A recipe idea sent from Provence, France

When I was 19 years old, I bravely flew across the Atlantic to spend my summer with a French family in Avignon.  Avignon is in the region of Provence, which is located in the south of France.  I was intoxicated by the relaxed lifestyle and the overwhelming fragrance of fresh lavendar, which seems to fill the air at all times.  Naive and ignorant, I began to realize that my own culture, though abudant, is somewhat lacking in flavor.  So it was there, in France, where I began to slowly expand my immature palate.  Philippe, my gracious host, has send me a recipe for Salmorejo.  This is a Spanish soup, which he tells me is from rural Seville.  I also have attached a link in which you can find the recipe.  This soup seems to be similar to gazpacho, which is a cold, tomato soup- perfect for a hot summer day!!  Bon Appetit!!!

http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/2004/slow/salmorejo.html

Parmesan Potatoes

Thanks for the picture Jessica!!!

This recipe is from my sister, Dana.  They are absolutely amazing!!!  You can't get enough of them!!!

1. Melt 1/3 cup butter in 9 X 13 baking dish

2. Mix the following in a ziploc bag:

• 1/4 cup all purpose flour, tsp salt & tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

3. Peel 6 potatoes and slice into wedges. Add them to the ziploc bag and shake. Lay potatoes over butter in dish and bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Turn and sprinkle potatoes with leftover flour/ chz mixture and bake 30 more minutes.

Pesto Pork Tenderloin with roasted garlic and Spinach Orzo

Ohhh so easy....

Pesto Pork Tenderloin

• One pork tenderloin
• 2 tbl spoons of your favorite jarred pesto... (I used Classico).
• 1/4 a cup of Parmesan Cheese
• Salt and pepper
• One full bulb, yes a bulb of garlic 

Preheat oven to 475F.

 

Remove whole cloves of garlic from the bulb and split them in half.
Place on to a sheet of foil and drizzle with olive oil.  Close foil to make an air tight sack.  Place in oven on the rack next to the pork.

 

Salt and pepper the pork tenderloin on both sides.
Rub both sides of pork tenderloin with pesto.
Sprinkle shredded parmesan cheese on top
Insert thermometer to the thickest part of the tenderloin, cook for about 30-40 or until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. 
Remove from oven and let it sit for 15 under a foil tent.

 

Slice and serve with roasted garlic.

 

 

Spinach Orzo

 

I did not measure anything here; however, I have to say that I did something right... because I didn't even need to drain it!! 

 

Here it is....
Cook orzo in a couple cups of chicken broth.
Add about 1.5 cups of frozen spinach to about a half a box of orzo.
A lot of minced garlic, about 5 cloves.
Parmesan Cheese about 3/4 a cup.
Salt, Pepper and a squeeze a lemon wedge into mixture.

Super Sweet Butternut Squash Bisque

Every year, I welcome autumn with a warm bowl of butternut squash bisque.  I have not yet made it this fall; however, my sister, Erin has requested the recipe... so here it is.  Erin, I hope you and Michael enjoy it!!!  Syd and Pickle too!

Ingredients:

• One butternut squash- peeled, seeded, and cubed
• 1 sweet potato- cubed
• 2 carrots
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 small onion
• 2 14 oz cans of chicken broth
• 28 oz of water
• 1/2 pint of cream
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• 1 tbls of brown sugar
• season with salt and pepper

1. In a pan, saute the onion and garlic in the butter until soft, then add them to the pot. 
2. In a large pot, add the squash, stock, water, carrots, and sweet potato.  Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30-40 minutes... until the squash, carrots and potato are soft when poke with a fork.
3. Add sugar and cinnamon 
4. In a food processor, blend the soup until smooth.
5. Return to the pot to reheat and to add cream.
6. Salt and pepper to taste.
Bon appetit!!!

Hi all, please let me know what you think of the site or the recipes. Don't be shy... write a comment!
Kristin

Flank Steak with Chimichurri

Chimichurri sauce

• 1 cup of olive oil
• 2 limes juiced
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 tbl spoon of each of the following herbs, chopped: parsley, basil, thyme, and oregano.
• Season with salt and pepper.

Use half of the sauce as a marinade and the other half is served with the meat.

Flank Steak:

• 2 Flank steaks 1 lb each
• unseasoned meat tenderizer

Marinate the meat in the refrigerator in half of the chimichurri sauce for at least 2-3 hours.  Remove from the refrigerator and allow the steak to reach room temperator, about 20 minutes before grilling.  Sprinkle each side of the steak with meat tenderizer and subsequently poke holes in the steak, all over.  Immediately, put the meat on the grill on Medium Heat. Cook the steak on indirect heat for 5 minutes, on direct Heat for 5-8 minutes and 5 minutes on indirect heat again. All of this with the grill top closed.

Make sure not to over cook the flank steak or it will become chewing. You want the meat at Medium Rare or Medium.

Bon Appetit!!

Latin Style Beans

This is a very easy recipe to make before hand.  In fact, I've found that marinating them over night really brings out the flavors. 

• 1 onion
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 oz) can of kidney beans, drained
• 1 (14.5 oz) can of black beans, drained
• 1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes, drained
• about a teaspoon of each garlic salt and paprika
• Salt and pepper
• Top with shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Stir together the ingredients in a baking dish, top with cheese, and bake at 350F until cheese is starting to brown and the liquid is bubbling.  app. 30 minutes. 

Served with yellow rice.

Last night, we hosted a small dinner party in honor of the Miami vs. FSU football game.  Not that Sean and I particularly like either of these teams, but our neighbors are huge Miami fans.  Sean and I are Gators ourselves.  Nevertheless, Sean loves football, and I love to cook, even if he did the majority of the cooking last night.  Our decadent meal was comprised of flank steak with chimichurri sauce, beans, yellow rice, and thanks to our neighbors, guacamole with chips.   Stay tuned for the recipes!!!

Broccoli Citron

We all know that broccoli is good for us... Some love it, some hate it, and some are simply indifferent to it.  I fall under the third category.  However, I love it cooked like this...

Saute your broccoli with garlic and onions in a little Olive Oil and season with salt and pepper.  When it is just about done cooking squeeze in fresh lemon juice.  The amount varies on how much you are making, but taste it as you cook.  Enjoy.

You'll love it!!

Fun fact about broccoli... Europeans have been eating it for 2000 years.  But it wasn't until the Italians started to immigrate to the US that it became widely known here.  That wasn't until the 1920's!!!

The perfect picnic day!

It's gorgeous out!  Go for a picnic... bring some champagne, cheese, fruit, a summer sausage and French bread.  Keep it simple and delicious!!

Shrimp and Grits, a la Chrissy!!!

My favorite little cajun friend sent me this recipe!!!  Thanks Chrissy D.!  I haven't made it yet, but I will very soon!
Kristin



Shrimp and Grits:


2 lbs shrimp (peeled de veined)

1 sweet onion quartered

1/4 cup melted butter

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

2 tbsp lemon juice (or juice of one lemon)

1 tbsp Old bay

1 tsp cayenne

1 clove garlic minced

1 tbsp parsley (dried)

2 bay leaves

 Place shrimp in 13 x 9 casserole dish, scatter onion and bay leaves throughout.


In a bowl combine melted butter, worcestershire, lemon, old bay, cayenne, garlic, and parsley.


Pour mixture over shrimp and give it a little toss to coat. Place in oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

 Grits:



5 cups milk

1 cup grits

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 cups cheese

8-ounce cream cheese stick





Bring 5 cups milk and garlic powder to boil. (be careful, the milk will burn if not stirred!) Add grits, stir until thickened. Once thick add cheese and cream cheese. Once everything is melted the grits will be ready. This is so good I could eat just the grits for a meal!

J'adore la quiche!!!

Quiche is really an easy and impressive dish!  It can be many different flavors, so I'm going to give you the basics and you should modify it with your favorite flavors.  My favorite quiche is spinach, swiss cheese, onions, and bacon.  However, Quiche Lorraine is delicious too; it's cheese, onions, and ham or bacon.  The important thing to know when making quiche is saute the onions before adding them, so that they release some of their liquid. Another trick I have learned is to insert a tooth pick into the center of the quiche;  when it comes out clean, the quiche is done.

You will need....

• 1 frozen pie crust
• 1 tbsp spoon of dijon mustard
• 3 eggs
• 1.5 cups of light cream
• salt and pepper
• and whatever fillings you want to add.  Again, don't add anything that's too watery.

Here is my recipe for spinach, bacon, cheese and onions...  (If you have extra, make another quiche... they freeze well.)

• You will need the ingredients mentioned above.
• about 1 cup of frozen chopped spinach
• 1 cup of swiss cheese, shredded.
• 1 small onion, diced and sauted until soft and browning
• about 6 slices of chopped cooked bacon
• 3-4 thin slices of tomato

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Cook the onion as mentioned above
3. Spread dijon mustard into the pie crust with a basting brush
4. Whisk together cream and eggs
5. Add the cooked bacon, onions, cheese and frozen spinach to the egg and cream mixture. Then salt and pepper and stir well.
6. Pour mixture into the pie crust.
7. Sprinkle with cheese and spread the tomato slices on top.
8. Bake for about 35-45 mins... until golden brown and the tooth pick is coming out clean.
9. Allow time to cool then Enjoy!!!

Onion and Tomato soup

This is probably my favorite soup!!  It's warm and comforting and full of flavor. When I cook, I always go by my instinct... I very rarely measure things, so if you want more or less of something... then change it up.  It is both hearty and light, as well as, salty and sweet!!

• 3-4 Italian sauages, removed from casings
• app. 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
• 1 tbl of butter
• 3 big vidalia onions, sliced thinly
• about 5-6 cloves of garlic diced
• app. 2 teaspoons of sugar
• about 1.25 quarts of chicken stock
• about one big can of diced tomatoes, or 2 (14.5 oz) cans don't drain them! 
• splash of red wine (optional)
•  fresh basil... but add this to meet your tastes... I always add a lot!!
• (optional-- a can of cannellini beans or some orzo pasta)
• salt/pepper
•  parmesan cheese, to serve.

1. Remove the sausage from the casings and cook in a pan.   
2. While the sausage is cooking, in a large pot, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil and butter.  Add the sugar.  (Add the splash of wine if you decided to use it.)  Cook until soft and browning, about 15-20 minutes.  Stir frequently.  Don't let the garlic burn or it will taste bitter.
3. When the onions are soft, add the chicken stock, tomatoes with the juice, and sausage to the pot.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, and give it a stir. 
4. Simmer for about a half hour...  If neccessary, add more stock... the thickness is up to you.
5. Before serving, add chopped basil and garnish with parmesan!!

ENJOY!!!

French Pizza

So Sean, my husband, named this dish.  I won't call everything French, I promise.  It's like a pizza, but was lighter and very fresh tasting.  It would be great bits of bacon too!! 

1 frozen puff pastry sheet thawed
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 package of white mushrooms, thinly sliced
10 oz of fresh baby spinach
4 oz of feta cheese (or any cheese that you like)
1 medium tomato diced and drain any extra liquid
Salt, pepper, and olive oil

1. preheat oven to 400F
2. sprinkle a little bit of flour on a cookie sheet and spread out the puff pastery.   Bake it for about 15 minutes, until golden brown.
3. While it's cooking, saute onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil until it's golden brown.
4.  In larger pan, saute the mushrooms in a bit of olive oil and cover the pan until they are soft.  Add the spinach until it's wilted.  Drain any extra liquid.
5. Spread the spinach and mushroom mixture on cooked pastry.
6. Top the spinach with the onions and garlic.
7. Sprinkle the cheese and tomatoes on top.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes.
Then serve and enjoy!!

Salutations!

Hello and welcome to my blog. First, let me introduce myself, my name is Kristin. I'm a French teacher at a local high school. Perhaps, it is my French studies that have led me here today... to creating this blog. When asked in college why I was studying French... I simply replied, "I want to eat well and travel." Well, the French peoples' seemingly innate sense of savoir vivre has rubbed off on me, and now I find myself constantly dreaming about my next great culinary creation, or disaster!

I've never done anything like this before... in fact, I can't express to you how proud of myself I am right now for figuring out how to create a blog! With this blog, I was hoping to log some of my recipes... for food, for life, and of course for fun.... It also is going to get my good friend Jessica, who inspired me to do this, off my back for not sending her enough of my recipes. I hope you will share your ideas and recipes with me too. Thank you so much for reading my blog... and finally bon appetit!!
Kristin