Day 61: Breakfast For Lunch

Menu:

Gateau De Crepes A La Normande
(Mound of Crepes with Apples, Flamb'e)

Michael and I had tickets to a play so I had to get the meal in early today. The crepes sounded easy enough. I've made the basic crepes recipe before. This time I wanted to make the applesauce type filling to go with them. The recipe says to layer the crepes and applesauce. It also had cognac in it. Adding cognac to a recipe does give it a a unique and smooth flavor. This was a short and truly sweet lunch. Yummy indeed.

Facts:

Day 61 of 100 days (365 days is just not going to happen)

Pounds Gained: 0 lbs (Right where I started)
Pounds Lost: 5 lbs (Now to try to lose more)
Happiness Level: 100% (Got to talk to Rebecca this evening ~smile~
Missing My Kids: 100%
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Very easy recipe for our stressful day)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (It was more like eating an apple cake for lunch.)
Meal Presentation: 100% (It looked so delicious but didn't photograph well for some reason)

Day 60: My Hens Need More Time

Menu:

Greek Salad PE

European Hard Bread (Store)

Coquelets sur Canap'es JC

(Roast Squab Chickens w/ Chicken Liver Canape's and Mushrooms)

Thin Fried Potatoes PE

First of all, this was quite an undertaking. The Cornish Hens recipe is 2 1/2 pages long. There were several choices of the type of bird you could use and I chose the little hens. I've never trussed anything before so that was interesting to tie the hens all up with twine like that. I had to make a wine sauce to go with the hens. As I am making all this I also had to make canap'es with a chopped liver spread on top. I have to say it complimented the hens perfectly. While I was doing the hens, the canap'es and the liver, I also had to fry potatoes. It got intense but I popped in my Zydeco CD from my friend Bambi and I got it all made. I had to add cognac to the liver. I tasted a bit of it for the first time just by itself. It was numbing. Just the one taste...was numbing, like an orajel numbing. If you do try this recipe you may want to add more baking time because mine needed much more than the recommended time in the recipe.

I started the meal out with a small salad and some hard bread because I wasn't sure if this was going to be a fulfilling meal. The recipe said to make only fried potatoes and sauteed mushrooms to go with the hens. I didn't even put pork fat or bacon or much salt and pepper on the potatoes so that they would not to take away from the hens. The meal was really good but I'd never make it nor put myself through that again. I had several saute pans and a casserole dish and the broiler pan in use plus warming plates, and mixing bowls, it made quite a mess. My wonderful husband offered to do the dishes since I wasn't able to keep up with them while cooking.

I've been researching the author that wrote the Julie/Julia book. I'm having a very difficult time believing that she made 524 recipes in 365 days. I'm just saying. Even Julia Child herself recommends that you make only one of her recipes a day because they are so labor intense. Her cookbooks are not for the faint of heart. Now I see why Julia Child wouldn't meet with her. I think Julia knew that Julie was claiming to have accomplished something that was nearly impossible for her situation. I've been cooking for years and struggle with the one recipe a day from her cookbook. How in the world did this girl make 2 at a time or more on any given day in a tiny kitchen? I'm just saying. Hm. I've never seen her blog. Did she take photos of her meals? Hm?

Facts:
Day60 of 100 (I could do 365 days to if I faked it)

Pounds Lost: 5 lbs. (I'm holding steady and ever so hungry)
Pounds Gained: 0 (Right where I started 60 days ago)
The rest is 100%...I'm outta here to go rest, I cooked up a storm today.

Day 59: Cauliflower Is Good Too

Menu:

Salmon w/Cognac Sauce ME

Chou-Fleur Sauce a la Creme JC
(Cauliflower W/Fresh Cream Sauce)

Red Potatoes w/Lemon, Parsley and Butter ME


Yesterday Brussels sprouts, today cauliflower, if you blanch either of them first they have an exceptionally good flavor. Michael even mentioned this evening that he wouldn't mind to eat Brussels sprouts again. He also liked the cauliflower, but I'd not make the cream sauce. Neither of us cared for it. I felt it was a waste of my whipping cream.

The salmon was good, I actually got a recipe online that included a cognac sauce and then kind of worked with it from there. It turned out pretty good but would probably not make it again. I usually broil the salmon and this recipe had me cooking it in oil. I much prefer the broiled salmon. This recipe also called for dill, I'd rather have ginger.

I had some red potatoes that needed to be used up, they go bad so quickly it seems. So I quartered and boiled them. And then just as they were becoming tender I drained them and added white pepper, sea salt, lemon and about 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. They were delicious. The lemony flavor suited the salmon just fine. I"m definitely going to make this again. Oh and by the by, I did make Michael sausage gravy and biscuits for breakfast.

Facts:

Day 59 of 100 (365days is too stressful to even think about)

Pounds Lost: 5 FIVE lbs!!!! ('m so stoked about this)
Pounds Gained: 0 lbs. (I'm so hungry but I'm losing weight)
Happiness Level: 100% (Had a bad 10 minutes at the stove just as everything was finishing up but I'm good now)
Missing My Kids: (I'll always miss them wish they were closer so we could visit more often)
Cooking Enjoyment: 50% (I didn't like the way my sauce turned out I guess I"m still seething over it)
Meal Presentation: 80% (Would have loved for the sauce to have been thicker)

Day 58: Brussels Sprouts Are Good, No Really

Menu:

Mesquite Burgers ME

Choux De Bruxelles Etuves Au Beurre JC
(Brussels Sprouts Braised In Butter)

Fried Sweet Potatoes w/Cinnamon and Sugar Me

Who knew sprouts could be so good? Mind you, first you have to blanch them, then you have to drain them then bring them to a sizzle. After all that your still not done. Then, you have to season them and drizzle butter over them and then bake them for 20 minutes. If you do all that, I'm telling you Brussels Sprouts arent' too bad. I have been using white pepper moreso now rather than the traditional black pepper for two reasons. First, Julia prefers it for her recipes. Secondly, I've quickly become a fan of white pepper. It isn't as peppery as the black pepper.

The burgers were pretty good. Next time I think I will back off of putting so much in them though. I mixed the ground beef with lots of ingredients and it was a little too overwhelming to the beef. Michael said he really liked them though. But then again, he'd say about anything to keep me making him these French inspired meals.

While I was at the grocery store today, I picked up some more sweet potatoes. I'm getting bored with baked sweet potatoes and the candied sweet potatoes are tired with me as well. So, I decided to try to fry them as I do regular potatoes. Rather than use bacon fat and salt and pepper, I used cinnamon and sugar to season them. They were really good. I didn't peel them either, that is always a plus.

All in all, this meal was pretty good and pretty easy to make. After I pulled the Brussels Sprouts out of the oven, I stuck some biscuits in there for in the morning. I'm going to make every effort to get up tomorrow and make Michael biscuits and gravy. We'll see how that pans out.

Facts:
Pounds Lost: 4 lbs. (Yep, I'm real hungry 'bout all day but I'm losing it)
Pounds Gained: 1 lb. (This is still from the original five I lost when I started cooking)
Happiness Level: 100% (Headache free these days and I'm moving on)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Won't be long and I'll get to see Rebecca and her family)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Fairly easy to make so I can't complain)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (I'm so hungry it felt good to eat a burger, even if I did only eat half of it)
Meal Presentation: 75% (Wasn't too happy about the way the burger photographed.)

Day 57: Bread For A Bowl

Menu:
Potage Veloute Aux Champignons JC
(Cream Of Mushroom Soup)

Autumn Salad ME

After a scant amount of food over the weekend, I decided to be consistent and continue to lighten up on the food since I am still trying lose some weight. The plan was to shoot for heavier breakfasts so that we had the day to get the calories off. But after perusing the cookbook I decided that I could make a lighter dinner tonight and make Michael oatmeal with toast for breakfast this morning. I started the mushroom soup around 3 this afternoon. The soup had the house smelling really rich and creamy. I served it in bread bowls. And it was the best mushroom soup I have ever had. It isn't that difficult to make either.

I changed it up a bit on the salad adding a few things that are harvested in the fall and then I sprinkled a trail mix over the greens. The soup, bread and salad hit the spot. Eating a light breakfast and lunch makes me real hungry come dinnertime. While Michael ate his oatmeal I sipped a 4 oz. glass of orange juice and then didn't eat my breakfast until 10:30 a.m. I ate strawberries and blueberries and then tried not to think about how far away it was until lunch.

When lunch finally came around at 1:00 I had a baked sweet potato and cottage cheese. I'm gonna lose this weight, I'm sure of it.

Facts:
Day 57 of 100 (If I did 365 days, I'd need a whole new wardrobe)

Pounds Lost: 3 lbs....Yep, THREE!
Pounds Gained: Since I started this I lost 5 so now I'm needing to lose that 2 and then some.
Happiness Level: 100%
Missing My Kids: I'm not good at the empty nester thing.
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (The soup was really easy)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% ( I'm so hungry come dinnertime)
Meal Presentation: 100% (The bread bowl with the mushroom soup and that colorful salad, it was beautiful)

Day 56 Much Fluffier Egg

Menu:
Oeufs Brouill'es Aux Fromage JC
(Scrambled Eggs w/cheese

Tomato Quiche JC

Toast ME

Orange Juice

Changing it up a bit is a good thing. Trying new things for breakfast is kind of fun. I made a simpler breakfast this morning but I still learned something. I've never followed a recipe for scrambled eggs. My scrambled eggs usually end up falling flat and overcooked and sometimes scorched. Julia's technique makes them turn out perfect. The eggs cooked slowly and much longer and I had to take the pan off of the heat a few times in order to keep the eggs cooking just so. There are 4 or 5 different ways you can serve the eggs according to Julia's cookbook. I chose to add Swiss cheese. Michael and I both really liked the eggs this morning. I did serve the rest of the tomato quiche with this meal.

Michael and I try to drink a small glass of orange juice every morning. I also made toast because I wasn't sure how the quiche would go over with Michael. Remember, he still drinks coffee in the morning, lucky guy. Some things just don't settle well when drinking coffee though. Good thing I made the toast because Michael was having no part of the quiche for breakfast. He loved it the evening I made it until 2/3 into eating it I told him it had anchovies in it. He doesn't like it anymore.

We are off to enjoy another autumn day.

Facts:
Day 56 of 100 (I'm getting closer and closer to 100 days...no 365 days for me)

Pounds Lost: I'm stuck
Pounds Gained: I'd rather be stuck than be gaining.
Happiness Level: 100% (Getting a package ready to send to Brandon that makes me happy)
Missig My Kids: 100%
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Very easy meal this morning)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (even the quiche was good to me)
Meal Presentation: 70% (Eggs didn't photograph too well)

Day 55: Breakfast With Julia...And Michael

Menu:

Crepes De Pommes De Terre JC
(Grated Potato Pancakes)

Poached Eggs ME

Fruit

Orange Juice

Caribou Coffee (for Michael only)

In a desperate effort to cut back on my food intake I have switched from making dinner with Julia to making breakfast with Julia. I'm really hoping this helps me fit into my clothes better. Eating in the evening and then relaxing has never been a good combo for me. The potato pancakes impressed Michael. I think he may be okay with me changing up the way I cook now. He has put on some weight too. Dixie, my Lhasa Apso isn't excluded from the excess poundage either. She too has put on a pound or two...probably two or three actually. She loves those Julia scraps that fall on the floor while I am cooking.

The recipe for the potato pancakes suggests using the pancake for a bed for poached or fried eggs. So I poached some eggs and put them on the potatoes. It was delicious. I would have loved to have had a cup of coffee with mine but I'm doing pretty good with abstaining from coffee. I did have a wee bit at the cabin last weekend. Not much though. I really wouldn't even consider it cheating since it was such a small amount.

I added some grapes to the plate because I went light on the potatoes and only had one egg and omitted toast altogether. I'm trying to eat more fruit for breakfast and stave off my hunger for real food until noon. The other new rule is absolutely no eating after six 0'clock p.m. with the exception of fruit. Lets watch the pounds melt away. I'm off to go hike the trail with Dixie and Michael. Dixie reminds me so much of the Garfield cartoon comic strip. Even though she is a dog you should see her nonchalant personality when it comes to exercise of any kind. Egads, she hates it, she hates it all.

Facts:
Day 55 of 100 (365 days of this cooking and I'll be a cow!)

Pounds Lost: 0
Pounds Gained: I don't wanna talk about it
Happiness Level: 100% (Life is good)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Keep those prayers going for Brandon)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Breakfast was fun)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (I'm obviously enjoying the eating part)
Meal Presentation: 100% (I think it looked appetizing in the pic)

A Change Is Gonna Come

Due to the recent weight gain, I will be making breakfast with Julia rather than the dinner meals. Eating the heavy meals before bed is something I haven't ever really done. We have been indulging in desserts and wine as well. I've never been an evening muncher so I need to get back to my better eating habits. Michael is extremely depressed about this decision. But I have promised him delicious meals for breakfast. My pudgy body just can't endure all that butter, heavy whipping cream and other constantfattening ingredients in Julia's dinner recipes before going to bed.

I'm wondering if Julie really did make 365 recipes. She would have been as big as a cow eating like that in today's society. And I use every inch of my kitchen cooking area while cooking just one of her recipes...how did Julie ever make a pear tart or beouf bourguignon in that tiny kitchen. I'm just saying. I've never read her blogs or her book. I've only seen the movie. But I'm going to go back and see if her blog is still online and then read her book. I'm really doubting her authenticity. Hey if Oprah can question the author of "A Million Little Pieces" then I can question Julie on her legitimacy.

Perhaps she did make all those recipes. But, here is what I question. Where did she put all the cookware, bakeware and utensils required to make all those different dishes? How did she have room for the food prep and the tremedous dishwashing that is required with cooking this way. Living in New York is expensive and so is cooking with Julia. How did Julie cover her cooking expenses? I'm also wondering if she photographed her food as she blogged about it. If she didn't take photos then I really question whether she actually cooked all those recipes. Hmmm. Did she really make all that food? Also, Julia's recipe are very time consuming. Julie was temp worker. How did she cook on the days she worked?

The one thing that did irk me when Oprah exposed the auther of the book she recommended, is that she then turned right around and posed for several "O" magazine covers with her body photoshopped. That's not authentic either. But since I have gained all this weight I can sure see why she does the enhancements. The way I've been spilling out of my clothes lately I can sure understand why she would want to deceive the public into thinking she is smaller than what she is. It sells way more magazines. Which brings me to the question, why couldn't that author beef up his story to sell more books? I'm going to check all this out and get back with you on my findings.

Day 54: Grunging Things Up

Menu:
Thon A La Provencale JC
(Swordfish Steaks w/ Wine, Tomatoes and Herbs)

Quiche A La Tomate, Nicoise JC
(Fresh Tomato Quiche w/ Anchovies and Olives)

Grungy Potatoes ME


I made Michael swordfish for dinner tonight since he requested it last evening. I have made this recipe before but I think I used a different type of fish. It was really good with the swordfish. I was going to do a cheesy "au gratin" type dish but the tomato sounded better with this type of fish. Swordfish and Tilapia are my favorite types of fish due to the fact they are less "fishy" in taste. I do try to make salmon about once a week or so just because it is healthy for us.

The quiche was fairly easy. I got a really nice quiche pan at the Chef's Shoppe. I have about 4 different sizes now but I like this newer one because the sides come up higher. A lot of Julia's quiche and tart recipes would do better in a deeper quiche/tart pan. The tart was very pizza-like. I let Michael eat it about 2/3 of the way before I informed him that it had chopped anchovies in it. He was surprised but liked it. I wouldn't mind to have anchovies on a pizza after having this quiche. It had a way of pulling the flavors together.

There are so many different ways to make potatoes but I am bored with most all of them. So this evening I created a new kind. They are not peeled but well washed and then dried with paper towels. I sliced them sort of thin so they would cook faster. I added butter and olive oil to the pan and started cooking them. I added sauteed onions and added it. Once they were done I made a brown sauce and then put the potatoes back in the pan with the sauce and coated them really well. They were absolutely delicious. They had the flavor of my mom's fried potatoes. But then with the brown sauce it really made them have a different flair to them. Since they weren't too pretty I decided to call them "grungy potatoes".

Facts:
Day 54 of 100 (365 days is a whole year of cooking....nah! I'm not doing it)

Pounds Lost: ?? (I think my scale is messed up or something)
Pounds Gained: (Yeah, they're messed up)
Happiness Level: 100% (Really we got no choice but to be happy, the alternative is worse)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Keep Brandon in your prayers, and all of the troops in your prayers)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (I spent hours in the kitchen today but it was fun)
Meal Presentation: 80% (I'm always so hungry at meal time that I don't think to make it all pretty)

Day 53: T-Bone Tonight

Menu:

T-Bone and Scallops in Wine Sauce JC (I've made this before)
Saut'e De Brocoli JC
(Chopped Broccoli Saut'eed in Butter)
Cinnamon Rolls ME

Michael loves a good steak and so when I saw the T-bones at the grocery store today, I knew he'd be happy if I made that for dinner tonight. I completely skipped any type of potato this time. opting to do a surf and turf w/broccoli instead. We are usually so stuffed after eating steak with potatoes. Just having the broccoli with it gave us plenty of room for a cinnamon roll. They were really good. While they were baking the smell of the rolls and the wine sauce cooking made the kitchen smell so incredibly good. Michael even came walking into the kitchen inhaling the good smells and saying all kinds of "smell good" things.

I'm rested up from all my vacationing and ready to tackle a big challenging meal now. Tomorrow I am going to make swordfish and some fancy fixings to go with it.

Facts:

Day 53 of 100 (365 seems unlikely under any circumstances)

Pounds....blah blah blah!

All this cooking may not be making me happy but I can honestly tell you that all this eating is making me extremely happy. It all tastes so good!

Happiness Level: 50% (I'll be real happy when Brandon returns)
Missing My Kids: 100%
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (This meal was easy)
Meal Presentation: 100% (Steak always looks good)

Day 52: Simply Soup Tonight

Menu:
Supremes de Volaille a l'Ecossaise JC
(Chicken Breasts w/Diced Aromatic Vegetables and Cream)

Dry Toast ME

White Wine

All of this traveling is catching up to me. I am ready to sleep for a week. We have one more trip to take next month and then no more traveling for a while. I kept avoiding the kitchen today knowing that to be in the kitchen meant physical labor and I didn't want any part of that today. I finally got inspired to make a nice big pot of chicken noodle soup. Julia's recipe looked so hearty and filling, I thought I'd give it a try.

Michael and I both enjoyed the soup, with Michael saying he plans to take it for his lunch tomorrow. I used dry vermouth again and I love the flavor it adds to the soup. Most of Julia's recipes will tie you up for most of the day. But, this one was a lot easier than most. I did change it up a bit. As I become more used to her way of cooking I am getting more comfortable with substituting things that I'd prefer to have. For instance, I omitted the tomato pulp and added carrots instead. And then I wasn't too crazy about doing the orange peel so I added pureed butternut squash instead. Since I added the squash I put a pinch of nutmeg in the soup. But other than that the recipe is exactly the same. The squash gave it a little bit of a darker color and a more suitable flavor for the fall season.

Since it is a brisk autumn evening outside, Michael and I are headed out for a walk...probably a short one because I'm really tired. Dixie stayed at a camp for dogs while we were away. And, she is pretty tired from all that puppy playtime. She and I need a vacation from so much vacation.

Facts:
Day 52 of 100 (365 days would be impossible)

Pounds Lost: Well I bought fudge in Brown County so I stayed off of the scales today.
Pounds Gained: I'm sure I gained some, probably more than some.
The rest is 100%
Please keep Brandon in your prayers as he serves his country overseas.

Back In The Kitchen Tomorrow

I just got back from vacation today and will resume cooking tomorrow. Here are a few pics of Brown County, IN. It is a very nice and relaxing place to visit. We had a very nice time with my sister and her husband. They treated us to dinner at the Holy Cow and I would highly recommend that restaurant. The food was excellent.

I did make my own creation while we stayed at the cabin. I made a skillet stove top version of au gratin potatoes. They were really good. I sauteed the onions in butter making sure not to let them get brown as I was cooking them. I set them aside in a serving bowl keeping them warm. I sliced the potatoes to about 1/4 inch thick just enough for 4 people. I sauteed them in butter for 10 minutes uncovered stirring frequently and then covered them for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. I put the potatoes on top of the onions in the serving bowl. I put a few tablespoons of flour and then poured a pint of heavy cream in the same sautee-ing pan I had used for the onions and potatoes removing all but a few tablespoons of the butter first. I poured a wee bit of port wine into the cream and let it get thick. Once it was thick I put the potatoes and onions in the cream and let the heat get through all as I coated the potatoes and onions. I put about a cup of shaved swiss cheese into the pan and let that melt and then seasoned to taste with salt and pepper. A very quick and easy way to make au gratin potatoes.

Day 51 Baked With B'echamel

Menu:
Moussaka JC
B'echamel Sauce JC
Rosemary Potatoes PE
Toss Salad

The moussaka was gross for good reason last night. It needed b'echamel sauce. What a difference that made. I also cut up the potato wedges and worked them into the moussaka and then put the sauce over all. Much, much better. The b'echamel sauce was very easy to make and worth every minute.

Since it was a dinner mostly made up of leftovers I had an easy time of it this evening. We had some more of that carrot cake for dessert and a little port wine and called it a meal. I'm getting ready to travel again for the weekend. Having fun with my sister will take priority over cooking but I do hope to make a few Julia dishes. Can't wait to get to the cabin.

Facts:
Day 51 of 100 (No 365)

Pounds Lost: It's too depressing
Pounds Gained: That's even more depressing
Happiness Level: 100% (Had lunch with a good friend today, that'll make ya happy)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Stay safe my sweet children)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (It was a breeze)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Way better than yesterday)

Day 50 Woo Hoo Half Way There

Menu:
Fried Cheese PE
Greek Salad PE
Olive Bread (Store Bought)
Greek Bread Dip PE
Moussaka JC
Rosemary Potatoes PE
Cornets Et Rouleaux
(Cream Horns)

Our sweet Britny came over to celebrate Michael's birthday with us. We really enjoyed her visit. I'm afraid we didn't enjoy the moussaka though. It was dreadful in many ways. I didn't like the presentation or the taste. I'm sure I did something wrong. Maybe I didn't prepare the eggplant properly. It was to be a special dinner but I ruined it with a bad version of Julia's moussaka. Terrible it was terrible.

The fried cheese was good as usual. The salad was refreshing and got our appetites going. I tried putting rosemary on the potatoes this time and wasn't really a big fan of that either. The bread was really good and had a different color and texture than most hard breads. All in all the meal was just okay.

We finished up our meal with carrot cake that I also picked up from the store. I don't know, maybe I should have spent more time in the kitchen today cooking and baking. I do have to say the carrot cake was really good. But I should have baked Michael a cake.

I did get up this morning and make cream horns for dessert tomorrow. I haven't tried them yet because we were so full from dinner. They look really good though. I'm halfway through this cooking adventure. And I have to say it has done wonders for my sadness that I have felt since my kids have left home. Empty nest syndrome hit me hard. But each day I spend in the kitchen I am filling that void by keeping busy. I have to say this is one venture that Michael wholly supports. This is one hobby he'd love me to keep long after the 100 days are up.

Facts:
Day 50 of 100 (I just can't even imagine doing 365 days.)

Pounds Lost: 1
Pounds Gained: 4 (Keep in mind I lost 5 when I first started)
Happiness Level: 100% (This is excellent therapy)
Missing My Kids: 100%
Cooking Enjoyment: 80% (I needed to spend more time with this meal)
Eating Enjoyment: 70% (The moussaka needs something)
Meal Presentation: Phhhhhht! (Moussaka isn't attractive.)

Day 49: Moussaka Meal

Menu:

Sloppy Joes PE

Leftover Potatoes and Carrots JC

Garden Salad PE

Moussaka JC
(made it but we haven't eaten it yet)

The pork was gone from the pork stew but we still had potatoes and carrots. I just heated those and then I made Sloppy Joe's. Just to keep the meal easy and healthy. I also tossed together some bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes and cheese and then sprayed some oil and vinegar over all. It wasn't the best meal but it was quick and that was exactly what I was looking for tonight. Because I had Julia cooking to do for tomorrow.

I spent the day making the foods for Michael's birthday dinner tomorrow. The moussaka took most of my day to prepare. I had to prep the food and then wait and then do more prepping and then wait. It is done and looks delicious. I can't wait to try it tomorrow. Michael and I lived in Greece for four years and I loved their moussaka. I' ve never been able to make it and have it come out right. I found a Julia version in her cookbook. Got it all made and I sure hope it tastes as good as it smells.

Facts:
Day 49 of 100 (I'm so tired today from so much cooking I can't possibly do 365 days)

Pounds Lost: 3 lb.
Pounds Gained: 2 lb. (FTOF)
Happiness Level: 100%
Missing My Kids: 100% (I stayed real busy today)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100%
Eating Enjoyment: 50% (Sloppy Joe's seem silly after all the fancy cooking)
Meal Presentation: 100% (On the moussaka, that is. The Sloppy Joe meal...not so much.)

Day 48: A Flan In The Pan

Menu:
Ribeyes ME
(Michael grilled them)

Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions in Madeira Sauce JC

Mashed Potatoes PE

Apple Flan JC

This evening Michael wanted to grill since we will be having fewer warm days now that autumn is in full swing. Once the steaks were cooked to medium my husband brought them into me. I had mushrooms and onions going in the saute pan. After they had cooked I set them aside onto a warming platter and kept a little bit of the butter and bacon fat remnants in the pan and then I added some Madeira wine. I cooked it down till it got somewhat thick and then I put the steaks in that and then put the mushrooms and onions back in the pan as well. It gave the steaks a richer flavor. I've made the mushrooms and onions before with other Julia meals and it has become a favorite of mine.

We went easy on the side dishes because I made a flan for dessert. So I just made some mashed potatoes which are always pleasing with just about any meal. Rather than use gravy we put some of the wine sauce on the potatoes.

I am eating my apple flan as I am blogging this to you. I've never had a flan before and I can only describe it as a sweeter type pancake with a Dutch apple pie type filling. I really like it. I served it warm with additional apples on the side and then I poured heavy whipping cream over it. This is very simple to make and would make a great brunch dish.

I am so excited because I finally found lamb. I'm wanting to make moussaka this week and was getting desperate to find lamb. I'm still on the hunt for apple brandy. If anyone happens to see this at a grocery store in my area please let me know.

Facts:
Day 48 of 100 (365 days is a lot of hunting for hard to find ingredients.)

Pounds Lost: 3
Pounds Gained: 2 (but it is from the original 5 I lost when I started this project)
Happiness Level: 50% (I'm going to worry for the next several months so keep Brandon in your prayers.)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Lord, keep my boy and all the troops safe.)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (This project has been a blessing. It sustains me from worrying about my kids.)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Michael made great ribeyes and the flan was great too)
Meal Presentation: 100% (I'm a new flan fan!)

Day 47 Changing Up The Stew

Menu:
Ragouts de Porc
(Pork Stew version of the Daube De Boeuf or Casserole of Beef)

Truffles (am still working on them)

I bought a beautiful pork roast at the grocery store a few days ago. I wanted to do something Beouf Bourguignon-y with it. So, I did a beef ragout recipe using the pork roast. It turned out really good. Michael said it wasn't quite as good as the Beouf Bourguignon but it was really close. The potatoes, carrots and onions took on a smooth flavor after having been drenched in the creamy wine sauce. Smooth is the best word that describes this meal. Smooooooth.

The desserts in the cookbook keep catching my eye. Lord knows I could do without then though. But I found a really fascinating recipe that I am right in the middle of making. It is a coffee flavored truffle with orange liqueur. It must be incredibly fattening because Julia gives a warning just before the recipe. It says: "These homemade candies are easy to make and, unfortunately for those who are trying not to resemble Babar the elephant, they are quite irresistible." Sounds like my kind of truffle! I'll have pics posted of these this evening as well. Michael is excited because he loves coffee flavored anything.

We just sampled the truffles. They are very rich and incredibly flavorful. These would make an excellent fancy Christmas candy to give as a gift. They are called truffles because they resemble the truffle mushroom. That is why they are intentionally rough looking. Truffles are very easy to make but take about 3 hours including chill time. That's a long time by today's standards. Julia probably thought these were "quick" and easy.

Facts:
Day 47 of 100 (365 days-a year in cooking is equivalent to dog years so I am finding. I'll just do 100 days.)

Pounds Lost: 2 (Cajun dancing will melt the pounds away)
Pounds Gained: 3 (from that orginal five I lost since day one of this project, so it's okay.)
Happiness Level: 100% (Surround yourself with people who care about you. Keep the rest at arms length and you will be oh so happy!)
Missing My Kids: 100% (Keep Brandon in your prayers and support our troops.)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (It was fun changing it up a bit.)
Meal Presentation: 100% (Beautiful is what that was, simply beautiful.)

Day 46 A Fish Dish

Menu:
Souffle De Poisson JC
(Fish Souffle)

Gratin de Pommes de Terre Crecy JC
Scalloped Potatoes and Carrots w/Cream

Asparagus w/a buttered wine sauce PE

Apple Crisp PE

I started this meal at 10:30 this morning because I knew it would be a challenging one for me. A lot of Julia's recipes call for various types of molds so I have been collecting them here and them since I started this project. Today I got to use the fish mold I purchased a few weeks back. I try not to be too intimidated by Julia's recipes because I am learning that if you stick to her instructions she will get you through the recipe and that continually rings true.

About halfway into making the souffle I nearly backed out because I didn't have the type of fish that was called for in the recipe, sole or flounder. I had Maui Maui and Swordfish. I was afraid I would wreck the recipe using a different type of fish but I did anyway. I hung in there sticking with the recipe otherwise and I'm glad I did . It turned out really good. Swordfish is my fave and who doesn't like Maui Maui? I used the swordfishto grind to go in the souffle and then the Maui Maui for the pieces that are layered. I even made the Sauce Mousseline Sabayon that is to accompany the souffle. I would interpret that for you but I have no clue what it means. It tastes really good though. Maybe my girl Becky can help me out with this one. Well Miss Becky?

I've made the gratin type potatoes before. So, this time I jazzed it up with her carrot and cream version. It was pretty good. But I guess my mom spoiled us with all that cheese she put in her scalloped potaotes. I do like my mom's scalloped potaotes much better. Julia uses Swiss cheese and my mom uses good ole Velveeta. Julia's are good just not nearly as cheesy. I LOVE cheese.

The asparagus I have made many times before. They are quick, easy and healthy to eat. Since I wasn't scrambling at the stove at dinnertime, I had time to make an apple crisp for dessert. This is a microwave recipe and very easy and tastes really really good. I like this apple crisp way better than any I've had before. If anyone should want this recipe let me know. With fall coming it is a perfect time to make it. I used a type of apples I have never used before. I think they were called "honey" apples. They were crisp and juicy.

Menu:
Day 46 of 100 (This is great happiness therapy but 365 days of this would be grueling)

Pounds Lost: 1
Pounds Gained: I had lost 5 but now only 1 lb. so I guess I gained 4.
Happiness Level: 100% (I have two great kids I'm thrilled)
Missing My Kids: 100% (I had a wonderful conversation with my son today...I'm blessed)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Fish Souffle sounded weird but it is good)
Meal Presentation: 80% (The souffle didn't show well on the plate but that's okay it tasted great)

Day 45: Julia's Canap'es

Menu:
Leftovers For Dinner

Dessert:
Pommes A La Sevillane
(Apples Braised in Butter, Orange Sauce)

Just the canap'es alone were so simple that I had to make it difficult. Canap'es are nothing more than the center of a slice of white bread cut out with a biscuit cutter and then sauteed in butter. That's it. Once the canap'es were made the rest seemed easy but was a bit of effort. The apples were peeled and cored and then filled with sugar and butter. I simmered and baked them. When they were tender I took the juice that they baked in and added currant jelly until it made a syrupy type sauce. I added simmered orange peel and then what seemed to be a lot of cognac. The apple was placed on top of the canap'e and then the syrup was drizzled over all. I did eat mine with some cream. It was really good and very different than any dessert I have ever had. Not my favorite but it was good.

Facts:
Day 45 of 100 (365 days is a lot of fancy cooking days)

Pounds Lost: 0 (I'm stuck right where I started.)
Pounds Gained: 0 (Yep, I'm stuck)
Happiness Level: 100% (It's best to stay happy)
Missing My Kids: 100% (One of them is heading overseas shortly)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (Making a dessert was a nice change)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Dessert is always enjoyable)
Meal Presentation: 100% (It did photograph nicely)

Day 44: Broccoli Is Julia's, Wings Are Mine

Menu:
Broccoli Etuv'es a' la Cre'me JC
(Chopped Broccoli Simmered In Cream)

Seasoned Potato Wedges PE

Baked Chicken Wings in Citrus Marinade PE

Chicken Wings are one of my favorite things to eat. Julia didn't really have a wing recipe. I found one online from her later years. But, it was with soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil. I wanted something a little more lively. So I just buttered a cookie sheet, put the wings on it and then tossed some raw onion wedges, fresh garlic, more butter, and then I squeezed a lemon, a lime and an orange over all the wings and then salt and peppered them. I tossed them with my hands really good to coat all the wings. And then I sprinkled some ginger over them. I gently tossed them again. I baked them for 45 minutes at 375 degrees. They turned out very juicy and citrus-eee.

I knew I wanted wings and then potato wedges are another fave of ours. I've made them many times and love cooking them because it takes very little effort and no recipe. The only thing left to make now was a Julia recipe. I went to the grocery store...which I should be deeply commended for remaining patient while a lady let her 3 year old and 1 year old scream throughout the store. People were leaving the store these kids were so loud with their screaming and crying. I just kept breathing in slowly and breathing out slowly as I grabbed my broccoli bunch and tried to steer clear of this inappropriate behavior. Even though I kept trying to dodge this family as I shopped, we just kept ending up in the same aisle. Lucky me, she pushed her cart right behind me in the checkout aisle. The sweet little clerk said I will try to hurry and check you out. I told her not to worry about it. The store even turned off the music because these kids were so loud. The lady being checked out in the next aisle begged the clerk to hurry up so she could get out of there. She looked at me and said Lordy those children need to stop. I just tried to smile at her. I called Michael so he could hear these darling angels over the phone so he wouldn't think I was exaggerating when I told him about the incident. I have never really watched Super Nanny or Nanny 911 but I can see why these type shows have been brought into production.

As I was pushing my cart of goods across the parking lot and breathing a sigh of relief to be away from those sweet little screamers, two tweeners who were waiting in their mom's SUV decided to jump up in their Lexus and pop their heads through the sun roof...moon roof whatever.... and scream at the shoppers as we were walking to our cars. It scared the bejeezers out of me. I got my groceries in the car and as I was leaving with my windows down here came the lady with the two little tykes both still screaming. Forevermore folks, is screaming the new thing with kiddoes these days?

I just had to vent that, I apologize. At any rate I made the creamed broccoli and it was really good. I did put a dab of grated Swiss cheese on top after I got the serving onto the plate. If you do make Julia's creamed broccoli recipe serve it immediately. It cools quickly but you want it to be warm when you serve it because it tastes so much better with a lot of heat to it. Don't be afraid to sprinkle a little extra salt and pepper onto it either. This recipe reminded me plenty of cream of broccoli soup. It was very good.

Facts:
Day 44 of 100 (It was a somewhat stressful day so I better not try 365 days)

Pounds Lost: (NO Scales for me for a while)
Pounds Gained: (Ditto)
Missing My Kids: 100% (I'm blessed to have such good and well mannered kids, I realize this after today, what a blessing my kids truly are.)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (This meal was a breeze)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Michael already called dibs on the leftovers for lunch tomorrow...dangit!)
Meal Presentation: 100% (Oh yeow! Uh huh, It looked good didn't it!)

Day 43: Hell's Kitchen W/This Julia Meal

Menu:
Garden Salad ME (Mikey Made The Salad)

Artisan Baguette Bread

Olive Oil and Red Wine Bread Dip w/Seasonings PE

Celery And Potato Soup JC

Bifteck Saut'e Bercy JC
(Pan-Broiled Steak, w/Shallot and White Wine Sauce)

Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions JC

My kitchen hasn't seen cooking in nearly a week. So I thought I would make up for it by making 3 Julia dishes. Well, don't ever do that. I was doing really well and then as everything was finishing up all at once that is when it all became overwhelming. I've never really seen the show Hell's Kitchen but it did look like one of those previews there for a short bit until I got everything all cooked to completion and on the table. I'm making a second mental note to self...do not make more than one Julia recipe per meal. Got it.

The garden salad had a nice fresh taste to it with red bell peppers from my sister's garden. Michael did a bang up job making those. He would rather be absent when I'm cooking and present when we are eating. So I appreciate him willing to be in the kitchen with me while I cooked way out of my league this evening. We also had bread, a mini loaf of french baguette artisan bread and then I made a dip with an olive oil base. I make this nearly every time we have company.

The soup was uh...mAAAA...Zzzzzing. I had a bag of celery that needed to be used. I saw that there was a celery soup recipe in Julia's cookbook. Julia's celery soup just seemed like the thing to make. There was some tweaking with this recipe though. Which is another no-no when you are making one of her recipes for the first time. Because you see, when you don't know what you are doing in the first place then how can you tweak it??? Even though I was stressing out because I decided to fly solo once I perused Julia's instruction, the soup turned out really good. It was very reminiscent of the type of soup they make at Bread Co. but much heartier and very delicious. Rather than use the type of regular potatoes I used red potatoes. I didn't peel them. I thought once I pureed the potatoes the bits of red peel would look really pretty in the green soup. It did.

The ribeyes were really good, the next time I may cook mine a minute longer next time though. Michael loved his. The wine sauce for the ribeyes calls for Vermouth. I couldn't find any in our area. But I did find some in Indiana while I was there last week. I'm not sure why Vermouth is different than a dry white wine but the steaks sure were good. I sauteed some mushrooms and onions and served them in a different wine sauce with the steaks. Very good.

Facts:

Day 43 of 100 (After the hectic week I had 365 days just isn't for me)

Pounds Lost: A week of DQ, Concannon's and a Krispy Kreme Donut, you do the math.
Pounds Gained: I sure hope you aren't good at math!
Happiness Level: 100% (I got a card and a phone call from my kids today, I'm elated)
Missing My Kids: 100% (I do miss my kids being in the house)
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (I mastered the meal I totally enjoy that)
Eating Enjoyment: 100% (Well Michael referred to my cooking as gourmet so I guess we enjoyed it.)

Day 42 Julia For Lunch

Menu:
Poached Tilapia w/Mushrooms in Wine Sauce JC
Baked Sweet Potato PE
Sauteed Broccoli PE

I did get a photo of this meal and will add it in a few days when I return home. Last evening my mom and I had a meal that she prepared. Who am I to scoot my mother out of her own kitchen when she is cooking. For dessert we had delicious treats from Concannon's Bakery. I grew up in Muncie and somehow managed to never indulge in a pastry of any sort from this bakery. I can now understand the hoopla over this place. Wow.

Today for lunch I made tilapia the julia way. Since I am going to dinner with my sister this evening I won't be able to cook. The meal was good and having it for lunch rather than dinner was a nice change. I do have to say I miss eating my Julia meals with my Michael. The food is good but always tastes a whole lot better when Mikey is sitting across from me. If you like your fish poached then making tilapia this way is really easy and very good. The main thing you have to watch for is that you don't overcook it. Other than that it is a breeze. I used the vermouth again in this wine sauce.

The broccoli was fresh and I sauteed it in butter and then poured just a little bourdeaux over it while the pan was pretty hot. Once the butter and the wine coagulated I worked it into a thick sauce and it made a pretty quick and easy broccoli dish. Julia has taught me a lot about turning something simple into an elegant dish.

When I eat fish I usually tend to lean towards sweet potatoes to go with it. It just compliments the fish so much better than white potatoes. Okay the real truth I love the sweet taste and I put brown sugar on it to make it even sweeter.

Facts:
Day 42 of 100 (it is going to take me 365 days to these 100 days at this rate)

Pounds Lost and Gained are on hold until Monday. Especially since I just discovered the fine taste of Concannon's.

Happiness Level: 100%
Missing My Kids: 100%
Cooking Enjoyment: 100% (It wasn't a difficult meal at all)
Meal Presentation: 100% (100%, you'll see the pic in a few days...looks good!)