FFwD - Garbure From the Supermarket

Garubure From the Supermarket

This was good! Gary liked it and said its a keeper. Reading through the recipe is daunting but, really, once you cook the beans and chop the vegetables its pretty simple.  I used a ham bone that I had and it provided so much flavor that the sausage wasn't necessary. I plan to try this with a pork shoulder next time and see if the sausage adds more to the flavor.

I could find no duck confit. Since I was in Dallas I was hopeful, but unless I wanted to run all over town it wasn't happening. Central Market (my favorite grocery store) said they would have more in about a week. That wasn't any help to me though!

Tasty and I'm glad it makes lots!

We've had beautiful weather here in Oklahoma City but it ends tomorrow and we have snow and ice and 7 degree temps in our forecast. I know many of you are having much worse weather. I am SO ready for winter to end!!!

I'm making progress on my blog redesign. I hope to be up and running in a couple of weeks.

We are cooking our way through Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table. Click the French Friday link to see what the other cooks thought.

Gratuitous pictures of my grandchildren to follow:)

My favorite little lunch partner having pizza his favorite meal. Forever ever he says:)

Our adorable little lady:)

FFwD - Butter and Rum Crepes, Fancy and Plain

I love crepes! I have made them several times, usually with some degree of success. Maybe a few stick or tear when I turn them, but all in all I can count on enough pretty ones to feed whoever is around. I've  even made these crepes a few times. I've left out the citrus. I've left out the rum. I've added both. They are delicious no matter how they were made.

And then I bought a crepe pan.

My new crepe pan!

I seasoned as recommended and had beautiful crepes to serve to my son and daughter-in-law. I filled them with vanilla pastry cream and topped them with melted fig preserves. Delicious and beautiful! Why didn't I take a picture?

So I had a casual dinner party. Dorie's Boeuf a la mode and sautéed green beans were on the menu, crepes for dessert.

A delicious pile of crepe crumbs!

I think I need to work on re-seasoning my pan. I think my flame was too high and then too low. I think I need more practice. But everyone loved them and hopes I will begin a quest to perfect the crepes. The sauce is perfect, as is! However, if your honey is Manuka and not as sweet as some honey, either cut back on the citrus or add a bit of sugar.

At least I got two pretty ones!

Out of the entire batch I had two that were presentable! The quest continues!

Go to the French Fridays with Dorie website to see how everyone else fared this week as we cook our way through Dorie Grrenspan's Around My French Table.

FFwD - Helene's All-White Salad

Helene's All-White Salad

Oh, French Fridayers we lucky Oklahomans can see an END to winter! The rest of you have my sympathy but I am celebrating a break in the cold, ice and snow! Of course, soon I will be cursing the Wind, our next season. In Oklahoma Wind comes after and sometimes during winter.

I liked this white salad but I think I might like it more as a slaw. The celery, mushrooms, Napa cabbage, and Granny Smith apples compliment one another and work best when taken together. Next time I will try shredding or slicing into very small bites. I kept the white theme going with bread and roasted chicken. The salad looks almost colorful in comparison!

This was my first mayonnaise! I loved it and can't wait to try different versions. Mine looks kind of green. That's the California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This was one of the products featured at last year's International Food Bloggers Conference. It has become my go to olive oil. The taste is very fresh and not the least over powering. Try it if you haven't already!

In my world there is lots happening. I have a new laptop, I'm moving and redesigning my blog (trying to resolve my identity crisis! More about that later.) I'll go to Dallas Friday for a while enjoying grand babies, our good friend coming Monday. As Marsha used to say "Life is good."

Go to the French Friday site to see everyone's salad!