10 January 2011

New Year, New List


Happy New Year Everyone!
I hope 2011 has brought you a lot of Tadas! already.

Don't you love it when the new year comes around?
It's like a blank slate to make goals & dreams
come to life.

I don't make resolutions because not keeping them
is a blah. Let's just say I want to keep learning
and to try new experiences & adventures --
that's always TADA!

On the top of my list is reading more.
Including reading more cookbooks and learning
new cuisines like French cooking.

I've always tiptoed around this cuisine
because I've dismissed it as complicated.
Until I found this book:

It's part cookbook with easy to follow recipes,
part memoir with insights into French culture
lovingly written by Dorie Greenspan.

I knew very little about Miss Greenspan but I immediately fell
in love with her when she read excerpts from the book.
What a wonderful storyteller!

A gentle woman who would feed you, regale you with
stories if ever you knocked at her door.

And true enough, the recipes in the book were
simple enough for the home cook and received
TADAs! when my husband and I made
these at a recent party.

Here's what we made:

Chestnut and Pear Soup
{served as an appetizer}

Goat Cheese Mini Puffs
{I made the cream puff dough from scratch!}

Potato Gratin
{layers of potato, cheese & cream}

Pancetta Green Beans

I can't wait to try her other recipes
so I can make everyday blah meals
into TADA! meals! I might even join

Have a great day!


4 comments:

  1. Ohmygoodness everything looks delicious! I think I want to find this book now.

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  2. Thank you and Happy New Year Miss Destined for Now! Happy cooking & happy eating, too! :)

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  3. I am very impressed Claire! I would love it if you shared your goat cheese cream puff recipe.

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  4. Thanks Delia! I'll send you an e-mail with the recipe :)

    ReplyDelete

Your comments are very much appreciated!