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain and place in a baking dish.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly for two minutes. Pour the milk into the butter-flour mixture and keep stirring until thickened, about two minutes. Remove from heat and add cheese, salt and pepper.

Spread the sauce evenly on top of cauliflower. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top. Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned.

Warm fennel and orange salad

2009-12-12T12:44:00.000+01:00

I'd never had fennel before moving to France. And the description of 'celery and licorice' did not entice me at all. But it really is delicious!

2 bulbs fennel, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 oranges, peeled and cut into small pieces
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest
4 Tbsp Dijon vinagrette
chopped fresh mint leaves

Heat oven broiler. Brush the fennel with olive oil, then place in cast iron skillet or baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until tips are just blackened and fennel is soft.

Place fennel in a bowl. Place orange pieces on top.

Whisk together the orange juice, zest and vinaigrette in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Drizzle vinaigrette over the salad. Sprinkle with mint and serve.

Spicy fish stew with greens

2009-12-08T17:01:00.000+01:00

Oh wow. If you like fish - this is incredible. If you don't like fish, skip this one. Very quick to make. A perfect lunch on a cold day.

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup of fresh chopped tomato
1/4 cup frozen spinach or other greens (thawed)
2 tsp of tomato paste
2 tsp fish bouillon
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 lb of fish filets (I used salmon, halibut, mackerel and cod), cut into 2-inch pieces
Tabasco to taste
pepper
salt

Heat olive oil in a large pot or over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and garlic and sauté four minutes. Add parsley, tomato, tomato paste and cook two minutes.

Add fish bouillon, red wine, spinach and fish and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add Tabasco, pepper and salt to taste.

Serve hot with good French bread.

Vin chaud (hot mulled wine)

2009-12-05T12:42:00.003+01:00

Vin chaud is the definitive drink of French Christmas markets and festivals. This recipe was served at an event at our church last weekend and it's the best I've ever had. So I snagged the recipe from the pastor's wife :)

one bottle of good red wine
2 cups water
1/2 cup sugar
1 lemon, sliced
zest of 1 orange
2-4 cinnamon sticks
1-2 cloves (optional)

Heat the wine, sugar and spices in a pot over low heat. Stir occasionally until it simmers (not boiling) and a foam forms. Add the zest. Pour the wine into glasses while hot. Serve with a slice of lemon in each glass or a stick of cinnamon.

Salmon baked with leeks and fennel

2009-12-04T08:04:00.000+01:00

I was given this recipe this weekend and could not wait to try it. It was even better than I imagined when she told me about it! I had to make a few adjustments based on what we had on hand, so this really is a very flexible recipe - and so quick to make! The leeks and fennel worked together really well.

2 salmon filets
2 leeks
1 bulb fennel
1/3 cup crème fraîche (or sour cream)
1/2-1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp butter
salt
freshly ground pepper

Trim the leek of the thick green stalks and the root end, then slice into thin rounds. Slice the fennel. Rinse both well. In a sauté pan or skillet on moderately high heat, melt the butter. When the butter foams, add leeks and fennel. Cover over a moderate heat until the pieces sweat and soften.

Prepare the fish by rinsing it and patting dry with a paper towel. Place in a ceramic, glass or cast iron baking dish. Sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground pepper.

In a small bowl, stir together crème fraîche and Dijon mustard. Remove leeks and fennel from heat and stir in cream mixture. Pour over top of salmon.

Bake in preheated oven at 375° for 15-20 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Mother-in-law's Swiss steak

2009-11-30T17:32:00.001+01:00

I was introduced to Swiss Steak by my mother-in-law. It's a great cool-weather dish, served over rice, noodles or mashed potatoes (our favorite).

1 lb top round steak, sliced to about an inch thick
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 clove garlic, crushed
1-2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/8 cup flour
salt & pepper
4-6 slices of Gouda, Trappista or Colby cheese

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Season the steak with salt and pepper, then dredge through flour. Brown the steak in the pan, about 5 minutes on each side. Remove the steak from the pan and set aside.

Add another Tbsp of oil to pan. Cook onions, peppers and garlic for 3-5 minutes, stirring often.

Add Italian seasonings and stir. Place steak on top of onions and peppers. Add the chopped tomatoes and cover. Reduce heat to simmer gently for at least an hour, preferably two. At the end of cooking, place cheese on top until melted.

Mmm... yum. Serve over hot mashed potatoes, or rice or noodles.

Mom's fish creole

2009-11-28T06:59:00.000+01:00

This is a recipe based off a memory from a dish my mom used to make and called 'fish creole'. Internet searches yielded no such recipe that resembled my memory's, so improv it was.

3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 lg can chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp creole seasoning
1 tsp hot sauce
4-6 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
salt
pepper
1 lg white fish filet, cut into 1 inch pieces
3-4 sardines (opt, but good!)
cooked white rice

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook for about 2 minutes. Add onion, celery and green pepper. Cook until onion is soft, about five minutes. Add tomatoes, creole seasoning, hot sauce, Worcestershire, sugar and black pepper. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in sardines. Add fish pieces. Cover and cook another 10 minutes. Taste and season as needed.

Serve ove hot rice.

Mashed sweet potatoes

2009-11-25T06:13:00.001+01:00

2-3 sweet potatoes
1 tsp butter
1 Tbsp brown sugar
orange slices

Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Wrap well in foil and bake at 350-400° until soft, about 35-45 minutes. (I cook them with other stuff, like a batch of muffins, to save time.) Let cool 10 mins, then peel.

Mash potatoes with a fork, then stir in butter and brown sugar. Serve with an orange slice to squeeze over top.

Caramelized pear Tarte Tatin

2009-11-23T07:45:00.001+01:00

Tarte Tatin is a famous French dessert that is traditionally made with apples. This variation with pears is my favorite.

3 ripe pears, peeled
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
pinch dried ginger
1 sheet refrigerated puff pastry

Slice the pears very thinly using either a sharp knife or mandolin. Cut out any pieces of the core then set slices aside.

Over medium heat, heat sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a non-stick skillet. Cook, swirling occasionally, until it reaches a golden caramel color, about 7-8 minutes.

Add the butter to skillet, swirling it into the mixture. Pour the caramelized sugar into a round baking dish. Sprinkle with a pinch of ginger.

Add pear slices, working your way from the outside in, overlapping slices to create a circular pattern until you reach the middle. Continue until all slices are used. (Since the tarte will be inverted, use the prettiest pieces first!)

Lay the puff pastry over the top of pear slices. Fold under the loose edges and fit pastry to the skillet. Make a couple small slits in the puff pastry to allow steam to escape. Cook in preheated oven at 375° for 10 minutes until pastry is golden, about 25-35 minutes.

Remove skillet from oven and let the tarte set for about 15 minutes. Gently loosen pastry edges from skillet. Place a cookie sheet or larger round baking dish carefully over the tarte. In one quick motion, flip the skillet and invert the tarte.

Pour any pear syrup back over the pears and pastry crust. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until the edges darken and caramelize.

Apple and sausage dressing

2009-11-22T05:49:00.000+01:00

1 loaf French baguette bread
2 cornbread muffins
1/2 pound Country sausage OR chipolatas
1/2 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 apple, chopped
1/6 cup dried cranberries
1 cup chicken broth
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp sage seasoning mixture
dash pepper

Cut the bread into small cubes and place in baking dish. Crumble the muffins on top.

Cook sausage over medium-high heat, then set aside.

Melt the butter over medium heat, then add onions and celery. Cook until just softened. Add mushrooms and apple. Cook 2-3 minutes. Stir in cranberries and sausage. Combine this mixture with bread in baking dish. Mix until evenly distributed.

Mix broth, egg, and seasonings. Pour over bread mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until browned.

Brussels sprouts with bacon

2009-11-20T18:48:00.000+01:00

3-4 big handfuls of Brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half
1-2 slices bacon
3 Tbsp raisins
1/3 cup chicken broth
salt & pepper

Cook the bacon in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once fully cooked, set bacon aside on a plate covered by a paper towel.

Add the Brussels sprouts to the pan and toss to coat with bacon 'glistener'. Cook, stirring often, for about five minutes. The Brussels sprouts will start turning bright green.

Add the broth and raisins. Cover and let cook 10-15 minutes or until the Brussels sprouts are just getting soft. Crumble bacon on top and season with salt and pepper.

Carrot soufflé

2009-11-19T17:42:00.000+01:00

This tastes just like sweet potato soufflé, but uses carrots which are cheaper in France. Surprisingly, sweet potatoes were considered an “exotic” food here up until recently. This recipe serves 6-8.

2 lbs carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped (opt)
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
nutmeg and cinnamon to taste
3/4 cup pecans or walnuts (opt)
1/3 cup coconut (opt)

Boil the carrots and potato until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain well. You can either use a hand mixer and large bowl or a food processor from here on out. Purée the carrots and potato. Add eggs, 3-4 Tbsp butter butter, 3 Tbsp sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon then mix very well on high. Pour this mixture into a greased baking dish.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. In a bowl, mix the nuts, coconut, and remaining sugar and butter. Sprinkle over carrot mixture and cook until topping is crunchy.

Rosemary roasted butternut squash

2009-11-18T18:36:00.000+01:00

1 large butternut squash
1/2 tsp fresh snipped rosemary
salt
olive oil
lemon wedge

Rinse squash. Cut into large chunks, removing seeds and stringy centers. Brush squash with olive oil and place in a roasting pan. Sprinkle with rosemary. Roast at 425° for about 30 minutes or until soft. Brush lightly with more olive oil if it begins to dry out. Before serving, sprinkle lemon juice and salt over the squash.

Deviled eggs

2009-11-17T18:51:00.000+01:00

6 hardboiled eggs (directions here)
1 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 tsp mustard
2-3 sweet pickles, chopped
1 Tbsp sweet pickle juice
paprika

Cut eggs in half. Put the yolks in a bowl. Mash well with a fork. Add mayo, mustard, and pickle juice, mixing until smooth. Stir in chopped pickles.

Spoon the mixture back into the yolks. Sprinkle with paprika, and voila!

Tip: For transporting deviled eggs, try mini-muffin tins!

Cornbread dressing

2009-11-16T17:53:00.000+01:00

2 cups Southern Girl's cornbread, crumbled
1 cup day-old bread, torn into small pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 cup celery, chopped
1 egg, beaten
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp parsley
3/4 tsp sage
salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients until consistency is soft and moist. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees, or until browned on top.

Pumpkin pie filling from scratch!

2009-11-15T17:36:00.000+01:00

It doesn't take long to figure out that bringing cans of Libby's over in your suitcase isn't a light-weight option. There's really no need to as we have great pumpkin and winter squash options in France. (And for those outside of France, consider using carrots. Just don't tell your guests and they'll never know!)

1 large wedge of pumpkin (or winter squash), about 1 kilo
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3 eggs
1 1/2 cup cream (15% or more)

Cut peel off pumpkin then cut into 1 inch pieces. Microwave on high for 5-10 minutes or until soft. Check often to be sure it's not drying out. Sprinkle with water if needed. Drain off liquid. Puree with stick blender or food processor.

Add seasonings.

If you're making this ahead of time, pour mixture into a Ziploc bag and freeze until needed.

Beat eggs, then add to pumpkin mixture. Stir in cream. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until set. Test by sliding a knife into the center. If it comes out clean, your pie is ready.

Serve warm or cold, with whipped cream.

Sweet potato casserole with coconut topping

2009-11-14T05:51:00.002+01:00

A little note about finding sweet potatoes in Lyon, France: In the old days, you had to go the African or Asian markets at the Guillotière or the 'exotique' section of Carrefour to find them. But as of 2008 you can find them easily in most grocery stores (Monoprix, Ed, Casino, Intermarché...) in the produce section. Thay are called 'patates douces' and often come from Israel.

4 cups sweet potatoes (cooked, peeled, and mashed)
2 Tbsp butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup coconut
3 tablespoon butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes, margarine, eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar. Mix well. Spread into a greased 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Prepare the topping by mixing the coconut, brown sugar and butter. Sprinkle over the potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, until potatoes are set and toppings browned and crispy.

Green bean casserole in France

2009-11-14T05:47:00.000+01:00

All these ingredients are available at local grocery stores in France:

- fried onions (look for oignons frits near apéro foods)
- canned mushrooms
- instant mushroom soup mix OR boxed mushroom soup
- French-cut green beans

Happy Thanksgiving prep!

The 10 days of Thanksgiving!

2009-11-13T03:57:00.000+01:00

Starting tomorrow I'll be posting a recipe each day until Thanksgiving. But these aren't just any recipes - they're tried and tested American recipes using ingredients you can get in France! Green bean casserole, sweet potatoes two different ways, deviled eggs, buttery yeast rolls, two kinds of dressing, pumpkin pie filling from scratch...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Gâteau aux noix (walnut cake)

2009-11-12T17:01:00.000+01:00

I topped this traditional French walnut cake (recipe from a friend in Lyon) with a very American cream cheese frosting - well, Franco-American to be accurate. The idea of sweetened cream cheese in incredibly American, but I made it by mixing fresh French cheese (Petit Suisse) with powdered sugar.

1 1/4 cup very finely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup flour
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
pinch of salt

In a bowl, mix together chopped and nuts with half of the sugar. In a second, larger bowl, beat together the butter and other half of the sugar. Mix in the nuts and sugar, then the eggs one by one, followed by the salt and flour.

Pour into a 9-inch round pan. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 350° for about 30 minutes. Cake is done when browned and knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serve cooled, with cream cheese frosting if you'd like. (I like.)

Warm beet & carrot salad

2009-11-10T20:44:00.004+01:00

Leave your preconceived notions about beets at the door (enough with the fake gagging already) and just try this recipe. It's delicious. I promise. And very, very nutritious. But more importantly, it's delicious. (I found the original recipe on this site, which I love.) The recipe says to serve warm, but I enjoyed a couple chilled helpings later in the day too.

2 roasted beets, grated
3 carrots, grated
2 tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup apple juice
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Melt the butter in a large sautee pan on low heat. Add the garlic and cook until it is soft, but not yet brown. Add the beets, carrots and cider and cook for about five more minutes, stirring occasionally. Finish with salt and plenty of fresh ground pepper and the lemon juice.

Honeyed pear tarte tatin

2009-11-08T20:12:00.000+01:00

Tarte tatin is one of my absolute favorites, and as far as desserts go - pretty healthy! Traditionally it's made with apples, but we like it with pears too.

1 prepared pie crust (pâte feuilletée)
4-5 large pears (I use Williams)
2 Tbsp honey
2 tsp butter
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
sprig of rosemary (opt)

Slice each pear into wedges and cut out the core.

In a bowl, melt the honey and butter on lowest microwave setting or in a skillet. Stir in cinnamon. Pour into a ceramic or glass pie pan, spreading evenly to coat bottom. Place rosemary sprig in center.

Place the pear slices on top of the butter and honey mixture. Start in the center and work around in a circular shape.

Roll out pie crust and place gently over the pears. If there is any extra crust, just fold it back so that it just reaches the edge of the pan.

Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until browned.

Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes. Run a knife around pastry to loosen it from pan, and flip tart out onto a serving platter.

Guatamalan baked sweet plantains

2009-11-06T17:28:00.000+01:00

I grew up eating plantains as a savory starch, but many cultures like them sweet. This recipe is from Guatamala.

4 very ripe plantains, black and even a little moldy is good!
1 tsp oil
4 Tbsp brown sugar
cinnamon (opt)

Preheat your oven to 450° F. Oil a baking dish.

Cut the ends off of your plantains and peel them. Cut each on the diagnonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange in a single layer in baking dish and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until the plantains are golden brown and very tender. Careful - they'll be very hot!

Green beans and carrots

2009-11-04T19:23:00.000+01:00

3 handfuls fresh (or frozen) green beans, broken into bite-sized pieces
1 handful sliced carrots
1/2 tsp beef bouillon
1/8 tsp rosemary
2 dashes garlic powder
salt and pepper
sprinkle of water

Put all ingredients in a skillet. Cook over medium heat. If needed, add water one spoonful at a time to prevent sticking. We like ours crunchy and brightly colored.

Eggplant parmesan, direct from the Italian sister-in-law

2009-11-02T21:08:00.000+01:00

This recipe came from my sister-in-law's grandmother. It's so rich and... wonderful. The marinara sauce is fantastic with fresh chopped tomatoes rather than canned. And fresh basil is a must. Buon appetito!

Eggplant

Peel 2 eggplants and slice thinly.

Beat eggs and milk (quantity depending on how much you are making – but about 2 eggs and 1 cup milk for 2 eggplants). Add a little salt, pepper and garlic powder to egg mixture.

Put a few cups of flour in a bowl. Dip eggplant slices in egg mixture and then in flour.

Fry eggplant in hot oil. Brown eggplant on each side and let eggplant sit on paper towels.

Tip: The fried eggplant freezes well. If you are not ready to make parmesan, place eggplant on cookie sheet to freeze (so they don’t stick) and then store in container or plastic bag.

Sauce
Cover bottom of large pot with 4 Tbsp olive oil and 6 cloves garlic. Brown garlic in oil and add 2 large cans crushed tomato and almost one can of water. Be careful – oil spits! Add a large handful of fresh basil, 1 Tbsp oregano and a little bit of salt and black pepper. Simmer one hour.

Putting it together in a casserole dish:
Layer of sauce on bottom
Layer of eggplant
Thin layer of sauce
Sprinkle oregano
Layer of fresh basil
Thin layer of mozzarella and grated parmesan cheese
Layer of eggplant
Thin layer of sauce and a little bit of oregano and grated parmesan cheese

Bake for approximately 30 minutes in preheated oven at 350°. It's ready when the eggplant browns and some of sauce gets absorbed (but don’t let it to get too dry).

Serve with pasta or, as we did, garlic bread.