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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Catching Up With French Fridays with Dorie in 2014

Here's to a great new year - 2014!  I hope it's a good one for everyone around Dorie's French Table. Instead of New Year's resolutions, I try to determine a mindset for the year. So 2014 is all about optimism. I am feeling optimistic about everything - finishing my certificate in Instructional Technology Design, expanding my role in my job, my family's good health, a wonderful sweet spring, a great garden, long hot summer days....even though it's about 19 degrees outside right now.  Whew- what a winter southern New Jersey has had so far!  Way too cold (damn frigid) and some decent snowstorms (by our standards)!

Our wonderful neighbor Rob was snow-blowing the driveway again this morning for us and as I past him on my way to work, he cheerfully (not) reminds me that we have about 8 more weeks of this!  I use this weather to do some cleaning-out in the house and minor little fun projects, like recovering my bar stools (they look great in their new black ultrasuede!), or getting stuff together for  Goodwill runs.  I just love a reorganized closet!

And that led me to think about Dorie and the Around My French Table cookbook blogging.  Gosh, I have missed participating and reading other Dorista blogs on the same!  But I have to accept the starts and stops with it though I so admire (and envy) the staying power of many members of the group.  So, I jumped on the French Fridays with Dorie blog to see what was happening.  The January menu was there, but there was a new link, one that spelled the coming end.......Recipes Left to Complete.  I felt a bit of a panic and sadness realizing that the cooking and blogging was nearing its shelf life.  It seems this is the last year.

It's January, a new month in a new year.  So I start again......and somehow I've got to see this last year through.  I'll be starting another class next week so that's gonna fight for most of my free time but I am determined.  Instead of a weekly recipe and blog, mine might be monthly.  I will accept that. So here's 4 out of 5 Dorie recipes for January ( I don't think I will get to Paris-brest though on page 475).

Here's the wonderfully, creamy, cheesy pasta risotto (Jan. 3, page 369).  It made a terrific quick supper all in one pan.  I added peas and ham to give it some extra bulk.


 And then it was Baked Apples Filled with Fruits & Nuts (Jan. 10, page 394) These were dessert on the same night as the pasta risotto.  Naturally, we added vanilla ice cream to the bowl, YUM.

The Moules Mariniere (Jan 24, page 312) was a super simple supper on Sunday.  French baguette sopped up all the delicious juices (shallots, wine, parsley, butter)













Christine's Simple Party Soups (Jan. 17, page 62), I chose the Red Pepper version for another quick something hot to eat on a weeknight.  The hot version wasn't a hit in our house.  I think I'd prefer the chilled version in summer, it even has a summer weight and texture.


1 comment:

  1. Bravo for the great round up!
    It is sad to think there is only a year and some change left, isn't it? :-(

    ReplyDelete