Birthday cakes and Tomato and feta bruschetta

Sunday, Allie and Lauren had a dual birthday party at the carousel in Meridian. The Dentzel Carousel is a Meridian landmark and a popular place for birthday parties. It was built in 1896 and is beautifully handpainted. I made the girls' birthday cakes again this year. Allie wanted a peace sign cake and Lauren wanted Hannah Montana. Here are some shots from the party:







Tomato and Feta Bruschetta

You know that part in "Julie and Julia" where Julie makes the bruschetta with the fried bread and juicy, olive oily tomatoes? Well, I think about that scene all the time...it looks like such an amazing dinner. All that tomato juice and olive oil dripping down their chins....I had to make it! Here is my interpretation

1 baguette sliced diagonally
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. minced garlic, divided
4-5 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. chopped basil
Sea salt to taste
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter in 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Add 1 Tbsp garlic. Fry bread slices until browned on both sides. In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes, remaining olive oil and garlic, vinegar, basil, feta, and salt. Serve the tomato mixture on top of bread slices.

This turned out fabulous, and will probably be a weekly event at our house from now on. I'm sure I will come up with some fun variations, but this was awesome! Try it and enjoy.

Sunday night updates...

Such a busy week, I haven't had time to upload any of my pictures or recipes! We've got another busy one coming up, so maybe I will just do one or two at a time until I catch up. I have been cooking, though, and I am beginning to look forward to it again in the evenings. After work, it really is so relaxing to come home and cook a nice meal for me and my hubby! I even made a cake this week...the first one in a long time that I actually got to enjoy! (instead of sending it off to a birthday party or shower)

Tonight, I'm going to back up a little bit to last Wednesday night, when I made Beef Bourguignonne in my Le Creuset. It was a Real Simple recipe. Not Julia's, but still good! It was my first time to make this and it turned out so good. I would recommend serving it with mashed potatoes or roasted new potatoes. I really missed the potatoes that this southern gal usually sees in my Mama's beef stew! Anyway, here's the recipe and a photo:
Beef Bourguignonne | Real Simple Recipes

It didn't really photograph well, but it was yummy! I can't wait to try the real thing...Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignonne!

Also, this week, the Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic made an encore appearance at our house. I love this recipe so much! If you haven't tried it yet...please, please, please do! Don't be afraid of the garlic! It cooks down and becomes a soft buttery delicious spread for the baguette. Make it tonight! Search for the recipe in my handy dandy search bar!

Back in action....with a new favorite!!

Ahhh. I am so glad to be cooking again! I have been looking forward to the day when I would feel "almost normal" for a while now. I think, maybe, it's here.

First off, it's time to update my "Kitchen gadgets I'm dying for" list. For my birthday, Mary Kay (Justin's mom) got me the Microplane box grater. Check. I haven't used it yet, since I haven't done much in the kitchen since then...but, it is awesome! I can't wait to use it. Last, but certainly not least, Justin got me an early anniversary gift yesterday. I went to a cooking demonstration at Williams Sonoma with my co-worker, Annie. Afterwards, we were looking around, drooling over everything in the store when I saw it....Le Creuset 20% off sale! I showed Justin. He said "pick out which one you want...happy anniversary!" AAAHHH! 6 and 1/2 quart oval french oven. Check!



So...I decided to use my new french oven for EVERY thing I make this week. Here's to breaking in my new favorite gadget!!

The Maiden Voyage:



Last night, I decided to make the risotto recipe we learned in the Williams-Sonoma demo, with a few modifications. Here is the base recipe I used:

Spring Vegetable Risotto

Williams Sonoma

5 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1 lb. zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
2 cups frozen baby peas
1/4 cup minced fresh mint
2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Cook the risotto:
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the broth and wine to a gentle simmer, then maintain the simmer over low heat.

Meanwhile, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter with 1 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until all the grains are opaque and well coated with the fat, about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the simmering broth mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is absorbed, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to add the liquid about 1 cup at a time, stirring occasionally and adding more only after the previous addition has been absorbed.

Sauté the vegetables:
While the rice is cooking, in a fry pan over medium heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the zucchini and sauté just until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the peas and cook, stirring, until thawed and heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Finish the risotto:
When the rice is tender and creamy but the grains are still al dente at the center, after about 22 minutes, stir in the sautéed vegetables and the mint and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Stir in the cheese. Season with salt and pepper, divide among shallow bowls and serve immediately. Serves 4.


I wasn't really a huge fan of the mint in the recipe. I mean, it was good, just not my thing. Plus I wanted to add some meat to make the dish a little more "husband-friendly". Here are my modifications: While the rice cooked, I baked some prosciutto in the oven until it was crispy, then stirred it in at the end. I sauteed some mushrooms with the zucchini. I used parsley in place of the mint. It turned out really pretty and yummy....see:





Tonight, my mom was here. We had already planned on having my favorite meal: tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. Since I was using my new french oven, I decided to make homemade tomato-basil soup. (don't get me wrong, I love my Campbell's, but I wasn't about to heat that up in my Le Creuset!) Here is the recipe I used:

Tomato- Basil Soup

Cooking Light

4 cups chopped seeded peeled tomato (about 4 large)
4 cups low-sodium tomato juice
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
Basil leaves, thinly sliced (optional)

Bring tomato and juice to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Place tomato mixture and basil in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan; stir in milk, salt, and pepper. Add cream cheese, stirring well with a whisk, and cook over medium heat until thick (about 5 minutes). Ladle soup into individual bowls; garnish with sliced basil, if desired.

For our grilled cheese, pressed the velveeta(yes!)sammies on my panini press. Delish!



Two days, two recipes, and I am already in love with this pot. It is perfect...plus, it's pretty!!