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Hello 2018!

2/1/2018

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     I thought it was time I made an appearance, before LivingTastefully no longer recognizes me and refuses to let me post onto my blog.
     I also want to let you know what I've been up to the past couple of months.  You might find this hard to believe, but I haven't been spending as much time in my kitchen.  I have a new granddaughter who was born in September.  Monday is Liv's day with "Oma Lady"... a name not chosen by me.  The other days of the week, I am usually in my studio (a.k.a. the sunroom).  I started painting again last spring after stopping 45 years ago (geez, that's a long time!) when, at the last minute, I switched from painting to fiber before classes started at the Kansas City Art Institute.  It scared me how consumed I was by painting and didn't think I could live like that.  I'm seeing signs of it again now, but I'm so happy to be painting it doesn't matter.  I feel I have so much lost time to make up.  I had always painted in oils, but decided this time to plunge into watercolor.  It's a struggle.  I found oils easy... watercolor for me is a challenge.  I like to layer...
     After doing a couple of paintings for Liv, my daughter convinced me to start a little business with her.  It will be called Winks & Inks Design.  I abhor the business part of anything I do creatively. That's my daughter's job in our collaboration.  But she has recently returned to her real job after having baby Liv and that has slowed down the launch of Winks & Inks.  Our offerings will consist of birth certificates for framing, invitations, etc., and what I've really enjoyed... paintings with French phrases.  Of course, dogs are playing a starring role in all of these.  The majority of items will be archival pigment ink prints (giclée, if you like), but I will also have some originals for sale, framed in vintage frames (examples below).  I have my sister to thank for that.  She deals in European antiques (German and French) and concentrates heavily on frames and mirrors -- tramp art being both of our passion.  Although, she deals in what I consider rare and sometimes extravagant frames, I prefer them to be very simple. 

    
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     I may occasionally put framed paintings and prints that are available onto Instagram.  If interested, follow me HERE.  Those of you as passionate about French Bulldogs as I am, can also see the occasional photo of Bisous on my Instagram.  He will be, unfortunately, having surgery this month on a Luxating Patella.  Oddly enough, this hasn't slowed him down.  But the constant limping/skipping made it quite obvious that something was terribly wrong.  He/we will endure an 8 week recovery.  Anyone who knows Bisous well, understands how difficult those 8 weeks will be.  Bisous is not about sitting still. 
     And above...  the Bacon, Green Peas, and Tarragon Tart (recipe HERE).  This tart, and several other recipes, are in David Lebovitz's latest book, L'appart, where he writes about the grueling year-long purchase and renovation of his home in the 10th arrondissement of Paris.  This book totally confirmed my husband's belief that buying an apartment in Paris (or France for that matter) would not be in our best interest.  This week, for the second time this year, I will be making David's French Beef Stew with Olives (also in the book).  My son-in-law said he could eat it everyday.  I might have to agree with him.  The deep-freeze has returned and this stew is perfect Minnesota winter food!





    
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Pizza Rustica... revisited

11/7/2017

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     I consider savory foods encased in pastry about as good as it gets, and this Pizza Rustica has been in my baking repertoire for many years.  When the temperatures drop and daylight hours wane, I start craving meals like this.

                     The following post is from  Passions to Pastry's 2008 archives:

My daughter was in NYC over New Years.  She was born 18 miles from Manhattan, across the George Washington Bridge, when we lived there for two years in the 1980's.  I spent much of those two years exploring NYC.  I rarely would take the subway.  I preferred walking so I could see everything there was to see.  One day I covered 112 blocks.  When friends came for a visit, we would go into the city and the first place I would take them was a food emporium.  My favorites were Zabar's, Balducci's and Dean & DeLuca.  Luckily, most of my friends felt the same way about food as I did, but occasionally there would be the visitor who was wondering why we weren't at the Empire State Building or the Statue of Liberty.  So, when my daughter was planning her trip to NYC and asked me for suggestions on where to eat, knowing how I roamed and combed that city, I realized the names I gave her were restaurants I read about and would like to try the next time I visited NYC.  Many of the places I frequented when we lived there almost 25 years ago no longer exist.  The average life expectancy for a restaurant in NYC is 2 years.  But it got me thinking about the places I used to go and one of my favorites was the DDL Foodshow on the Upper West Side.  DDL stood for Dino De Laurentiis, movie producer, restaurateur  and grandfather of Giada De Laurentiis of Food Network fame.  My favorite item on the menu was the Pizza Rustica.  I had never eaten it before and this one was really good!  Giada has a Pizza Rustica recipe (possibly her grandfathers??).  I don't know if it's the same one that was served at the restaurant, but it is very good and it's the one I now make and you see in these photos.

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PIZZA RUSTICA | Giada De Laurentiis
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces hot Italian Sausage, casings removed
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 16 ounce bag chopped, frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 15 ounce container whole milk ricotta
• 12 ounces Mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
• 4 large egg yolks, beaten to blend
• Pastry dough, recipe follows
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend

1.  Position rack on the bottom of the oven, and preheat oven to 375˚F.
2.  Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy, large frying pan over medium heat.  Add the sausages and sauté until golden brown, breaking the sausages into pieces, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Remove from heat.
3.  Into a large bowl, add egg yolks and beat lightly.  Stir in the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese.  Add the sausage, the spinach, and the prosciutto, and stir to combine.
4.  Roll out the larger piece of dough on a floured work surface to a 17-inch round.  Transfer the dough to a 9-inch springform pan (I used a 9-inch high-sided tart pan with a removable bottom).  Trim the dough overhang to 1-inch.  Spoon the ricotta mixture into the dough-lined pan.  Roll out the remaining dough into a 12-inch round.  Place the dough over the filling.  Pinch the edges of the doughs together to seal, then crimp the dough edges decoratively.  Brush the beaten 1 large egg over the pastry top.  Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese over the top.  Bake on the bottom shelf until the crust is golden brown; about 1 hour.
5.  I let my Pizza Rustica set for about 1 hour before unmolding.  The recipe says to unmold after 15 minutes, but I have had the hot filling break through the pastry before, so I like to be certain the filling has cooled sufficiently. 


PASTRY DOUGH...
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 12 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup cold, solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, beaten to blend
• 2 to 4 tablespoons ice water
1.  Blend the flour, butter, vegetable shortening and salt in the bowl of a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Blend in the eggs.  With the machine running, add the water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough forms.  Gather the dough into a ball.  Divide the dough into two pieces with 1 piece twice as large as the second piece.  Flatten the dough pieces into disks.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

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end-of-summer Peach and Raspberry Galette

9/12/2017

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     There are still fresh peaches in the grocery stores.  Go buy several and make this galette.  It's the best dessert I've baked this summer...

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Peach Raspberry Galette

   recipe from Martha Stewart
• 1 disk Galette Dough (recipe below)
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for parchment
• 2 1/2 pounds peaches (about 5), halved, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Pinch of coarse salt
• 3/4 cup plus 1-2 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
• 6 ounces fresh raspberries
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 1 cup plain yogurt or full-fat sour cream
1.  Roll the galette dough to an 18-inch round on lightly floured parchment.
2.  Combine peaches, lemon juice, flour, salt, and 3/4 cup granulated sugar.  Gently stir in the raspberries and mound the mixture in the middle of the pastry, leaving a 3-inch border.  Dot the top of the fruit mixture with butter.  Pleat the edges of the pastry around the fruit filling and brush pastry with eggs wash.  Sprinkle with almond and turbinado sugar.  Slide the galette and parchment onto a rimmed baking sheet.  Refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
3.  Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Bake galette 30 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake until pastry is golden and juices are bubbling, another 30 minutes (or more, depending on your oven).  Let cool completely on a wire rack, about 2 hours.
4.  Stir together yogurt or sour cream and remaining 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for serving.

NOTE:  If there is a hole or crack in the dough, you will have seepage of juices.  Using a spoon, occasionally scoop up juices and drizzle over the fruit while baking.

GALETTE DOUGH
•  2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
•  2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1/2 cup ice water
1.  Place about 3/4 of the butter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until hard (about 30 minutes).  Meanwhile, refrigerate remaining butter.
2.  Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor.  Add refrigerated butter and pulse to combine.  Add frozen butter and pulse until mixture is coarse with some pea-size pieces. 
3.  Slowly, add ice water while pulsing.  You may not need all of the water.  Squeeze a small amount of dough to make sure it holds together.  Add more water and pulse a few more times, if necessary.
4.  Transfer dough to a piece of plastic wrap.  Bring edges of plastic together and gather dough, pressing into a mass.  Form the dough into a 1/2-inch disk, wrap in the plastic and refrigerate at least 45 minutes (and up to 2 days). 





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Baby Shower Luncheon

6/14/2017

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     This past weekend my daughter Claire hosted a baby shower for her sister, Whitney, along with Whitney's close friend, Allison.  Yes... I'm going to be an Oma.  The event took place in my home, and my contribution for this gathering was lunch.  The plan (for months) had been a luncheon outdoors on the patio and in the garden, of course!  But the weather turned against us with 90+ degree heat and unbearable dew points that forced everyone attending inside; not ideal in our minds, but we made it work...

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     Appetizers were placed in the living room. 

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 Tomato tarts (recipe HERE) and main course salad were served in the kitchen.

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     I have been making my version of this chicken, corn and avocado salad (recipe below) since eating it at a local restaurant this spring.

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    Dessert was 3 Rhubarb and Almond Cakes and Chocolate Bouchons (recipe HERE)  Yes... I always prepare more than we need.
    Drinks consisted of Mimosas made with Prosecco, Rosé, and non-alcoholic Watermelon-Ginger Spritzers (recipe HERE), which were just the thing on a hot, sultry day.
     The baby girl is due in September... a sister for Midge the French Bulldog.



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CHICKEN, CORN, and AVOCADO SALAD
The ingredients of the salad below are approximate
Serves 4
• 1 Rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat from the bones cut into bite-size pieces
• 16-ounce can organic corn, drained
• a handful of Medjool dates, pitted and diced
• 1-2 avocados, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 5-ounce bag of Italian greens (or combine romaine, butter lettuce, and radicchio)
• 1/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
• goat cheese, as much as you like for tossing on top of salad
• apple cider vinegar
• extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper

1.  In a large bowl, gently combine the chicken, corn, dates, avocado and greens. 
2.  In a small bowl, whisk together equal amounts of apple cider vinegar and olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Poor dressing over salad and gently toss.  Add additional salt and pepper if needed.
3.  Sprinkle almonds and goat cheese over the top of the salad and serve.


RHUBARB and ALMOND CAKE
adapted recipe from The Floating Kitchen
10 servings

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup almond meal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 pound rhubarb
• 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• Confectioners' sugar for serving

1.  Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper.  Generously coat the parchment paper and the sides of the pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Set aside.
2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer and using the paddle attachment, beat 1 cup of the sugar and the butter together on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add the yogurt, orange zest and extracts and beat until just incorporated. 
3.  In a medium bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom and salt.  Add dry ingredients to the cake batter, adding in one-third at a time, mixing on low speed until none of the white streaks remain.  Set aside. 
4.  Trim rhubarb of leaves and if the stalks are wide, slice them in half lengthwise.  Cut the rhubarb stalks into pieces 1 1/2-inches in length.
5.  Spread about half of the cake batter evenly over the bottom of the prepared springform pan.  Layer about half of the rhubarb over the batter in a single layer, leaving a half-inch space uncovered around the edges of the pan.  Spread the remaining cake batter over the rhubarb and arrange rhubarb pieces on top.  You may not need all of the rhubarb.  Sprinkle the sliced almonds and turbinado sugar over the cake.
6.  Place the cake on the middle rack of the preheated oven.  Bake for approximately 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Remove cake from the oven and set it on a wire rack to cool.  Once cooled, run a knife around the outer edge of the cake and release the sides of the springform pan.  Cut into slices and dust with the Confectioners' sugar.
• The cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.




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Spinach and Mushroom Tart with Ricotta Cheese

4/5/2017

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     Yes... I'm still here.  And to prove it, I've made the most delicious savory tart. 

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     The recipe is from an old (and favorite) cookbook, Once Upon a Tart.  Family members have been out of town this week and when that happens, I usually don't spend time in the kitchen.  But I've been asked recently why I haven't posted any recipes lately, and thought it was time I made an appearance.  This savory tart seemed perfect for my reentry ... a 9-inch tart pan (on the smallish side), and as good this morning (at room temperature) for breakfast, as it was last night right out of the oven.  If you bake this tart, make it easy on yourself (like I did) and defrost your spinach.  But if you want to use fresh, take a pound of spinach and wilt, using a large pan, with a little butter and olive oil.

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     This painting (of an actual woman with her dog on the upper eastside of NYC) is one of the reasons I've disappeared.  I put my paints & brushes away 40-some years ago in art school.  I was obsessed and did nothing else.  I didn't think I could continue that way, so I entered the fiber department instead of painting/printmaking.  I often wonder what my life would be like now if I had continued in painting... and I've been missing it.  So, now I will be dividing time between painting and LivingTastefully... oh... and the garden that I need to start planting.  I'm busy, but I'll still be around.  Maybe just not as frequently.



Spinach and Mushroom Tart with Fresh Ricotta

• recipe by Frank Mentesana and Jerome Audureau, adapted
•  Tart Crust Dough (recipe HERE)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 10 ounces defrosted frozen spinach, drained in a colander, excess water squeezed out
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and thinly sliced
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup light cream plus extra to brush on the lattice pastry
• 1 cup ricotta cheese, preferrably fresh (recipe HERE)

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• A few turns of freshly ground black pepper


1. Using 2/3 of the pastry dough from recipe above, roll dough to fit into a 9-inch tart pan.  Trim any overhang and reserve with the 1/3 of the unused dough; wrap in plastic and keep chilled in refrigerator.  Place the dough-lined tart pan in the freezer and preheat oven to 400˚F.  When the oven is preheated, gently press a square of aluminum foil onto the base and up the sides of the tart pan; fill with dried rice or beans.  Place the pan on a rack in the center of oven and bake for 17 minutes.  Remove tart pan from oven and carefully lift out the foil + dried rice/beans.  Return the tart pan to the oven and continue to bake until golden.  Remove.  Reduce oven temperature to 375˚F. 
2.  Heat the butter and olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat.  Add the garlic and stir just briefly; add the mushrooms and sauté until glossy and dark.  Remove from heat and scrape into a large bowl.  Add the spinach.
3.  Whisk the eggs in a bowl to break up the yolks.  Whisk in the cream, cheeses, nutmeg, red-pepper flakes. salt and pepper.  Add this mixture to the bowl with the mushrooms and spinach and stir until evenly distributed.  Spoon the mixture into the tart shell, and using a spatula, spread to level the filling. 
4.  Make the lattice top by thinly rolling the remaining dough.  I used a pizza cutter to cut 1/2-inch strips of dough.  Weave a lattice crust over the top of the filling (instructions HERE).  Trim any excess and gently tuck ends in around edge of pan.  Using a pastry brush, brush the lattice with light cream.
5.  Place the tart onto a rimmed baking sheet and place baking sheet on middle rack of oven.  Bake for 1 hour, until the filling is firm to the touch, and the lattice is golden brown.
6.  Remove tart from oven and let cool slightly before removing the outside ring.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 






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Fresh Ricotta Tart

1/13/2017

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     How could I resist baking this tart?  It's full of all the things I love... and ingredients that I usually have on hand, making it very easy to assemble for last night's dinner.  This recipe is from the book, Pie by Angela Boggiano.  I found the book at a local discount/used bookstore and purchased it originally for the "noble" or "raised" pie recipes that are baked in tall, decorative pans or molds.  They are works of art, and although I can't see myself searching for pigeon breasts or pigs feet, that are called for in some of the fillings, I'm instead envisioning layers of roasted vegetables and hard-boiled eggs encased in walls of golden pastry... more to my liking.

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     But, back to the ricotta tart...  If you follow LivingTastefully, you already know that I love using my homemade fresh ricotta (recipe HERE) in just about everything.  And, although it's easy to make, don't feel like you must do that.  Purchased fresh ricotta is absolutely fine.  I also have candied orange rind (recipe HERE) on hand most of the time... for my favorite cookies and alongside an afternoon espresso!
     The author compares this filling to Sicilian cannoli pastry desserts and that is exactly the memory I have when eating this ricotta tart.  Plus, Boggiano recommends always preheating a baking sheet to place your pies and tarts on; a little trick than ensures a well-baked bottom crust.


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     I did several things differently than in the original recipe.  • I used a favorite tart pastry.  It was enough dough to line the deep tart pan, but wasn't enough for a lattice topping.  If you would like lattice on the top of your pie, increase the pastry recipe, below, by half.  The white looking dots on the top of the filling are from a piece of the pastry dough that remained and I cut into small circles... wouldn't do that again. • The recipe called for 3 extra-large eggs, which I did not have.  I substituted 4 of the smallest large eggs I could find.  • And, the last thing, I increased the oven temperature by 25 degrees which was perfect. 
 

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PASTRY DOUGH

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 tablespoons ice water
• extra flour for rolling pastry

FILLING
• 1 pound fresh ricotta (recipe HERE)
• 1/3 cup superfine sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 extra-large or 4 large eggs (see • above in text)
• 1/2 cup candied orange rind (recipe HERE)
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup currants
• Grated zest of 1 lemon
• Confectioner's sugar for dusting
TO MAKE THE PASTRY
1.  Pulse 1  1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, the salt and sugar in a food processor.  Add butter; pulse until pea-size lumps form.  Drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water over the mixture.  Pulse until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by drips if dry.  Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk.  Wrap in plastic; chill 2 hours. 
2.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface.  Transfer to a 9-inch x 1 3/4-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.  Gently press onto bottom and up sides of the tart pan. Trim.  Refrigerate until needed.
TO MAKE THE FILLING
1.  Preheat oven to 375˚F.  Place a baking sheet on bottom shelf of oven to preheat.
2.  Place the ricotta in a large bowl and whip with a wire whisk until smooth.  Beat in the sugar, vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, until combined.
3.  Stir in the candied orange rind, chocolate chips, currants and lemon zest.  Pour into the pastry shell. 
4.  Place tart pan on the preheated baking sheet on the lowest oven shelf and bake for 55 minutes until golden.  Set aside for 15 minutes to cool in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Dust with confectioner's sugar before serving. 






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Christmas Dinner... 2016

12/27/2016

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     This was an unusual Christmas for my husband and me.  It's the first year neither one of our daughters was here to celebrate -- with one visiting in-laws in Milwaukee and the other with her boyfriend's family in Chicago.   Christmas Eve for us was spent at our neighbor's; a tradition, now that we are no longer  traveling over the holidays.  We have amazing neighbors and I've made it clear to all of them that they can never move away from me...

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     When we finally gathered yesterday with family, our Christmas dinner was French Onion Soup and a Salad of Arugula, Roasted Peppers, and Steak.  Dessert... a Lemon Meringue Tart.

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     To start off our midday meal, we drank small glasses of spiked eggnog.  Fortunately, the rich aperitif didn't seem to kill anyone's appetite...  I stirred a good sprinkling of Chinese 5 Spice into organic eggnog, then added golden rum... to taste.  The top was covered in a thick coating of whipped, heavy cream, along with a generous grating of nutmeg.

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  Whitney with her Frenchie, Midge

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     As usual, Bisous waiting for anything edible to drop from above.

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     This will now be my go-to French Onion Soup.  The best I've ever made.  I made some slight changes to a recipe by Ina Garten.
                                                                   (recipe below)


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     When finishing the soup, you will want to top it with the best Gruyére cheese you can fiind.  It really makes a difference.  I could eat this soup every day...

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     This is one of my favorite "hearty" salads, and I make it often during the summer for our alfresco meals.                                                       
  (recipe HERE)

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     La Fin... Lemon Meringue Tart.  Perfect any time of the year...
(recipe below)



   French  Onion Soup


Serves 8
• 3 3/4 pounds yellow onions, halved, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 cup medium-dry sherry
• 3/4 cup Cognac
• 2 1/4 cups good quality dry white wine
• 3 quarts  organic beef stock
• 1 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground white or black pepper
• 2 teaspoons concentrated beef base (such as Better Than Bouillon brand)
• 1-2 French baguettes, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 4-5 cups grated Gruyére cheese
1.  In a large stockpot, over medium heat, sauté the onions with the butter and bay leaves until the onions turn a rich golden brown color.  Take your time with this -- approximately 45+ minutes.  You want to slowly caramelize the onions and not burn them.
2.  Deglaze the pan with the sherry and brandy and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.  Add the white wine and simmer uncovered for an addition 15 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 375˚F. 
3.  Add the beef stock, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Stir in the concentrated beef base, starting with 1 teaspoon.  Taste, and add additional base if needed.  Adjust salt and pepper; remove the bay leaves.
4.  Brush the baguette slices with the melted butter and place on a baking sheet.  Transfer to the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake until the bread slices begin to lightly toast and turn golden.  Remove from oven.  Ladle soup into oven-proof bowls.  Place several slices of baguette onto each bowl of soup, then generously cover with grated Gruyére.  Place several bowls on a baking sheet with 1-inch sides and slide onto middle rack of oven.  Broil until cheese is melted and gooey.  Repeat with remaining bowls.  Serve.



Lemon Meringue Tart

TART PASTRY:
• 2 T. sliced almonds
• 1 cup unbleached flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 5 1/3 T. very cold butter, 1/2" dice
• 3 T. ice water
FILLING:
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
ˆ 1 cup water
• 3 T. cornstarch
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 2 T. butter
• 2 tsp. grated lemon rind
MERINGUE:
• 5 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1.  Make pastry dough and chill for 2 hours.  Line a 9-inch tart pan and bake blind at 400˚F  until golden brown. 
2.  Dissolve sugar with salt in 3/4 cup of the water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Mix the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup water and stir into the sugar-water mixture.  Stir constantly until thick and clear.  Remove from heat.  Beat egg yolks with lemon juice until slightly thickened and stir into cornstarch mixture.  Return to heat and bring back just to a boil.  Take from heat and stir in the butter and grated lemon rind.  Cool slightly and fill the baked tart shell.
3. To make meringue:  Place egg whites, at room temperature, in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Add salt and start beating with a whisk attachment.  Once frothiness has been achieved, slowly start adding the granulated sugar and the cream of tartar.  Continue to beat at high speed until the egg whites just begin to hold stiff peaks.  Do not overbeat or the whites will become dry and start to separate.  Mound the billowy, cloud-like meringue onto the tart and bake in a preheated 375˚F oven until golden.





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A Holiday Party

12/10/2016

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     During the holiday season, our big celebration has always been on New Year's Day.  That is when my husband and I host our annual brunch; an event that now spans 30 years.

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      What I don't do very often, however, is plan an event right before Christmas.  But a week ago, feeling like I had the holidays under control, I asked friends who are in our gourmet "supper club" if they would like to come over for an evening of appetizers and drinks.  Amazingly, during this very busy time of the year, everyone was free!       
  

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     I cooked and baked some of my favorites, and I have links for you below to all of the foods on my menu. 

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     And the best part, for me anyway, was pulling out favorite serving pieces, stands, and vintage decorations... and sharing it all with family and friends.

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• Tortellini Salad with Snow Peas
• Zucchini Galettes with Fresh Ricotta and Lemon
• Époisses, Ham and Apple Tart
• Rolled Vanilla Christmas Tree Cookies
• Vanilla Shortbread Cookies
• Macademia Shortbread Biscotti
• Sablés à l'Orange et Raisins
• French Canelés
• Chocolat Chaud
... assorted cheeses, olives, salami, crackers, roasted peppers and drinks were also served





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Little Pear Tarts with Caramelized Onions, Blue Cheese & Walnuts

9/27/2016

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     Yesterday, I was able to play in my kitchen... I spent last week preparing for a dinner I made Sunday night to benefit the Madeline Island Music Camp.  Being busy with that, I ignored a bag of organic pears that by now had seen better days.  And since my idea of a good time is being in my kitchen and making tarts, that's exactly what I did yesterday with my neglected fruit.
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     The direction I took with these little tarts was based on what was available in my kitchen.  I had just purchased a beautiful block of blue cheese made in Faribault, Minnesota, and had a basket of big, sweet onions. I also keep bags of walnuts in my freezer at all times... because, I throw them into everything!  And, if I'm making a savory pear tart, I tend to add cornmeal to the crust... so, that's where I started.
 

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     Of course, if you don't feel like making little individual tarts, make this recipe in a large (approximately 11-inch) tart pan.  I used eight 3 1/4-inch tart rings, but had enough pastry dough with the recipe below to easily make ten.
     These little tarts would be delicious on a brunch or luncheon menu this fall served with a green salad.


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PASTRY:
• 1 1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup finely ground cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 tablespoons ice water
• extra flour for rolling pastry

FILLING:
• 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
• 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 small pears
• 3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted lightly and chopped
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon walnut oil


MAKE THE PASTRY:  I used 3 1/4-inch tart rings but you can also use individual tart pans with removable bottoms, or use an 11-inch tart pan if not making individual tarts.
1.  Pulse the flour, cornmeal and salt in a food processor.  Add butter and pulse until pea-size lumps form.  While pulsing, drizzle 3 tablespoons ice water over the mixture, continuing to pulse until moist clumps form.  Add the remaining tablespoon of ice water by drips if dry.  Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk.  Wrap in plastic; chill 2 hours or overnight. 
2.  Divide the dough into 8 pieces if making individual tarts.  Roll the pieces of dough between lightly floured sheets of waxed paper.  Cut circles of dough larger than the rings and transfer to metal rings that have been placed on a parchment lined baking sheet (you can substitute individual tart pans with removable bottoms). Gently press dough onto bottom and up sides of the tart rings; trim.  Keep refrigerated until ready to fill and bake.
MAKE THE FILLING:

1. In a large cast iron skillet, cook the onions in 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil over medium heat, stirring often until onions are golden, approximately 15 minutes. (Turn down heat if onions burn at all and add a little more olive oil if skillet seems dry).  Add the vinegar and salt & pepper to taste. 
2.  Peel, core and halve the pears lengthwise, then cut the halves lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, leaving the slices attached at the top end.  Press on the the pear halves gently to spread the pears into fans.  Brush the top of the "fans" with the butter.  Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and place the buttered side of the pears in the pan.  Cook the pears briefly until  golden. 
3. Preheat the oven to 400˚F.  Take the baking sheet with the tart shells from the refrigerator.  Divide the caramelized onions among the shells.  Sprinkle the onions with the crumbled blue cheese and gently place a fanned pear on top of the blue cheese.  Sprinkle a little freshly ground pepper over the pear.  Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon walnut oil over each tart. 
4.  After all of the tart shells are filled, place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven.  Bake the tarts for 35 minutes, then remove from oven and sprinkle chopped walnuts over each tart.  Return baking sheet to the oven and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the tart crust is baked and golden. 









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What have I been up to...?

8/28/2016

4 Comments

 
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I'm not here :(

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nor here :(

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or even here :(

     It probably seems like I've been gone for awhile...  So, what have I been doing?  Not traveling.  I wish I could say I spent the summer in the south of France, but that didn't happen.  No surprise to most of you, I've been spending a LOT of time with my Frenchie puppy, Bisous.  Right before I lost my Frenchie, Pipi, just a year ago, my vet tried to help me put her life into perspective.  She told me, "Pipi is like 110 in people years and has had a better life than most children".  I'm embarrassed to say, the vet was probably 100% right.  I'm very devoted to my dogs and that's one reason I've been staying close to home with "B".  No major trips.  If any traveling is done anytime soon, it will be by car so Bisous can accompany us.  So right now, there's no France in my future.  Life is currently all about Bisous...
     And lately, most of my days are spent in my kitchen, trying to make sense of the ridiculous amount of produce from my vegetable garden.  I'm thankful our backyard isn't any larger.  If it were, my gardens would certainly be larger also, and there would be even more vegetables!  Right after I finish this post, I will begin chopping tomatoes for a fresh pasta sauce we will eat for dinner tonight.  We've had some wonderful dinners on the patio this summer, and I'm hoping warm weather will continue into October.  I'm not ready to give up alfresco dining with friends and family quite yet...
     There have also been out-of-town visitors recently.  This has all kept me busy. Plus, you would probably find my meal rotations rather boring.  Not much experimenting this summer for me.  I tend to make many of the foods we eat over and over during the growing season... because I love them.  I wait months in Minnesota for the tomatoes, beans, zucchini, beets, etc., from my garden,  and I'm perfectly happy eating them, much of the time, the same way.  I will never tire of fresh tomato pasta sauce, Caprese salads, seared beans, zucchini-walnut bread... experimenting can wait! 
     If you follow my posts on Instagram, you will most likely know what I've been cooking and baking in my kitchen.  Below are a few iPhone photos of things I've made recently, along with links to the recipes.  Photo shoots with my SLR camera seem like a luxury this time of year.  It's all about sitting down and eating (immediately!) when the food is ready.  No one wants to wait while I photograph.

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Stuffed Zucchini... recipe HERE

     (almost ready for the oven)  The only thing I did differently was to fill the zucchini shells with tiny cubes of fresh mozzarella before I finished filling with the rice, ground beef and tomatoes.  I highly recommend the addition of the mozzarella!


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Yotam Ottolenghi's "Very Full Tart"... recipe HERE


     This savory tart recipe is from Ottolenghi's cookbook PLENTY, and a great way to use up some of that vegetable garden produce!  Loved that sweet potato added to the mix.  The one thing I'll do the next time I make this tart is add one more egg, for a total of three.  It will help that one cup of heavy cream set up better.  Also, I recommend using a 9-inch deep-sided tart pan with a removable bottom.


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Raspberry Buttermilk Cake... recipe HERE


     I posted the recipe for this Raspberry Buttermilk Cake several years ago.  Every time I make this cake I ask myself... Why don't I make it more often?  It is extremely easy and delicious!




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