Day 95: Swordfish And Shrimp

Menu:

Italian Swordfish JC

Shrimp w/Cocktail Sauce ME

Baked Sweet Potato ME

It's New Year's Eve and Michael and I are going out tonight. I won't be making dinner so I made us a Julia Child lunch. The swordfish is actually baked for 8 minutes at 400 degrees in an olive oil ladened pan. The Italian seasonings give it that extra little kick. A very good and moist way to make this type of fish.

The shrimp were huge. I bought them fully cooked and we left them that way. I served them with cocktail sauce that I did make myself. I splashed lime juice over the shrimp just before dipping them in the sauce. Nothing goes better with seafood than a sweet potato smothered in butter and brown sugar. This was an easy meal to make but a delicious one!

Facts: Day 95 of 100 (Five more to go!)

Pounds Lost: 8 pounds (Yep, it's finally coming off)

Pounds Gained: None now.

Happiness Level 100% (I'm 100 % on all levels)

Day 94: Roast Chicken

Menu:

Poulet Roti JC
(Roast Chicken)

Mashed Potatoes ME

Gravy JC

Salad ME

This is the basic roast chicken recipe from the Julia Child Cookbook. I made a stuffing to go with it. The seasonings for the chicken is subtle and gives the chicken a really good flavor. I made the stuffing out of whole grain bread pieces, chicken livers, carrots, onions and seasonings. I put lemon juice over all.

The mashed potatoes aren't anything fancy. Just something I've always made and decided to make them with this meal. I did make the gravy from the saute pan drippings that I used to do the onions and carrots for the dressing.

It seems nowadays we can never get enough vegetables. I put a green leaf lettuce down and then just sliced tomatoes and sprinkled feta cheese over it. My goal is to try to eat more veggies and fruits from now on. I can feel myself getting bigger just from the bread and potatoes from tonight's dinner. ugh! Sure did taste good though.

Facts:
Day 94 of 100: (Just about done...yay!)

Pounds Lost: I probably gained after eating this!
Pounds Gained: Don't know
Happiness Level: 100% (Thanks for calling me Rebecca...it made my day. Love you baby girl.)
Missing My Kids: 100%
Cooking Enjoyment: 100%
Eating Enjoyment: 100%
Meal Presentation: 100%

Day 93: Back In The Kitchen Again

Menu:

Saut'e De Boeuf A La Parisienne JC
(Beef Saut'e w/Cream and Mushroom Sauce)

Asperges JC
(Asparagus w/Lemon and Herbs)

Brown Rice ME

My wonderful and sweet husband just finished the last small details of my new kitchen floor. We had no idea the project would take this long. It has been a true labor of love. Michael did a beautiful job and I absolutely love the new look it gives the kitchen. I had to give Michael space and not rush him because he likes to do a really good job when he takes on a challenge. It paid off, because I couldn't be more pleased with the patience, time and love he poured into this project.

By the same token I was anxious to get back to my cooking. Michael's favorite thing in the world is ribeye steak. So, to show my appreciation for his hard work, I made him a Julia style steak dinner tonight. I made a rich, creamy mushroom wine sauce. Then, I cut the ribeye into the instructed pieces as directed in the recipe. I browned the pieces on all sides and then cooked it longer in the mushroom wine sauce. It was delicious. We have been eating out and doing quick meals lately. I can't tell you how much we have missed this fine dining.

The asparagus had a totally different taste than what I usually make. I used herbs, lemon zest and wine for the marinade. Then the recipe called for the asparagus to be peeled, which allowed the marinade to simmer deep within the vegetable. Very good. I love asparagus anyway but I really liked this for a change a pace.

The brown rice was a substitute for the mashed potatoes that I would have preferred to make. My doctor ran tests to see why I wasn't dropping pounds even though I wasn't eating much. We realized I'm not losing weight because I cannot eat carbs. Since backing off of the carbs the weight is FINALLY dropping. Potatoes taste much better than rice any day of the week. But, if it means I can finally get this weight off then I'll be happy to change the way I eat. I have seven days left and it has been quite an undertaking. I'll miss the rich flavors but will be glad to get my weight back to normal.

Facts:
Day 93 of 100 (365 would take me eons)

Pounds Lost: 8 (Since the break from the rich food and watching carbs, the weight is dropping.)
Pounds Gained: NONE now.
Happiness Level: 100% (Michael takes good care of me and I have two great kids what more could a mother want?)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Love you both.)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Feels good to be cooking again in my own kitchen.)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Michael went back for seconds...that always means it was superb.)
Meal Presentation: 100% (Photo wasn't the best but in real life it was...pretty.)

Day: Waiting...

While I am waiting to get my kitchen back, I thought I would share a photo with you. My husband is laying a kitchen floor for me. He thought he would have it finished in the week that I was in Indiana. That didn't happen. Turns out gluing down hardwood is a lot of work. Laying out the pieces is a puzzle and mystery. And scraping up the old floor was a bear.

I have some mobility in my hand. I can type as long as I don't type too much. The splint is incredibly annoying. Falling has become routine for me. Now, when I sit in a chair I use a little more caution. Can't wait to get my last bit of cooking done. It has been nice not eating so much cream and butter but the food does taste good.

Day 92: Fancy Chicken Dinner w/ Relatives

Menu:
Supremes De Volaille A Blanc JC
(Chicken Breasts Sauteed in Butter)

Mashed Potatoes ME

Corn (My Sister

Baked Beans ME

If you want the most tender and juicy chicken, try this "Supreme De Volaille A Blanc" Julia recipe. It is one of her more easier and less time consuming main dishes. The sauce gives it a rich flavor but it isn't real heavy. My sister and I put together the side dishes. We had my niece her boyfriend and my great-niece eating with us. My brother-in-law is a big fan of Julia food. I made Beouf Bourguignon for my relatives last week and he absolutely loved that. Michael was disappointed that he didn't get any. He said on my 100th day I have to make that for him. I sure missed him on this trip. He stayed behind and worked on my "Julia Child" inspired kitchen. The floor is looking beautiful.

I fell out of my chair Sunday when we sat down to eat this chicken dinner. I Didn't think much about it but my hand continued to swell over the next two days. I already had a doctor's appt set up for today for routine check-up stuff. I held my hand up and asked him if he thought it was broken and he felt around on it and said more than likely. I got an x-ray and we will now go from there. I can't use it until it is decided what will be done about it. I wanted to get this blog in before I officially stop using it. I'm just not seeing me not using my hand but we will see how it goes.

Facts:
Day 92 of 100 (Have you ever seen anyone take so long to do a 100 day project!)

Pounds Lost: (I just got weighed at the doctor and it's terrible)
Pounds Gained: (Ugh! Not going to think about it.)
Happiness Level: 100% (Gotta keep on the sunnyside.)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Can't wait to see them again.)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (I love cooking for people.)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Possibly the best chicken recipe.)
Meal Presentation: 100% (This is a shared pic.)

Repeat Dinner

Menu:
Salad ME
Rolls ME
Boeuf Bourguignon JC
Home Fries ME
Chocolate Almond Cake JC

I made two Julia dishes that I have made before. It is one of my favorites and I wanted to share it with my sister and her husband. I invited my cousin and his son to join us. Everyone liked the boeuf bourguignon. The cake did not puff up again this time. But it tasted really good better than the one I made two days ago. So, I put frosting on it and we had that for dessert. My cousin said it tasted like a Texas Sheet Cake. Now I know why there is a Texas Sheet Cake. Someone in Texas tried to make a chocolate almond cake and it didn't turn out. Hence, the name Texas Sheet Cake.

I marinated and roasted the salad ingredients and then just before I served it, I added feta cheese. It makes the veggies much more intense and flavorful if you marinate and roast it. I won't be able to make a new dish for a few more days because I will be busy helping my friend bake cakes tomorrow. This will be a labor of love and would much rather be doing this to help a dear, dear friend. Everyone have a good weekend and I'll catch hopefully on Sunday with a new recipe.

Day 91: Last Night's Flop

I made a Chocolate Almond Cake last night and it didn't turn out. Again, it was my fault! I forgot to beat the yolks into the butter and sugar. I had the cake all ready to go into the oven and there sat the egg yolks. Geez. Me and instructions. I just completely overlooked the part where it said to add the yolks. I gently stirred them in anyway and went ahead and baked it. I broke a piece off after it came out of the oven and it tastes really really good. It just didn't get fluffy and creamy in the center. It looked like, yep you guessed it...a brownie. I'm staying with my sister and using her kitchen. I' m going to attempt another one tonight because I really want to make this cake and make it right. It would be an excellent cake if I could FOCUS.

I have a picture of the flat cake and will post it after I cook today.

Day 90 Cherries Basking In Cognac

Menu:

Potage Parmentier JC
(Potato Soup)

Roast Duck JC (Leftover)

Canton aux Cerises JC
Roast Duck w/Cherries)

Green Beans Sauteed w/Bacon ME

Chocolate Chip Muffins ME

Tonight the duck tasted better than it did last night. I took all the meat and lightly and slowly sauteed it in butter and port wine. I then added sauteed sliced onions. The orange sauce we had with it last night was good but I saw a cherry sauce recipe that looked much better. I soaked the cherries in lemon juice, sugar and cognac for 30 minutes and then served it with the duck. Very good.

The potato soup I had made before. It is a favorite of Michael's. I go easy on the puree-ing because he likes it thick and so do I. This time I added some bacon pieces to it to give it even more flavor. It is such a thick hearty soup with a ton of flavor and perfect for winter. The green beans were cooked and simmered and seasoned with a bit of bacon fat and seasonings. Michael is not a fan of green beans but eats them when I add lots of flavor to them.

The muffins are a huge cheat. I must confess. I love those Andy Griffith muffin mixes. For the price you can't beat 'em. The lemon flavor being my favorite but tonight with the cherries I thought the chocolate chip would be good. And they were! It was fun playing around with the recipes tonight but I'm so ready to get back to my cooking but with a bit of Julia's influence. She is wearing me out with these laborous meals. I do believe I just have 10 more days of cooking. WooHoooooooooo!

Facts:
Day 90 of 100 (I'm so close and wouldn't dare rope myself into 265 more days when I can stop in 10.)

Pounds...whatever!
Happiness Level: 100%
Missing My Kids: 100% (Keep the troops in your prayers)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100%
Eating Enjoyment: 100%
Meal Presentation: 100% (Beautiful Cherries, indeed.)

Day 89: Roasted Duck

Menu:
Caneton Roti JC
(Roasted Duck)

Wild Rice ME

Cranberry Relish ME

Mushroom Stuffing ME

Baked Sweet Potato ME

My duck finally thawed today. I followed Julia's instructions to a tee and it turned out beautifully. While I do like turkey and chicken much better, the duck with the sauce over it wasn't bad at all. I just needed the sauce. The duck has a different flavor and I'm sure one has to acquire a taste for it. I'm simply not used to eating duck. I'd absolutely make it again though. The sauce was outstanding. It had a beef stock base with port wine and butter. I made it even more tasty by boiling down the beef stock with the orange sauce that came with the duck. Delicious.

The dressing I just made up as I went along. It was very moist and the mushrooms were still plump and flavorful when I pulled it out of the oven. The sweet potatoes always give a lot of color to the plate. Plus, I love the sweet brown sugar and cinnamon flavor with a meal like this. Also, since I don't generally eat bread this tastes much like a big ol' cinnamon bun. When I saw that the bird had turned out so nicely, I decided to put it on a platter I thought it would have a better presentation stuffed and with the rice around it. I've been buying organic long grain lately and like it much better. I just needed one more thing to make this meal have pizazz.

The cranberry relish was easy to make. I added roughly minced pecans to it just for the crunch. Before I placed it on the platter I put green leaf lettuce down and then put the relish on top. The bright color from the oranges was the perfect finishing touch. I put the platter of food in the middle of the table and Michael and I enjoyed it immensely. I'm extremely pleased with the way this meal turned out. I'm now enjoying a nice glass of port wine and ready to relax for the evening.

Facts:
Day 89 of 100 (I'm oh so close and oh so not doing 365 days.)

Pounds Lost: I'm just stuck. in 11 days I'm starting a raw food diet of sorts...maybe.
Pounds Gained: I'm just really really stuck. Fit For Life will fix that.
Happiness Level: 100% (Life is good, most days)
Missing My Kids: 100%
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Concise instructions were helpful.)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (It was like a big dag gum feast.)
Meal Presentation: 100% (Probably the prettiest meal I have made so far.)

Day 88: Casserole Julia Style

Menu:

Roti de Porc Grand' Mere JC
(Casserole-roasted Pork w/Potatoes and Onions)

Fried Cinnamon Apples ME

Candied Carrots ME

Chocolate Souffle JC

The pork dish may not have photographed oh so well, but it did taste good. The recipe called for the potatoes to be mashed into the white wine and boiled down. Then the potatoes were to be used displayed around the pork. It made for an unattractive dish just served up on the plates. The potaoes being mashed inot the wine did make them very flavorful. I made candied carrots just for color and whenever I make a pork roast or roast beef I like fried cinnamon apples with it.

The souffle, Lordy the souffle. My Facebook pal Bambi gave me words of encouragement this morning and I just had to conquer the chocolate souffle. I worked with it until I did get it to pouf over the edges of the souffle dish. Now that I have it somewhat mastered I'm ready to make another one someday soon. I'm going to tackle a duck tomorrow.

Facts:
Day 88 of 100 (Can't believe I'm getting so close to 100. I wouldn't think of 365 days.)

Pounds Lost: Didn't check
Pounds Gained: Don't know but I did exercise...work with me here.
Missing My Kids: 100% (more than anyone could ever know.)
Happiness Level: 100% (It sure does take a lot of effort though.)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (I'm quite pleased with my souffle.)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Mmmm, mmmm)
Meal Presentation: 100% (The souffle was a little glowy in the pic but it looked beautiful in real life.)

Day 87: Chocolate Souffle...NOT!

Menu:
Chocolate Souffle JC

Chocolate Cream JC (Made yesterday)

Well what a disaster my souffle turned out to be. I did not follow the instructions properly with the egg whites. Those are definitely the pouf in a souffle. I made the salmon souffle a few weeks back and got a bit of a pouf. I got nothing with this souffle. It tasted okay but I also wrecked the cream sauce it was suppose to be a lot fluffier too. I'm just a cooking disaster today. Michael must have realized that when he walked in the door. He asked me if I wanted to go out to dinner since I made a dessert.

Tomorrow, I'm going to try my hand at a pork recipe. Thursday is a bit exciting because I'm planning to roast a duck. I'm going to really focus on the recipe and the instructions. Julia says in her cookbook, if you follow her instructions the recipe will come out perfectly because each recipe is foolproof. I must be a fool. Because I don't seem to be able to follow instructions. I am going to try the chocolate souffle again though. It doesn't take long to make it. It just takes total concentration. Julia explains in her book, "My Life In France" how she was more of a scientific cook but the booted author from the second volume was a romantic cook. I must be somewhere in between.

Facts:
Day 87 of 100 (I so am not doing 365 days, I can't wait to get back to just throwing my dinners together.)

Pounds Lost: 5 lbs. (It's the port wine, I'm convinced.)
Pounds Gained: 0 lbs. (I'm starting a whole new regimen in 13 days.)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Loved seeing Joey over Thanksgiving.)
Happiness Level: 100% (No souffle is gonna ruin my day.)
Cooking Enjoyment: 30% (I did not enjoy this disaster one bit.)
Eating Enjoyment 50% (Michael liked it, prolly to be nice, I didn't like it because I ruined it.)
Meal Presentation: 10% (A flop.)

Day 86: Chocolate Sauce

Menu:
Chef Salad ME
Spinach Pie ME
Chocolate Sauce JC

Today was a busy day for me which didn't leave me much time for cooking. I had to quickly chop up some raw vegetables for dinner for our chef salad. We also had some leftover spinach pie that I had in the freezer. I wanted to get in a Julia recipe so I opted for the chocolate sauce. I'm going to make another Julia recipe tomorrow so that we can use the sauce with it. I did taste it and it is very smooth. I'll photograph the sauce with the chocolate souffle tomorrow. I'm tired and off to bed.

Facts:
Day 86 of 100 (365 days, laughable)

Pounds Lost: 5 lbs. (I had to see what Thanksgiving did to me.)
Pounds Gained: 0 (I'm still holding steady.)
Happiness Level: 100%
Missing My Kids: You betcha!
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Easiest recipe so far.)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (What I got to taste of it.)
Meal Presentation: The sauce looks like chocolate sauce.

I'll have pics tomorrow.

Day 85: Glazed Oranges

Menu:
Sausage Gravy ME
Biscuits ME
Glazed Oranges JC

Making the glazed oranges was a nice change. It was easy to make, except for all that peeling and paring. My glaze seemed to want to pass the oranges by but some of it did stick and I tried it and it is good. I probably wouldn't make it again because it is a sticky mess to to have to clean up. With this fairly easy dessert and the simple dinner I made, I felt like I almost had the night off from cooking.

Day 84: Dinner Supreme

Menu:
Supremes De Volaille A Brun JC
(Chicken Breasts Sauteed in Butter)

Brown Deglazing Sauce w/Wine JC

Steamed Sweet Corn ME

Mashed Sweet Potatoes ME

Cinnamon Muffins ME

Seeing as how Michael and I both are done with seafood for a while, we decided to have chicken tonight. I have never sauteed the breasts before but will now be preparing them this way a lot more often. The flavor is excellent and is very juicy and moist. I also made the Julia Child deglazing sauce to go over them. The flavor was exquisite, restaurant quality. I've already boxed up the leftovers for Michael's lunch for the next two days.

I do love regular potatoes...you can tell by my meat and potato way of eating that I am a meat and potato kind of cook. Still, I do like sweet potatoes for something different once in a while. Tonight after they were baked I pulled the peel away and then mashed them with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. This gave the sweet potatoes a pumpkin pie type consistency and flavor.

I try to make a wide range of vegetables every week. Tonight I thought it would be a good night to make corn. With it being yellow it lacks pizazz on a plate. But with the brownish chicken breasts and the orange sweet potatoes, the corn looked colorful. I made the muffins this morning to go with our poached eggs. I usually try to leave bread out of my dinner, but who can resist a muffin?

Facts:
Day 84 of 100 (365 days, that's funny.)

Pounds Lost: Scales are still put away.
Pounds Gained: It was Thanksgiving a few days ago, so I'm sure I'd be disappointed.
Happiness Level: 100%
Missing My Kids: 100%
Cooking Enjoyment: 100%
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Juicy)
Meal Presentation: 100% (Pic looks yummy.)

The Live Lobster

Rebecca and I made a live lobster recipe tonight. Brian had to help us prepare get the lobster under control. Rebecca and I were a little afraid of the claws annnnd, well the movement. We got it all seasoned and ready for the oven. I taught Rebecca how to use a chopping knife. She went to town chopping green onions and such for the recipe. So once the lobster was done she chopped it and we made a fantastic dip. We are getting ready to kick back relax, watch a movie and enjoy some wine, cheese, crackers and of course the lobster dip.

Rebecca's Thanksgiving Turkey and Pie

My daughter made dinner for 7 people on Thanksgiving. She has gotten so much more confident with her cooking. We were all very impressed with how the turkey tasted. I have to say it was a beautiful bird by the time Rebecca was done with it. I still have not mastered baking a pumpkin pie and have it come out with no splitting or cracking. Rebecca's pumpkin pie was perfect! I think I need to take lessons from her. Rebecca my dear, Julia Child would be so very proud of you. I know I am.

My husband and I are having a terrific time in Texas. The plan tonight is for Rebecca and I to make Hors d'œuvre with a live lobster. I'll blog about that because we are using a new Julia Child recipe. Should be interesting because the lobster looks a little cranky and Michael has already given him a name. I'm not sure I can make a snack out of something that Michael is treating like a pet.

Hope everyone had a fantastic Thanksgiving Day and hope your shopping was bargain filled today.

Day 83: Steaming Mussels

Menu:
Moules JC
(Mussels In Wine Sauce)

Sweet Potato ME

Oyster Dressing ME

Salad ME

Canapes w/Crap Dip

While I have eaten mussels before at Asian Restaurants I have never prepared them. The recipe from Julia's cookbook suggested steaming them in wine sauce. I used vermouth and chopped the herbs fresh. And of course I added butter, lots of butter. We both enjoyed them and couldn't believe how much better it is to eat them freshly prepared. I served them with the oyster dressing that we had yesterday and a salad. I had crab dip from the baked potatoes leftover. I made canpaes and we spread the dip on that. Which by the way I will be making canapes with that crab dip at our next get together. A very simple appetizer but one that you can't leave alone. You just keep wanting to eat more. It's just cream cheese, minced green onions, chopped crab meat and a bit of lemon juice.

We are done with seafood now for a good while. I had the leftovers from yesterday and the mussels and needed to use all that up . It is gone now and we are back to land animals. If fish and seafood really is brain food than I'd say Michael and I both should be quite smart by now. We have no dessert because I think I may be seeing some leeway with my weight loss issue. I do some serious cajun dancing after each meal and am finally seeing some results. I am starting to curve where I should be curving not where I shouldn't . It's big curves but curves none the less.

Facts:

Day 83 of 100 (I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. No way I'd do 365 days at this point)

Pounds Lost: 5 (Yep, I pulled the scales out)
Pounds Gained: 0 (I just want to leave off where I started when I reach day 100.)
Happiness Level: 100% (Seafood does make you feel healthy and happy... and hungry two hours later.)
Missing My Kids: 100% (I'll get a holiday fix so I'm happy and thankful for that can't wait to see you guys)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Very easy to steam mussels)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Discovered that we are big fans of mussels)
Meal Presentation: 100% (They photographed well, just not on the black plate had to use green)

Day 82: The Captain's Seafood Platter

Menu:

Homard A L'Americaine
(Lobster Tail Simmered w/Wine, Garlic and Herbs) JC

Grilled Vegetable Salad ME

Twice Baked Potato w/Crab Dip ME

Oyster Dressing ME

I attempted Lobster tail today. I would have done a whole Lobster but didn't know where to buy one and secondly, just the tail was $25.00 so I thought I'd just go with that for now. I kind of did a fridge and freezer cleaning for this meal. I had so much seafood on hand that I decided to just make a meal of it. If you don't mind the cost Lobster is actually fairly easy to make and very good. I did substitute some of the Julia veggies and went with more of an herb bouquet. I'd probably make lobster again. But, not for a while because after last night and tonight we need a seafood break.

I made the filling that actually goes in Crab Rangoon for the potato topping. If you want the recipe just let me know. It is very addictive though. You will find yourself just wanting to eat the filing by itself. I also rolled the hot baked potato in butter then lemon juice and then in sea salt before busting it and slathering it with butter inside. I salt and peppered it and then added the crab filling.

The oyster dressing reciple I had made a few weeks back and had some bread pieces left. And so I thawed the bread crumbs and made it again. This time I put hot peppers in it to give it a little kick. It had so much kick I got hives on my face for a little while after handling the peppers. While I had the lobster going, the oyster dressing in the oven and potatoes on their second bake, there just seemed to be something missing.

I got all the salad foods out, carrots, tomato, cucumber, lettuce and Swiss cheese. While fridge cleaning today I noticed I needed to use up mushrooms, shrimp and asparagus. So I put some butter in my saute pan and a little olive oil and kind of stir fried all that up until it was ready to be layed out over the salad. Just before adding it to the salad I did what I thought Julia might do and I made a beautiful wine sauce for it and then put it on the salad. Delicious. We had so much food that we put the leftovers in containers for lunch tomorrow. I"m stuffed.

Facts:
Day 82 of 100 (18 more to go...and I can start cooking quick and easy meals)

Po#@!....What scales???
Happiness Level 100% (Will be seeing my baby girl in a few and I can't wait)
The rest is 100 percent. The presentation is even 100%. Once I get the photos to upload you'll see what I mean. The seafood was gorgeous!

Day 81: The Oval Poached Egg

Menu:
Oeufs Poch'es JC
(Poached Eggs)

Ham Slices PE

Sauteed Mushrooms w/Wine JC

Apple Cinnamon Muffins (Michael Made These From A Krusteaz Box)

My attempt at making aspic didn't happen today. It just seemed too difficult. I'll have to try it another day. There was another recipe that has been intimidating me though, poached eggs. I've made this type of eggs before in a stove top poacher and even a microwave poacher. I thought both were just wonderful. And then, I made poached eggs the Julia way. Michael and I both sat there wide eyed with that first bite in our mouths. It just sort of melted away. We were in awe of a Julia poached egg. I will never again use my poachers. Julia's recipe has you to crack the egg and let the yolk and white fall as close to the water surface as possible. It took me a few tries to get this technique down because I kept thinking I was going to burn my fingers on the boiling water. But after dropping 3 eggs, I finally got the fourth one right on the surface. They boiled for 4 minutes very gently and then I removed them and had to place them in cold water to remove the vinegar that had been added to the boiling water. I have to say every bit of this was worth it. And I really appreciated this way of making poached eggs at cleanup time. The stove top poacher is a bear to clean. The pan with boiling water was a breeze.

I had left over ham in the freezer from ham and bean night a week or so ago. It is nearly impossible to buy a hunk of ham that hasn't been presliced. I did find a hunk but it was huge so I had to chop it up into small hunks. I pulled one of those from the freezer today and we ended up having ham and eggs and sauteed mushroom with a muffin compliments of Michael. This was an easy dinner to make and I'm ecstatic that I pretty much conquered the French poached egg. The one egg with the little wispy things, that's the first one I dropped and I hesitated and it made it a bit messy. But I did get better with each egg.

Facts:
Day 81 of 100 (19 more to go and 365 days isn't even remotely in my future.)

Pounds Lost: No Comment
Pounds Gained: No Comment
The rest is definitely 100% (Even food presentation is 100%)

Day 80: Twenty More To Go. Woo Hoo

Menu:
Lobster Souffl'e JC
Asparagus Souffl'e JC
Sauce B'echamel JC
Cucumber and Tomato salad PE
Strawberry/Banana Tart JC

Tonight was a lot of work. For some reason I got the crazy idea that it would be fabulous to make a lobster souffl'e. While it did taste absolutely wonderful and Michael wanted to be sure there was enough for his lunch on Monday, it was a lot of work. I thought it would be wise to add the asparagus souffl'e to the menu because it would go well with the fancy lobster souffl'e. Again, like I have mentioned before Julia recommends making one of her recipes per day. There is a reason for that. Her recipes are laborious and difficult. I think after today I get that!!! I also think I won't be doing two in one day ever again. It takes a lot for me to learn a lesson in life but once I grasp it I got it for life. ONE RECIPE PER DAy...got it.

As if the two souffl'es were not enough, I thought making a Sauce B'echamel would be clever since it is recommended that you serve it with the Asparagus Souffl'e. When you have two Julia recipes going, even the simple B'echamel Sauce (white sauce) is enough to send you over the edge. But it turned out perfectly and was glad I made it because it did go well with the asparagus dish. Yep, Julia highly recommends that you heed her warning and just make one recipe per day. And my dear readers that is for good reason.

I tried to take photos as I went along because I love using those copper molds. After making the asparagus souffl'e in one of the molds, the arched fish mold, I ended up throwing it away. This is the second time I have used it and the food refuses to be flipped from it and put on a warming platter. It is also very difficult to clean and so Michael and I both agreed that it was best to just throw that copper mold away. Before throwing it out, I did manage to get the asparagus souffl'e from it and put in a tart pan and added more shredded swiss cheese to the top and then broiled it just long enough to get the cheese melted and bubbly. It somehow turned out looking like something someone would want to eat.

The lobster souffl'e on the other hand, was a bit more work. Even though I didn't dare try to unmold it, It was a more difficult recipe altogether. I have made a fish souffle before since doing this project. I simply poached the fish and it was ready to be part of the souffl'e. But, the lobster was a lot more effort because I had to crack it out of the shell. And, a bit pricey but worth every penny because it made the souffl'e really really good.

I made the asparagus souffl'e first and kept it on a warmer and then I made the lobster recipe. Since I was getting kind of overwhelmed I thought sliced cucumbers and tomatoes were the perfect sidedish or salad, if you will. It was perfect actually, it kept the meal from getting too heavy and it added color to the meal. Okay, the truth is, it was easier than trying to come up with something that required effort.

Now, for to go eat the rest of that tart I made a few days ago. nyum, nyum, nyum.

Facts:
Day 80 of 100 (365 days, Nope.)

Pounds Lost: I have no idea.
Pounds Gained: Couldn't tell ya.
Happiness Level: 100% (Saw three friends today who are all great ladies and it made my day.)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Going to see my baby girl in a few days and getting a package ready to be sent to Brandon. Love them both and miss them terribly.)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (I have to say I do enjoy making souffl'es, they're kinda fun.)
Meal Presentation: 50% (I didn't photograph the food on our plates because souffl'e isn't pretty once you scoop it from the mold.)

Day 79: Pepper Steaks

Menu:
Steak au Poivre JC
(Pepper Steak w/ Brandy Sauce)

Fried Potatoes ME

Sauteed Mushrooms ME

A slice of strawberry/banana tart JC

This meal was not as difficult as some of the Julia recipes. I prepared the steak and made the brandy sauce. I baked the potatoes and then sliced them thick and fried them. I had some leftover mushrooms from the Prince Albert meal, so I sauteed them. When everything for the meal was all cooked I made the sauce and then added the meat, potatoes and mushrooms to the sauce and let it all warm through and worked the sauce over all. Julia's sauces are to die for. Every wine sauce or any type of her sauces that I have made so far have been well worth the expense of the ingredients.

There is plenty of the tart left and since I didn't make an overabundance of food tonight and we ate lightly...I think we both deserve a piece of tart.

Facts:
Day 79 of 100 (365 days, no way. I'm ready to venture into a new project when my 100 days are up.)
Pounds Lost: I still can't bear to step on the scales.
Pounds Gained: I'm hoping it's lots and lots, but I'd be happy with just a few.
Happiness Level: 100% (Pray for our troops and their safety.)
Missing My Kids: 100% (See you soon Rebecca)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Easy and delicious meal, those are my favorites.)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (It will be even more fun when I get that piece of tart here shortly.)
Meal Presentation: 80% (Plate looked a little bare but my hips will thank me later.)

Day 78: Hexagon Tart

Menu:

Prince Albert Beef Stew JC & ME
Tarte Aux Fraises JC
Fresh Strawberry Tart (I added a few bananas)
Cornbread ME
Homemade Lemonade ME

Last night we had Filet De Boeuf Braise Prince Albert. So I took that and the sauce I made to go with it and chopped the beef up and simmered it in the sauce. It made a fancy beef stew. The rice was something that Michael wanted, I can take or leave rice and much prefer potatoes. But rice was a nice change. I jazzed it up just a bit with seasonings and butter. We had some cornbread leftover from another meal otherwise we would not have had bread due to my endeavors to lose some weight. I bought a bag of lemons and went to the grocery store a few days later and picked up another bag forgetting that I had just bought some. I do go through a lot of lemons but I didn't need 30 of them in one week, they tend to brown quickly if they sit for too many days. I grabbed several of them and used my new manual juice squeezer and we had fresh squeezed lemonade. It reminded me a lot of Penn Station's lemonade. I also realize now that fresh is so much better than the frozen concentrate. I never bother with the powdered kind.

I had pastry dough from a few days ago. I kept abandoning the tart recipe. Well, today I rolled out the sugar crust dough and layed it out in my new, new to me hexagon shaped pie pan. I bought that at an antique store in Brown County, Indiana last month. I baked the crust and made a jelly based glaze while it was baking. I brushed the glaze onto the baked crust and then proceeded to make my custard filling. Once the filling was made I poured it into the crust and then layed out the strawberries and bananas on top. I probably over did it with the jelly glaze over the custard and fruit but that syrup cognac sugar sweetened melted jelly is way too good to waste.

We haven't tried the custard filled strawberry tart yet. We are going to let our tummies rest and then kick back and watch Glee and enjoy our tart. That sugar crust makes the whole tart worth eating. I normally don't care to eat the crust of any pie or tart but this sugar cookie type crust is really good. I've mentioned it before and am a huge fan of Julia's sugar crust.

Facts:
Day 78 of 100 (365 days, Nope I'm ready to be done with all this cooking, had I known Julie Powell was a sham I would have never ventured into this project. I do have loads and loads of respect for Julia Child now. I think she was a fabulous lady and a tremendous chef.)

Pounds Lost: I think I may have lost a pound the waist of pants were a tad bit looser today.
Pounds Gained: I have no idea. I don't want to know anymore.
Happiness Level: 100% (No scales=Happiness)
The rest is 100% excpet for food presentation. That beef chopped up like that wasn't too attractive. It tasted good though.

Day 77: Prince Albert Filet

Menu:

Filet De Boeuf Brais'e Prince Albert JC
(Braised Filet of Beef Stuffed w/Foie Gras (which is pate) and Truffles)

Marinade, for Filet of Beef JC

Greek Spinach Pie (Olga's Restaurant Recipe)

Fried Eggplant ME

It took 5 hours but I finally got the stuffed beef in the oven and baked. I put pate and truffles in with the other ingredients for the stuffing. It gives the beef an earthy flavor. Truffles are a flavor all it's own. I got a feeling it is one of those things that you either really like it or you don't like it all. I loved it! I spent a good portion of my day chopping up vegetables. In total I spent 9 hours in the kitchen. The one thing that has come from me cooking these French recipes, I can chop with a big knife now very quickly and accurately. I've never used the butcher knives and such because I always feared losing a finger. But cooking with the Julia cookbook, you nearly have to get used to chopping vegetables this way.

I love Greek food, I think I've mentioned that before. I bought the phyllo leaves awhile back and had them in the freezer. I finally picked up the rest of the ingredients today so that I could make a spinach pie. If you really like it and want to make it at home, the Olga's recipe is by far the best one and the easiest as far as spinach pie recipes go. Working with the phyllo leaves takes patience. This is not a quick and easy recipe. Once you have it all put together it bakes for an hour. Phyllo leaves may be called phyllo dough too.

Since I have made about every type of potato recipe one can imagine, I decided to skip the potatoes tonight and make eggplant in it's stead. I battered and fried it in olive oil. I would tell you how great it tasted but anyone who eats anything battered and fried knows that just about anything tastes great when you slather it in egg and flour and then drop it in hot oil or grease. It's just wonderful, absolutely wonderful!

Michael went back for seconds, that's when I know the meal was superb. It always makes me happy to see him go back for seconds, he couldn't possibly give me a bigger compliment. Dixie got some of the pate with her dinner tonight so she was a happy, happy girl too.

This recipe called for truffles. While truffles are extremely difficult to find, they are also very expensive. But, I went on a hunt for them anyway. I couldn't find the actual truffles but I did find white truffle oil. The store worker that walked me over to the aisle was amazed I was asking for that because he has never known it to sell. Well, right when we were standing there talking about it, a young man came up and grabbed a bottle off of the shelf. The store worker looked at me in shock. I asked him if he was Julia Child cooking and he said yes. I told him I was too. We both agreed that if you are going to cook her recipes you need plenty of butter, heavy cream, truffles, wine and bacon fat. We both were in a hurry to get back to our cooking so I didn't have time to see what recipe he was making. It did my heart good to see a person in their twenties actually making a Julia Child recipe. If his recipe called for truffles it was probably a challenging recipe. I'm impressed.

Facts:
Day 77 of 100 (365 days Absolutely not!)

Pounds Lost: I hate the scales. I'm not even going to get on them at the doctor's office anymore.
Pounds Gained: I've banned scales from my life, permanently.
Happines Level: 100% (Now that I no longer have a contraption in my life that tracks my weight, I am exceedingly happy. Happier than I have ever been.)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Keep Brandon and all the troops in your prayers.)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (It was a lot of work but I enjoyed.)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Just ask pudgy Mike, it really was good.)
Meal Presentation: 100% (The black plate looks better in photos.)