FFwD - Navarin Printanier

Eischens with the Jones'

Two of our oldest and best friends came from Memphis for a visit last week.  I can't begin to tell you the many good times we've had together over the 35 years of our friendship.  Marsha and I were away from home and young mothers together with husbands that walked out the door not knowing where they were going or when they would be home.  At first we turned on the news trying to figure out what was going on in the world and knew our husbands were not far from it.  After a while we didn't want to know.  That's what it was like being an Air Force wife in the 70's.  We went to coffees and meetings and learned to smile and keep our mouths shut...except with each other.  So many times I leaned on her and it was her friendship that helped me make it another day with most of my sanity in tact!

 Is motherhood easier these days?  I don't see the frantic deer in headlights look on young women today that Marsha and I had.  Do today's young moms just know more?  Are they better at mothering than we were?  When my sons talk about their childhood they make it sound like they were raised by wolves. When I told this to my friend she laughed and said, "They were!".  She had girls and I had boys and we had different mothering styles:)

Navarin Paramantier

Oh yeah, the navarin printanier.  Ron really likes lamb.  My husband, Gary, really likes it too.  Me not so much and Marsha not at all!  I think it was fortuitous that lamb stew was on the French Friday plan and Ron was here.  He and Gary loved it.  Ron told me he can't stop thinking about it.  Isn't that why we go to so much trouble to prepare exceptional meals for our loved ones?  "Without a fine meal the crude realities of existence would be unbearable."  That's so true, at least in my world!

I forgot to add the peas and that might be a good thing.  I love peas but they're flavor can be so dominant! Without them the stew was delicate and delicious.  Just about perfect and I'm not a lover of lamb.  This broth could make me a believer.

Visit the French Friday with Dorie website to see what everyone else thought about this!

FFwD - Coconut Friands

Don't you hate it when life gets in the way of cooking?  We've been through a crazy time but things are getting back to what we call normal.  A psychiatrist  might call it the dysfunction we're familiar with.....but isn't that what we all call normal?  One thing I know is the old saying "When you have your health you have everything." is so very true and I promise myself to take good care of myself!

I missed the last two recipes but I have now made the Navarin Printanier and the friands.  The asparagus and bacon are on hand and I just need some sardines and I'll catch up this weekend with FFwD but I'm also behind on TwD!   I have to admit you guys aren't very encouraging with most of your sardine rillettes posts!  But my husband likes canned meat/fish products so I'm hopeful!  (I think our daughter-in-law likes my husband in most areas but has confessed to being deeply disturbed by his love of canned meat/fish.)

Coconut Friands

The coconut friands are super easy to mix up.  This is the kind of treat you can whip up anytime you want/need a delicious treat or dessert.  Since I could find only one of my mini muffin pans I baked in batches and added lemon zest to the second batch.  The lemony tang is a great addition but they are fine on their own.  Before baking I sprinkled the tops with a bit of raw sugar for a little sheen and added sweetness.  I think they are just about perfect!

Happy, happy me to be posting again:)  Go to French Friday with Dorie to see how everyone else did with these little jewels.  Loved them here!!!

FFwD - Crab and Grapefruit Salad

Shrimp and Grapefruit Salad

I'm struggling to find the words to tell you how much I like this salad!  I've served it twice, once made with crab and again made with shrimp.  If I lived someplace with easy access to fresh, delicious crab I'm sure that would be wonderful but here in land-locked Oklahoma what I bought was expensive and mediocre.  And yet the salad was good.

For a quick and easy supper with friends I served it with precooked shrimp.  I put it together in under 20 minutes, I'm getting that good at supreming citrus!  Did I say to add avocado as Dorie suggests in her bonne idee?

For the one and a half tablespoon of olive oil I used chili infused olive oil for a little kick.  We've already had it twice and this summer I'm sure it will be a regular at our house.

When visiting family recently in Tennessee Gary's amazing aunt gave us 4 pounds of pecans.  These are pecans she picked up off the ground under her friend's tree and cracked and froze.  Can you believe someone would be so kind and generous?  We are so fortunate to have this nice lady in our lives!

Pecan Tart ala Aunt Ellen
Don't forget to go to the French Friday website and see what the other cooks thought!

FFwD - Cocoa Sables

Loved these cookies!  I added chopped white and milk chocolate that was leftover from a Tuesday with Dorie cooking project and they were delicious!

I made two rolls as directed in the recipe and put one in the freezer.  While you can slice still frozen its hard, really hard and works much better if you let the dough thaw in the fridge for a bit.

Having treats in the freezer that can be pulled out at a moments notice makes me feel like I have this home making thing figured out!  Easy and delicious.  My favorite combo!

Check out the other French Friday cooks at French Fridays with Dorie.  I hope everyone liked this as much as I did!