Day 13: Just Me, Julia and My Favorite Rolling Pin

Menu

Artichoke JC
Hollandaise Sauce JC
Chicken Fricassee JC
Baked Sweet Potato ME
Pecan Pie JC

The entire day was devoted to "The Joy of Mastering French Cooking". I started around 11:00 a.m and finished around 6:30 p.m. All that work and the chicken fricassee was our least favorite of all the JC recipes I have made so far. But then I am not a fan of curry. I haven't ate enough to acquire a taste for it yet. I was like that with cilantro and now I love it.

I have never prepared an artichoke before. I've eaten the hearts but never the petals. Dipped in the hollandaise sauce it was spectacular. I don't think the artichoke had much flavor but Julia's hollandaise sauce recipe would make anything taste better. We liked it so much we started breaking pieces of toasted bread and dipping it. If you ever make it keep it mind it has to be served immediately.

The chicken dish called for a fryer to be cut up. So I did that and learned real quick that it isn't as easy as it looks. Those wings and legs were meant to stay attached. I made brown rice to change up the monotony of white potatoes. Since the chicken fricassee was innocuous in both presentation and flavor, the baked sweet potatoes gave the meal a little splash of color and flavor with melted butter, brown sugar and cinnamon on top. We opened a bottle of Riesling that our friends brought over to the Greek dinner Sunday. It made the chicken taste much better! Michael and I both liked the wine.

I've got Julia's "Cognac Pecan Pie all baked and cooled. We are going to go for a walk and let our dinner settle and then have a slice of Michael's favorite kind of pie. Will have to let you know how it tastes. I've never had it with cognac in it. I used my glass rolling pin again today and made the sugar cookie dough for the pie crust. I love that rolling pin.

Facts
Day 13 of 100 (365 days? I'm just not going to do it)

Pounds Lost: Ugh! Still 4
Pounds Gained: 0
Happiness Level: 95%
Missing My Kids: 100% (Hey Brandon and Rebecca call your mom)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (I should stick with one recipe a day)
Meal Presentation: 25% (Chicken Fricassee doesn't photograph well)