French Dip Sandwiches

This is another easy meal, similar to a pot roast, but you don't have to peel any potatoes! This is a meal you can throw in a crock pot and forget about, and serve up whenever your ready. And after consulting several different recipes, this version is the one we liked the best! And don't substitute the beef consumé with beef broth. You'll be doing yourself a disservice, trust me.

1 beef roast

3 cans beef consumé

1-2 onions, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper

1/2 jar of jalenos (or pepperoncini peppers)

1 Tb. oregano

1 Tb. basil

Provolone or Swiss Cheese

French Rolls (or a hearty frankfurter bun)- I made some with a simple roll recipe, rolled out pieces of the dough into 6" strips, smashed them down with my palm, and baked them on a cookie sheet. After they are done cooking, just slice them down the middle. They make nice homemade frankfurter buns.

Brown the roast on all sides. Salt and pepper it and put it in a crock pot with the beef consumé, onions, garlic and peppers (whichever you prefer, tang or heat), and seasonings. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Shred the roast in the pot, and spoon out juices in serving bowls, for dipping your sandwich in. You can either scoop up the beef and put it on a toasted bun with the cheese, or (for crowds) place it in some un-toasted buns with the cheese, wrap in foil, and place in warm oven to keep warm until everyone is ready to eat. Simple, easy, and super good!

Apple Tart

Tarte aux Pommes

I've been wanting to make an apple tart ever since the leaves started changing colors. I love apples! Apple cider, apple butter, apple crisp, apple dumplings, caramel apples... And I get a craving for all of that in the fall. I've made the cider, the caramel apples, apple sauce and apple butter so far, but with this one I needed a good recipe first. So, I once again consulted a French recipe from Julia Child.

Oven: 375•

4-6 cooking apples, (Golden Delicious)

1 tsp lemon juice

1 Tb vanilla

1 cup sugar

3 Tb Butter

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Apricot preserves

Peel and core the apples, and cut them into thin slices. Place in a pan with lemon juice, vanilla, sugar, butter and cinnamon over low heat. Cover and let heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender.

Crust (Sweet Short Paste- Pâte Brisée Sucrée)

1 cup all purpose flour, scooped and leveled

1 Tb sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

4 Tb. butter

2 Tb. Crisco, or vegetable shortening

3 Tb. cold water

Place the flour in a mixing bowl with the sugar and salt. Add the butter and crisco and cut with pastry blender. Add cold water and mix till combined. Roll out on floured surface. Place in pie shell or cheese cake pan. Trim edges and sprinkle sugar in bottom of crust.

Pour in apple filling, arranging the top pieces, if you wish, to form a ring or spiral. Brush with apricot preserves. Bake for 30-35 min. or until the apples and crust have browned slightly. Slide tart onto serving dish. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Coq Au Vin

I like to dabble in French cooking once in a while, and this is one dish that was on the "must do" list. We consulted several recipes, and most of them are almost identical to this one. One small difference that I liked was to reserve half the bacon during the cooking portion and add it just before serving, or sprinkled on top so you keep the nice crispy texture you worked so hard to get. 

I added a picture of the cute stubby carrots I pulled out of the garden that went into the dish - they give me a warm fuzzy feeling. Maybe they do the same for you. 

4-6 slices bacon, cut into small pieces

1 whole chicken, separated, skin on

1 onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup Burgundy Wine 

   - (or red grape juice and a dash of vinegar)
a few sprigs of thyme

2 cups chicken broth

2 Tb. Butter

1 cup mushrooms, diced

cooked pasta or mashed potatoes

3 Tb. butter
2-3 Tb. flour

salt and pepper, to taste

I like to use a cast iron pan, but any big pot will work. Render the bacon in the pan, scoop out the bacon and leave the fat. Salt the chicken and place skin side down and brown on both sides. Remove chicken and toss in veggies and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes, until the onion turns translucent. Add the wine and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the broth, chicken, half the bacon, and the thyme. Cover and cook for 1 hour at 350. 

Cook your pasta or mashed potatoes, and sauté the mushrooms. Take the dish out of the oven and remove the thyme sprigs. Toss in the mushrooms and remaining bacon. Mix the butter and flour into a paste and add to the pot to thicken the sauce. Salt lightly. Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens. Serve over pasta or potatoes. 

(One other way to change the sauce slightly is to add 1-2 Tb. tomato paste in with the broth.)

Happy cooking!

And eating!

Quiche Lorraine

We've tried lots of different quiche recipes, but this one is by far the best! The crust was absolutely amazing! And there were a lot of helpful tips with the recipe too!

This recipe is from Julia Childs book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

This is a super easy meal, and is great with garden

salad or fruit and some french bread.

Crust

1 cup flour

3/4 stick butter

2 Tb vegetable oil

3-4 Tb ice water

6-8 Slices bacon (I used some cut-up ham)

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup cream or half and half

1/2 tsp salt

pinch of pepper

pinch of nutmeg

2 Tb. butter

Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter and oil into the flour. Add the water and stir till it comes together. Roll out on floured surface until it is the size that will fit your pie pan. Use your rolling pin to pick up the crust and place in pan. Prick the bottom with a fork, or lay foil over your crust and pour in some dry beans to keep your crust from bubbling. Cook in 400• oven for 8-9 minutes, and remove foil and beans.

Brown your ham or bacon in 1 Tb butter, and lay in bottom of partially cooked pie shell. (I also added a little bit of shredded parmesan cheese over the ham.) Beat eggs and cream or half and half with seasonings. Pour over ham or bacon, and cook for 25- 30 minutes in upper third of your oven, until the quiche has puffed and browned. Important step: After you pull your quiche out of the oven, carefully slide it out of your pan onto a hot platter and serve. It's important to un-mold your quiche . The circulation of air will help prevent your crust from getting soggy. And voila! A tasty, easy french dish. Bon appetit!

Beef Bourgiugnonne with Steamed Potatoes

This is a hearty beef stew from the Burgundy region of France.

Ingredients:

4 lb. beef short ribs or stew beef

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 lb. bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice

3 cups red wine (we substitute red grape juice and it works really well)

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups brown beef stock

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 cloves mashed garlic

1/2 teaspoon thyme

A crumbled bay leaf

2 cups pearl onions, fresh or thawed frozen

1/2 lb. baby carrots, peeled

2 lb. small red new potatoes, scrubbed

2 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature

Fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. On the stovetop, place a dutch oven or large non-stick pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. 

Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat from the insert. Working in batches, add the short ribs and brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Return all the ribs and bacon to the insert and add juice, beef broth, garlic, tomato paste, and herbs. Cover and cook on high until the meat is fork-tender, about 6 hours; add the onions and carrots during the last 2 hours of cooking. Steam the potatoes separately for 20-30 min, drain, and toss with butter, then season with salt.

 Serve the beef bourguignonne over the potatoes in shallow bowls and garnish with parsley. Serves 6. (May also serve over noodles or rice).

French Onion Soup

This is one of our favorite soups, and it's filling with the bread. It is also more authentic with the white grape juice.

1 Tb butter, or oil

6-8 onions

1/4 tsp. sugar

2 Tb. flour

3 1/2 cups beef broth

1/4 cup white grape juice

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

4-6 slices French bread, or baguettes

1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese, or Swiss

Heat butter, or oil, in saucepan, add onions. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add sugar and continue cooking and stirring 15 minutes until onions are golden.

Add flour and cook and stir 1 minute. Add broth, juice, and thyme. Heat to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Top bread with cheese and toast under broiler 1-2 minutes.

Serve soup in shallow bowls and place bread on top.

Serves 5-6 people.