Thyme For Cooking, the Blog

Veal Saltimbocca; Shipping the shopping

I confess.

I like to shop.

I don't do it very often, and, fortunately for my wallet, I like window-shopping best.

Still, being on my own in the US for 2 weeks, it was inevitable that I succumbed to that great American past time.

What really clinched it for me was the new (to me) US Post Office's flat rate shipping boxes.

One can ship up to 20 lbs (9 kilos) anywhere in the world for just over $40.00 (28 euro) - provided one can get it in the box provided.  

That's less than the charge for overweight luggage.... and one doesn't have to schlep it around the airports.

The challenge, of course, is to get all the heavy stuff tucked into the box.

I'm a very good packer.

Everything you see was in that box. 

Total weight?

15.2 pounds (7 kilos)

Told you I was good....

We expats all have our own little idiosyncrasies when it comes to what we miss most from the US and, more importantly, what we are willing to carry, and/or ship, back to our respective homes.

In my flat-rate box I shipped:

Jolly Ranchers (all the candy here is sweet - I like tart)
Green Chiles
2 bags of Wild Rice
Chocolate Calcium Chews (that was a new one for me - and I needed filler for the box)
Vitamins and Calcium (expensive here)
Tape replacement for mon mari (in inches)
My mother's old recipe box (filled with Jolly Ranchers
Deodorant (a non-scented variety)
Shaker Cook Book (B-day gift)

In my suitcase I had:

Smoked Paprika from Penzey's (3 bags)
Dry mustard from an Indian grocery (large bag)
Garlic powder (2 bags)
More vitamins
A few books
More Jolly Ranchers
A switch for mon mari's table saw
And a few new things to wear for both of us.

My suitcase came in at 49.5 pounds (22.5 kilos) - an entire half pound under the limit.  I could have gotten another bag of smoked paprika!

I decided, what with the recent kerfuffle over powders on aircraft, it was the prudent course of action to pack the powdered mustard, paprika and garlic rather than have it in my carry-on.

So....

What was in my carry-on? 

Magazines, of course.

And one last bag of Jolly Ranchers....

We all have our weaknesses, after all.

Another weakness I have is fresh sage. 

There are certain dishes I only make in the fall.

This is my favorite:

Veal Saltimbocca alla Romana alla Katie 

6 thin (or pounded) veal scallops, 10oz (300gr) total weight
3 slices Prosciutto, sliced in half
2oz (60gr) Gruyère, shredded
12 large, fresh sage leaves
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 cup Marsala can substitute Madeira
1/2 cup beef stock
2 tbs tomato paste

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet. Quickly brown veal scallops on both sides. Remove and put on an oven-safe platter. Add Marsala and beef stock to skillet and let simmer while you assemble the Saltimbocca.

Place 2 sage leaves on each veal scallop. Lay a slice of ham on top of the sage and sprinkle with cheese. After the sauce has simmered and reduced a bit add the tomato paste to thicken it. Spoon a bit of the sauce on and around the veal. Put the saltimbocca into a 225F (105C) for 10 minutes. This allows the cheese to melt, the ham and sage to cook a bit and the flavors to blend.
More importantly it allows you to relax and enjoy a fist course with all the work finished. Remove and serve with remaining sauce on the side.

In addition to the above, for the week of September 25 we have Stuffed Mushrooms, Tomato Garlic Soup, Butternut Squash and Sage Risotto, Pasta with Sausage, Avocado and Sage and more....

Become a Thyme for Cooking Subscriber and get the menu, complete recipes with meal preparation instruction, and shopping list each Thursday.  First two weeks FREE.   (Reverse seasons available for Australia, and others in the Southern Hemisphere).

For more recipes visit my internet cook book:  Easy Gourmet Dinners

Ratatouille Quiche; off to the US; the Weekly Menu

I'm finally going back to the US to visit the family.  Next week.

The trip has been postponed a few times due to, oh, little things like moving; being stuck in Vlad's house, mon mari's frequent hospital holidays.....

So far, it's on track....

Except that I haven't had the time to go out to the barn to sort through boxes so I can pack.

But, I have a couple of days yet....

I'm really looking forward to getting the actual US view on some of the stuff I only have a Euro view on. 

I mean, we missed the entire election campaign last year. 

And I'm very curious about the general opinion of the First Lady appearing in public in shorts.

I'm afraid my opinion is a little Euro biased.... (She's the First Lady; she should dress the part...  A sundress would have been equally cool, comfortable, casual, and classier)

For now, I'm getting a little harried....

But, I have been having some fun... making quiche. 

I made this one last week, while I still had a cook top.

Ratatouille Quiche

2/3 cup quick-cooking brown rice substitute Basmati
1 1/3 cup chicken stock
1 egg
1/4 cup (1oz, 30gr) shredded cheese any flavor - it helps to bind the crust
1 small yellow squash (courgette), 7" (17cm), 7oz, 200gr
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
1 large tomato
1/2 tsp thyme
2 tsp olive oil plus a bit for the dish
4oz (125gr) Brie, chevre or other semi-soft cheese
3oz (90gr) Prosciutto or other dry-cured ham I used 3 thin slices
1/2 cup Greek olives
3 eggs
1 cup (8oz, 240ml) milk

The Crust: Cook rice in stock according to package instructions. When done, spread out on a plate for 5 minutes to allow to cool a bit.
Lightly oil a 10" (25 cm) pie or quiche plate. Lightly whisk 1 egg. Add 1/4 cup shredded cheese and the cooked rice. Mix well. Pat into the quiche plate, working it up the sides as best you can. Bake in 400F (200C) oven for 8 minutes. Remove.
The Ratatouille: Cut the squash in fourths the long way, then into 1/4" (.5cm) slices. Roughly chop the onion, pepper and tomato. Mince garlic. Roughly chop olives. Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion, pepper and sauté until onion is tender. Add garlic, squash, tomatoes and sauté until squash is tender and mixture is thick. Stir in olives and thyme.
Slice Brie, 1/4" thick. Tear or cut Prosciutto into large pieces. Whisk eggs and milk together.
To assemble: Lay Prosciutto on crust. Spread vegetables evenly over the top. Lay Brie on the vegetables. Pour the egg mixture over as evenly as you can. Bake for 30 minutes, until center has set. Remove and let rest 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

Note: When baking quiches or tarts, I put the dish on a sturdy baking tray, before pouring in the egg mixture, for easier handling. The dish can get very full.

In addition to the above, for the week of September 4 we have Grilled Filet Mignon, Stuffed Tomatoes, Zucchini Timbales, Tuna Cannellini Pasta, and more....

Become a Thyme for Cooking Subscriber and get the menu, complete recipes with meal preparation instruction, and shopping list each Thursday.  First two weeks FREE.   (Reverse seasons available for Australia, and others in the Southern Hemisphere).

For more recipes visit my internet cook book:  Easy Gourmet Dinners

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin; Enlightening travel

Years ago, before we lived here, we were in London, window-shopping with another couple.  The wife spotted a figurine she wanted to add to her collection.  They discussed it a bit, as it was rather expensive, then decided to buy it.

She asked if the husband had a check. 

He did.

He opened his wallet and pulled a single, unattached, folded, check out and handed it to her.

As an American who never left home without a full checkbook, and regularly had at least 50 to reconcile at the end of the month, I thought that was more than just a bit bizarre.

Then we moved to Ireland.

I soon learned that carrying around a single check was the norm, not the exception.  Checks were only used when one didn't have time to get the cash to pay someone who didn't accept bank cards.

In other words: rarely.

We lived there a year and I think I used about 25 checks.

I've been writing a few more than usual since we've moved: to pay for the windows, the first electric bill, first phone bill (while setting up the auto-pay).  Last week I wrote one to pay for the stairs we ordered.  I noted that there were only 5 left in the checkbook.... And wondered if I needed to do something.  I didn't get a chance. 

Like magic, three days later a new checkbook arrived in the post.

I haven't carried a checkbook since we've lived on this side of the pond.  I do carry a single check in my wallet.  I've even used it on occasion.

It's a little thing, this difference in handling checks; but it represents something huge.

The first time I saw my friend pull out a single, folded check I remember thinking: What's with him?  Doesn't he know he can carry the whole checkbook with him?  Is he afraid he can't control his spending if he has more checks?  How weird!

I hadn't traveled much at that point.

People who don't travel tend to see the world through their own, often narrow field of vision.

They look at other cultures actions and reactions as their own.... And don't understand when they are different.

I know many people who don't travel - and, yes, not traveling tends to be American rather than European.

The reasons are many and varied, but often come down to things like:

Why should I leave this country, I haven't seen everything here yet.

Why should I travel to 'X' country, they hate Americans.

Here's why you should:

If you traveled, you wouldn't be surprised when I said we didn't have a local cupcake shop.

If you traveled, you wouldn't be surprised to learn that you can't get lunch in a restaurant before 12:00 in France; or after 2:00.  But, in Spain you can't get lunch before 2:00....

If you traveled you would learn that it's disrespectful to enter a church: with a baseball cap on, or in short shorts, or without your arms covered, or without your head covered, or without shoes, or with shoes or all of the above, or none of the above.

If you traveled you would learn that behavior that is acceptable in your country may not be acceptable elsewhere.

If you traveled you would learn that behavior that is unacceptable in your country may be acceptable elsewhere.

If you traveled you would learn that people are different in different cultures.  You may grasp the fact, intellectually, without ever leaving your hometown.  But, without traveling, without meeting new people, seeing new places, experiencing new cultures, you won't understand it.

Without understanding it, we are doomed to thinking that our own culture is the best and we have a right and duty to help the rest of the world see the error of their ways.  We know that, once enlightened to the superiority of our ways, these lesser cultures will be forever grateful.

Does anyone know how many different countries/cultures know that theirs is the best?  And feel pity on anyone not blessed to be 'one of them'?

I can think of at least 6.....

Kind of scary isn't it?

On a lighter note.....

You all know about the famous or infamous 'rude' French waiters, right?

Did you all know that there is no French word for 'rude'?

Barbecued Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

It doesn't take a lot of stuffing... And it kind of oozes out the top.... But, it does get nicely caramelized on top and keeps the pork moist. Cook the pork, stuffing side up, without turning, in a covered grill.

1 pork tenderloin, 14oz, 400gr
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
1/3 cup chopped mushrooms about 1 oz (50gr)
1 1/2 tbs bread crumbs
1 tbs ketchup
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs snipped fresh rosemary substitute 1 tsp dried
1 tbs snipped fresh chives substitute 1 tsp dried
Barbecue Sauce

Chop mushrooms and mince or crush garlic. Heat olive oil in small skillet over medium heat. Add paprika and sauté for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 3 - 4 minutes, until starting to brown and soften.
Meanwhile, butterfly pork tenderloin - cut it in half lengthwise leaving 1/4 inch intact - so that you can open it like a book. Open it and give it a couple of whacks with a meat mallet so that it lies flattish... or pound lightly with the edge of a plate. You just want it to be flat and easy to work with. When mushrooms are done put into a small bowl and add bread crumbs, herbs, Worcestershire and ketchup. Mix well and spread on one side of pork about 1/8 inch from the edge. Fold other side over and tie with kitchen string. Cut five 6 inch lengths of string and wrap around pork and tie every 2 inches - making certain that you do one as close to each end as possible.
Cook pork on barbecue grill for 30 minutes or until done, basting during the last 10 minutes with Barbecue Sauce. When done, slice and serve with more Barbecue Sauce on the side.

Barbecue sauce

1/4 cup (2oz, 60ml) ketchup
1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) tomato sauce
2 tbs cider vinegar
2 tbs molasses
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder

Mix all ingredients in small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat stirring frequently. Simmer 10 - 15 minutes, remove from heat and use when needed. Sauce will keep for a week in the refrigerator.

What is also kind of scary are the trips my mind can take on the way back from our letter box......

Tortilla de Calabacín; Flowering Villages

Once in a blue moon the travel gods smile down and we stumble into fairyland for a brief moment.

As we drove into this village last week, we were fascinated by the 'flowers' covering the street.

It was so beautiful and fantastic..... But hard to capture with a few photos

Every street was festooned in a different color

 

The village square had a pole in the center, from which purple flowers went all around.

Beneath the walkways wisteria hung down.

It took the town's residents 6 months to make and hang the garlands of flowers. 

The occasion was a 2-day festival  the first weekend in July, honoring the poetry and music of the language of Occitan.  This is a roving, annual festival; it was in this village, this year. 

A neighboring village was celebrating it's 750th anniversary.  In honor of the occasion the Maire (mayor) asked the primary school children to create tiles, painted in the village colors, of their favorite sights from around the town.

 

The art teacher coordinated their efforts with this mosaic, from 170 students, the result.  It will hang in the Mairie (Town Hall).

It was a good day.....

Still have zucchini in the garden?

Try this....

Tortilla de Calabacín (Spanish-Style Omelet with Zucchini)

Zucchini is everywhere in summer! If you don't have it in abundance or simply don't want it, you can substitute fried, sliced potatoes, sautéed onions or sliced tomatoes. Everything else stays the same. You can trim the rind off of the brie, or not. I didn't. It left interesting white strips on top of the omelet. I don't flip this omelet because the brie gets rather runny ...which is why it's so good! You can use another, harder cheese - cheddar, Gruyère if you prefer.

1 small zucchini, (6 inches, 15cm)
1 tbs olive oil
2oz (60gr) Brie cheese
3 eggs
2 tbs fresh snipped parsley
olives for garnish if you have some on hand

Cut the zucchini in 1/8" (.3cm) thick slices. You want enough to cover the bottom of the pan in one, non-overlapping layer.
Heat oil in medium, 8 - 9" (20cm) nonstick skillet or omelet pan (20cm) over medium heat. Add zucchini slices and sauté 5 minutes. Turn and sauté another 5 minutes.
Whisk eggs. Pour half of the eggs over the zucchini. Let cook until almost set. Slice the brie and lay on top of the eggs, sprinkle with parsley and pour the rest of the eggs over the top. Cover and let cook.
After about 5 minutes, lift cover and check. If center is not set lift the edge of the omelet and pour 1 tsp of water under. Quickly replace the cover and let cook another minute. That should finish it off nicely. (if, for some unknown reason it doesn't, repeat the trick with the water - it creates steam to cook the top.) The top will not be brown. Slide it carefully onto a plate. Cut it into quarters. Arrange 2 quarters on each plate, garnish and serve.

Paris, Part II; Sautéed Chard from the Garden

My cousin, D, who went to art school, has been to Paris several times but never to the Louvre.

Her reason, which I've heard before, is that she didn't 'want to rush the experience' and thought she would need at least a week to do a proper job.

I, on the other hand, have been to the Louvre everytime I've been to Paris. 

My reason, which I've heard before, is that you can't possibly absorb everything in one visit - even if that visit is a week long.

One simply gets overloaded.

So, I pop in for a few hours whenever I get the chance.

Unfortunately, usually when I'm in Paris, it's with visitors.  I've seen the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory and Napolean's Apartments more times than I can count.

I've snuck off by myself to do the Old Masters, some Rennaissance, and a few other exhibits, but have never had the chance to see a lot of the Early Civilisation exhibits that really interest me.

D decided we should do the Louvre Saturday afternoon. 

Mon mari wanted to do the top of the Eiffel Tower (he's tried before, but the weather/crowds haven't cooperated); her husband wanted to relax with some people watching.

Smart men.

D and I have been known to walk lesser mortals into the ground early on when we decide to 'do' something.

And we only had 4 hours.

First, naturally, we had to see the Mona Lisa, Winged Victory and Napolean's Apartments.....

After that, we walked, admired the building and if a painting caught our interest we stopped and looked.

We found the Crown Jewels and ancient jewelry; porcelain, ceramics and Roman Glass; textiles and furniture.  We managed to get out a side entrance once and had to walk all around the outside to the main entrance to get back in.

We saw the African, Meso-American and Galapagos Island bits.

We had photos taken next to the 4000 year old Code of Hammurabi:

 

I wanted to read it, but my cuneiform is a bit rusty.

(For those who don't remember their ancient history, Hammurabi was a king of Babylon, and the code consisited of the laws used to govern his people.  This is the earliest example of having actual laws, written down for all to read and know, rather than the more arbitrary "What I say goes" which was used in the rest of the world up until Magna Carta)

The Etruscan exhibit was impressive....

 

And we even managed to get to the inverted pyramid featured in 'The DaVinci Code'.

 

We decided, at the last minute, (right after we heard the closing announcement) that D really should see a Rembrandt or two.  We dashed up 2 flights of stairs and managed to avoid the security guards long enough to get about 7 room into that section.

Unfortunately, our luck ran out and we were, um, told it was time to leave.....

All in all, we did a pretty good job of 'doing' the Louvre.... In 4 hours...

On Wednesday evening, before we left for Paris, I went to my tiny garden and picked everything that looked like it might turn into a vegetable at some point in time.

On Sunday night, after we returned I went to my tiny garden and picked this:

 

How did this happen?!?!?

There was also a new vegetable for us: Chard.

 

I planted seeds of Rainbow Chard that I smuggled over from the U.S. a couple of years ago. 

I see it in the shops here with huge stems, 2 - 3 inches across. 

Apparently, the French eat the stems and discard the leaves.

Americans eat the leaves and carefully cut out, and discard, the stems.

Being multi-cultural we ate it all.

 

Sautéed Chard

8oz (250gr) chard or Swiss chard
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 large yellow tomato
2 tbs fresh basil
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs Balsamic vinegar

Wash the chard and trim any bad bits. Stack the leaves together and fold over, the long way. Slice into strips, using both leaves and stems. Roughly chop onion and tomato.  Snip basil.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the chard and stir-fry over medium heat until it softens and fits into the skillet. Add tomato, reduce heat to low and cook until tender, another 5 - 7 minutes. Drizzle with Balsamic vinegar, stir in basil and serve.

Who's up for a museum?

Paris

What can I say?

It was Paris.

 

We walked for miles and miles....

As one should in Paris.

 

We meandered through the Rodin Gardens.

We admired both the sculptures....

 

And the roses.

 

We sat in awe, absorbing Monet's 'Waterlilies'.

 

When we got tired we rested atop the Ferris Wheel in the gardens by the Louvre.

The we went to Paris Plage....

A few years ago, the Mayor of Paris decided that the poor Parisians forced to stay in the city during August should not be punished unduly.

If they couldn't go to the beach he would bring the beach to them.

Each July and August the street on the right bank of the Seine is closed off and sand is brought in: Paris Plage.

There are tents, games for the kids, concession stands, beach umbrellas, lounge chairs.....

so...

We went to the beach.... In Paris.

And, of course, we managed to find some tolerable food....

 

This was my 'after dinner coffee'.

Not 'ours'.

MINE!

The 'cup' was made of dark chocolate and filled with ice cream.
It wouldn't have been good for mon mari.... or, so I told him....

The weather was near perfect 25C (77F) and partly cloudy.

Since I've been back I've been reorganizing 2 computers:  my old one for mon mari, and the new one (with Vista) for me.

No one has died as the result of my efforts..... But there have been some moments.

Oh, and I broke a tooth in Paris so was off to the dentist today.

I believe I am now ready to rejoin the blogosphere.

Except when I logged on I discovered they had totally redesigned Typepad in my absence.... More to learn.

Recipes tomorrow.

Pork Tenderloin with Sweet and Sour Cabbage; Avignon, Bridge at Millau

Pork Tenderloin with Sweet and Sour Cabbage

We played hooky.

No Monday house-update photos. 

We're too embarrassed at the lack of accomplishment last week. 

If I posted photos our shame would be broadcast for all to see.

Instead I'll show you Avignon.

If anyone ever tells you that Avignon is windy..... Believe them.

I'm told it's a welcome relief in the heat of summer...

But not the chill of winter.

 

Even with sunshine.

It's a gorgeous city, lots to see and very walkable.  The Christmas market was wonderful, not large, but full of local artisans.

On the way home we took a wee detour to see the Viaduc de Millau.

Most impressive.

We drove over it twice.

Maybe not as impressive, but after all that travel, there is nothing like tucking into a steaming platter of pork and cabbage.

Pork Tenderloin with Sweet and Sour Cabbage

Pork and cabbage are a very traditional pairing. I've updated it a bit, using pork tenderloin and braising the cabbage for only a short period, leaving just a hint of crunch, closer to a warm salad...

1 pork tenderloin, 14oz (400gr)
1 onion
1 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
3 tbs Balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 tbs brown sugar
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) chicken stock
1 tbs olive oil
2 tsp cornstarch (maizena, corn flour) dissolved in 1 tbs chicken stock

Cut pork into 1" (2.5cm) slices. Chop onion. Shred cabbage by cutting slice off of head, lay the slice cut side down and cut into 4ths, then, cutting across, slice 1/8 inch thick. Do not use the core of the cabbage - you'll recognize it when you see it.
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet. Add onion and sauté until tender. Move onion to the side and add pork, browning quickly, about 3 minutes per side. Remove pork and add vinegar, sugar and chicken stock. Stir well. Add cabbage and stir to combine. Put pork slices on top, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until cabbage is tender. Uncover, increase heat. Remove pork to small platter. Stir cornstarch mixture into cabbage to thicken. Spoon around pork and serve.

That should give us strength to get back to work!

Chicken and Avocado Salad; The Joys of Moving

Chicken and Avocado Salad

I'm making lists.

Lists of stuff we'll need before, during and immediately following our move. 

We'll be homeless for a bit and lists, I have learned, are important.

When we left the US, I did not have a list.

I packed our airline tickets.

Anyone who has ever done a major move knows it's serious business.  When everything you own is going to be in a shipping container for 4 - 8 weeks, it's even more crucial to get it right.

After we decided to move to Ireland, and sold our house in Minnesota, we rented a house in 'town' to get ourselves organized. 

That was an easy, leisurely move.  
A 'shall we sleep in the old house or the new house tonight' kind of move.
A 'I have to run back to the old house because I forgot X' kind of move.

We spent the next year deciding where we were going to live in Ireland, sorting and discarding our stuff, carefully packing what we were taking with us, and saying goodbye to our city of almost 20 years.

We picked our move date, contracted the shipping company and sold our car.

We packed 2 suitcases, each, with the clothes and stuff we would need for our 6 weeks of living in a 'holiday home' in Ireland.  (Fortunately, those were still the good old days, when one could travel with 2 suitcases and a set of golf clubs - it wasn't easy, but one was allowed to do it.)

We rented a room at a 'no-tell motel' to live in while the movers packed the shipping container.
We saved old, throw-away clothes to wear to clean the house and do the last minute bits.
We thought of everything...

The evening before our flight, we had the last bottle of wine from our former 'cellar'; a fresh baguette, some cheese and paté were laid out on the floor for a motel picnic.

The subconscious mind is an amazing thing: before opening the wine I had the sudden, inexplicable urge to check our travel documents.  This was 12 years ago... We still used paper....

Two passports: check.  Car rental voucher for Dublin: check.  Hotel confirmation for Dublin: check.  Papers, phone numbers and driving directions for our rental house in Killorglin: check.  Airline tickets....

Airline tickets?????  Where are the plane tickets??!!??  Do you have them ???!!!???

When your life is reduced to a motel room it doesn't take long to look everywhere.

Oh. My. God!!!  I had packed the plane tickets.

It came back in a blinding flash: Me looking at the tickets, which had been safely tucked away in my filing cabinet for months, in the folder marked 'Travel Documents'.  The rest of the documents were on my desk and my hand was poised over the file when the movers came charging into my office.

"Ready?" they asked.  I panicked, said yes, and in a flash my office was duct-taped within an inch of respectability and gone.

Apparently, rather than adding the tickets to the pile of documents I had dropped them back into the file. 

They were now still tucked away, quite securely, in the filing cabinet, in the middle of a 40 foot shipping container halfway to New York.

Our flight left in the morning.

I had 20 minutes to get to the airline office and explain our predicament.

What I often find frustrating and mystifying when dealing with large corporate or governmental bureaucracies is how poorly truth works.

Were the tickets stolen? 
No.

It would be easier if they had been stolen, then we could get a police report and...
They weren't stolen!

Did you lose them?
No, I know exactly where they are.

It would be easier if they were lost, then we could file a lost ticket report and refund the money in a month...

We leave tomorrow; we have no place to live here; we are homeless; we are moving; we need to be on that flight....

We need new tickets.

You can buy new tickets and turn the lost ones in for a refund if you ever find them....

The tickets were free business class tickets, compliments of our last Frequent Flyer Miles.  They had no monetary value to anyone but us.

You can buy coach tickets and sort it out later...
If I bought coach tickets we would have to pay to take the second suitcases and golf clubs.
And our tickets were FREE!  In the front of the bus!!!!

The only thing that saved us was the fact that it was so late in the evening.  They all wanted to go home; I wasn't leaving.

After a conference amongst themselves and a few phone calls to The Powers That Be, they declared the tickets lost and as a one time favor, I was allowed to replace them for a small 'reissue charge' of $150.00.

Once again, we were ready to start our new life... with almost 12 hours to spare!

That last summer we rode our bikes all around Minneapolis; every trail we could find.  We would pack a picnic and explore the city, doing all the things we didn't have time to do when we were gainfully employed.  (We weren't unemployed,  but had part-time, minimum wage jobs that didn't require 80-hour work weeks.  We were, as 'they' say, burnt out!)

This Chicken and Avocado Salad was one of our favorites, most often eaten as a sandwich, stuffed into pita bread, but also good on a bed of lettuce as a proper salad.  Either way, great picnic food! 
We would toss two extra chicken breasts on the grill the night before for a quick assembly in the morning.



Picnic Chicken and Avocado Salad

2 cold grilled, Teriyaki-marinated, chicken breasts
1 can water chestnuts, 5 oz (150gr)
2 stalks (ribs) celery, sliced
1 avocado
2 tbs fresh snipped chives
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp sesame seed oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs Teriyaki marinade
Pita bread, Wraps or Lettuce

Cut chicken into small cubes and put into a medium bowl. Slice water chestnuts, celery, and add to chicken. Cut avocado into cubes the same size as the chicken, add to chicken. Snip chives and add. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Add just enough to chicken to make a lightly dressed salad. Serve on a bed of lettuce with the remaining dressing (if any) on the side. Or can be stuffed into Pita halves for sandwiches.

The sad thing, I couldn't think of a single way to shift the blame for the lost tickets to mon mari.

Sigh....

BTW - Has anyone in the world successfully redeemed Frequent Flyer Miles in the last 2 years?  I know I haven't.

Spring is Purple, at Giverny

With a few touches of pink, blue and complimentary orange.

Along the walkway, in front of the American Museum, are a series of 'rooms', small areas, enclosed by hedges and themed in colors.  This is one of the 'Blue Rooms'

The American Museum showcases works from American artists.  The museum also welcomes both American and French students with grants, to live, study and paint at Giverny....

Sigh.....

Photos are not allowed inside Monet's house, which has been perfectly restored to reflect life with Monet.  One is allowed to take a photo from Monet's bedroom window, which gives a lovely view of the walled, Norman gardens below.

 

Visitors are not allowed on the interior paths of the walled garden... which means one gets to take photos without the tourists hordes. 

One of the many side paths in the walled garden.  The day we were there was a public holiday in France, VE Day.  There were crowds everywhere but the gardens are very well managed... As you can see by the lack of people in the photos.

Of course, we did get there in the morning before the bus loads from Paris.

Another path... With all of the purple, the orange really makes an impression.

There is an underground passage from the walled garden to the water lily pond and Japanese gardens.  The wisteria covering the foot bridge over the water lily pond was planted by Monet.

It takes 30 days of water temperatures above 16C (70F) before the water lilies bloom.  All I can do is use my imagination gazing across the pond.  Meanwhile, that red bush is rather spectacular!

The tulips were about done, but there were still a few prime specimens.  Please don't expect me to tell you what kind...

Did I mention the wisteria being in full bloom?

Just so you know we did more than look at flowers... We also looked at this 12th century castle built by Richard, Coeur de Leon, to defend Normandy from the French.

For more photos - there's a link to the album in the side bar.

Asparagus and Chevre Quiche; Tiptoeing thru the Tulips

Asparagus and Chevre Quiche

Did you know that one cannot limp on both legs at the same time?

I know that.

Now: Do as I say; not as I do.

The most important thing I tell anyone coming to Europe is to wear comfortable shoes. 

They don't have to be sensible... But they do have to be comfortable.

Wandering the beautiful, Monet-designed gardens of Giverny...  I ran out of Bandaids (plasters).

And I was ever so grateful that my anal-retentive little self always has a stash in my bag.

Next time it will be a bigger stash.

In my defense I did bring my most comfortable pair of walking shoes fit to be worn in public.

In my stupidity/chronic lateness/everything at the last moment/procrastination I did not wear them a few times first.

They're not new.  They're old, comfortable, well-worn favorites.

It's just that I so seldom wear proper shoes that my feet balk at the idea when I do.

I spend the winter wearing felt clogs inside and rubber Wellie clogs outside.

I spend the summer wearing nothing inside and rubber Wellie sandals outside.

My feet are spoiled.

The hour or two I spend, a few times a week out in public, wearing, er, 'better' clogs or sandals (this is farm country, not Paris) hardly counts.

My feet are not accustomed to the confines of proper shoes.

I had blisters on my heels.

I had blisters on my toes (open-toe shoes - it's summer... And Giverny is only an hour from Paris.  I have some standards - or, at least, I did.)

I had blisters on my blisters.

I left a trail of Bandaid wrappers.

I walked the last bit barefoot....Ahhhhhh!

But, I did not miss a nook or cranny.

I want to go back every week for the rest of the year.

I want to become an artist in residence... even if I'm not any good.

I want to sit in the gardens and stare and paint and draw....even if I'm not any good.

I want to lay on the wisteria covered bridge and look through the flowers to the sky.

I want to sit in the Japanese Gardens and eat foie gras and sip rosé.

Even with bloody feet.

After the foie gras, maybe a nice quiche.

I've been on a quiche-kick lately.

With a brown-rice crust they're a snap to make, and much healthier than the traditional pastry crust.

Perfect for a Mother's Day Brunch.

And, how could I let asparagus season pass without just one more Asparagus Quiche?  It seemed like such an appropriate entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, this week: it's being hosted by Laurie of Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska.  Stop by her blog on Monday for the complete round-up. If you want to look at the Weekend Herb Blogging archives, visit Kalyn, of Kalyn's Kitchen,  the founder  of this great event.

Asparagus.

What says spring better than asparagus!

Besides being full of vitamins, minerals and low in calories, it is a natural diuretic, and contains a carbohydrate that, while indigestible to us, is a favorite of all the health-promoting bacteria living in our gut. We do want healthy guts, don't we.... Hmmm?

Asparagus and Chevre (Goat Cheese) Quiche 

The Crust: 
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/4 cup shredded cheese (1 oz, 30 gr)
1 egg



The Filling:
4 - 5 thin slices, (3oz, 100gr) Prosciutto
6 - 8oz (250gr) asparagus, trimmed
4 - 5oz (125 - 150gr) chevre (goat cheese) the kind that comes in a log with a white (edible) rind
2 tbs snipped fresh chives
2 tbs snipped fresh basil
2 - 3 tomatoes, depending on size I used 2 very long roma tomatoes
3 eggs
1 cup milk

The crust: Cook brown rice according to package directions. Can be done ahead or the day before. If rice is just cooked, spread it on a plate to cool for 5 minutes before adding to egg. Oil a 9" (22 cm) pie or quiche plate. Lightly whisk 1 egg. Add 1/4 cup of cheese and the cooked rice. Mix well. Pat into the quiche plate, working it up the sides as best you can. Bake in 400F (200C) oven for 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

The filling: Trim asparagus, snapping off tough ends. Cut into 1" (2.5cm) lengths. Heat water in a saucepan over high heat. When boiling, add asparagus and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Dry on paper towels.
Snip herbs. Slice tomatoes and goat cheese. Cut Prosciutto into large pieces.
In medium bowl whisk 3 eggs well. Add milk and whisk to combine.

To assemble: Lay Prosciutto evenly over the bottom of the crust. Lay the goat cheese on top. Sprinkle with herbs. Lay the tomatoes on top of the herbs and top with the asparagus. Pour the egg mixture over all and bake for 40 minutes. (Check after 30) Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Note: I put the quiche/pie plate on a pizza pan before pouring the egg/milk over. Makes it easier to get into the oven and catches any drips and spills - saving oven clean-up.

You can rest assured that you will never see me in a pair of $700.00 Manolo Blahnik stiletto sandals.

Or a pair of $50.00 Target stiletto sandals.

More about Giverny tomorrow....