Scratch Christmas!!!

What does that mean?  Scratch, in this case, is an adjective not a verb.  No, it doesn't mean I would like to get rid of Christmas (although, I don't like the "happy holidays and the Xmas greetings").   Do we have to diminish everything important because we must be politically correct ALL the time?  There, I got it out...and I feel better!

This Christmas was a "made from scratch" event in the kitchen.  For Christmas Eve, we had our Feast of the Six Fishes.  Yes. it's seven fishes, but we had too much food and I chose to scale it back.  We started with appetizers like my son's bacon wrapped scallops (the best by far) and baked not fried coconut panko shrimp with a spicy apricot dipping sauce.  The appetizers were eaten in such a frenzy that I neglected to capture them with a picture!  Oh no!  Moving on we gathered around the table for traditional seafood pasta with more shrimp, scallops, clams and cod.  Yum.  A small salad of butter greens sprinkled with pistachios and goat cheese topped with caramelized pears accompanied the seafood bucatini.

And because I didn't want to put up with the crowds and traffic (or out of laziness on my part) I decided to make cannoli shells, previously purchased in the past, from scratch.  I don't recommend doing this on the eve of Christmas Eve!  I was surprised how easy the process went.  I had the cannoli shell forms hidden in the cupboard and I've never used these in well over 15 years.  Shameful...

I kid you not. They're from scratch.

In addition to the meal we arrived at grandma's earlier in the week to do a bit of Christmas cookie baking.   My son made sugar coated rosettes while his bride whipped up molasses spice cookies.  Grandma busied herself by creating a pumpkin pecan pie and I tried my hand at a new recipe.  Mini frangipane tartletts.  I'll make these again, for sure!  (recipe to come).

Rosettes, molasses spice and frangipane bites

I asked myself so many times this year why I went to so much trouble preparing everything from scratch.  Hmmmm....not sure, except that it all comes from my heart...I enjoy it....and This year my mind needed to stay busy.  I hope everyone's Christmas was special and blessed!

Stuffed Pork Chops

If you're like me, pork has never been my favorite.  I remember growing up in the fifties and sixties (true confession time) during the "canned soup craze".  I'm sure every family had an assortment in their pantry ranging from cream of mushroom, beef with barley, tomato, and my personal favorite pepper pot.  The resulting finished dinner project was usually a piece of meat oozing with cream of whatever canned soup on top!  As sales declined these soup companies came up with new and innovative ways to have you buy their soups.  Enter the famous Thanksgiving green bean casserole layered with fried onion rings.  You know what I'm talking about.  I don't ever remember reading about the pilgrims gathering around the table eating green bean casserole!

So, while pork chops aren't served very often in my house,  I will admit these were pretty tasty.  The true flavors came through complemented by Fall flavors of apple, onions and mushrooms.  Try these; you may like them.

Stuffed Pork Chops

Serves 2

2 pork chops, with bone

1 Tbsp oil

1 Tbsp butter

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 apple, peeled and diced

3 Tbsp yellow onion, diced

3 button mushrooms, diced

3 Tbsp seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup broth or apple juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small saucepan, heat the oil and butter.  Add the garlic, apple, onion, and mushrooms and saute until onion and mushrooms are slightly soft.  Add the breadcrumbs and mix well.

Cut a pocket into the meaty side of each pork chop.  Get as close to the bone as you can.  Stuff the filling into each cavity, pressing in firmly with fingers.  Salt and pepper the chops.  In an oven proof heated skillet, gently add the chops and brown on one side.  Gently (with tongs) flip them over to brown on the other side.

Add half of the apple juice (1/4 cup) to the skillet and place into the oven, covered.  After 30 minutes uncover and add the remaining apple juice.  Cook for an additional 30 minutes until done.

You could actually cut them with a fork....tender and full of flavor!  Enjoy!

Trip to France - The Last Days

I could talk for days about travel, whether in France, Italy, Hawaii or Costa Rica (and many more places to go in the future), but Christmas is creeping up or shall I say arriving at warp speed this year.  The next couple of weeks will be focused on shopping (icky), baking and planning for the Christmas Eve dinner.

So, I'll be as brief as I can to cover the last few days of traveling back to Paris from Bordeaux.

We didn't really see much of Bordeaux.  It was a lunch stop during a crisp blue sky day.  Then the clouds rolled in and the sky opened up as if a giant bucket was hovering over our heads.  So much rain that we sought refuge into the safety and dryness of the car.  We thought this would only last for a few minutes, pass,  and we could continue our trek into the streets of Bordeaux.  It wasn't stopping any time soon.  We made our way (after getting lost, of course) towards the city of Poitiers.

Lunch in Bordeaux..  Salmon!

Basilica of St Michael - Bordeaux   Blue skies before the downpour!

I had no preconceived thoughts about Poitiers, other than it was home to a Disney-like attraction called Futuroscope.  To me, this would mean lacking character in the French countryside.  Our hotel for the night was located inside the "old town" on a hill overlooking gentle rolling landscapes.  And...we managed to get lost again!  That's what you do in a foreign town.

I LIKED this town and felt very much at home here.  Maybe it's because my ancestors from the mid 17th century lived and sailed from La Rochelle a mere drive to the coast from here.  It seemed upscale, yet quaint at the same time, with plenty of pastry/bread stores, shopping and cafes.  After freshening up we had dinner in town.... the menu was no longer dominated with duck entrees, still in French (no surprise) no clues or translation, it was always a surprise!  But, it was always good!

I think these were escargot in a jar??!

Great local fish!

The following morning we threw on some clothes to get in a morning walk, a little sightseeing , a bite to eat/coffee and snacks (cookies) for the return trip.  Poitiers did not disappoint!  My trusty camera got a workout here in this historic area.  Heck, who am I kidding!  I downloaded (barely) well over 750 pictures from this trip  I also journaled every day as I do for most vacations.  Perhaps, we'll meet again France and after more time has passed, I'll share some more.....

Cathedral St Pierre by dawn,  began construction in 1162 and ended 1379 

Notre Dame la Grande in Poitiers

Amazing sculpture of entombment circa 1555 inside of Notre Dame

Perhaps the oldest  (4th century AD) Christian building in France baptistere St Jean

Curried Turkey Thai Soup

The weather outside is frightful and freezing!  What better way to deal with the bone chilling weather than to put on a pot of soup?  (Except for a quick getaway to Mexico or ANY warm climate!)  If a rendezvous with the beach isn't in the cards, stoke the fire, bring out more blankets and make this soup!

I used leftover turkey, but you can use precooked turkey breast or chicken.  I plan to make it again and I won't be waiting for Thanksgiving leftovers.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter

2 tsp curry powder

1 Tbsp minced, peeled fresh ginger  (You can certainly use only 2 tsp, too)

1 minced garlic clove

1 (32 oz) container of less-sodium chicken broth  Separate into 3 cups and set aside 1 cup.

1 cup chopped onion

1 leek, chopped

1 peeled and chopped apple

1 carrot, diced

1-2 celery ribs, sliced

2 - 2 1/2 cups turkey, cut up

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 (12 oz) can lite coconut milk

1/2 (12 oz) can evaporated skim or regular milk

1/3 - 1/2 cup flour

Garnishments

1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro

1/3 cup toasted sweetened coconut flakes

Thai chili oil or your favorite Asian hot sauce.  (optional, but a drizzle will add more spice)


First of all, don't let the long list of ingredients scare you.  Take it step by step....easy!

1.  Melt butter and add the curry powder, ginger and garlic and cook for just a few minutes.   Then, add 3 cups of the chicken broth, stir and continue to add onion, leek, carrot and celery.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

2.  In batches, pour the veggies into a food processor or blender.  (I used the blender, so it was a chunkier consistency)   Pour the veggies back into the pot and add the turkey, salt, and both milks.    In a measuring cup blend the flour and remaining 1 cup broth with a whisk to get rid of the clumps.

3.  Add the broth/flour mix to the pot with turkey, etc.  Stir well, bring to a boil once again, reduce the heat and simmer for another 15 minutes until thick.

Pour into serving bowls and add garnishes.  This is terrific the next day, too!

Sweet Potato Leek Soup

I'm taking a break from my France travel posts to bring you a welcome addition to my soup kitchen.  This time of year it's all about pumpkin and body warming soups.  As a matter of fact, there's a pot of home made clam chowder brewing on the stove top as I write this.  It's one of those "secret" family recipes.  I'll NEVER tell! 

Until that day, You'll just have to make a few of the other favorites like this sweet potato leek soup.  Feel free to browse the "soup" button on the right to get a glimpse of comforting soups.  Butternut squash, sausage and bean, pumpkin, spicy black bean, several chicken soups, Vietnamese noodle, lentil, split pea, etc.  Hey, maybe I could open that pasta/soup kitchen after all!  Meanwhile, the following is probably one of the easiest to prepare....Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Leek Soup

serves about 4

3 - 4 medium sweet potatoes (or yams) peeled and chopped into golf ball sized chunks

2 leeks, only the white part (usually about 4 inches in length), chopped

1/4 yellow onion, chopped

2 cups water

Bring the ingredients to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add 3 cups of chicken or vegetable broth

1/4 tsp salt 

3 cloves of roasted garlic, chopped

Simmer for 10-15 more minutes until potatoes are tender.  Puree in the blender in batches and transfer back into the pan.  At this point I refrigerated it for a few hours, but you can certainly serve it immediately.  The only difference is that mine was a bit thicker as it sat.  Serve with crunchy bread and a salad.

NOTE:  The picture above is quite plain.  Don't be mislead....the flavors are amazingly complex.

Castles, Churches and the Cookies of France

To get the full picture and "flavor" of a country one must take part in a few tourist attractions.   In France, there is the cuisine, of course, along with the wine, however, the castles and churches have so many stories to tell.  Most produced a feeling that life was certainly not easy.   Constructing a castle took many lifetimes with one generation starting "the project" while the next generation or two would fulfill the dreams of their ancestors.   Most castles were built with protection in mind, thus the fortress, and were usually perched on top of lofty hills or mountains affording great views, not to mention a superb vantage point to spot encroaching marauders and barbarians.

Carcassone, a sprawling castle compound surrounded by the lower city, was extremely Disney-like.  Built and rebuilt over the centuries, it was more or less a refuge for the believers of Catholicism and a city within a city.  Due to its easy access, roads, river, etc. it has survived the battles and test of time quite well.  It helps to have a good tax base with all of its restaurants, hotels and souvenir shops in the mix.

One of a multitude of towers in Carcassone

St Nazaire Cathedral in Carcassone

On the other hand, the Cathar compound of Montsegur, did not fair so well.  It's easy to see why not!  You have to applaud their efforts to schlep food and supplies up this steep grade in the first place.   The beauty and serenity of the surrounding area was overshadowed by the fact that over 200 Cathars were finally overtaken and marched down to the waiting flames, because of their religious beliefs.  

Montsegur

Hugging the Pyrenees Mountains further North from this site was the town and Chateau de Foix.   This was closely affiliated with the Cathars.   It was one of our "day trips" and quite the hike to the top.   The Chateau was a stand alone castle unlike the self contained Carcassone, but was still rather impressive.  Before the climb we dined on more tasty salads de France with gizzards or anchovies and goat cheese medallions.  You can never get enough cheese in France.

Which brings me to the next subject, the cookies in France.  Pastry shops are plentiful and the sweet aromas purposely lure you over to the entrance (and inside) these beautifully displayed shops.  One of our favorites was in the town/city of Poitiers on the way back to Paris.  We spent one night there but Poitiers had me yearning for at least another night.  Centrally located, it was a short drive to the coast and quite near to the gentle hilly wine regions of the  fertile Loire Valley.  Maybe, on the next trip.  More about this area to come....Just a few more installments and I'm done!

Cookies in Poitiers  Too many to try!  What's that handsome Italian doing in that French shop?

Part Four - Thank You, Mirepoix

I may have mentioned or hinted that our home for a week in the South of France was a bit secluded.  Thank God for Mirepoix, a sizable village/town around a 30 minute drive.  It has at least two claims for fame that I witnessed.  One is that it is a very well preserved medieval town with its carved timber construction.  Very quaint!  Another claim is its "famous" apple festival (all things apple) which was held the weekend we were there.  In addition,  Mirepoix is also home to the equivalent of an upscale Walmart-like store called the Super U!  I found myself in the produce section the first day just staring at the displays in awe.  Beautiful varieties of fresh produce abounded.   Stopping by the seafood area was a sight and not smelly, and the selection process could take hours in their massive cheese section.  Yummy!  I was thoroughly impressed!

We did the apple festival and on other days we chose to make that a lunch stop on our way to explore the countryside.  Duck was ALWAYS on the menu and hubby usually gravitated to that entree.  On the day of the apple festival we stopped by an eating establishment that had less than stellar service.  I'm sure the waiter was having a bad day as the menus were practically thrown our way.  In his defense, it was extremely busy, however.....    The menu was hard to decipher (all in French, no surprise, but also no hint at what anything meant).  So, canard (duck) was a safe choice at this moment in time!  And I knew the word for fries.  When the order arrived it wasn't what any of us were expecting.  How can this be?  It had to be a mistake, right?  I didn't have the appetite for duck innards and icky potatoes.  Hmmm..should we summon the waiter or eat what was plopped in front of us?    We were saved when the crabby waiter guy proceeded to grab the crock of stomach lining and deliver it to a table elsewhere!  Whew!   Wrong table!   Our duck arrived.  What was this?  It looked like ground duck with spices wrapped under a blanket of duck skin....actually pretty tasty.

Duck Innards?  I didn't order this or did I?

That's more like it!

At two other restaurants the service was very good and the award for best cassoulet goes to Chez Paps.  Enjoy the pictures of our meals although pictures never do the real deal justice.  Stay tuned for more!

The BEST cassoulet

Selling confit at the apple festival

I'll have one of each!

Great fish dish

More chocolate mousse?  Bien sur!  (Of course!)

Part Three - The Food of Southern France

As we traveled through France I can truthfully claim we had only one mediocre meal not counting the less than appetizing chicken sandwich from a gas stop auto grill.  After a few bites it was quickly chucked into an eagerly waiting trash bin!  We continued on our journey from Paris to a tiny hamlet near the Pyrenees and a town called Mirepoix.  This area would be our "home" for the week.  

At the halfway point, in a city called Limoges (known for its porcelain), we barely found a "suitable" bed for the night.  But, a serendipity of this choice led us to the Le Vert Gourmand restaurant adjacent to the motel property.  This unassuming eatery provided quite the menu, in French only,  so to be safe I ordered the salmon fillet.  A not so safe salad choice of duck, gizzards and chevre turned out to be a pleasant surprise.  Delicious!  I also have to say the salmon was cooked to perfection, probably the best I've had, except for freshly caught from a Seattle area waterfront restaurant.

The following week was spent at the rental house near Mirepoix, France.  We usually ordered our biggest meal around lunchtime for many reasons.  No sense in venturing out from the house since it lived up to its description of "secluded, in the woods", and after a few glasses of lovely French wine no one wanted to volunteer to make the drive out in the dark.  Besides, I prefer to have the big meal earlier in the day, then climb to the heavens while exploring all the castles scattered around the area.

One of the highlights was in a nearby village of Leron at Le Rendezvous bistro.  To me, it was everything a French countryside eating experience should be.  We sat outside in the warming sun, under the canopy with a view of the village with its blue and burgundy colored shuttered windows.  The meal was a fixed price with three choices of an entree, plat and dessert.  I chose the vegetable crudites, quintessential French quiche and a silky chocolate mousse with a hint of orange.  Of course, you can't have a meal without a great glass of Bordeaux.  Yes, please!

crudites

quiche

chocolate mousse

One day we ventured out towards the Mediterranean coast, if only to be able to say we sank our feet into this ancient sea.  After a stroll to collect seashells we were more than ready to dine.  I was not going to be shy or demure as I ordered a bucket full of the biggest tastiest mussels I have EVER had - superb!    We meandered our way back and called it a day.
  

Giant mussels!

More to come as we returned to Mirepoix for several lunches and an apple festival.  Stay tuned!



  

Part Two - The French Food Parisian Style

J'aime beaucoup la cuisine francaise.   I love French food!  Before arriving in Paris I developed a "bucket list" of sorts.  One of the best ways to experience a different culture is through its food.  And I proceeded to have my fill.  While the potential to gain at least 10 pounds was real,  I was surprised when the scale registered only 1 1/2 pounds gain!  But, Paris is hardly the place to stick to any type of diet!

One MUST try as many fine pastries, chocolates, cheeses, wine and baguettes as possible!   I excelled in this category.  I'm 1/4 French, after all.  It's in my blood!  Here's a sample of the beautiful food.  Disclaimer:  Not all was eaten, but they sure looked nice.

The mornings usually began with cafe or chocolate chaud (hot chocolate) along with a buttery flaky croissant, pain chocolat or other mouth watering pastry.

Paris is truly a walking city, fairly flat and spread out.   To devour some of these treats with no guilt attached, a metro trip to Montmartre with the equivalent of 20 flights of stairs (Who's counting?  I was with every breath!) would be in order.  The reward?  A fresh chocolate hazelnut crepe from one of many street vendors in the small quaint village.

If you want to eat a little more sensibly the choices are everywhere with a bistro or cafe on every corner, it seems.  Or you can grab a quick bite from the market or display cases of the local neighborhood boulangerie.

Next segments:  Some sights in Paris.
                          The food of Southern France.  Stay tuned!

We'll Always Have Paris - Part One - An Overview

Why is it that every time we take a vacation it goes by in warp speed? Just when I'm beginning to appreciate the food, history, people and the beauty of France, Father time jerks me back to reality and plops me back into an airplane seat for another 10+ hours on my return trip home.  Yes, it goes by that quickly.  Enjoy all the moments and take hundreds of pictures, which I did!

I have so many favorite moments during this trip.  I also have many regrets of not seeing certain areas, monuments and historical places.  Perhaps another trip will be in the future...I would like to think so.  For the most part, the food was exceptional, the pastries divine and the sweet smell of freshly baked breads from the boulangerie in EVERY village could gently lure me in.

We spent only 2+ days in Paris so you have to hit the ground running if you want to see the sites.  We "mastered" the Paris metro and glided our way to the mountaintop of Montmartre with its Bohemian style village, creperies and the Sacre Coeur, (Sacred Heart church).  We got lost several times but around every corner was usually a pleasant surprise.  We dined and wined, walked and sipped cafe while nibbling on a croissant or chocolate pain.

We also made plans (reservations weren't accepted) to sail down the Seine River towards the Eiffel Tower at night all lit up, BUT the boat NEVER showed up...upset?  very!!!  Oh well....C'est la vie or such is life!

The morning before we left Paris for the South of France, we eagerly ran to the Luxembourg Gardens since it was only 3 blocks away, a must see with the sun streaming through the manicured trees and ornate gardens lining the great palace.

Because I snapped soooo many pictures it may take a while to load them but here's a few from my smaller camera.  This was a "petit" portion of our Paris leg of the trip.

Notre Dame - Paris

Notre Dame - side view, massive

Several flights of stairs to the top of Montmartre.  Note to self, tram ride a few blocks over!

Sacre Coeur

Streets of Montmartre - many creperies and cafes

Very quaint around every corner

Stay tuned for more Paris and the French countryside.

Italian Turkey Meatballs with a Twist

Several years ago when I was raising my son, we declared almost every Monday as "Monday Night Meatballs night".  I guess for my son it became monotonous and I'm sure he cringes to this day thinking about those meatballs.  Hubby always liked them though, even if they weren't an exact replica of his mom's.  Somehow, I never got the memo on adding garlic to the recipe all those "practice" years.  Now when I make them, they are my version inspired by hubby's mom!

The last time I prepared meatballs I chose to do a turkey meatball, Italian style,  At the very end I remembered some Swedish meatballs my mother made decades ago. I loved those!  So  I sprinkled a bit of fresh ground nutmeg and allspice in before forming the meatballs.  Just the right amount to make things interesting.  This recipe makes about 24 or so small meatballs the size of a small golf ball.

Ingredients:

1 pkg of ground turkey meat (usually about 1 lb.)

2 small French rolls (the size of small apples, wet with water, then squeezed and crumbled)

1 egg

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 cup Romano cheese, grated

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 cup of chopped caramelized onion 

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp nutmeg, optional

1/2 tsp allspice, optional

Caramelize the sliced onions first in a bit of olive oil and 1 Tbsp butter, slowly.  Cool and chop.

In a mixing bowl put turkey, crumbled bread, onions, egg, cheeses, parsley, nutmeg and allspice.  I guess I could have said throw ALL ingredients into a bowl, mix well and form into balls.  Place them into a non stick skillet.  You can also add a bit (1 Tbsp) of olive oil, brown on one side.  Turn with a spoon or tongs, whichever is easier for you.  Cook on medium until completely browned.  Test one, of course!  These are great alone, in your favorite marinara or in sandwiches.  Mangia!

NOTE: You can use only Parmesan, just add a bit of salt.  The Romano is already salty (to my taste) so none was added.

Simple Shrimp Scampi

You know the old saying, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade"?  This past week I made shrimp scampi with life's lemons!  It all started as I found a great tutorial that would teach me how to make better use of my camera.  Not the point and shoot kind, but the more involved digital that requires a degree in technology.  Every time I use it I want to learn more about it....thus the tutorial.  Unfortunately, and stupidly of me, I neglected to remove the batteries from it after it had sat for well over 2 years!  Major corrosion = exploding batteries!  Lesson number 1 learned the hard way!

Lesson number 2 was more devious and subtle.  Someone had decided to compromise my bank account.  So, upon checking my online balance I noticed amounts being siphoned off.  I flew down to the local bank and made them aware of the problem.  Their nonchalant remark was, "oh, that's been happening a lot with people cloning your account after you've swiped your debit card (usually at a gas station).  So, after most of the day on the phone and a throbbing headache, lesson number 2 was learned.  No more SWIPES for me, especially at a gas station.  I don't use ATM's, but apparently that's equally risky.  

Those are my lessons for the week...learn from them, please!  Then you can make something good to eat with those lemons!

Simple Shrimp Scampi

8-10 shrimp, medium size, cleaned,  peeled and deveined

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tbsp butter

1 handful of chopped parsley

1 Tbsp of lemon zest

1 Tbsp of lemon juice

a splash of white wine, and perhaps a glass to consume by the cook!

Melt the butter in a skillet.  When it barely begins to froth,  add the shrimp in a single layer.  Add the garlic and lemon zest.  Cook on first side for only 2-3 minutes on medium heat.  Turn the shrimp, reduce the heat to simmer and add the lemon juice, splash of wine and parsley.  Continue to cook until done, maybe another 2-3 minutes.   Serve with rice or pasta...delicious and super simple.