Grandma's Kitchen Table

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Onion, Anchovy, and Olive Tarts

       My 132nd recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Onion, Anchovy, and Olive Tarts, was chosen for the group by Margaret, and is found in Donna Hay's cookbook Modern Classics 1, on page 170.  (I am catching up at WWDH and I have quite a few recipes that I have missed posting along the way, so I am posting recipes I made but didn't have time to post at the proper time.  This recipe was posted by the group on September 3, 2014.)

       The ingredient list:  puff pastry, olive oil, onions, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, Parmesan cheese, anchovy fillets (okay, you're right, I did not use those and used mushrooms instead), black olives, and thyme leaves. 

       Nope, no anchovies for us on this one, none of us care for the little fishies after they are done swimming around, in other words, we don't eat anchovies on or in anything.  I thought mushrooms would be a good substitution so I used those, they were flavorful and a good combination with the thyme, black olives, and Parmesan cheese. 

       These were easy and fun to make and I would definitely make them again.  They are a great way to use up that second sheet of puff pastry that comes in the box when you are making something with puff pastry that calls for using only one of the sheets.  The combination of toppings you can use is endless.

Weekend in a French Kitchen (Mimi Thorisson): Red Berry Barquettes

       This is our fourth recipe for the Sunday cooking group Weekend in a French Kitchen cooking from Mimi Thorisson's A Kitchen in France:  A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse, Red Berry Barquettes, found on page 132.

       The ingredient list:  flour, sugar, salt, egg yolks, butter, cranberry jelly, water, and red summer berries. 

       A few years back I was blogging in a group that was working on baking through Nick Malgieri's Modern Baker cookbook, the leader of the group decided that we were going to do the recipes in order as they appeared in the book.  I wasn't too keen on that idea at the time as it meant I had a whole lot of tarts all in a row week after week, both savory and sweet.  The result was that I learned to make tarts quickly and efficiently and with great confidence.  When we completed those sections, I have to say, I felt like I could make a fairly good tart at a moment's notice.  Making them over and over like that gives you a real feel for dough and sizing. 

       I have about every size tart pan you can imagine (the good French ones) but I do not have any barquette pan molds (click here) and I didn't realize until now that I was ever going to want some, but want some, I do.  I'm trying to resist ordering them special just because to be honest, how often am I really going to use barquette molds?  On the other hand, if I have them, then I would think of ways to use them, right?  You can see the massive justification that accompanies my decisions on baking pans (and why I have a whole linen closet full of them).  So I made these little tarts in small individual 4" tart pans as that is the size that works for the guys feeling they have had a decent portion of dessert, anything smaller and they feel they need two or more of them. 

       The recipe is simple, make the dough, bake the little tarts, paint the inside of the tarts with a thinned out version of jelly, place in the fruit, and glaze them with some more of the thinned jelly.  Oh, and if you are at our house, the requisite whipped cream on top, what can I say, the guys like what they like.  Delicious.  Definitely worthy of a repeat.  

       If you would like to see how the others fared, click here and follow the links.  Next week's recipe is Almond Gazpacho, page 85.

Weekend in a French Kitchen (Daniel Boulud): Mango, Kiwi, and Coconut Custard Tart

       This is our fourth recipe for the Saturday cooking group Weekend in a French Kitchen cooking from Daniel Boulud's Cafe Boulud Cookbook, Mango, Kiwi, and Coconut Custard Tart, found on page 254.

       The ingredient list:  flour, butter, salt, egg, unsweetened dried coconut, sugar, egg, whole milk, cream, mango, and kiwis. 

       The combination of mango, coconut, and kiwi in a tart is not one I have had before and it seemed like a lot of flavors touching all at once, but it did work nicely and we enjoyed the tropical aspect of it.
       Mark always thinks desserts look better with a dollop of whipped cream crowning them, so that addition was my own for him.

       This recipe made one 8-3/4" tart specified and then I had enough dough to also make another 6" tart by using an additional kiwi and the other half of the mango left from the first tart.  It was just way too much custard to put into one tart and when the dough was rolled out to size and thickness stated, I had plenty for the other tart (my tart pans are French and I think they are more petite in depth than American tart pans in general)...this is more of a note to myself for the next time I use this dough recipe, but I thought maybe others would like knowing that as well. The dough recipe we all used (on page 353) says it actually makes a 9-1/2" tart, so that accounts for the extra dough I ended up with when rolling it all out.  If you don't want to make two tarts, you could freeze the dough for another time. Definitely worth a repeat. 

       If you would like to see how the others fared, click here and follow the links.  Next week's recipe is Boston Mackerel au Vin Blanc, page 28.

Eating with Ellie: Pacific Rim Salmon Burgers

       The twenty-fourth recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Pacific Rim Salmon Burgers, is found on page 91 of Ellie Krieger's cookbook Weeknight Wonders, and was Sarah's pick for the group this week. 

       Ingredient list:   Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, sriracha, toasted sesame oil, salt, and pepper (this was for the sauce), bread, salmon, red bell pepper, scallions, ginger, garlic, egg white, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, black pepper (this was for the salmon burger), carrot, cucumber, lettuce, buns (this was for plating and serving). 

       Disclaimer: To be honest, I didn't like this at all and it is not because the recipe was bad or ill-written or anything like that, it's because I'm not big on fish and bread (fish should not touch bread in my world), I don't care for fish in a sandwich, and I don't care for breading inside the fish mixture (whether it be a patty or a crab cake or whatever, there is something texture-wise that is not pleasant to my palate).  If I was 5, I would say that it makes me gag, but I'm not 5, so I will say that it is not pleasant to my palate.  (But to be truthful, it makes me gag.)  This is a personal thing, not a criticism of the recipe. 

       Mark ate two of them.  He thought they would be better fried than grilled (which was a surprise to me as I wasn't sure until now he really could taste a difference).  But he did eat two and is taking the other one for his lunch tomorrow.  In bread.  As a sandwich.  So, he did like the recipe and he didn't wince much when I picked mine all apart, ate part of the salmon part and tossed the rest down the disposal.  I tried it and I can honestly say my opinion has not changed concerning fish and bread(ing). 

       I always try to find something positive to say, so I will say that I did love that sauce, it was delicious!  Go see what the others thought as I'm sure they did much better.  Next time, I would like my salmon poached or baked and with nothing on it except a slice of lemon and a bit of parsley, thank you for understanding.  Not a repeat.  

       If you wonder how the others did this week, click here to follow their post links.  You can also find the recipe schedule for the coming weeks there. Next week is Catch-Up Week, so anyone who wanted to make a recipe and didn't have time can use next week to make and post any of those, and if not, a vacation week is always nice.  Please come and join us at any time, just leave the link to your post that week so we know where to find you.  :-)

Thirty Minute Thursdays: Fusilli alle Zucchine e Mentuccia (Fusilli with Zucchini and Mint)

       This week for the forty-seventh recipe I've made for Thirty Minute Thursdays, cooking our way through Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta book, I made Fusilli alle Zucchine e Mentuccia (Fusilli with Zucchini and Mint) on page 79. 

      The ingredient list:  onion, olive oil, salt, garlic, parsley, zucchini, mint, basil, and fusilli.

      This is zucchini season...probably everyone in America is aware of this event each year as zucchinis have a way of producing fast and furiously each summer, asserting themselves in such a way that cooks everywhere are busy coming up with new and inventive ways to cook or bake with zucchini.  At the end of zucchini season there is a sigh of relief as I am sure I can't make or eat one more zucchini dish.  Maybe.  Maybe with this simple recipe I can be happy the rest of zucchini season with just this!  It's so simple, so quick, and so delicious. 

        This recipe uses just a few ingredients (an economical dish certainly, especially if you grow your own herbs as I do) that combine in a most wonderful way to give you a flavorful pasta dish that leaves you wanting just one more bite, please.  I was skeptical of the mint in this recipe, but it is a small amount and it really did go nicely with the other flavors, so while I am usually not thrilled with mint in savory dishes, I was very happy with this one.  Definitely a repeat and definitely happening many more times this zucchini season.  I have plans to use up some leftover chorizo with this recipe this weekend, it feels like they would be a very fine match.

      If you wish to see what the others made (we each choose a recipe from the book that fits in with our family's meal plan that week), click on their names to link to their 30 Minute Thursdays post:  Margaret, Glennis, Peggy, and Chaya.  If you'd like to join in, let us know by leaving a comment in the comment section here, we'd love to have you join us.

 

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Spinach and Ricotta Pies

       My 131st recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Spinach and Ricotta Pies, was chosen for the group by Chaya, and is found in Donna Hay's book New Food Fast on page 94.

       The ingredient list:  spinach leaves, ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, dill, pepper, and puff pastry.

       Puff pastry sheets purchased in the grocery freezer section make things much easier for recipes like this so it's nice that DH embraces that belief as well.  The rest of the ingredients just get mixed together and placed in such a way to make a nice little pocket pie reminiscent of Greek spanakopita, the feta and spinach-filled phyllo dough pies.  Anything reminiscent of spanakopita is sure to be a hit here, the great taste of spinach and cheese combined with ease of preparation means that it is definitely worthy of a repeat.  Soon, it was very good.

       Wonder what the others thought?  You can find that by clicking here.  Next week is Catch-up Week for the group, time to make a recipe you might have missed along the way.  Join us and leave a link to your post at the website by clicking here, no commitment required.

Weekend in a French Kitchen (Mimi Thorisson): Cherry Clafoutis

        This is our third recipe for the Sunday cooking group Weekend in a French Kitchen cooking from Mimi Thorisson's A Kitchen in France:  A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse, Cherry Clafoutis, found on page 135. Mimi also has the recipe posted online here.

       The ingredient list:  butter, fresh cherries, flour, sugar, salt, vanilla bean, milk, eggs, orange flower water, and confectioner's sugar. 

       So, clafoutis-making might not be my thing.  I have made them before and they turned out just okay.  I made this one and it was completely strange, all bumpy in all the wrong places, not the cherries, which are supposed to be bumpy, but the batter was all risen on one side and not the other so I'm guessing my mixing technique was a bit distracted that morning.  Hmmm.  I gave Peggy a quick text and she sent me a photo of hers, which was beautiful, so I knew it had to be operator error on my part with this recipe.  Back to the baking counter.  The second time around was much better and turned out just fine.  Can't imagine what I did with that first one but there you have it, the old adage, "if at first you don't succeed, try, try, again..." 

        It all tasted fine, I'm not the biggest clafoutis fan in general, but Mark liked it and it was better the second day, the flavors had settled nicely.  I liked using the fresh deepest dark red Michigan cherries (they look purple in the photos) from my CSA basket so it was good I had those for both attempts.  Would I make this again?  Maybe not, more of a personal taste than anything, not the recipe itself. It was enjoyed by those who ate it and I enjoyed finding out about orange flower water, something I had not used before now. Oh, and I did pit the cherries...I cook for guys and they aren't going to be fond of cherry pits in desserts, so I went with personal preference on this one.  

       If you would like to see how the others fared, click here and follow the links.  Next week's recipe is Red Berry Barquettes, page 132.

Weekend in a French Kitchen (Daniel Boulud): Andrew Carmellini's Bow Tie Pasta with Tomato, Arugula, and Mozzarella

       This is our third recipe for the Saturday cooking group Weekend in a French Kitchen cooking from Daniel Boulud's Cafe Boulud Cookbook, Andrew Carmellini's Bow Tie Pasta with Tomato, Arugula, and Mozzarella, found on page 306.

       The ingredient list:  tomatoes, olive oil, basil, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, white pepper, bow tie pasta, Parmesan cheese, arugula, mozzarella, and baby cherry tomatoes. 

       This book contains a section of recipes that are not French recipes, but recipes from "around the world."  I gave serious consideration to just making and posting the French recipes from the book, that is why I joined the group, and letting the others sort of slide by, especially the pasta ones as I am already posting in a pasta group.  That said, I felt a tug to just go ahead and make this one as it looked easy, delicious, and had a couple of techniques I wanted to explore (i.e. the making of the flavored oil with the garlic and basil then straining the solids out and also the peeled baby cherry tomatoes, seriously, is it worth peeling a baby cherry tomato?). 

       It kept calling my name, so I caved in, hauled out my pasta pot, and went to work.  And I am most happy that I did as this recipe was fun to make and the taste was full of layers of flavor from the well-chosen ingredients.  My favorite find was the burst of flavor and sweetness from the peeled baby cherry tomatoes, oh that pop of fresh tomato flavor was such a treat!  It was so worth peeling those little baby cherry tomatoes as the flavor without the tomato skin is such a surprisingly delicious difference. I also liked the infused oil.  All of it, definitely worth a repeat. 

       If you would like to see how the others fared, click here and follow the links.  Next week's recipe is Mango, Kiwi, and Coconut Custard Tart, page 254.

Thirty Minute Thursdays: Fusilli con la Peperonata (Fusilli with Green and Yellow Peppers)

       This past week for the forty-sixth recipe I've made for Thirty Minute Thursdays, cooking our way through Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta book, I made Fusilli con la Peperonata (Fusilli with Green and Yellow Peppers) on page 74. 

      The ingredient list:  onion, olive oil, hot red pepper flakes, garlic, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, salt, tomatoes, fresh oregano, Parmigiano Reggiano, and fusilli.

      The recipes I am choosing from the book this summer I have saved for the purpose of being able to make them when a majority of the listed ingredients can be found fresh and in season.  Such was the case with this recipe where I got to use onions, green peppers, yellow peppers, tomatoes, and oregano all fresh from my CSA basket and herb pots.  The vegetables and seasonings make a wonderful sauce for the pasta, full of flavor and freshness. We liked the spicy kick from the hot red pepper flakes a lot! Gone are the days that I thought pasta sauce was either red or white...this book has shown me that topping and sauces for pasta are varied, new and exciting for us.  Definitely worthy of a repeat.

      If you wish to see what the others made (we each choose a recipe from the book that fits in with our family's meal plan that week), click on their names to link to their 30 Minute Thursdays post:  Margaret, Glennis, Peggy, and Chaya.  If you'd like to join in, let us know by leaving a comment in the comment section here, we'd love to have you join us.

 

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Sesame Sweet Potato

       My 130th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Sesame Sweet Potato, was chosen for the group by Margaret, and is found in Donna Hay's book New Food Fast on page134.

       The ingredient list:  sweet potato, vegetable oil, sesame oil, and sea salt.

       We love sweet potatoes, I buy one each week and find some way to use it as there are so many ways we like them.  This recipe was fast and flavorful, the sesame oil adds just a bit of spicy kick that complements the taste of the sweet potato.  Definitely a repeat.  Often.

       Wonder what the others thought?  You can find that by clicking here.  Next week is Chaya's choice for the group, Spinach and Ricotta Pies, found in Donna Hay's cookbook New Food Fast on page 94.  Join us and leave a link to your post at the website by clicking here, no commitment required.

 

Weekend in a French Kitchen (Mimi Thorisson): Langoustines with Armagnac

       This is our second recipe for the Sunday cooking group Weekend in a French Kitchen cooking from Mimi Thorisson's A Kitchen in France:  A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse, Langoustines with Armagnac, found on page 110.

       The ingredient list:  langoustines (or jumbo shrimp, preferably with the head on...I used shrimp without heads because, well this is Indiana and I am not able to get those here without special order and didn't feel strongly enough about it all to special order them to be flown in), extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, shallots, fresh thyme, dry white wine, and Armagnac. 

       Shrimp is a popular choice here at the house, everyone here loves shrimp.  I cook for guys, one husband always and two grown sons frequently, so I knew that leaving heads on the shrimp would not be a popular call.  One adjusts certain things for certain diners. 

       This is a remarkably quick and easy dinner as it has just a few ingredients and takes just a short amount of time to pull it all together.  We enjoyed the taste of the sauce for the shrimp, definitely worthy of repeating. 

       Quick note:  We could not get the Armagnac to ignite with such a small amount of it, so that didn't happen.  I made half a recipe so it could be that in halving the recipe I jeopardized the ability of the lesser amount of Armagnac to ignite.  In the past I have found this to be true at different times.  If anyone has a special foolproof way to insure that it ignites, please share!  

       If you would like to see how the others fared, click here and follow the links.  Next week's recipe is Cherry Clafoutis, page 135.

Weekend in a French Kitchen (Daniel Boulud): Chilled Spring Pea Soup

       This is our second recipe for the Saturday cooking group Weekend in a French Kitchen cooking from Daniel Boulud's Cafe Boulud Cookbook, Chilled Spring Pea Soup, found on page 112. (Courtesy of the author and Food & Wine Magazine, you can also find the recipe online here.)

       The ingredient list (for the soup, cream, and topping):  bacon, olive oil, celery, onion, leek, salt, white pepper, chicken stock, rosemary, peas (combination of English Sweet Peas, fava beans, sugar snap peas, snow peas), Italian parsley, cream, and garlic. 

       It is so great getting back to French cooking with friends again, I have missed making/eating it and Mark has missed eating it.  When I was standing in my kitchen amidst several pots, numerous knives and cutting boards, and with ingredients spread the length and breadth of my kitchen, I was smiling the entire time...what a treat to be able to practice old techniques and learn new ones.  French cooking is not for the fainthearted but isn't terribly daunting either with well-written recipes and lovely results.  This recipe scored high on both of those. 

       Mark is not a pea soup fan, go figure, so this week he sat this one out as far as tasting goes and it was mine alone.  I made a quarter of a recipe and it gave me two generous bowls of soup for lunches this week.  The fresh pea flavor really shines and the rosemary garlic cream with bacon was a fun and delicious way to top it all off.  Definitely worthy of a repeat.

       Quick notes:  I saved the pea mash remaining after the straining of the second part of the soup recipe and the bacon from the straining of the first part of the soup recipe to use as a bed for broiled fish with the little bacon bits crumbled on top and that was delicious.  I also saved the garlic and rosemary from the cream infusion and used that to throw into some mashed potatoes and that was delicious.  No sense throwing out perfectly wonderful flavoring ingredients if you can use them nicely elsewhere.

       If you would like to see how the others fared, click here and follow the links.  Next week's recipe is Andrew Carmellini's Bow Tie Pasta with Tomato, Arugula, and Mozzarella, page 306.

Eating with Ellie: Tomato Braised Green Beans

       The twenty-third recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Tomato Braised Green Beans, is found on page 245 of Ellie Krieger's cookbook Weeknight Wonders, and was Gaye's pick for the group this week. You can also find the recipe online here.

       Ingredient list:   onion, garlic, olive oil, green beans, tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. 

       To be honest, I didn't think I would like this very much, I do love tomatoes and I do love green beans, but I'm not real big on cooked tomatoes touching other things usually so I was a little "iffy" on this going in.  Simple to make, surprisingly delicious to eat in the end result.  It was really good, as in I will make this again. 

       It was especially nice since I had green beans, oregano, and basil in my CSA basket so I got to use those in this recipe.  I cooked mine a little longer than the stated time in the recipe as my beans were fresh and needed just a bit longer to get them slightly soft but yet with a little bit of crunch in them, which is how we like them.  

       If you wonder how the others did this week, click here to follow their post links.  You can also find the recipe schedule for the coming weeks there. Next week's recipe was chosen by Glennis, is Shrimp Pad Thai Salad, and is found on page 48 of Ellie Krieger's cookbook Weeknight Wonders.  Please come and join us at any time, just leave the link to your post that week so we know where to find you.  :-)

Thirty Minute Thursdays: Fusilli alla Salsiccia e Ricotta (Fusilli with Sausage, Ricotta, and Fresh Tomatoes)

       This week for the forty-fifth recipe I've made for Thirty Minute Thursdays, cooking our way through Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta book, I made Fusilli alla Salsiccia e Ricotta (Fusilli with Sausage, Ricotta, and Fresh Tomatoes) on page 165.

       The ingredient list:  onion, butter, sausage, tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil leaves, ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, and fusilli.

      This recipe is full of vibrant taste and texture, the sausage gives it pizazz.  It is a bit heavier than most of the recipes in this book because the sausage adds a dense weight to it all.  The ricotta adds a creamy texture as it melts into the tomato mixture and it seems very rich and wonderful.  With a salad to lighten it up, this was a very good meal.  Mark loves sausages so this is a way to make a little go a long way and yet feel like you've had a nice quantity of meat for dinner. He would really like it if I made this one regularly, and I just might, it was delicious.

      If you wish to see what the others made (we each choose a recipe from the book that fits in with our family's meal plan that week), click on their names to link to their 30 Minute Thursdays post:  Margaret, Glennis, Peggy, and Chaya.  If you'd like to join in, let us know by leaving a comment in the comment section here, we'd love to have you join us.

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Cannellini Bean Salad

       My 129th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Cannellini Bean Salad, was chosen for the group by me, and is found in Donna Hay's book Off the Shelf on page 84.  You can also find the recipe online here.

       The ingredient list:  cannellini beans, green beans, tomatoes, paprika, fresh mint, fresh parsley, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

       So many fresh ingredients in this little salad!  I wanted to save choosing this recipe until summer when the green beans, tomatoes, parsley, and mint were all either grown by me or appeared in my CSA basket.  Such a treat to have so many of the ingredients fresh and in season. 

       The salad is very simple, easy to put together, and delicious.  It makes a lot so with some of it the second day I combined it with pasta to serve up a side dish that way.  The flavor was good the first day but even better the next and next when the flavors had a chance to get to know each other a bit.  I wouldn't know beyond that as it was gone by the third day.  On the third day I added in some green onion, radish, and garlic scapes because I had them hanging around the refrigerator from my CSA basket, that was a great variation as well.  Definitely a repeat, loved every mouthful. 

       Wonder what the others thought?  You can find that by clicking here.  Next week is Margaret's choice for the group, Sesame Sweet Potato, found in Donna Hay's cookbook New Food Fast on page 134.  Join us and leave a link to your post at the website by clicking here, no commitment required.

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Baked Salmon with Radish and Cucumber Salad

       My 128th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Baked Salmon with Radish and Cucumber Salad, was chosen for the group by Gaye, and was originally online at DH's site but has since been taken down.  (I am catching up at WWDH and I have quite a few recipes that I have missed posting along the way, so I am posting recipes I made but didn't have time to post at the proper time.  This recipe was posted by the group on January 22, 2014.)

       The ingredient list:  puff pastry, salmon fillets, egg yolks, beetroot leaves, cucumbers, radishes, dill, chives, red wine vinegar, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. 

       Okay, I deviated quite a bit from this recipe for various reasons.  First I do not care for puff pastry wrapped fish, I just don't, I always peel all the pastry off and toss it.  It tends to get a little soggy on the underside from the steam of the fish and it just sets off an unappetizing feel for the whole dish for me, so I didn't enclose the salmon in the puff pastry...I used parchment which starts with a "p" so does that count?  Probably not.  I could not find beetroot leaves so I subbed spinach and when I placed (dumped) the salad on the plate, the chives and dill ended up on the bottom and I didn't realize it until I had already photographed and eaten it all.  Oh well, two of my favorite ingredients didn't get to showcase themselves.  These things happen.  Next time. 

       The salmon is always good wrapped in something whether it be pastry or parchment as it keeps it's moisture and makes the salmon juicy and delicious without drying it out at all.  I almost always bake salmon in parchment for that reason. 

       The salad was nice, something cool and refreshing and when this recipe was originally selected for January posting, a good deal as ripe tomatoes to put in salads are hard to come by here in January so the cucumber and radish was a nice addition.  Definitely would make this again...definitely without the puff pastry. 

       Gaye made hers in puff pastry so if you like you can visit that post here.

Weekend in a French Kitchen (Mimi Thorisson): Tomato Salad with Parsley and Shallots

       This weekend begins a new adventure.  The Three French Hens and The Chickadee have put together a new cooking adventure called Weekend in a French Kitchen.  French food.  Cooking from not one but two books each week.  It reminded me of my old Whisk Wednesdays group when we tackled Le Cordon Bleu French recipes each week for a couple of years...I miss those days and cooking with my Whisk Chicks pals. 

       I didn't have a lot of time to think about this new group since I just discovered it all on Thursday (thanks to my blogging friend Gaye who has cooked/baked with me in about a half dozen groups) and since the first post for the group was due on Sunday I had to act fast, signing up, finding the two books, making it all, and posting.  I managed to get all that done in time.  You can read all about the group here and meet the other participants.  (You can also join up there if you are so inclined.)  The books we are cooking from are:  Cafe Boulud Cookbook by Daniel Boulud and Dorie Greenspan (these posts will be on Saturdays) and A Kitchen in France:  A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse by Mimi Thorisson (these posts will be on Sundays).  

       The first recipe from the A Kitchen in France book is Tomato Salad with Parsley and Shallots and is found on page 89. 

       The ingredient list:  shallots, Dijon, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, heirloom tomatoes, and fresh parsley leaves. 

       This recipe came at a great time as here in Indiana we are getting the first of the ripe tomatoes and this nice yellow heirloom showed up in my CSA basket this week perfectly ripe and juicy so I knew this would be the perfect place to park it.  I loved the look of it all with the white/purple shallots and the green parsley, it makes for a stunning presentation.  The recipe was simple, easy, delicious, you can't go wrong with that, definitely will use this a great deal this summer during tomato season. 

       If you would like to see how the others fared, click here and follow the links.  Next week's recipe is Langoustines with Armagnac, page 110.

Weekend in a French Kitchen (Daniel Boulud): Skate with Brown Butter and Capers

       This weekend begins a new adventure.  The Three French Hens and The Chickadee have put together a new cooking adventure called Weekend in a French Kitchen.  French food.  Cooking from not one but two books each week.  It reminded me of my old Whisk Wednesdays group when we tackled Le Cordon Bleu French recipes each week for a couple of years...I miss those days and cooking with my Whisk Chick pals. 

       I didn't have a lot of time to think about this new group since I just discovered it all on Thursday (thanks to my blogging friend Gaye who has cooked/baked with me in about a half dozen groups) and since the first post for the group was due on Saturday I had to act fast, signing up, finding the two books, finding skate (yeah, well that didn't happen, this is land-locked Indiana after all and skate would need to be flown in with much more than 2 days notice), making it, and posting.  It's a good sign that I managed to get all that done in time. 

       You can read about the group here and meet the other participants.  (You can also join up there if you are so inclined.)  The books we are cooking from are:  Cafe Boulud Cookbook by Daniel Boulud and Dorie Greenspan (these posts will be on Saturdays) and A Kitchen in France:  A Year of Cooking in My Farmhouse by Mimi Thorisson (these posts will be on Sundays).   The first recipe from the Cafe Boulud Cookbook is Skate with Brown Butter and Capers and is found on page 50. 

       The ingredient list:  salt, white peppercorns, red wine vinegar, butter, parsley, capers, and skate fillets (I used halibut as skate was not available).  He suggested serving it with boiled potatoes (Yukon Gold potatoes, salt, lemon juice). 

       Once you have your ingredients lined up and cleaned, diced, chopped, and such, the preparation of both the potatoes and the fish goes fairly quickly (about 10-15 minutes total) so all in all it's simple and easy.  The flavors were good...I always think (personal opinion here) that most of the wow factor in French cooking is in the sauces, exciting delicious ways to perk up flavors in things like white fish or chicken, both of which can use a little help most of the time.  The brown butter caper sauce was a wow factor...if I have one note it would be that for our taste, next time I would make half the quantity of sauce as it made plenty for the fish and to use to drag the potatoes around in and there was more left on the plate, so next time, a slight reduction in that amount.  Otherwise everything was spot on, took the amount of time he specified, and the results were delightfully delicious.  Definitely worthy of a repeat. 

       If you would like to see how the others fared, click here and follow the links.  Next week's recipe is Chilled Spring Pea Soup, page 112.

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Fried Rice

       My 127th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Fried Rice, was chosen for the group by Margaret, and is found in Donna Hay's cookbook Modern Classics 1 on page 148.  (I am catching up at WWDH and I have quite a few recipes that I have missed posting along the way, so I am posting recipes I made but didn't have time to post at the proper time.  This recipe was posted by the group on March 26, 2014.)

       The ingredient list:  long grain rice, peanut oil, ginger, chillies, green onions, garlic chives, shrimp, soy sauce. 

       This recipe was quick and simple.  Usually my fried rice recipes have egg, bits of carrots, peas, and sometimes other vegetables stirred into it, but this one really was much simpler and came together in just a small amount of time as I used some rice I had leftover from another meal.  The amount of soy sauce is also minimal and I liked that, a nice clean fresh taste. 

       Would I make this one again?  I did enjoy it very much, but I also like bits of other vegetables in my fried rice, so probably not making this one again, but it was good, and when I don't have vegetables on hand to use (that is probably never) it would be worth a repeat definitely. 

Thirty Minute Thursdays: Spaghetti al Pesto di Noci (Spaghetti with Walnut Pesto)

       This week for the forty-fourth recipe I've made for Thirty Minute Thursdays, cooking our way through Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta book, I made Spaghetti al Pesto di Noci (Spaghetti with Walnut Pesto) on page 56.

       The ingredient list: bread, milk, garlic, walnuts, fresh oregano, extra virgin olive oil, and spaghetti.

       In the introduction to this recipe in the book, GH says that in Liguria, Italy (which is located in the Italian Riviera), walnut pesto is just as common as basil pesto. I was intrigued...making pesto from walnuts? It also called for fresh oregano and I had that in my CSA box this week so it seemed like a great time to give it a go to see what walnut pesto was all about.

       Well, it turns out that it is all about greatness, both in taste and ease of preparation. I have 8 of my most favorite herbs growing in pots each summer but fresh oregano isn't one of them as it is very strong and tends to take over a recipe in short order, usually we prefer dried oregano. This recipe called for just a small amount and that was plenty to keep it's flavor pronounced but yet not giving rein to take over the entire flavor profile. I think using dried oregano would give this a different taste, so using the fresh was a nice change, and very tasty in just the right way. I might have to plant some oregano in a ninth herb pot next year.

       Definitely delicious, definitely a repeat recipe. (No cheese in this recipe so those who have problems with cheese, this might be just the pesto recipe for you.)

       Click Here if you wish to see the recipes Margaret has made from this book, we each choose the recipe that works best for us each week. If you'd like to join in, let us know by leaving a comment in the comment section here.

Eating with Ellie: Spinach, Herb, and Goat Cheese Frittata

        The twenty-second recipe I made with the Eating with Ellie group is Spinach, Herb, and Goat Cheese Frittata, is found on page 228 of Ellie Krieger's cookbook Weeknight Wonders, and was Peggy's pick for the group this week. Ellie has also published this recipe online for you, click here.

        Ingredient list:   eggs, leek or onion, spinach, parsley, chives, olive oil, salt, pepper, and goat cheese. 
       Easy, quick, and delicious.  We served it with some sauted green and yellow zucchini,  a salad, and the cobbler I made with the WWDH group.  It all made for a lovely weeknight meal.  Definitely a keeper and worthy of repeating.  

       If you wonder how the others did this week, click here  to follow their post links.  You can also find the recipe schedule for the coming weeks there. Next week's recipe was chosen by Gaye, is Tomato Braised Green Beans, and is found on page 245 of Ellie Krieger's cookbook Weeknight Wonders.  Please come and join us at any time, just leave the link to your post that week so we know where to find you.  :-)

Wednesday with Donna Hay: Stewed Apple and Coconut Cobbler

       My 126th recipe with the Wednesday with Donna Hay group is Stewed Apple and Coconut Cobbler, was chosen for the group by Gaye, and is found in Donna Hay's book Seasons on page 206.  You can also find the recipe online here.

       The ingredient list:  apples, blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, water, vanilla, self-rising flour, butter, milk, coconut, rolled oats, and confectioner's sugar for dusting (optional).

       Cobblers, crisps, buckles, etc. are all delicious, an easy fun way to use fruits in season or out.  They are quick to throw together and bake when you realize at 4:00 p.m. that maybe a dessert would be nice for dinner.  This recipe is all of those things, easy, simple, fast, delicious.  I was trying to think if I had ever had the combination of apples and blueberries in one dessert and I couldn't think of a single time before this.  They went well together, don't know why I haven't seen this combination before, but I haven't. 

       The blueberries turned the whole fruit mixture purple so it was kinda fun eating purple apples in the end.  The topping was more biscuit-like than cake-like so that was a nice change as my other baked fruit desserts of this nature seem to have a more cake-like or streusel-type topping. The recipe suggested dusting the cobbler with powdered sugar but Mark prefers whipped cream and he was here and she was not, so whipped cream it was rather than the powdered sugar.  It tasted wonderful with the whipped cream.  Definitely repeat-worthy.

       Wonder what the others thought?  You can find that by clicking here.  Next week is my choice for the group, Cannellini Bean Salad found in Donna Hay's cookbook Off the Shelf on page 84.  Join us and leave a link to your post at the website by clicking here, no commitment required.