The sauce was like an Orange Marmalade

This was one of the last recipes we made for the March French Friday's with Dorie, the two that we didn't make was the Beggar's Linguine and the Savory Cheese Bread.  The Savory Cheese Bread was the first recipe I made from this fabulous cookbook back in October.  The linguine although it sounded yummy, with the pistachios and figs, these are two ingredients that aren't necessarily on hand in my house.

However when I left the cookbook open on the page of the Scallops with caramel orange sauce one morning.  I got a call at work from my husband Robing telling me he had already bought the scallops so don't get them on the way home.  We used a couple of remaining oranges off our orange trees and went to having a great dinner of scallops, green beans and some rice.  I really thought there would be some left over but we both went back for seconds.  A friend who is also cooking along with the book also made the candied orange zest to add to the sauce.  Next time.

Salty Butter Break-ups sounds like a bad date

Finsished product  Salty Break-ups with Fruit Terrine

Break ups before the break-up

Fruit Terrine with oranges and grapefruit

Two other recipes from Around my French Table by Dorie.

ever since I tried my first terrine a couple of months ago.  

wanted to try this fruit terrine and since it was right next to 

the Salty break-ups I thought now was my chance and they

were a perfect match.  The colors in the terrine and the natural

sweetness were a gentle contrast to the cookie that had an

ever so slight salty taste.  Can hardly wait to do this one again.

Cooking and Posting Again

I have taken less of a hiatus from cooking than I have from writing about my cooking and my experiences from Dorie Greenspan's cookbook, Around my French Table.  From January through March the recipes have been as follows:

January- Paris Mushroom Soup, Gnocchi a la Parisienne, Michael Rostang's Double Chocolate Mousse Cake and Chicken b'stilla.

A little late but the two recipes I was able to make were the Paris Mushroom Soup and the Chicken bastia.  Both are keepers.  The Paris Mushroom Soup was a special delight as it called for creme fraiche (optional) for serving.  Creme fraiche is never an option for me but a necessity.

January Recipes with French Friday's with Dorie

Mushroom's bigger than my hand at a Paris market October 2010

Now that the family has all returned to the towns and cities where they call home.  I am settling back into my routine.  Walking, golfing, knitting reading and trying new recipes.  This month from the book, Around my French Table by Dorie Greenspan I will be trying the following recipes:  Paris Mushroom Soup, Gnocchi a la Parisienne, Michel Rostang's Double Chocolate Mousse Cake and Chicken B'Stilla.  Should be fun especially the gnocchi as I have always wanted to try making gnocchi.

Another Friday with Dorie and today were cookies "Speculoos"

Earlier this week I made the dough for the "Speculoos" cookie early in the morning before going to work and then when I got home from work I made the cookies.  The smell of these cookies baking in the oven filled the entire house with the aroma of cinnamon and ginger.  What a perfect smell for this Advent season the aroma filled me with smiles and warmth.  To bad on a blog there wasn't a scratch and sniff icon.  I loved these cookies for me they were just perfect.  Other taste testers in the house thought they should have some chocolate drizzled on top and others some crystallized ginger.

The dough is very soft so it required rolling it out between pieces of parchment before chilling.  This is husband Robin's favorite task in baking especially when he rolls out the dough for pies.  It was fun to use the rolling pin I received last Christmas while making these cookies. For the cookie cutter I used my scalloped cookie cutter that I use for my Linzer cookies.  I liked the size which was about an inch and half in diameter.

When making these cookie the next time I would like to use my wooden cookie mold.

Chicken

Ok this was my least favorite of all the recipes that we did this month with French Friday's with Dorie.  The chicken was very moist and tender but perhaps I was just not in the mood for chicken.  I definitely will try it again when I am inclined to eat chicken.

Next Chapter of French Fridays with Dorie

Tuesday was an ambitious day as I made the next two recipes of French Friday's with Dorie one was moderately successful and the other I never achieved the coloring on the chicken that I would have liked.  The Pommes Dauphinois (Potatoes au Gratin) were a big hit with my husband but any combination of potatoes and cheese is his favorite.  The exciting part of this recipe was getting to use our new mandoline slicer We recently just purchased one and my husband asked why it had taken us over 30 years to have one of these gadgets in the kitchen.  Perhaps it was the price as they are not cheap.

The recipe said that I could use different cheeses a way to use cheese that you might want to finish off that would go well together.  This statement I took great liberty with and used leftover fondue mixture of emmental and gruyère.  This didn't spread on top like the recipe called for so I added some other cheese that was in the fridge (unknown in name).  The finished result can be viewed below.

Looks aside all was eaten and enjoyed by all.  With this we did the roast chicken but this one I am going to try again before posting about it next Friday.