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Here are the tastingspoons players. I’m in the middle (Carolyn). Daughter Sara on the right, and daughter-in-law Karen on the left. I started the blog in 2007, as a way to share recipes with my family. Now in 2023, I’m still doing 99% of the blogging and holding out hope that these two lovely and excellent cooks will participate. They both lead very busy lives, so we’ll see.

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BOOK READING (from Carolyn):

The Vineyard, by Barbara Delinsky. A novel with many current day issues. Husband and wife own a vineyard in Rhode Island. Husband dies. Widow soon (too soon) marries the manager, a hired employee, much to the consternation of her two grown children. Widow hires woman as personal assistant (much of the book comes from her voice) and she gets entangled into the many webs, clinging from the many decades the winery has tried to be successful. Really interesting. Lots of plot twists, but all revolving around work of the vineyard. Cute love story too. It wouldn’t be a Delinsky book without that aspect.

Consequences, Penelope Lively. I’ve always loved this author’s writing style. Have read many of her books. This one follows a rather dotted line family, the women, as they grow through worn-torn London and England. There’s poverty and both major events and minor ones that send the story’s trajectory in new directions. Riveting for me. Lively won the Booker Prize for Moon Tiger, her most famous book.

Below Zero, C.J. Box. Mystery of the first order. A Joe Pickett novel (he’s a game warden in Wyoming) with a family member thought dead is suddenly alive. Or is she? Joe’s on the hunt to find out. I don’t read these books at night – too scary. I love his books, though.

Consolations of the Forest: Alone in a Cabin on the Siberian Taiga, by Sylvain Tesson. I’m not sure what possessed me to read this book. About a late 30s guy who seems to crave solitude; he’s offered a 11×11 cabin in the cold/frozen Siberian outback, on a huge lake that freezes over in winter. Here’s a quote from the book: “A visit to my wooden crates. My supplies are dwindling. I have enough pasta left for a month and Tabasco to drench it in. I have flour, tea and oil. I’m low on coffee. As for vodka, I should make it to the end of April.” Vodka plays large in this book. Tesson (who is French, with Russian heritage) is a gifted writer, about the wilderness, the flora and fauna, about the alone-ness, the introspection. Mostly he ate pasta with Tabasco. No other sauce. Many shots of vodka every day. Drunkenness plays a serious role too – what else is there to do, you might ask? He lived there for about a year. I’d have lasted a week, no more.

The Auburn Conference by Tom Piazza. Another one, given my druthers I’m not sure I’d have picked up. For one of my book clubs. Excellent writing. 1883, upstate NY. A young professor decides to make a name for himself and puts on an event, inviting many literary luminaries of the day (Mark Twain, Frederick Douglass, Herman Melville, Forrest Taylor and a romance novelist [the outlier] Lucy Comstock). Part panel discussion, part private conversations, the author weaves a tale of discord, some moderate yelling, some rascism and much ridicule of the romance novelist. Also some words of wisdom, maybe not from the authors you’d have expected. Unusual book.

As Bright as Heaven, by Susan Meissner. 1918. Philadelphia. About a young family arriving with the highest of hopes. Then the Spanish Flu hits and dashes everything. You’ll learn a whole lot about that particular virulent flu and the tragic aftermath. Really good read.

Hour of the Witch, by Chris Bohjalian. Boston, 1662. A young woman becomes the 2nd wife of a powerful man, a cruel man. She determines to leave him, something just “not done” back then. Twists and turns, she’s accused of being a witch. Story of survival, and a redeeming love too.

My Oxford Year, by Julia Whelan. At 24, a young woman is honored with a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford. She’s older than most of her fellow classmates, and as an American, doesn’t fit in very well. She’s left a good job back home, but determines to try to work some for the political campaign job she’s left, and also do the work for her Oxford scholarship. She meets a professor. Oh my. Such an interesting book. I loved learning about the culture of Oxford, and there’s a fascinating romance too, somewhat a forbidden one with said professor.

Madame Pommery, by Rebecca Rosenberg. I love champagne. Have read a number of books over the years (novels) about the region (and I’ve visited there once). This is real history, though in a novelized form. Madame Pommery was widowed, and determined she would blaze a trail that was not well received (no women in the champagne business for starters). And she decides to make a different, less sweet version. She’s hated and reviled, but sticks to her guns, veering away from the then very sweet version all the winemakers were producing. Fascinating story.

The Wager, by David Grann. A true tale of shipwreck, mutiny and murder back in the 1740s. Not exactly my usual genre of reading, but once I heard about the book, I decided I needed to read it. This is a novelized version of the story, based on the facts of an English shipwreck, first off Brazil, then later off Chile. Of the men, their struggle to survive (and many didn’t). Yes, there’s murder involved, and yes, there’s mutiny as well. Those who survived stood trial back in England many years later. Riveting read.

Before We Were Yours, by Lisa Wingate. 1939. A shantyboat in the backwaters of the Mississippi River. A 12-year old girl is left to care for her younger siblings when her mother is taken ill. A mystery ensues, and soon officials chase these youngsters to take them into an orphanage, one that became infamous for “selling” the children, weaving wild tales of their provenance. Dual timeline, you read about a successful young attorney who returns home to help her father, and questions come up about the family history. Fascinating read. You’ll learn about this real abominable woman, Georgia Tann, who profited by her “sales.”

The Vaster Wilds, by Lauren Goff. This tells the story of a young servant girl, in the aftermath of the starvation in Jamestown, the beleaguered town that virtually disappeared because the people weren’t prepared for the harshness of survival in those days. She escapes before the demise of the town and heads west, with nothing but the clothes she’s wearing. She survives longer than you might think, and encounters a lot of interesting experiences and people. Very interesting historical read.

Lady Tan’s Circle of Woman, Lisa See. Historical fiction, from 1469, Ming Dynasty, China. Based on the true story, however, about a young woman mostly raised by her grandmother who is a well known physician. Her grandfather is a scholarly physician, her grandmother, more an herbalist, or like a pharmacist of the day. Tan eventually marries into a family and is immediately subjugated by the matriarch, who won’t allow her to practice any of her healing arts. Quite a story, and also about how she eventually does treat women (women “doctors” were only allowed to treat women) as a midwife and herbalist. You’ll learn a whole lot about the use of flowers and herbs for healing and about the four humors.

Winter Garden, by Kristen Hannah. Quite a story, taking place in Washington State with apple orchards forming a backdrop and family business. Two sisters, never much friends even when they were young, return home to help care for their ailing father. Their mother? What an enigma. She took no part in raising them, yet she lived in the home. She cooked for the family, but rarely interacted. Yet her father adored his wife, their mother. How do they bridge the gulf between each other and also with their mother. Another page turner from Kristen Hannah.

Trail of the Lost, by Andrea Lankford. Not my usual genre. This is nonfiction, about Lankford who has plenty of credentials for rescue services, and is an avid hiker herself, determines to try to find some missing people who have disappeared off the face of the earth on the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s about how rescues work, everything from the disconnect between active citizens who want to help, and seemingly the unwillingness of authorities to share information. Not exactly a positive for law enforcement in this book. Really fascinating. There are hundreds of people who have disappeared off various long hike trails in the U.S. This is about four who were hiking (separately and at different times) on the PCT.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow, by Gabrielle Zevin. I’ve never been a “gamer.” Not by any standard definition, anyway. Not like people who really get into games, adventure, killers, etc. And this book isn’t a game .. . but it’s a novel (and a great story, I might add) about how these games come into being. How they’re invented, how they morph. First there were two college students, then a third person is added, and they end up creating a wildly popular game. A company is born. And it goes from there. Mostly it’s about the people, their relationships, but set amidst the work of creating and running a gaming company. Not all fun and games, pun intended.

Remarkably Bright Creatures, by Shelby Van Pelt. Oh gosh, what a fabulous book. It’s a novel; however, much of the story is about the intelligence of octopus. In particular this one, Marcellus, who lives in an aquarium in a fictitious town in western Washington State. More than anything the book is about relationships, not only Marcellus with a woman (of a certain age) who cleans the aquarium at night, but the various people in this small town.

Trust, by Herman Diaz. This novel is an enigma in so many ways. It’s a book, within a book, within a book. About the stock market crash back in 1929, but it’s about a man. Oh my. It’s really interesting. This book won the Pulitzer. That’s why I bought it.

Cassidy Hutchinson is a young woman (a real one) who works in politics or “government.” She’s worked for some prestigious Washington politicians, and ended up working for Trump. The book is a memoir of her short spin working at the highest levels, and obviously at the White House. She worked under Mark Meadows and suffered a lot of ridicule when she quit. Truth and lies . . . when she couldn’t live with herself and subvert the truth. Enough, gives you plenty of detail leading up to and after the January 6th uprising. She testified to Congress about what she knew. Really interesting. I almost never read books about politics because I think many (most?) of our elected politicians succumb to the lure of power and forget who they work for, us, the public.

Becoming Dr. Q, by Alfredo Quiñones-Hinojosa, MD, is an Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Oncology at Johns Hopkins University. This is his memoir about how he went from being a penniless migrant from Mexico to one of the world’s most renowned experts in brain tumors.

The Invincible Miss Cust, by Penny Haw.  In 1868 Ireland, a woman wasn’t allowed to attend veterinary school, much less become a veterinarian. It took  years of trying (to the horror of her aristocratic family) and finally someone took her under their wing, she enrolled using a pseudonym (a name not revealing her gender). This is a true story of Aleen Isabel Cust, who did just that.

Her Heart for a Compass, by Sarah Ferguson (yes), the Duchess of York. I was pleasantly surprised as I read this book that it wasn’t the usual romantic romp – there’s more to this story than you might think. Ferguson utilizes some of her family ancestors as real characters in the book. Sweet story but with lots of twists and turns.

Someone Else’s Shoes, by Jojo Moyes.Nisha, our heroine, is a wealthy socialite. She thinks her life is perfect. At the gym someone else grabs her gym bag, so she grabs the similar one. Then she finds out her husband is leaving her and he’s locked her out of their high-rise apartment. She’s penniless. No attorney will take her on. She has nothing but this gym bag belonging to someone else (who?).

The Eleventh Man, Ivan Doig. What a story. Ben, part of a Montana college football team in the 1940s, joins the service during WWII. So do all of his eleven teammates. After suffering some injuries in pilot training he is recruited by a stealthy military propaganda machine. His job is to write articles about his teammates as they are picked off at various battle theaters around the Pacific and Europe. Ben goes there, in person, to fuel the stories. Ivan Doig is a crafty writer; I’ve read several of his books, my favorite being The Whistling Season.

Wavewalker, by Suzanne Heywood. Oh my goodness. A memoir about a very young English girl who goes off with her besotted and narcissistic parents and her brother on a years-long sailing journey supposedly following the route of James Cook. A very old, decrepit 70-foot schooner. Four people, 2 sort-of adults and 2 children. Sometimes a helper or two. A seasick mother. A dad who is driven to the extreme, whatever the damage he creates. She spent 10 years aboard.

Claire Keegan wrote Small Things Like These. It’s won a lot of awards, and shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Takes place in Ireland. Some profound questions come up in this novella, about complicity, about restitution. There’s a convent nearby, and attached one of those places young girls were sent if they found themselves “in the family way,” and about how the church helped, supposedly, by taking the children and placing them in homes, without consent. It’s ugly, the truth of the matter. Really good read.

Nicholas Sparks isn’t an author I read very often because his books are pretty sappy, but daughter Sara recommended this one, The Longest Ride. It begins with Ira (age 93), stuck in his car as it plunges off the edge of a road, and it’s snowing. As the hours tick by, he reminisces about his life.

The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind, by Barbara Lipska. Interesting that I’ve read two books recently about the brain (see Doctor Q above). This is a true story about a woman, a neuroscientist, who developed a metastatic melanoma in the brain.

The Price of Inheritance, by Karin Tanabe. This is a mystery, of sorts. Our heroine is an up and coming employee at Christie’s (auction house). In bringing a large collection of expensive art to auction, she makes a misstep about the provenance of a desk. She’s fired. She goes back to her roots, takes a job at a small antique store where she used to work.

The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese. Did you read Cutting for Stone, years ago, by this author? Such a good book, so I knew I’d enjoy this one, and oh, did I!. The book takes place in a little known area of southern India, and chronicles a variety of people over a few generations, who inhabit the place.

Finding Dorothy, by Elizabeth Letts. My friend Dianne recommended this book to me, and it was so special. Loved it beginning to end. It’s based on the story of 77-year old Maud Gage Baum (her husband Frank Baum wrote The Wizard of Oz).

The Bandit Queens, by Parini Shroff. It’s about a young Indian woman, Geeta, as she tries her best to make a living after her husband leaves her. Yet the community she lives in, thinks Geeta murdered him.

Attribution, by Linda Moore. We follow art historian Cate, as she struggles to succeed in her chosen field against sexist advisors. She finds what she thinks is a hidden painting.

The Measure, Nikki Erlick. Oh my goodness. This story grabbed me from about the third sentence. Everyone in the world finds a wooden box on their doorstep, or in front of their camper or tent, that contains a string. Nothing but a string. The author has a vivid imagination (I admire that) and you just will not believe the various reactions (frenzy?) from people who are short-stringers, or long-stringers.

The Book Spy by Alan Hlad. True stories, but in novel form, of a special Axis group of men and women librarians and microfilm specialists, sent to strategic locations in Europe to acquire and scour newspapers, books, technical manuals and periodicals, for information about German troop locations, weaponry and military plans of WWII. I was glued to the book beginning to end. Fascinating accounts.

A Dangerous Business, Jane Smiley. What a story. 1850s gold rush, story of two young prostitutes, finding their way in a lawless town in the Wild West. There’s a murder, or two, or three, or some of the town’s prostitutes, and the two women set out to solve the crime.

Storm Watch, by C. J. Box. I’m such a fan of his tales of Wyoming Game Warden Joe Pickett’s adventures catching criminals. Loved it, just like I’ve loved every one of his books.

Defiant Dreams, by Sola Mahfouz. True story about the author, born in Afghanistan in 1996. This is about her journey to acquire an education. It’s unbelievable what the Taliban does to deter and forbid women from bettering themselves.

Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. This is fairly light read, a novel – but interesting, about the meaning behind many flowers.

The Rome Apartment, by Kerry Fisher. Such a cute story. Maybe not an interesting read for a man. It’s about Beth, whose husband has just left her, and her daughter has just gone off to college. Beth needs a new lease on life, so she rents a room from a woman who lives in Rome.

All the Beauty in the World, a memoir by Patrick Bringley. Absolutely LOVED this book. Bringley was at loose ends and accepted a job as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. He’d been a journalist at The New Yorker magazine, but after his brother was ill and died, he needed refreshing. After his training at the museum, he moves from room to room, guarding the precious art, and learning all about the pieces and the painters or sculptors.

The Queen’s Lady, by Joanna Hickson. I love stories about Tudor England, and this one didn’t disappoint. Joan Guildford is a lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth. Oh my goodness are there twists and turns.

Once in awhile I’m ready to read another Louise Penny mystery. This time it was World of Curiosities. Usually I’d write something wonderful regarding “another tome about Three Pines.” Not going to say it this time. Three Pines becomes a sinister place. Murders (many).

Over the years I’ve read many of Jodi Picoult’s books. This, her newest, or very new, is called Mad Honey. Oh, my. This book is beyond Picoult’s usual borders, but then she always writes edgy books. That’s her genre. This one is written with a co-author, a woman who is gay (I think) and also a trans-gender.

Philippa Gregory is one of my fav authors. Just finished her 3rd (and last, I think) in the Fairmile series called Dawnlands. If you scroll down below you’ll find the 2nd book in the series, Tidelands. Very interesting about English history, but about the same families from the first book in the group. Loved it, as I loved all of them.

Am currently reading Rutherfurd’s long, long book, Paris. I love these involved historical novels about a place (he’s written many about specific places in the world). It’s a saga that goes back and forth in time, following the travails of various people and families, through thick and thin. Some of it during the era of the King Louis’ (plural, should I say Louies?). Very interesting about some of the city’s history and royalty.

Although this book says A Christmas Memory, by Richard Paul Evans, it’s not just about Christmas. A young boy is the hero here, but really an older widower man who lives next door plays a pivotal part of this book.

Wish You Were Here, by Jodi Picoult. Another page-turner. I loved this book. A thirty-something woman, about to take a trip with her boyfriend, when Covid breaks out. Covid plays a major role in this book, beginning to end. She decides to go anyway as her boyfriend is a doctor and cannot leave. She ends up on a remote Galapagos island, and you go along with her – with people she meets, the life she leads, the isolation she experiences, the loneliness she feels, but the joy of nature is a sustaining aspect.

Not everyone wants to read food memoirs. When I saw Sally Schmitt had written a memoir, titled Six California Kitchens, I knew I wanted to read it. I met Sally a few times over the years when I visited Napa Valley, and bought some of her famous pickled items, chutneys, jams, etc. She was the original chef at The French Laundry, before it became truly famous by Thomas Keller.

Being a fan of Vivian Howard (from her TV show), when I saw she’d written another book, I knew I should buy it. This Will Make It Taste Good is such an unusual name for a cookbook, but once you get into the groove of the book, you’ll understand. What’s here are recipes for some “kitchen heroes” she calls them. They’re condiments. They’re food additions, they’re flavor enhancers.

As soon as it came out, I ordered Spare, by Prince Harry. I’ve always been interested in the Royal Family.

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri. Usually I don’t seek out short stories. I might have purchased this book without realizing it was. There aren’t that many stories – each one gets you very ingrained in the characters. I love her writing, and would think each story in this book could be made into a full-fledged novel.

A Lantern in Her Hand, by Beth Streeter Aldrich. A very interesting and harrowing story of early pioneer days in the Midwest (Nebraska I think); covered wagon time up to about 80 years later as the heroine, Abbie Deal, and her husband start a family in a small town.

The Messy Lives of Book People, by Phaedra Patrick. From amazon’s page: Mother of two Liv Green barely scrapes by as a maid to make ends meet, often finding escape in a good book while daydreaming of becoming a writer herself. So she can’t believe her luck when she lands a job housekeeping for her personal hero, mega-bestselling author Essie Starling, a mysterious and intimidating recluse.

Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr. I’m a fan of this author and relished reading his book about a year in his personal life, with his wife and very new, newborn twins. Doerr was given an auspicious award – a year of study in Rome, with apartment and a stipend. There are four chapters, by season.

Kristin Hannah’s Distant Shores is quite a read. Some described it as like a soap opera. Not me. Interesting character development of a couple who married young. She put her own career/wants/desires aside to raise their children. He forged ahead with his life dreams. The children grow up and move on. Then he’s offered a huge promotion across the country. She’s torn – she doesn’t want to be in New York, but nothing would get in the way of his career.

Oh, William! by Elizabeth Strout. Lucy Barton is divorced. But she’s still sort of friendly with her ex. It’s complicated. Out of the blue he asks her to go on a trip with him to discover something about his roots.

Tidelands,  by Philippa Gregory. It tells the tale of a peasant woman, Alinor (an herbalist and midwife), who lives barely above the poverty level, trying to raise two children, during the time of great turmoil in England, the rancorous civil war about Charles 1.

Read Reminders of Him, by Colleen Hoover. A page turner of a story. A young woman is convicted of a crime (young and foolish type). Once released her sole purpose is to be a part of her daughter’s life.

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty. Oh my goodness. The wicked webs we weave. How in the world did the author even come UP with this wild story, but she did, and it kept me glued. Sophie walked away from her wedding day, and always wondered if she made the wrong decision.

Very funny and poignant story, Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont, by Elizabeth Taylor (no, not that one). Mrs. Palfrey, a woman of a certain age, moves into an old folks’ home in London. It’s a sort of hotel, but has full time elderly quirky residents.

For one of my book clubs we read Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus. This book is so hard to describe. Elizabeth is a wizard at chemistry and struggles to be recognized for her intelligence and research. She meets a man at her company who is brilliant too. They make quite a pair. They have a child, then he suddenly dies. Her work isn’t taken seriously, so she leaves her employment and becomes an overnight phenom on a cooking show where she uses the chemical names for things like sodium chloride, etc. You go alongside her struggles, and her raising of her daughter. LOTS of humor, lots to discuss for a book club.

Horse. Oh my, is it a page turner. Loved it from the first page to the last. Sad when it ended. It’s a fictional creation but based on a real racehorse owned by a black man, back in the 1850s. Technically, the story is about a painting of the horse but there are many twists and turns. If you’ve ever enjoyed Brooks’ books in the past, this one won’t disappoint.

The Book of Lost Names, by Kristin Harmel (no, not Hannah). Certainly a little-known chunk of history about a woman who becomes a master forger during WWII to help get Jewish children out of France. Not easy to read, meaning the difficulty of anyone finding the means and place to DO the forgery and right under the noses of the Nazis. Really good read.

Liane Moriarty’s first novel, Three Wishes, follows the travails of adult triplets, so different, yet similar in many ways. Two are identical, the third is not. So alike, and so not. It takes you through a series of heart-wrenching events, seemingly unrelated, but ones that could bring a family to its breaking point and test the bonds of love and strength.

Recently I’ve read both of Erin French’s books, her cookbook, The Lost Kitchen, and since then her memoir, Finding Freedom. About her life growing up (difficult) about her coming of age mostly working in the family diner, flipper burgers and fries (and learning how much she liked to cook). Now she’s a very successful restaurant entrepreneur (The Lost Kitchen is also the name of her restaurant) in the minuscule town of Freedom, Maine. She’s not a classically trained chef, but she’s terrifically creative. See her TV series on Discover+ if you subscribe.

Jo Jo Moyes has a bunch of books to her credit. And she writes well, with riveting stories. Everything I’ve read of hers has been good. This book, The Girl You Left Behind, is so different, so intriguing, so controversial and a fascinating historical story. There are two timelines here, one during WWI, in France, when a relatively unknown painter (in the style of Matisse) paints a picture of his wife. The war intervenes for both the husband and the wife.

Eli Shafak’s Island of Missing Trees. This book was just a page turner. If you’ve never read anything about the conflict in Cyprus (the island) between the Turks and the Greeks, you’re in for a big history lesson here. But, the entire story centers around a fig tree. You get into the head/brain/feelings of this big fig tree which plays a very central part of the story. You’ll learn a lot about animals, insects (ants, mosquitos, butterflies) and other flora and fauna of Cyprus.

Also read Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty. Ohhh my, such a good book. I couldn’t put it down. Whatever you do, do not read the ending before you start the book. I’ve never understood people who do this. The book chronicles the day a mom just ups and disappears. The grown children come back home, in panic. The dad isn’t much help, and he becomes the prime suspect of foul play. There is no body, however.

If you’d like a mystery read, try Dete Meserve’s The Space Between. It’s just the kind of page-turner I enjoy – a wife returns to her home after being away on business for a few days, to find her husband missing and what he’s left for her is an unexplained bank deposit of a million dollars, a loaded Glock in the nightstand, and a video security system that’s been wiped clean.

Read Alyson Richman’s historical novel called The Velvet Hours. Most of the book takes place in Paris, with a young woman and her grandmother, a very wealthy (but aging) woman who led a life of a semi-courtesan. Or at least a kept woman. But this grandmother was very astute and found ways to invest her money, to grow her money, and to buy very expensive goods. Then WWII intervenes, and the granddaughter has to close up her grandmother’s apartment, leaving it much the way it had been throughout her grandmother’s life, to escape the Nazis. Years go by, and finally answers are sought and found. An intriguing book, based on the author’s experience with an apartment that had been locked up similarly for decades, also in Paris.

Susan Meissner is one of my favorite authors. This book, The Nature of Fragile Things tells a very unusual story. About a young Irish immigrant, desperate to find a way out of poverty, answers an ad for a mail order bride.

Also read Rachel Hauck’s The Writing Desk. You could call this a romance. A young professional, a writer of one successful book, has writer’s block. Then she’s asked to go to Florida to help her mother (from whom she’s mostly estranged) through chemo. She goes, hoping she can find new inspiration.

Also recently finished The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish. The book goes backwards and forwards in time, from the 1600s in London with the day-to-day lives of a group of Jews (who had to be very careful about how they worshiped) to current day as an old house is discovered to hold a treasure-trove of historical papers.

Colleen Hoover has written quite a book, It Ends with Us: A Novel, with a love story being the central theme, but again, this book is not for everyone – it can be an awakening for any reader not acquainted with domestic violence and how such injury can emerge as innocent (sort of) but then becomes something else. There is graphic detail here.

Nicolas Barreau’s novel Love Letters from Montmartre: A Novel  is very poignant, very sweet book. Seems like I’ve read several books lately about grieving; this one has a charming ending, but as anyone who has gone through a grave loss of someone dear knows, you can’t predict day to day, week to week. “Snap out of it,” people say, thinking they’re helping.

Another very quirky book, that happens to contain a lot of historical truth is The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World: A Novel by Harry N. Abrams. Set in Japan just after the tsunami 10 years ago when 18,000 people died. At a private park miles away, some very special people installed a phone booth, with a phone (that didn’t work) at the edge of the park, and the survivors of the tsunami began wending their way there to “talk” to their deceased loved ones. Very poignant story.

No question, the most quirky book I’ve read of late, a recommendation from my friend Karen, West with Giraffes: A Novel by Lynda Rutledge. Back in the 1930s a small group of giraffes were brought across the Atlantic from Africa to New York, destined for the then-growing San Diego Zoo. The story is of their journey across the United States in the care of two oh-so-different people, both with a mission.

Could hardly put down Krueger’s book, This Tender Land: A Novel. Tells the harrowing story of a young boy, Odie, (and his brother Albert) who became orphans back in the 30s. At first there is a boarding school, part of an Indian (Native American) agreement, though they are not Indian. They escape, and they are “on the run.”

Just finished Kristin Hannah’s latest book, The Four Winds: A Novel. What a story. One I’ve never read about, although I certainly have heard about the “dust bowl” years when there was a steady migration of down-and-out farmers from the Midwest, to California, for what they hoped to be the American Dream. It tells the story of one particular family, the Martinellis, the grandparents, their son, his wife, and their two children.

Also finished reading Sue Monk Kidd’s recent book, The Book of Longings: A Novel. It is a book that might challenge some Christian readers, as it tells the tale of Jesus marrying a woman named Mary. I loved the book from the first word to the last one. The book is believable to me, even though the Bible never says one way or the other that Jesus ever married. It’s been presumed he never did. But maybe he did?

Jeanine Cummins has written an eye-opener, American Dirt. A must read. Oh my goodness. I will never, ever, ever look at Mexican (and further southern) migrants, particularly those who are victims of the vicious cartels, without sympathy. It tells the story of a woman and her young son, who were lucky enough to hide when the cartel murdered every member of her family – her husband, her mother, and many others. It’s about her journey and escape to America.

Also read JoJo Moyes’ book, The Giver of Stars. Oh gosh, what a GREAT book. Alice joins the Horseback Librarians in the rural south.

Frances Liardet has written a blockbuster tale, We Must Be Brave. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Although the scene is WWII England, this book is not really about the war. It’s about the people at home, waiting it out, struggling with enough food, clothing and enough heat.

William Kent Krueger wrote Ordinary Grace. From amazon: a brilliantly moving account of a boy standing at the door of his young manhood, trying to understand a world that seems to be falling apart around him. It is an unforgettable novel about discovering the terrible price of wisdom and the enduring grace of God. It’s a coming of age story.

A Column of Fire: A Novel by Ken Follett. It takes place in the 1500s, in England, and has everything to do with the war between the Catholics and the Protestants, that raged throughout Europe during that time, culminating in the Spanish Inquisition.

My Name Is Resolute by Nancy Turner. She’s the author of another book of some renown, These is my Words:

The Shepherd’s Life: Modern Dispatches from an Ancient Landscape by James Rebanks. This is a memoir, so a true story, of a young man growing up in the Lake District of Northern England, who becomes a shepherd. Not just any-old shepherd – actually a well educated one. He knows how to weave a story.

 

Tasting Spoons

My blog's namesake - small, old and some very dented engraved silver plated tea spoons that belonged to my mother-in-law, and I use them to taste my food as I'm cooking.

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Posted in Brunch, GF or Gluten Free, on January 19th, 2024.

Sorry, that photo isn’t better. That’s one of the little baked eggs, cut in half, oozing onto the plate.

There, is that better, at left? Cute muffin cup baked eggs and bacon.

A post from Carolyn, but Karen is the one who made this. On Christmas morning my D-I-L, Karen, made these for our breakfast. She was so thoughtful, to make something my cousin Gary could have, that was GF. My family is very considerate of his GF restrictions. I usually make a GF dessert for one or more of our family gatherings, so the hostess doesn’t have to think about it. I made two this year (desserts). For Thanksgiving it was a pumpkin dessert, Pumpkin Praline Custard, that’s been on my blog for years. Then for Christmas I made a GF poppy seed Bundt cake (recipe up soon) that was amazingly good. Light and fluffy. Gary enjoyed it, and what was left I packed up for him to put in his backpack on the plane when he flew home.

Back to this breakfast . . . Karen bought a package of  Cup4Cup GF flour on amazon. It’s the best mix of GF flours I’ve tasted. After Christmas I ordered a package of it and will be trying it in coming months. Next year the goal is to make GF popovers when Gary visits. I made popovers for Christmas Day dinner (it’s become a “thing” that I make them frequently when I visit my son and his family as they all love-love them), though I didn’t make them GF. I didn’t know there was a recipe out there that worked. Popovers are so finicky with wheat flour, let alone GF mixtures, but since Christmas I’ve found more than one recipe for GF popovers. I think I’ll try them here at home first.

As an added note, I made popovers a couple of days ago when I was visiting them, and I absolutely NAILED it with the recipe and now I need to go back to tweak the recipe that’s already here on my blog and add notes. Anyway, a week or so ago I listened to a podcast on Milk Street radio, an interview with Rose Levy Beranbaum, and in it she talked extensively about various flour (all purpose) and how they differ in the amount of protein they end up with in the finished product. With her advice in mind, I bought a bag of BLEACHED Gold Medal flour, weighed the exact amount (in grams) needed for the popovers, made them like that (with eggs, milk, and in this case some melted beef fat Karen had on hand). Oh my goodness. Perfect. If you’re interested in learning more about the flour intelligence in this, click here to go to Rose’s page on ingredients, and scroll down to FLOUR. Until now I’ve used  unbleached all purpose flour for everything, unless cake flour was called for in the recipe. I now know I need to use bleached flour for all cakes, cookies, biscuits, etc. I guess I’ll be phasing out my unbleached flour as I don’t make bread hardly at all anymore.

THE PIECRUST: Karen used this flour (picture at right) to make the GF piecrusts. Recipe below. It’s a normal crust – this special cup4cup GF flour, salt, butter, apple cider vinegar and cold water. Karen said the dough was quite easy to work with. Do note that the recipe below makes two crusts, or enough to make 24 of these little piecrust cups. She cautions you to NOT press the dough into the corners as that stretches it – when it bakes it will shrink. So, gently press and mold the dough without stretching to get into those corners.

Into the bottom of each pastry crust Karen spread about a teaspoon of whole-grain mustard. Then she added a few little cubes of the pancetta (or cooked bacon, whatever your preference). The eggs were separated and the yolk is carefully added into the cup. The egg whites are mixed  up a little bit, to make them more pourable and it was added to each muffin cup, up to about 2/3 full. Don’t over-fill as they might bubble up and over (which would make a BIG mess in your oven). She sprinkled salt, pepper and paprika over the top, then added grated Cheddar cheese on the top.

The egg cups are baked for 20-25 minutes, or until the egg is set and the cheese and the crust are golden brown. Sprinkle with chopped parsley when it’s served. Every oven is different – so watch the eggs carefully that you don’t overbake them.

What’s GOOD: all of it was good. The piecrust was perfect – flaky and I’d never have known it was GF. The eggs were perfectly cooked (oozy, just the way I like them). Karen did a great job on this breakfast. She served it with a lovely tray of fresh fruit and coffee.

What’s NOT: only that there are several steps to making these – the piecrust itself, of course, and then making the filling. Karen simplified it well (using those tiny cubes of pancetta instead of having to cook bacon).

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GF Mini Pancetta (or Bacon) and Egg Cups with Cheddar

Recipe: One online recipe and a cookbook recipe – combined
Servings: 12

Butter, for greasing
FILLING:
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
12 slices pancetta — or bacon (diced) cooked and drained
12 small eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese — or more if needed
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
GF PIE CRUST: (makes enough for a double crust)
2 1/2 cups GF flour — plus more for the board
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 sticks unsalted butter — in 1/2″ dice
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup cold water — or up to 1/2 cup

NOTES: Take care NOT to force the dough circles into the muffin pans – stretching – as this will lead to the dough shrinking while it is baking. So, gently ease dough into the pan and gently press it into the edges.
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin pan.
2. Roll dough (using half of the below recipe) to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured board and cut out 12 circles approximately 5″ in diameter. Gently lift and insert dough into muffin pan, pleating sides as necessary to fit into the cups. Do not stretch the dough.
3. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of mustard into the base of each pastry shell and add the pancetta (or bacon).
4. Separate the eggs. Gently place an egg yolk into each muffin cup. Very lightly mix the egg whites so they will pour easily. Add just enough egg white into each muffin cup to fill the shell about 2/3 full. DO NOT overfill. Season to taste with pepper and paprika, and sprinkle grated cheese evenly over the tops of the pastries.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the egg is set and the cheese is golden brown. Serve warm, sprinkled with chopped parsley.
6. CRUST: Put the flour, sea salt and sugar, if using, in a food processor and pulse to combine.
7. Sprinkle the cold butter over the flour in the food processor. Pulse until the mixture looks crumbly with larger, pea-sized chunks of butter (those chunks of butter equal a flaky crust!). Drizzle the apple cider vinegar over top.
8. Turn the machine on and immediately start drizzling cold water through the feed tube. Stop the machine once the mixture starts to come together and looks shaggy. Give the dough a pinch—if it sticks together, it’s ready to go. If not, turn the machine on again and drizzle in a bit more water. You might not need all of the water—you’re looking for a shaggy dough, not a cohesive ball. Do NOT over-process the dough – it’s good to have little visible chunks of butter, which make a flakier crust.
9. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and shape it into a ball. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and form each into a flat disk. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 30 minutes or for up to 2 days. Do Ahead: The wrapped disks can be placed in zip-top freezer bags and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
10. If the dough has been in the fridge for several hours, let it sit at room temperature until slightly softened, about 10-20 minutes. Roll it out on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. If the dough immediately starts to crack once you start rolling, it’s too cold—give it a few more minutes to warm up. If the edges crack as you roll (which they probably will, so no fear!) simply patch them as needed.
Per Serving: 252 Calories; 24g Fat (84.6% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 237mg Cholesterol; 260mg Sodium; trace Total Sugars; 1mcg Vitamin D; 102mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 90mg Potassium; 150mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Breads, Brunch, on July 16th, 2023.

Another sensational recipe from my friend, Linda T. It’s an Ina recipe, and so worth putting into your recipe treasure chest.

My friend Linda T is a marvelous cook. And she’s so tickled when one of her recipes appears here on the blog. So I’m delighted to share this recipe – which – as I type up this post – I’m going to make in the next few days for one of my book groups as they’re coming to my house, and I’m reviewing Geraldine Brooks’ book Horse. Such a wonderful and powerful book, by the way. I wrote up a review of it on the sidebar if you’re interested.

It was a month or so ago, and I stopped to visit with Linda on my way to my daughter Sara’s. As it turned out, Linda invited Sara to come too, and we enjoyed some of this wonderful breakfast cake and some coffee as we chatted and visited. Linda has had a lot of health problems in the last couple of years, and now her puppy has had some challenges too. I’d told Linda not to make or bake anything, but she doesn’t listen to me!! In this case, I’m glad she didn’t because this recipe is such a keeper.

In describing this, I’d say this is a cake disguised as a breakfast bread. Disguised in that it’s as pillow-tender as the tenderest of dessert cakes, but with the blueberries in it, you can serve it for breakfast and feel like you’re eating something that isn’t so decadent. You could make this for a dessert too – it works for either. Sara and I both had second helpings. The batter (picture at right) is straightforward (except it has ricotta cheese in it – do buy full fat). Half of the blueberries are folded into the batter, then it’s poured into a springform pan and the remaining berries are sprinkled judiciously all over the top, pressing them very lightly into the batter surface. Linda served this when it was still warm. Can I just say, it was sublime. And so pretty with the dusting of powdered sugar on top.

What’s GOOD: everything there is is good about this breakfast cake. So tender. So delicious. Nice, rich flavor (the little bit of lemon zest is nice in it too). It’d be delicious as a dessert too. If you can, serve it warm – Linda did. Ina Garten is a wizard in the kitchen.

What’s NOT: nothing that I can think of. Altogether a keeper of a recipe!

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Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake

Recipe By: Ina Garten, from her cookbook, Go-To Dinners
Servings: 6-8

10 tablespoons unsalted butter — (1 1/4 sticks) at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 extra large eggs — at room temperature
1 cup ricotta cheese — use full fat
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest — grated
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries — 12 ounces, divided
Sifted confectioners’ sugar for dusting on top

NOTE: If using large eggs, use four eggs.
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, shaking out any excess flour.
2. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix well. (The batter will look curdled.)
3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing just until incorporated. With a rubber spatula, fold two thirds of the blueberries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining blueberries on the cake, pressing them lightly into the surface.
4. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and lightly dust the top with the confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Per Serving: 534 Calories; 27g Fat (45.1% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 64g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 177mg Cholesterol; 272mg Sodium; 39g Total Sugars; 1mcg Vitamin D; 288mg Calcium; 2mg Iron; 208mg Potassium; 390mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Brunch, on May 26th, 2023.

Such a lovely breakfast/brunch dish. Rich with Gruyere cheese and has a base of cubed red potatoes.

A post from Carolyn. Maybe I should just leave off that beginning sentence since neither Sara nor Karen seem to have time to post a thing. They were both excited about it at first, but when they realized how much work it was to get a post from the keyboard to the website with photos, both were frustrated.

Anyway, my friend Linda T made this a few weeks ago when we were out in Palm Desert. We had a weekend of lots of cooking and sharing of recipes. Linda is such a good cook. She loves sharing her recipes (thank you, Linda) but doesn’t enjoy the writing-up of a story about it. Blog readers want more information. I probably tip the scales with too much writing.

This Ina Garten recipe (originally from Ina’s friend Anna Pump) is made in a 10-inch iron skillet. Butter is melted in the bottom of it, then the potatoes are sauteed (Linda prefers using red potatoes) until they’re lightly browned, stirring and turning them often to gather the golden color. Meanwhile combine the eggs, ricotta cheese, grated Gruyere, some melted butter, salt, pepper and an ample amount of fresh basil. A bit of flour is added and baking powder. That egg mixture is poured over the top of the potatoes and it’s baked at 350°F for 50 minutes to an hour, until the egg dish is mounded in the center and firm when you insert a knife.

If you’re adept (remember, this is an iron skillet, i.e. heavy!) you can flip the frittata out and upside down on a platter. If not, you can use spatulas to lift and slide it out of the skillet onto a platter. It’s piping hot at this point, so it’s best to let it rest for 10-15 minutes, then slice into wedges and serve. I’d made popovers the night before to have with our dinner and we had leftovers, so we had another popover with this for a late breakfast. Isn’t it just beautiful? If you go online to read about Ina’s recipe, some commenters suggested adding some onion along with the potatoes, or a leek and that fresh thyme was a nice addition to the eggs, along with the basil.

What’s GOOD: it’s rich and tasty, a lovely presentation. Not too difficult. Be sure to use Gruyere (it’s an essential flavor profile for this). No substitutions! Loved it.

What’s NOT: only the grating of the cheese, maybe. Having to wait nearly an hour to eat it since it takes about an hour in the oven. And no, you can’t prepare this ahead – you could have all the various ingredients prepped (cheese grated, eggs, dry ingredients at the ready, though) which would cut down on the prep time.
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Potato Basil Frittata

Recipe By: Ina Garten (from her friend Anna Pump)
Servings: 7

3 tablespoons unsalted butter — for the potatoes
2 cups boiling potatoes — peeled, 1/2″ diced (about 4 potatoes)
8 extra large eggs
5 tablespoons melted butter — for the egg mixture
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3/4 pound Gruyere cheese — grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves — chopped
1/3 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
2.Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan over medium-low heat. Add the potatoes and fry them until cooked through, turning often, about 10 to 15 minutes. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a small dish in the microwave.
3. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, then stir in the ricotta, Gruyere, melted butter, salt, pepper, and basil. Sprinkle on the flour and baking powder and stir into the egg mixture.
4. Pour the egg mixture over the potatoes and place the pan in the center of the oven. Bake the frittata until it is browned and puffed, 50 minutes to 1 hour. It will be rounded and firm in the middle and a knife inserted in the frittata should come out clean. Serve hot.
Per Serving: 561 Calories; 41g Fat (66.0% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 356mg Cholesterol; 777mg Sodium; 1g Total Sugars; 2mcg Vitamin D; 701mg Calcium; 2mg Iron; 450mg Potassium; 595mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Brunch, on January 6th, 2023.

What a nice dish this was for a leisurely brunch entree. And it’s very easy to make, besides!

A post from Carolyn. Over the Christmas holidays I entertained just once, a group of girlfriends I’ve known for decades. Every December we try to get together to celebrate Christmas and get caught  up on our lives. My friends brought other food to round out the brunch, so this was the only main thing I had to do. I also made some spiced fruit, a recipe I’ve made before, Spiced Peaches which went well with the little croissant sandwiches.

First you need mini-croissants. Some grocery stores carry them; others do not, but I had no difficulty finding them. I purchased some good Boar’s Head smoked ham, had the butcher slice it thinly, though not like those thin see-through shavings called sandwich slices. I cut the ham to approximately fit the shape of the croissant. I also had good imported Swiss cheese, also cut accordingly. I added a nice slice of tomato to these (not in the original recipe). Then you mix up the eggs and heavy cream, with an addition of mustard. The recipe called for Dijon (which I had), but because it was the holidays, I used Brennan’s cranberry mustard instead. I couldn’t really taste the mustard, but perhaps that was the point. It added flavor somehow but not noticeably!

This casserole needs to be assembled the night before, so you pour the custardy mixture over the sandwiches, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit. In the morning I used a big spoon to scoop  up some of the custard and drizzled it over the top of each of the croissants. Ideally, use a casserole dish that is JUST big enough to fit the number of croissants  you’re using. Mine was a little too big. It bakes for 40-45 minutes (do watch that the croissants don’t burn like mine almost did) and serve. The recipe has you put foil over the top during the last 15 minutes of baking (I did, and glad I did so!).

Be prepared to serve it immediately as the dish cools off quickly since it’s not a solid mass.

What’s GOOD: it was easy to make – very easy. Liked that I could make it the night before and nothing more to do except put it in the oven the next morning. This would be a solid breakfast entree for men/boys (although they’d probably eat two apiece) since it’s hearty.

What’s NOT: not a thing. Easy. Delicious.

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Stuffed Ham and Cheese Croissant Casserole

Recipe By: adapted from Southern Living
Servings: 10

10 mini-croissants
10 ham slices — buy smoked ham cut 1/4″ thick
2 tomatoes — ripe, sliced
10 Swiss cheese slices — use imported Swiss if possible
6 large eggs
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard — or cranberry mustard, if available
Thyme sprigs

1. Microwave ham slices between paper towels on a microwavable plate on HIGH 45 seconds. Blot with paper towels to remove excess moisture. [I didn’t do this step.]
2. Split croissants open with a serrated knife. Top bottom half of each croissant with 1 ham slice, then add tomato slice in between the two slices of ham. Add the Swiss cheese on top, cutting both ham and cheese to fit on croissant without much sticking out the sides. Cover with top half of croissant.
3. Place stuffed croissants in a lightly greased (with cooking spray) 13- x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Ideally use a casserole dish that is just large enough to place all 10, cozily, in the dish.
4. Whisk together eggs, heavy cream, and mustard in a large bowl. Pour mixture slowly over stuffed croissants. Use a spoon to drizzle the custard part all over the croissants. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap; If there is still liquid custard in the pan, use a spoon to drizzle it over all the croissants. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown and knife inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes, covering with aluminum foil the last 15 minutes to prevent over browning. Garnish with thyme sprigs.
Per Serving: 382 Calories; 33g Fat (78.6% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 208mg Cholesterol; 454mg Sodium; 4g Total Sugars; 2mcg Vitamin D; 303mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 256mg Potassium; 298mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Breads, Brunch, Desserts, on June 28th, 2022.

So easy to make with puff pastry dough, fresh fruit and some frangipane.

A post from Carolyn. I’ve been on a tear lately with frangipane. I made some recently for a rhubarb galette (don’t think I’ve posted that recipe yet), then decided to make it again using a different recipe for my book review group meeting at my home. I was expecting about 12-13 people, but at the last minute only 6 of us showed up (not sure if was the book, or just other circumstances). I sent everyone home with one of these plus some of the lemon almond tea cake (haven’t posted that one yet, either).

It was years ago when I was attending a cooking class near me and the hostesses served something similar to these as we all arrived for the class. They were quite easy to make, so I input the recipe in my files, but never had gotten around to making them. With fresh summer fruit in season, I decided to try these. But I decided to use some apricot halves (canned) and some fresh blackberries instead. And in lieu of the cream cheese filling (from the original recipe) that was going to be underneath the fruit, I made the frangipane.

If you’re not familiar with frangipane, it’s pronounced fran-jeh-payn.  Wikipedia says frangipane:

. . .is a sweet almond-flavored custard used in a variety of ways including cakes and such pastries as the Bakewell tart, conversation tart, Jésuite and pithivier. A French spelling from a 1674 cookbook is franchipane with the earliest modern spelling coming from a 1732 confectioners’ dictionary. Originally designated as a custard tart flavored by almonds or pistachios it came later to designate a filling that could be used in a variety of confections and baked goods.

You might know it from the center filling of a bear claw. Certainly that was my earliest knowledge of an almond filling. I remember stopping at a bakery in Europe (France, I think) one morning and we bought a little slice of a tart – sure enough, frangipane. Yummy is all I can say.

So these little numbers require puff pastry. Pepperidge Farms brand is probably the most widely available. My grocery carries a store-label also, but I opted for the Pepperidge Farms. There’s also one called Dufour, I think it is. Also very good, probably better than the Pepperidge. The unopened packages defrosted in the refrigerator for more than a day. If you decide to try these, be sure to look at the expiration date on the puff pastry box. Do not used any that are “old.” And be sure to give them the full 24+ hours to defrost fully.

The pastry sheets are lightly floured, but you need a bit more flour on your work surface to keep them from sticking as  you roll it out further, to about a 11″ or 12″ square. Then cut that square into quarters, so about 5 1/2″ squares. One box will make eight pastries.

Meanwhile you’ll have made the frangipane – some butter and sugar, some almond meal (flour), an egg and a little bit of regular flour, PLUS a jot of almond extract. Perhaps if you used freshly ground almonds the frangipane would have a significant almond flavor, but I wanted it stronger, so I used almond extract instead of vanilla.

Then you scoop a bit of the frangipane pastry cream in the center, position the fruit on top (they kind of look like sunny-side up eggs, huh?), then roll in the pastry edges and crimp them (similar to the edge of a pie crust). Onto a baking sheet they go. They got a brush of an egg wash and some sprinkled Turbinado sugar on top. They take about 30 minutes to bake, to get that lovely golden brown.

What’s GOOD: everything about these was good. Delicious. Loved the frangipane filling, loved the flaky pastry, ate one. Gave the rest away. Why did I give them away, you ask? Because I’d eat them all! And I had about 10 of them left.

What’s NOT: only that you’ve got to buy the puff pastry a couple of days ahead so it has time to completely defrost in the refrigerator. There are instructions for defrosting in the microwave, but I wouldn’t do it.

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Apricot Frangipane Croissant Pastries

Recipe By: Adapted from a long-ago recipe from a cooking class
Servings: 8

1 pound Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets — defrosted in refrigerator at least 24 hours ahead
8 canned apricot halves — drained, or fresh apricot halves, and/or fresh blackberries
1 large egg — mixed with a teaspoon of water, for glazing pastries
1 1/2 tablespoons Turbinado sugar — for sprinkling on top
FRANGIPANE FILLING:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup almond meal
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

NOTE: Defrost pastry sheets for a minimum of 24 hours in the refrigerator.
1. Roll out puff pastry onto floured board. Use a floured rolling pin to flatten slightly and cut into squares approximately 5 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ inches. You may want to cut off the corners so the pastries roll inward more easily.
2. FRANGIPANE: Using a hand mixer, combine butter and sugar until thoroughly mixed and crumbly. Add almond meal, egg, almond extract, adding flour last. Mix until there are no streaks in the batter.
3. Spread about 2 tablespoons of frangipane in the middle of the puff pastry square. Top with a drained apricot half, cut side down (or with about 7 blackberries in one layer). Roll the pastry edges toward the middle, leaving some space between the filling and the edges. Press the edges gently (crimping like a little pie crust) so they will hold in place.
4. Add about a teaspoon of water to the beaten egg and whisk. Brush the croissant with the egg wash. Top with turbinado sugar.
4. Preheat oven to 375°. Place the pastries on a Silpat lined baking sheet and bake approximately 30 minutes.
Per Serving: 143 Calories; 9g Fat (52.5% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 58mg Cholesterol; 20mg Sodium; 11g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 28mg Calcium; 1mg Iron; 135mg Potassium; 61mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Brunch, low-carb, on March 31st, 2022.

Every so tasty quiche and no guilt because it didn’t have the crust.

A post from Carolyn. In the last week, since I’m no longer president of my P.E.O. chapter, I’ve done a whole lot more cooking. I’ve had time to do a whole lot of things I’ve not had time for in the last four years. There are several projects I have on my to-do list (read through a huge pile of magazines I’ve not had time to read – some of them pre-pandemic, even; clean up my desk in the study, get back to some painting/art/drawings; go out to lunch more often; and COOK!).

Daughter Sara, granddaughter Sabrina, her friend Liv, my other granddaughter Taylor (the one who is living with me) and I shared a brunch last Sunday morning. Sara, Sabrina and Liv ran either a 5K or 10K that morning and came here afterwards to have food as they were all very hungry. Sara made scones and brought them (recipe coming up soon) and I made this quiche.  It was pretty darned easy, especially since it doesn’t have a crust. I’m perfectly fine with a crustless quiche, but as much as I love pastry, don’t we know it’s not all that good for us. Not that this quiche is all that low calorie – it is not. It has bacon in it and cheese, so it still has a generous amount of fat. I started with a recipe from Kalyn’s Kitchen and made some modifications along the way. Same 9 or 10-inch pie dish (good old Pyrex), but I added more eggs, more dairy, also parsley, my own mixture of herbs and cheese that I had in my refrigerator (Gruyere and Mozzarella).

First off, fry up the bacon until crisp, then drain on paper towels. My bacon was thick-sliced and very meaty, so it had very little fat to pour off. Once cooled down it was added to a bowl and the other ingredients added in: the grated cheeses, pepper, green onions (white parts), herbs (I used an herb mix I had amongst my little spice and herb bottles) and cayenne. That was mixed up a little bit (don’t do this when the bacon is hot or it’ll begin melting the cheese) and added to the pie dish. Make sure it’s evenly distributed. Then you mix up the eggs, half and half and a little bit of cream, along with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. That’s poured into the pie dish, and use a fork to ease the egg mixture into the bacon/cheese stuff so there aren’t any clumps or air pockets. The bacon kind of sank to the bottom (see photo) but it didn’t make any difference to the flavors.

Into the oven it goes for about 45 minutes. I checked it a couple of times and it was really nice and puffy, but once out of the oven it did dip a bit in the middle (normal). I let it cool for about 5 minutes while I plated up the chicken sausages I had done and fruit of all kinds. Sara had brought the scones, so they went onto the table with butter. Taylor had bought me a bottle of a mango sparkling wine awhile back (she said she got it at World Market) which was just lovely with the brunch. And we all had at least one or two coffee lattes, one before brunch, and again after brunch.

What’s GOOD: really easy as long as you’ve got all the ingredients on hand. Taste was just perfect – tasty all around. The green onions add a lot of flavor – and then there’s the bacon, of course. The whole house smelled like bacon! Yes, I’d definitely make this again.

What’s NOT: gee, nothing that I can think of. It took about 30 minutes to prepare it, 45 minutes to bake it and in no time at all and it was gone.

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Crustless Quiche Lorraine

Recipe By: Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen blog
Serving Size: 6

8 slices bacon — [thick sliced]
1/2 cup sliced green onions — white part mostly
1 cup Gruyere cheese — grated, or Swiss
1 cup Mozzarella cheese — grated fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon herb blend — your choice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
8 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup half and half
GARNISH:
2 tablespoons green onion — finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley — finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 or 10 inch pie dish with nonstick spray.
2. Cook bacon until it’s crisp; remove to drain on paper towels.
3. Slice green onions (reserve the green part for the garnish) and grate cheese.
4. In a bowl combine the white part of the green onions, bacon, cheeses and season well with freshly ground black pepper, herb blend and the cayenne. Mix well with a fork. Sprinkle the mixture in the pie dish.
5. Beat the eggs until yolks and whites are completely combined, then whisk in the half and half and cream.
6. Pour the egg mixture over the other ingredients; use a fork to gently move the ingredients so there aren’t clumps or air bubbles.
7. Bake 45 minutes or until the center is firm and the top is a light golden brown. The quiche will puff up as it cooks, but when it cools slightly it will sink. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then slice in wedges and serve warm, garnished with green onions and parsley.
8. This will keep in the refrigerator for several days and can be reheated in the microwave.
Per Serving: 599 Calories; 49g Fat (73.8% calories from fat); 35g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 369mg Cholesterol; 871mg Sodium; 2g Total Sugars; 2mcg Vitamin D; 682mg Calcium; 2mg Iron; 298mg Potassium; 609mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Beverages, Brunch, on September 20th, 2021.

What’s different about this one? Mostly it’s about the lime juice.

A post from Carolyn. For several years now I’ve subscribed to a magazine that, on the surface, if you know me, wouldn’t be one you’d think I’d read – it’s called Garden & Gun. Yes, about gardens and guns. But, the gun part usually comprises one page in each issue, and gardens maybe 4-6 pages. But in between all those other pages are interesting essays on a variety of things South. Everything from an article about a dog, about travel in our Southern states, and certainly some pages of home décor and food. The truth of the matter is that I don’t garden. And I have little to no interest in guns. But those other pages do interest me.

Julia Reed was a venerable icon in the food world. She died of cancer some years ago and has been missed sorely by so many others in the food arena. In a recent issue of Garden & Gun the editor wrote a tribute to Julia Reed, and about why he love-loves Julia Reed’s mother’s recipe of the mixture.  Looking at it – the recipe – it didn’t seem to contain anything very different than any other one I’ve read. I’m surely not a connoisseur of Bloody Marys, but for whatever reason the article prompted me to make them one evening when I invited friends over for dinner.

First off, I needed a lot of limes – so I bought those little net bags of them (3 bags, in fact, about 8-10 in each one) and used all but about 3 individual limes to get enough lime juice (about 3/4 cup) to serve 4 people. What this recipe does contain is a bit more lime juice than most other recipes. You might think it would overpower the drink; it didn’t. Not at all. I’d purchased a “better” brand of canned (bottled) tomato juice. What would make it “better,” I cannot tell you – I did look at the nutrition to see about the sodium in the bottle. None of them were low sodium, but I wasn’t going to buy the run-of-the-mill brand and sought a different label. It was probably $.20 higher than Campbell’s.

The recipe suggested celery stalks and pickled okra as garnishes. Well, I didn’t want to spend over $5.00 for a jar of pickled okra that probably would never be eaten after that day, so I bought dehydrated okra and put one in each glass (see the one sticking up in the left glass in the photo above?). Once it soaked in the Bloody Mary for 5-10 minutes, it was still crunchy on the inside and semi-soft on the outside. It was good. Not pickled, however.

Making the mixture was certainly easy – adding the tomato juice, the lime juice, a ton of Worcestershire sauce, a little bit of salt (I scanted the quantity), a dollop of prepared horseradish, some pepper plus some Tabasco. And of course, some vodka. My friend Cherrie’s husband Bud did the honors of adding the vodka, pouring and handing out the drinks.

What’s GOOD: what can I say? – I thought it was a really good Bloody Mary. I liked the amount of lime juice – it didn’t make you pucker-up – it was just right. I could taste the Worcestershire, which I liked. Loved the dehydrated okra in it (and the remaining ones will be eaten because it makes a good veggie snack). Altogether good recipe, and yes, if and when I make Bloody Marys again, I’ll definitely use this recipe.

What’s NOT: only that you need to procure the various ingredients (have them chilled).

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Bloody Mary Mix from Julia Reed

Recipe By: Julia Reed’s mother, Judy, via Garden & Gun
Serving Size: 4

3 cups tomato juice — NOT V-8
5/8 cup lime juice — freshly squeezed
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes Tabasco sauce — or other hot sauce, or more if you like it spicy
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt — optional if the juice is high in sodium
1/2 tablespoon prepared horseradish
Cracked pepper
Vodka, to taste
GARNISHES: celery sticks, pickled okra (or dehydrated okra), lime wheel

1. Stir together first 6 ingredients. Add cracked pepper to taste. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days.
2. Pour vodka in each glass, pour in the Bloody Mary mix and top with a stem of celery with plenty of leaves, a piece of pickled okra (or a dehydrated one, submerged in the Bloody Mary) and a wheel of fresh lime.
Per Serving (not including the vodka): 55 Calories; 1g Fat (7.9% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 1118mg Sodium; 7g Total Sugars; 0mcg Vitamin D; 43mg Calcium; 2mg Iron; 582mg Potassium; 51mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Breads, Brunch, on August 30th, 2021.

Tender coffeecake with a streak of cocoa and cinnamon in the middle.

Surprising to me that I’d not posted this recipe before, since it’s been in my recipe arsenal since the 1960s, when my first husband’s grandmother, Ethel, served this one day for a mid-morning Sunday breakfast. I was taken with it then, and still have the same liking of it now.

During many Christmas mornings in years past I’ve made this coffeecake, arising early to put it together quickly, because the night before I’d set out everything I could, made the topping and set it aside, let the butter warm on the countertop to make it easy to beat into the sugar and egg mixture. This requires 2 cups of sour cream – wow! I wonder if half could be substituted with buttermilk, and soda added? I wasn’t willing to make substitutions this time because I had a group of women coming over to listen to me talk about a recent favorite book, This Tender Land: A Novel by William Kent Krueger. (If you’re interested in the book, go to my sidebar, it’s listed there at the moment with a little snippet about the story.)

This makes a 9×13 pan full of coffeecake – and depending upon how you cut it, it could serve at least 20 if not more. It’s rich, but not decadent type of rich. Has the little streak of cocoa/cinnamon/sugar through it and more on top. It’s not at all difficult – you make the topping and set it aside. Then the batter goes together and you pour half of it into the greased pan, then sprinkle half the topping over it, then the remaining batter, and the remaining topping sprinkled all over the top. Use a knife to swirl a little – you can see the imprint of the knife as I swirled all over the coffeecake. Into a 350° oven it goes and 45 minutes later it’s done.

What’s GOOD: the cake part is so very tender, and love the little bit of cocoa in it. It’s not overpoweringly chocolate – just a scent of it in each bite. Altogether delicious. It’s been a “keeper” of mine for over 60 years.

What’s NOT: absolutely nothing at all.

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Chocolate Sour Cream Coffeecake

Recipe By: Grandma Bruce, grandmother of my first husband
Serving Size: 16

TOPPING:
4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
BATTER:
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 pound butter — or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
4 whole eggs
2 cups sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla

NOTES: This was a family favorite on Christmas morning. I think I usually added more cocoa because I liked it with a more chocolate flavor. The night before I’d mix up everything I could so it wouldn’t take too much time to get it into the oven.
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In separate bowl combine topping: cocoa, sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
3. Combine margarine, sugar, eggs, vanilla and sour cream in mixer and mix well. Then add flour, baking powder, cream of tartar and soda.
4. Pour half of the batter into an oiled 9×13 pan, then sprinkle half of the topping over it, then pour in remaining batter. Use a knife and swirl the batter a little, then sprinkle remaining topping on top. Bake for 45 minutes.
Per Serving: 431 Calories; 18g Fat (36.5% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 64g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 91mg Cholesterol; 366mg Sodium; 38g Total Sugars; trace Vitamin D; 132mg Calcium; 2mg Iron; 111mg Potassium; 198mg Phosphorus.

Posted in Brunch, Vegetarian, on December 7th, 2019.

potato_pie_montlucon_slice

Montluçon just means this pie’s origins are French. This is a marvelous brunch dish, or hearty entrée for a holiday breakfast. Or a light Sunday supper, even.

Having made this about 4-5 months ago and having taken pictures of it, I was finally getting around to doing something with the photos. I thought I’d posted this recipe years and years ago – because I’ve been making this forever (I believe I made this the first time in 1981), and I was going to update the photos. But I certainly can’t find any post on my blog about it. I served it to a group of friends who came to my house to watch a movie. It was a fund-raising event I did for my P.E.O. chapter in which they bid on coming to my home to watch The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society movie. Our book group had read it a few years ago, and the movie is available on amazon prime (I think that’s where I found it) and I’d serve lunch. So, I prepared a meal suitable for the movie title – potato pie.

The recipe came from an ancient French cookbook I had (or still have somewhere) from Sunset Magazine. How many times have I made it? Probably 15-20 times. It was a frequent entrée I served over the years when Dave and I did brunch on our boat. We’d invite a group of friends (4 guests plus us) for an early morning sail on a Saturday or Sunday (after church), we’d brew up a big pot of strong coffee, I’d have fresh fruit, maybe sausages, maybe a green salad, and after we’d enjoyed a late morning brunch I’d serve some kind of dessert. And champagne would be a featured item on the menu. Normally I prepared the pie the night before, let it sit out on the kitchen counter overnight to cool, took it to the boat and reheated it in the small oven onboard. Once heated I’d pour in the additional cream through the little window in the piecrust that was called for in the recipe, let the cream soak in a bit, then slice it and serve.

potato_pie_wholeThere’s nothing all that unusual about it – a rich, buttery pie crust is made. You can use the most recent pie crust recipe I posted in 2018 that uses some cornstarch. It was a winner of a recipe. You’ll need to double the recipe to get enough for a top crust too. The top crust is important – it holds in the moisture so the potatoes steam-cook. Do notice, there is no cheese in this recipe.

The potatoes are thinly sliced (use the food processor so they’re evenly sliced, or a hand-held slicer), layered with salt and pepper, then the top crust is affixed. Cut a hole in the center so the steam can escape and pour in most of the cream. Bake until golden brown, then when you’ve removed it from the oven you add the extra cream, as I mentioned. Be sure to use enough salt – potatoes require a LOT of it.

What’s GOOD: can be made ahead and reheated. Wonderful flavor. Rich. Hearty. Different.

What’s NOT: only if you’re on a carb-restricted diet, it wouldn’t be so good for you! This is a tried and true recipe. Surprisingly it doesn’t have all that many calories – moderate fat grams, however.

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Potato Pie Montlucon

Recipe By: old Sunset magazine cookbook about France
Serving Size: 8

2 each pie crusts (9 inch) — to make one double crust pie
4 1/2 cups russet potatoes — thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons onion — minced
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter

1. Prepare the pastry dough. I use a short crust dough, make one half slightly larger than the other and chill. Roll out the larger piece to fit into a 9-inch pie pan, or a 9-inch cake pan, or even a springform pan.
2. In a large bowl mix together the sliced potatoes, onion, salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes compactly in the pastry shell. Pour in 3/4 cup of heavy cream and dot the potatoes with the 1 T. of butter.
3. Roll out the remaining pastry and fit over the potatoes, sealing the edges. Cut a 1-inch diameter round hole in the center of the pastry. Brush top of pastry with some of the remaining heavy cream, which gives it a lovely glaze.
4. Preheat oven to 375°, and bake the pie, uncovered, for an hour and 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the oven and pour (through the hole in the middle) as much of the remaining cream as the pie will hold. Allow it to sit for a few minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.
5. If making this ahead, do not add the cream at the end, but cool the pie, cover and refrigerate until the next day. Reheat the pie in a 350° oven for 50 minutes. Then add the cream and allow to sit for just a minute of two to allow the cream to absorb. Cut into wedges and serve.
Per Serving: 384 Calories; 25g Fat (57.2% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 37g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 45mg Cholesterol; 456mg Sodium.

Posted in Brunch, on December 19th, 2018.

bacon_egg_breakfast_tart

Every December a group of girlfriends get together for breakfast at one of our homes. It was my turn.

The rest of the year, every couple of weeks, we meet at a Corner Bakery and catch up with our lives, our children, grandchildren, our dogs and cats, our travels, our reading and just general “life.” We’ve been meeting for about 35 years. Since we meet quite early, I needed to make something that I could complete likkety-split. This seemed like a good recipe to make that happen.

First you begin with a sheet of defrosted puff pastry. It is rolled out a little bit more than it is as it comes in the box, but didn’t require much to get it to an 8×10 size. Onto the baking sheet it went. With a sharp knife you score a line all around the outside edge of the puff pastry – this allows the edge to rise up (and kind of become a ridge/rim so the filling doesn’t leak out). Then I mixed up some crème fraiche and a bunch of grated Gruyere cheese. That was spread all over the interior of the puff pastry. Into a hot oven it went for about 14 minutes. I waited until all of my friends were here before I put this in the oven. When it came out of the oven at that point the filling part was golden brown all over and smelled lovely! Onto the top I placed about 4-5 slices of already crisped bacon, cut into little pieces, then I cracked 3 eggs. At this point you time it carefully – 7-10 minutes back in the oven to make the eggs sunny-side up. At 7 minutes the whites were still not cooked. At 9 minutes they were done, maybe even over-done. Then you use a knife to cut kind of irregular pieces, giving each person a bunch of the pastry/bacon part and one egg. Oh, I hadn’t sprinkled the top with chives when I snapped the photo.

bacon_egg_tart_before_baking_eggsThere’s a photo after I’d cracked the eggs onto the tart. One yolk broke and it wasn’t very pretty (I ate that one). If I did this again, I’d probably try to get 4 eggs onto the piece – the recipe said it fed 4, but you only put 3 eggs onto the sheet. Strange. I’ve adjusted the recipe below for that. I’d recommend large or even medium eggs and do try to get 4 onto the tart. I made both sheets of puff pastry and then had 6 eggs altogether – should have done 8. And no, I didn’t eat any of the puff pastry – I ate the egg and bacon only and got some of the cheesy mixture too underneath the eggs. All the guests enjoyed it. The cheese added just a great flavor to the whole tart. This could be something you’d make on Christmas morning. Grate the cheese the night before and mix it  up with the crème fraiche. You could even do the bacon the day before too. Then it’s just a matter of rolling out the pastry, chilling it for 15 minutes, it said, then you put the toppings on and bake. The other thing I would do – making this again – I have 2 ovens – I would have used both, because even with switching the 2 pans halfway through and turning them around, one sheet didn’t cook up as nicely golden brown.

What’s GOOD: easy to make, really. Lovely presentation. It looked better once I had the chives sprinkled all over the top. Some of my guests didn’t eat the egg yolk, but they ate everything else around it and the pastry. I served this with fresh fruit (blueberries, raspberries and blackberries) and I had some slices of Dario’s Olive Oil Cake with Rosemary and Pine Nuts in the freezer, and since it’s not a very sweet cake, I thought it would work well with the breakfast. It did. I served mimosas and hot coffee.

What’s NOT: nothing really, except planning ahead to defrost the puff pastry for 24 hours before making this. And don’t use extra large eggs – even medium eggs would be good. I used large. Watch the eggs carefully during the 7-10 minute cooking time. Mine went from not done at 7 minutes to over-done at 9 minutes. But then, everyone’s oven is different.

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Bacon and Egg Breakfast Tart

Recipe By: adapted slightly from Williams-Sonoma
Serving Size: 4

1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg — lightly beaten with 1 tsp. water
3 ounces crème fraîche
2 ounces Gruyère cheese — shredded
Salt and freshly ground pepper — to taste
8 bacon slices — cooked until crisp
4 large eggs — or medium sized if you have them
10 fresh chives — cut on the bias into 1/2-inch lengths

1. Thaw puff pastry dough according to package instructions, usually 24 hours, left in the box.
2. Preheat an oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
3. On lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to 1/4-inch thickness and to a 10-by-8-inch rectangle. Place the pastry on the prepared baking sheet. Using a paring knife, score a border 1/2 inch in from the edge of the pastry. Using a fork, prick the center of the pastry. Brush the border with the egg wash and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the crème fraîche and cheese, and season with pepper. The bacon will add enough salt, but you can also sprinkle salt on top at the end.
5. Spread the crème fraîche mixture on the pastry, keeping the border clean. Lay the bacon pieces on top, scattered all over. Bake the tart for 14 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on a level heatproof surface. Using a fork, prick any large air pockets in the pastry. Crack the eggs onto the tart, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake until the egg whites are set and the yolks are still soft, 7 to 10 minutes.
7. Transfer the tart to a platter, garnish with the chives and serve in irregular pieces so each person is served an egg.
Per Serving: 625 Calories; 47g Fat (67.5% calories from fat); 21g Protein; 29g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 311mg Cholesterol; 500mg Sodium.

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