FFwD - Cheating On Winter Pea Soup + Coeur á la Créme

Cheating on Winter Pea Soup

This soup was easy.  This soup was good.  I didn't have any of the color issues talked about in the P&Q.  It worked and we enjoyed it.  I'll admit to curiosity about boiled romaine but it contributed a lightness and a freshness to the soup that was nice.  This is a keeper for us!

I've been telling myself (and my husband) that I would get back into my bread baking routine for several months now.  I was a regular bread baker for quite a while.  I don't know what happened.  Life I guess.  Actually, I realized just now it was my mother's illness and death 2.5 years ago. Time to get going on the things I like to do!  I know she would want me to as she took great pride in any and all of her children's accomplishments.

So it was a simple one day bread Thursday but definitely a delicious addition to the soup.  Just a basic white bread with oatmeal and flax seed.  It made a delicious ham and cheese panini to go with our soup!

I know this is the post that never ends but moving on to the coeur á la créme.  Something was lost here for me.  There was no, absolutely none, liquid to drain out.  Cream cheese, sugar, whipped cream of course it was good but I just couldn't find the point of it.  That being said, I made this while visiting my grandson and my daughter in law loved it.  I felt like it needed to be used IN something.  Like a twist on smores maybe?

This post participates in French Fridays with Dorie.  A project that is cooking through her book Around My French Table.  

Secret Valentine - Death By Chocolate Cookies

Death by Chocolate Cookies

I don't know how she does it but Alice organized a Valentine's cookie exchange for our French Friday group.  At Christmas she organized a card exchange.   Alice has terrific ideas and the energy to carry them out!  I envy that:)

Anyhow I received Death By Chocolate Cookies from Liz Berg at http://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/.  They were chocolatey and delicious and everything you want in a chocolate cookie.  We ate several immediately (who could resist?) then put the rest in the freezer and have been having one in the afternoon with our coffee.  If you're looking for a new chocolate cookie recipe I highly recommend this one!  And you see the lovely red paisley print in the background?  That's a beautiful dish towel that came in my package as well!  Lucky me!!!

1 cup + 1 Tbsp flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

5 Tbsp room temp butter

3/4 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

Melt the 8 oz. chocolate chips in microwave until smooth and set aside.

Whisk together eggs and vanilla.  Set aside and yes this makes for a lot of dirty dishes!

Beat butter until smooth and creamy then beat in sugars.  Mix in eggs and vanilla until incorporated.  Add chocolate and mix until incorporated.  Add dry ingredients on low speed and mix until just combined.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Chill dough for 1/2 hour.

Scoop 2 T dough and roll into balls.  Bake about 10 minutes or until cookies just start to set.  Centers will appear soft.  Cool for 5 minutes on sheet then remove to cooking rack.

Enjoy!  

FFwD-Fresh Orange Pork Tenderloin

Fresh Orange Pork Tenderloin

This is a hard one to write about.  I wanted to like it but can't say that I did.  The end dish wasn't worth the work involved.  I like the idea of fresh orange and pork but this didn't match my vision.  I do think, however, a roasted pork with an orange glaze and an orange reduction on the side might be interesting. 

I read the P&Qs so I left out the onions but I wanted more of the cardamon flavor to come through.  One thing that occurred to me is the blandness of pork today.  Pork used to be more flavorful, fattier.  Also, I had quite a bit of sauce.  All in all this didn't work out for me but I think there is something here that could work, should work.  I'm going to try it again using pork loin, if I can find it.  Its hard to find pork loin these days.  I wonder why...

This is where you go to find everyone's adventures!  I hope our members in the northeast don't get hit too hard by the latest storm!

FFwD - Brown Sugar, Squash, and Brussels Sprouts en Papillotes

Roasted Brown Sugar, Squash and Brussels Sprouts!

Maybe this recipe didn't generate the level of controversy of liver but whether to 'en papillote' or roast had us buzzing!  I roasted for a simple reason.  I adore roasted brussels sprouts.  Its the only cooking method that causes me to adore brussels sprouts.  En papillote is a wonderful way to cook and I especially enjoy making little packages for the grill but for me brussels sprouts should be eaten roasted or raw.  Plain and simple.

That being said we enjoyed this combo.  The squash and apple were delicious with the sprouts and I plan on making it again next week for company.  Remember back in November when we made  Endives, Apples and Grapes?  I made the bonne idee using squash, chestnuts, apples and grapes.  I think I'll try that recipe using brussels sprouts and roasting.  Should be delicious I think!

I don't know about where you live but here in Oklahoma we are taking turns passing around a bug to each other.  It seems none of us can stay well more than a week before we get something else!  Please let this end soon!!!!  I miss good health....

French Fridays with Dorie is where you will find everyone's cooking adventures!