croque monsieur

a traditional french snack
ingredients:

gruyère cheese thinly sliced

ham thinly sliced i used virginia ham

melted butter

french bread sliced

make a bechamel sauce with the gruyère

brush melted butter on one side of your bread turn it over. on the unbuttered side place the ham and cheese add a spoonful of bechamel sauce repeat again and top with other slice of bread buttered side up....... broil until golden and heated through. serve

or use a panini or sandwich press....i used my george forman.

with the extra sauce i'm going to make some mac and cheese for dinner tomorrow.

folding crepes

Always start with the crepe best side down.

Fold-Over:
Put the filling in a line down the center of the crepe. Fold the right side just past the middle and then do the same with the left. This method shows the filling at the ends.

Crepe Suzette Fold:
Spoon filling into the center of the crepe. Fold in half. Fold in half again forming triangle four layers thick.

Pocket Fold:
Spoon filling in center of crepe. Fold both sides over filling, then fold bottom and top.

The Roll:
Spread filling over worse side of crepe leaving a slight edge. Roll-up crepe.

No Fold, Fold:
Spread filling over crepe leaving a slight edge. Top with another crepe and cover with filling. Keep repeating for a lovely Gateau.

Half Moon:
Place best side of crepe down. Put the filling in a line down the center of the crepe. Fold over in half.

The Purse:
Put the filling in the center of the crepe. And bunch crepe up in center and tie with a chive.

potato salad #2 (brinks style)

brinks was a deli at la cumbre plaza in santa barbara many years ago. they had the best sandwiches and deli salads. they had a unique way of assembling the sandwiches they would cut the rolls in thirds. (roll-meat and cheese-center of roll-meat and cheese and bottom of roll) and they use to mix mustard and mayo together for a spread on the sandwiches it was delicious and i occasionally do the same thing when i make a sandwich. it really does taste good because it’s mixed together and is very creamy. i remember one of my favorites was salami, swiss on a onion roll. my other favorite was turkey that they baked with swiss on a french roll. A viors french roll nothing like it and sadly viors no longer exists in santa barbara.

red potato..... boil potatoes until tender.....cool....dice

bacon cook....drain....dice

bell pepper.....dice

red onion....dice

mix all ingredients together with mayo.....chill

a very tasty and different potato salad

enjoy.....

green chicken enchiladas and spanish rice

green chicken enchiladas

cover a chicken breast with water add some chopped onion, celery and 1 garlic clove until done. when cool shred. save the broth.

ingredients

1 can las palmas green chile enchilada sauce • corn tortillas • minced onion • jack cheese shredded • shredded chicken • minced cilantro • diced green chilies

warm your sauce in a low wide pan place 1 tortilla at a time in sauce to heat through place moist tortilla in a baking dish add the onion, cheese, chicken, cilantro and green chilies, a little of the sauce and fold or roll over. (you can also make without the cilantro and green chilies)

when you are done spoon extra sauce over the enchilada’s and top with remaining cheese. if you are using the green chilies place a little over each one for garnish. place in oven 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until heated through or bubbly. serve

http://www.laspalmassauce.com/

spanish rice

ingredients

1 cup rice • minced onion • clove garlic • cumin • pepper • 1 small can of tomato sauce • and I like to add fresh tomato • oil for bottom of pan 1 green onion chopped for garnish and chopped cilantro.

heat your oil i use a vegetable oil and saute onion and garlic until limp you should be able to smell the onion and garlic, add the rice and brown so the rice has a little color. Then I add cumin and give it a stir with some fresh ground pepper. then i add chopped tomatoes and then tomato sauce and finally add the chicken broth from you chicken give a stir and cover until done.

If you like you add refried beans or a nice crisp green salad to accompany your meal.

enjoy

Poulet à la Crème d’Estragon or Poulet avec de la crème d'estragon

Chicken with Tarragon Cream orginally from County French Cooking by Sunset Books.

Slowly brown the chicken, then use pan juices as the base for the creamy tarragon sauce/gravy.

3-4 lb. chicken either whole cut into pieces or skinned breasts

1/2 C 1/4 lb. butter

3/4 lb. mushrooms sliced or quartered

minced shallot

1/2 t dry tarragon

1/3 C whipping cream or 1/2 and 1/2

2 egg yolks

( I added the minced shallot for more flavor)

Season the chicken. In a large frying pan or dutch oven melt butter and add shallot cook until bubbly. Add the chicken, reduce heat and cook uncovered...... for a whole chicken about 45 minutes or until done, with boneless chicken breasts until cooked through. Turn pieces and brown evenly. When done lift out the chicken and place on a platter and keep warm.

Add your mushrooms to your pan and cook until all liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned.

Mix in the tarragon and cream with the mushrooms. Bring to a boil. In a separate bowl beat egg yolks to blend. Gradually stir in some of the hot cream into the egg yolks and stir then pour mixture into the pan. By doing this you will not make scrambled eggs. Reduce heat to very low and cook stirring constantly sauce will thicken slightly. But do not boil. Place chicken back into sauce and heat through...... then serve.

i usually serve mashed potatoes with this dish because the sauce is so good. a nice green vegetable would go very well with this dish like green beans or peas.

Bon Apetite

Fève Apetite

silver dragees "beautiful little silver balls"

i've looked every where for these shiny silver dragees. i remember them on cakes when i was a child. to me these little shiny silver balls made cakes seem special elegant. well i finally found a source online and they don't sell them to california. and i'm asking myself why not...... i really want some of these beautiful little silver dagrees to decorate my cupcakes with a beautiful satiny pink frosting.

check this out!!!!!

http://www.icingonthecupcake.com

http://www.babycakessacramento.com

http://www.whodidily.com/

http://www.butterandme.com

http://www.gotcupcakes.com

http://www.luluscupcakes.com

just to name a few

i love cupcakes

August 11, 2009

picked up the Martha Stewart Cupcakes cookbook today and plan on making some cupcakes maybe even some ceramic ones........ low calorie......lol

ahh yes tonight is the night for SM BBQ the wood is burning and turning into wonderful hot coals for grilling that beautiful tri-tip. by the way it was delicious. also need to get going on throwing some bowls for empty bowls which is on saturday november 14th i’ve committed to donating 20 bowls this year.
Empty Bowls is a simple meal of soup bread and keep the bowl as a reminder of hunger in the world. Donations go to Upper Room Dining Room(local) and Heifer International. An evening of good food and entertainment.

the beginning

today is the beginning.......August 10, 2009

i’m finally motivated i’m finally feeling better than i have in months. *for one month i vow not to go out for any meals. and why do you ask well I now have 2 beautiful le creuset a absolutely gorgeous color..... caribbean.... ahh it reminds me of the ocean breeze. i’m the proud owner of a round french oven and a soup pot. i can hardly wait to make chicken with tarragon cream sauce. but tonight it will be a good old santa maria style bbq with tri-tip some roasted vegetables and a fantastic green salad. oh and lets not forget garlic cheese bread.

on the artistic side i’m just about finished ironing..... yes ironing some fabric so i can finish my table runners that i have been weaving. my next project will be tea towels. on the pottery side i plan to make bowls for the empty bowls function that will be in november 09 and get on with making some unique ceramic pieces i will update on the progress that i am making on my pieces.

how did this all come about well i must say i did see the movie julie & julia and was inspired to get on with my life. yes i am unemployed a very unemployed graphic artist i love my computer i love working in graphics programs but i suppose the time is not right. so i’ll cook, weave and throw pottery.

let my explain i made a promise to my husband that we would not go out in exchange for my lovely cookware.........hey i even brought out my expresso machine that has been put away for years so i can make my own decafe unsweetened soy latte’s.....yes soy and i used my french press coffee maker today for the first time and i must admit the coffee was wonderful full bodied and tasted and smelled out of this world the aroma was intoxicating. i love coffee yes it must be decafe but for me it’s about the taste not the effect that i receive.

how long will this last my guess is a good as yours

oh by the way nothing is set in stone so I was bad and went out for a burger you know the one with the crossed palm trees. but tomorrow is another day.........