Valentine's Day Means Chocolate, Cookies, and . . . a Puppy!

    "A puppy?" you ask!  Yes!  Last week I wrote about helping out with the 105 dogs that were brought to National Mill Dog Rescue on Sunday.  I then went back on Monday to help with intake and while I was there I totally and completely fell in love with sweet Bella.  She was one of three puppies that came in with the adult dogs.  Mother is a lab and father is . . . ?  Here's a photo of her.  See what you think.

I fell in love with this face!

Trying to figure it all out!

CoCo protecting her baby

     I have thought about getting another dog since I got back from France and have really missed having a big dog around.  I've always been a big dog person, but wanted a little one for moving overseas and CoCo was perfect for that.  I do love having a lap dog - and depending on how big Bella gets, I may have two! 😁

     Now, about the recipes for this week:  I tried out two recipes that I thought would be great for Valentine's Day.  Nothing says "I love you" quite like homemade sweets, right?  The cookie recipe was easy to follow and are so wonderfully chewy and yummy!  The only change I made was replacing the sour cream with plain Fage yogurt (as I already had that in the fridge).  These cookies are so moist that they are addicting!  Beware!  And are especially good with a large glass of milk.

     The candy recipe was in a magazine around Christmas time.  I already have holiday candy recipes - English toffee, fudge and peanut brittle - so I didn't make it then.  I thought it would be a good Valentine candy.  They were easy to make and I love that they are made of just pecans, caramel and chocolate.  The only problem I had is that they don't come out of the little wrappers very well.  The caramel sticks to the paper.  Maybe I will try to find foil wrappers next time.  That may help.

     I will try to get a recipe done this week, but with a new puppy it might be a little difficult.  As I write this I am keeping an eye on her and on CoCo who is still trying to decide what to do with her!  Bella is very good at entertaining herself.  She has already figured out the doggy door and as long as it is open there are no accidents inside.  She's a smart little girl and I'm hoping she'll help CoCo come out of her shell and realize that she's a dog and it's ok to play.  Time will tell.

     So, my journey of bends continues!  New recipes, a new puppy . . . always an adventure.  And I so appreciate that you are joining me on this one.  Merci!!

They Sell WHAT in Asian Markets??

      If you have a recipe that calls for beef intestines, pigs feet or lamb testicles you can find them at an Asian market!
      I had a new adventure last week as I went in search of ingredients for the week's recipe: Honey Teriyaki Drumsticks.  The recipe calls for rice wine (not rice wine vinegar) so I assumed I would find it in a liquor store.  However, after asking for it at my local liquor store I was told that because its alcohol content is low it is considered a cooking wine and I could find it at a grocery store or perhaps an Asian market. 
     The large Safeway store that's near my house does not carry it, so I googled Asian markets and found one fairly close to me.  So off I went in search of the Asian sweet wine called Mirin.  I had never been in an Asian market before so I decided it would be fun just to browse through the aisles - and it was quite an education!!
     I was most interested in the meats, hoping that they sold duck, a main ingredient in the French dish called Cassoulet which I made for Christmas.  It was still really good using chicken instead of the duck, but it was missing that deeper layer of flavor that the duck gives.  They do sell already roasted duck at this market, but I didn't see any frozen.  And no fresh meats or poultry here.
     The market doesn't have a butcher/meat section.  They do have a rather extensive fish and seafood section, but I didn't spend much time looking there as I was fascinated by the frozen meats.  What does one do with lamb testicles?!  Really!  There were frozen feet from numerous species: beef, pork, lamb.  Need intestines for anything?  They have varieties of those also.  As well as tripe, which I have seen before and actually eaten.  But lamb testicles?  Anyone ever seen a recipe that calls for those??
     You can buy frogs' legs here and already prepared and frozen chicken skewers.  There were frozen banana leaves and large flattened seaweed.  I didn't check out the deli section and will go back at some point to do that.  But I did notice the roasted ducks hanging inside a case near the cashier.
     It was definitely an education.  And, yes, I did find the rice wine for the recipe.

These turned out great!

     I have never been a fan of buffalo wings.  I know, it sounds un-American, but I don't like really hot and spicy foods.  However, I know that when it comes to large football party gatherings such as the one happening next Sunday, the wings are almost as much a staple as serving turkey at Thanksgiving.  When I saw this recipe I thought it might be a good alternative to the buffalo seasoning.  The teriyaki sauce provides just the right amount of flavors to give it a little "umph" and you could always add some red chili pepper flakes for more heat.
     The recipe called for drumsticks, but I substituted wing drumettes and it worked really well. I did the skillet version, but I'm sure the instant pot/pressure cooker version would also turn out great and you could certainly double the recipe and keep them warm in the pot.  The sesame seeds and scallions add a really nice crunch at the end.

An easy recipe to follow

The reason I ventured into the Asian market

     I have been busy with other pursuits this week.  I started volunteering at the National Mill Dog Rescue center and it has been wonderful.  I love this organization.  If you don't know anything about puppy mills or NMDR I suggest you google both and see what is going on.  Today 104 dogs arrived at NMDR.  I was there to help unload them, give them some tender love, and put them into kennels where they will be well cared for and loved and fed and taken outside to see what dirt and sky and grass looks like.  I'm going back tomorrow morning to transport a little schnauzer to the vet to make sure he's healthy enough to undergo extensive dental surgery as most of his teeth are rotten. 
     So many of the dogs that come in from the puppy mills have urgent health issues as well as emotional trauma.  NMDR is a non-profit organization and everything there is donated by amazing people who have adopted mill dogs and have a heart for what Theresa is doing out there.  After I bring Knox, the schnauzer, back from the vet I 'll stay and help with the intake process.  They check out each dog and start a file on them with whatever info may be known: breed, gender, age.  They do blood tests on each to check for heartworm and other diseases.  They assess which ones need immediate grooming.  Some of these babies are so filthy and matted I just cry seeing them.  NMDR always does before and after photos and it's remarkable!  Check out their Facebook page to see photos of these precious souls.
     I also visited with my "babies" at the zoo.  Here are some photos from this past week's visit.

Aslan was talking!

Boma looking for the rest of the pride

Auntie Zwena taking a nap in the sun

Handsome and regal Abuto

Jumbe, the rhino, watching Lou Lou and Misty

Emmet hasn't moved in three weeks! ha!

    This week I'll be making cookies and candy for Valentine's Day treats.  Look forward to sharing those recipes with all of you.  Thank you for coming along on this new adventure.  I do love to cook and am having a great time trying out new recipes and writing about them.  Merci!!

"When the Stars Make You Drool Just Like Pasta Fazool, That's Amore!"

     This week I went Italian! Are you singing along with Dean Martin? 😊 But before I talk about Lidia Bastianich's Quick Pasta e Fagiole recipe, I'd like to share some more insights about eating from "French Women Don't Get Fat."
     Guiliano says that American's are "mindless eaters" and I would have to agree with her.  To most of us eating is just a thing to do when we don't have anything else to do - or it's the right time of day and we just want to eat quickly so we can get back to whatever it was we think we need to be doing.  So we don't pay much attention to what we are eating or how much, we just scarf it down to get it over with.  And sometimes we eat when we are bored as if it's a hobby.  So what we put into our mouths is whatever is handy or quick.  Usually, that means something that is not particularly good for us.  Thus, "mindless."
     She says that if we make a meal a true event, then we will enjoy it more and eat less.  So, how do we do that?   First of all, cooking and eating should be about the season of the year and the seasoning of the food.  You should have fresh ingredients and pay attention to the taste.  As you take each bite see if you can pick out the flavors.  Can you taste the garlic, the rosemary, the basil; can you tell what cheese was used or what meat or seafood?  If you eat slower and savor each bite, you will eat less and enjoy it more.
      Second, make it fancy!  Use your best china and crystal.  Eat on a table cloth with cloth napkins.  Have an arrangement of flowers.  Go to the effort of making it an event rather than just a meal and you will see how different your attitude is towards the food and the meal - and the cook!
     When you eat out, don't fill up on the bread!  Just because it is set on your table doesn't mean you need to eat it all before your meal arrives.  You are not there just for the bread - you're there for the other courses as well.  And because it's the "main dish" doesn't mean you should eat more of that than any of the other courses.  It's all about portions.  If you eat slower and less of the main dish, then you can enjoy the salad and the dessert.
     Unfortunately, in the US, the portions are huge compared to France.  You may have a four course meal in France, but you can eat it all because the portions make sense.  The chef knows that you will want to eat each course which he/she has carefully prepared and so the serving sizes reflect that.  Keep that in mind when you eat at home also.
     As I prepare the different recipes I want you to know what you will NOT find in my cooking.  There will be no salmon, no kale, no cabbage or Brussels sprouts.  I don't like any of those flavors.  I do not use any alternative flours or dairy products.  I don't use non-fat anything because they have no taste.  Often the fat has been replaced with lots of sugar to give some taste, which is worse for you than the fat!
     With that said, here's the recipe of the week:  Pasta e Fagiole Veloce  (Quick Pasta and Bean Soup)
Made the traditional way it usually takes 3 - 4 hours to cook.  I don't have a problem with a recipe taking all afternoon, but I thought her quick version sounded good.  And it is!

 
     Pasta e Fagiole (literally, pasta and beans) is a peasant dish which was made with whatever the farmer's wife had left over at the end of the week: garlic, tomatoes, carrots, celery, olive oil and white beans.  It varies somewhat from region to region and even the spelling can differ!  In both France and Italy, some of the best cuisine began in farmhouses.  In France they call it Cuisine de la Campagne and in Italy it's called Cucina Povera, literally Poor Cooking.
    I have lots of great soup recipes which I make often.  While I liked this recipe I probably won't make it again as I prefer my chicken tortilla or potato leek or broccoli cheddar soups.  I decided on the second day to add some fried crumbled bacon (what isn't better with bacon?!) to add more depth of flavor and make it a little heartier. I liked it much better with the meat.  Her recipe says you can add sausages which would make it even thicker and heartier and a great winter day soup.  At some point I will look for her all-day-no-shortcuts recipe and compare.  I'm sure cooking it all day would make a huge difference in flavor.
     My good friend, Elaine, agreed to give suggestions for wine for the dishes that I will be preparing.  I told her I would refer to her in my blog as EMWE (Elaine my wine expert!)  She suggested that with a rustic dish such as this one a Chianti Classico would be a good choice if you like reds.  A good Italian white would be Orvieto which is "smooth and clean without any overt flavor profile that might clash with the earthiness of this dish."  Since I prefer whites to reds I bought an Orvieto Classico which paired well with the soup.  Thank you, Elaine! 
     This was a fun week!  I have an idea for next week as we get closer to Super Bowl Sunday.  Hope you'll join me for that recipe.  I'm so glad you are joining me on this gastronomic journey.  I'm always open to ideas, suggestions, comments.  Merci!  and today I should say "Grazie".  And here's Dean to sing it for you.  Enjoy!

    

A Journey of Gastronomic Proportion

     A new year, a new plan.  For many of us a new year means reassessing the previous year and making plans for the new one.  As I mentioned on Facebook and also on last week's blog post, I am planning to try out some new recipes and writing about cooking and eating. 
     So what is "gastronomy?"  It is defined as the practice or art of cooking and eating good food.  I would say the French are masters of this!  (I'll write more about that in next week's blog.)  As I have been going back through all the recipes I've "shared" on Facebook over the past two years I've noticed that I seem to be attracted to, not only the ones that sound yummy (not sure that's a gastronomic term!), but also ones that seem pretty healthy.  I'm not a huge fan of using box mixes or canned soups as I find they have too many chemicals, preservatives and additives that are not healthy.  Canned soups get their flavor from sodium for the most part.  And I prefer adding my own salt as needed in recipes.  And I love using herbs and spices for flavoring.
     I have also been rereading "French Women Don't Get Fat."  The author, Mireille Guiliano, is a French woman married to an American and divides her time between homes in France (near Paris) and New York.  Her gastronomic journey began after being an exchange student in America as a high school student and acquiring some really bad eating habits.  She wasn't really aware of them (since she was just eating what everyone else around her was) until she returned home and her parents were worried about her weight gain and apparent bad health.

     Her book has great insight into the eating habits of the Americans and the French and I find it very informative.  One of the things she writes about is how to eat "seasonally."  The French, even with modern supermarkets (some of the largest I've ever seen!) still love to shop at the weekly village open markets to buy their fresh fruits and vegetables.  Of course, the vendors only sell what's growing that season so it all changes every four months or so.  As does the selection of seafoods. 
     As I am looking over the recipes I have printed from Facebook (and some I've saved from magazines), I am organizing them according to season.  We should be eating heavy, thick soups in the colder months and lighter ones in the warm months.  We should choose fruits and vegetables that are grown in that season as they will be more "natural", if you will.  And should eat them at the peak of their ripeness.  That's when they have the most flavor and also the most nutritional benefit.
     As for my own gastronomic journey I have a few anecdotes to share.  The first time I ever had a significant weight gain was my first semester of college.  I know what you're thinking, that I am someone who has never had a problem with my weight, and you'd be right.  I am aware that many people in the US have significant issues with weight and that my "freshman fifteen" is not a huge deal for you.  
    But it's more about how well you feel than how many pounds overweight you may be.  The French have a saying, "to feel well in your skin." And what I noticed is that my clothes didn't fit, my face looked bloated and I just didn't look right when I looked in the mirror.  I wasn't happy with what I saw.  It was a gradual gain.  As I look back I know exactly what caused it.  I loved the frozen snickers and Dr Pepper that they sold in the Student Union and I had to have one every time I went in there.  I seldom ate sweets or drank sodas at home!  My body was rebelling against these "foreign" substances!  I lost the weight once I went home for Christmas break and the weight stayed off, until . . . .
     The next time I noticed a weight gain (other than my pregnancy) was when I moved to Liberal, Kansas to help care for my mom.  I was there for two years and I went back to that bad habit of having a Dr Pepper and an afternoon snack every day.  (Yes, I love DP!)  Again it was a gradual thing, but by the time I realized what was happening, those empty sugar calories were building up.  I knew it was the DP so I cut it out completely, I found a nutrition plan that helped to cut down on sugar and carbs and I eventually lost those extra ten pounds.
     Weight gain number three came when I lived in France.  I hate to admit this as the French eat pretty healthy, especially compared to Americans.  But what got me was the bread!  How could I live in France and not enjoy a croissant with butter and jam every morning?  And then since I had croissants already I would make a ham and cheese sandwich with them.  I also realized I could buy Dr Pepper at the local supermarket, so now I was back into my bad habit of a DP a day.  And I continued that habit after returning to Colorado.

That lovely French breakfast

     For the record, I am not a breakfast eater.  While every nutritionist I have read expounds on the value of eating first thing in the morning, my body does not like it.  I am quite happy having just a cup of hot tea with honey and cinnamon (both are good for many ailments) and then having an early lunch.  When I deviate from that I find those pesky pounds creeping up and I also don't feel "bien dans ma peau" (well in my skin).  It just isn't what works best for me and I think that's what really is important.
     Since I know that carbs and sugar are the triggers for my extra weight I avoid them (for the most part!) at home.  I will enjoy them when I eat out as eating out should be a pleasurable experience.  But I avoid sodas and sweets (which never was an issue with me anyway - except at college!) and I try to limit carbs.  If you're interested in how to do this I recommend Jorge Cruise's menu plan called "The 100".  It really works!  You can drop five pounds a week if you follow it closely.  I suppose it's similar to Atkins, but with Jorge's plan you don't have to buy any special foods or supplements.  You just eat healthier.

I have this on my Kindle and refer to it when needed

     Next week I want to tell you more about the difference in attitudes between the French and the Americans regarding cooking and eating.  I think you'll find it pretty interesting.  In the meantime, I'm still organizing the recipes and hope to prepare one this week so I can tell you about that experience also.  By the way, I don't have any fancy kitchen equipment.  I figure if my grandmothers could bake bread and make noodles and prepare all the other dishes they were great at without any special gadgets, then I can do it, too! 
     So let the gastronomic journey begin!  (And I have requests to continue with the zoo photos and to tell about my newest venture of volunteering at the National Mill Dog Rescue organization which I begin this week.)
     Thank you for joining me on this new kind of journey.  I look forward to your comments, suggestions and recommendations.  Merci!

Looking Back Planning Ahead

     Happy New Year everyone!  WOW!  2018!  I've been trying to think of a new plan for my blog.  Obviously, I don't have new places to write about since I am now back in Colorado and so I don't have wonderful France photos and adventures to share.  Which actually makes me a little sad.  I miss France!

If only I could find markets like this in Colorado Springs!

Always the best ingredients

This was my "find" at a market in a nearby French village

     A few weeks before Christmas I realized I had "shared" a number of recipes on my Facebook page - none of which I have ever actually made.  And then I had an "aha" moment.  That's what my blog can be about this year - cooking!
     I have always considered cooking an adventure - like going on a journey.  Many recipes have international connections and some have exotic ingredients.  You start with a recipe (a map) and hope that the steps you take (like following a GPS) result in a wonderful dish (your final destination.)  And if past cooking experiences are any indication of future endeavors then I have no doubt there will be "bends in the road"!  And so, my friends, here is my plan.  I will create all those recipes that I have shared on Facebook for the past 3 years and write about the "journey."
     As I have been reviewing my timeline to find all those recipes, I have had a wonderful time reflecting on everything I have shared beginning in 2015 when I began all my house renovations with plans to move to France.  What a fun time I've had reading past blogs and seeing what has appeared on my timeline along with recipes!
     Of course, it will come as no surprise to any of you that most of my non-blog posts were of the zoo, dogs, Colorado and France.  Lots of great photos!  It was fun (and just a little exhausting!) to read about everything I did on my house to get it ready to sell. Man, I did a lot of work!!
      Here are some photos from recent zoo visits.  I go once a week and hope to start volunteering there sometime this month.  (I also plan to volunteer at the National Mill Dog Rescue organization starting this month.  More about that in a later blog.)

Cute Ember with daddy Tujo

One of Asha's many poses

The majestic Lomela enjoying a sunny day on her heated rock!

Digger was trying to find a comfy position.  This wasn't it!

The mighty Abuto!

      And then there were all of the posts about everything I had to do to get myself and CoCo ready to move to France - visas, vet certificates, lots of paperwork and preparations - not to mention everything I got rid of or put in storage.  But it was all so worth it!  I loved the seven months I spent in France!
     So, dear friends, here is my plan for 2018.  I am in the process of printing off all those recipes I shared and will choose one or two each week to try out and write about.  I plan to do a little research into the history of the dish, the origin of certain ingredients, or a tradition that it might suggest along with my observations on how difficult or easy it was to prepare and what I served it with.  Maybe my wine friends can give me advice as to the perfect beverage to be served with it.  (And perhaps I'll share a few zoo visits along the way!)
     My printer ran out of ink, so I'm still in the process of printing off all the recipes and deciding how to organize them.  But, what fun it has been to scroll through all the posts for the past 3 years!  I highly recommend it.  I have come to appreciate so many of you all over again as you all gave me such wonderful and encouraging comments on my approaching move.  And then such a great welcome home!  I love you all for being such good friends and precious family!
     May 2018 bring you all peace, love, adventure, and true joy.  And I hope you will continue to read my blog as you join me on a new writing adventure - cooking!  And, of course, eating 😊  What do you think? 
     The journey continues - thanks for joining me.  Merci!