Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls

One of the things I love about fall is that one of my favorite fruits to cook with comes into season: pumpkin

Every fall I eat as many things as I can made with pumpkin, including (but of course not limited to) all of the following: pie, cupcakes, bread, ice cream, chili, soup, doughnuts, and so forth.

The other day I went to a pâtisserie in Metz to buy some macaroons (guilty) and saw the french version of what kind of looked like a cinnamon roll.  I of course then started to think about how it had been such a long time since I had a cinnamon roll and how amazing they tasted when warm.  Later that night when I went home, I wandered into the pantry to decide what I was going to make for dinner and saw the can of pumpkin puree that the mother of the au pair family I am living with brought me when she went to the US a few weeks ago.  I suddenly thought, you know, I have never eaten a pumpkin cinnamon roll before…

This thought then brought me to searching through countless cinnamon roll recipes trying to find how I could work in the pumpkin puree and finally figured out a recipe I thought would work.  And, I have to say, these are sooo good   Especially when topped with a simple powdered sugar glaze (recipe also included).

Happy Fall

*Note*  (measurements are in the metric system because this is what is used in France.  Don’t panic, you can easily get a container measuring milliliters and a cheap scale for the grams)

Pumpkin Walnut Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients:

100 ml of milk

6 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

800 g. flour

400 g. canned pumpkin puree

4 egg yolks

100 g butter melted + 40 g butter melted

200 g brown sugar + 2 tsp. cinnamon (combined and set aside)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. cloves

1/4 – 1/2 cups of walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl combine pumpkin, 6 tblsp. of sugar, 100 g of melted butter, milk, vanilla and egg yolks.

In another bowl, combine baking powder and flour.  Slowly add flour to pumpkin mixture.  Once dough starts to become stiff, mix with hands.  Knead until mostly combined.

Separate dough in half (easier to work with).  Lightly flour a flat surface and roll dough into a rectangle.  Brush with half of the remaining 40g of butter and sprinkle with half the cinnamon and sugar mixture.  On the longer end of the rectangle, start to roll dough until you reach the other end.  Lightly pinch seam to seal.  Cut pieces into 1″ chunks.  Place each piece cut side up into a large baking pan.  If desired sprinkle walnuts over the top and lightly press into rolls.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove and let cool 5 minutes.  Serve with powdered sugar glaze. (see below)

Powdered Sugar Glaze

Ingredients:

2 cups of powdered sugar

4 tblsp. milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine all ingredients.  Add more milk or sugar if necessary.  Glaze should be think but should drip from the spoon.

Bon Ap!

Julie

Creamy Broccoli, Leek, Bacon and Mushroom Soup

With fall in full swing and cold weather upon us, nothing is more comforting that a hot bowl of soup.  During the cold seasons, I eat lots of soup.  There are so many flavors and ingredients to choose from: meats, vegetables, pastas, what type of broth, and so forth.  This hearty soup will fill you up and warm you up on even the coldest of days.

One thing I highly recommend is finding the best tasting baguette you can locate and using it to sop up any remaning broth.  The French even have a word for this act of wiping your plate clean with le pain called saucer.  Only the French would have a word for something so simple yet absolutely delicious.

Creamy Broccoli, Leek, Bacon, and Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

4 cups of broccoli florets, chopped

1 cup leeks, white part, chopped

1 cup of carrots, chopped

1 cup of thick bacon pieces

1 cup of mushrooms, chopped

1 large shallot, chopped

6 tblsp. olive oil

4 tblsp. flour

4 1/2 cups chicken broth (can use vegetable broth if you prefer)

2 cups of milk

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cups small pasta noodles (elbow macaroni, spirals, vermicelli, etc)

salt and pepper to taste

shredded parmesan or emmental cheese

Directions:

In a medium sized pot bring broth  to boil and add broccoli, leeks, and carrots. Let boil 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat. Drain broth into a container and set broth and veggies aside.

Meanwhile, in large pot, sauté shallots, garlic, and bacon in oil.  Add mushrooms until slightly tender. Stir in flour to form a smooth paste. Slowly add broth and milk, stirring constantly.  Bring to a boil and let boil for 1 minute.  Add vegetables.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until tender.  With 8-10 minutes remaining, add pasta.  Re-cover.

Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes (soup will thicken).  Salt and pepper to taste.  Stir and serve.  Top with shredded cheese as desired.

Bon Ap!

Julie

Baked Ham, Egg and Potato Cups

There is something special about breakfast food that gives you that feel good, first-thing-in-the-morning, great-way-to-start-my-day warmth.  I love all things breakfast, especially dishes with eggs.  Today is my third day working as an au pair for a family in France.  After spending three months with my grandparents in Metz, I moved about 15 minutes away, to a small village called Hayes.

I wanted to create something with humble breakfast ingredients yet maintain the elegance the French see in food.  And, I must admit, this one is a crowd pleaser!  Even the kids loved it, and have decided they no longer want the mother to cook.  Even the mother agreed.  (haha)

Serve this to your guests and they won’t be disappointed!

Baked Ham, Egg and Potato Cups (serves 4)

Ingredients:

8 slices of prosciutto or cured ham

8 eggs

4 small potatoes

2 roma tomatoes

1 shallot

shredded gyuère or emmental cheese

parsley flakes

salt and pepper

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lay two slices of ham over each cup, mimicking the shape of the bowl.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove and set aside.

While ham is cooking, clean and slice potatoes into thin roundels. Drizzle with olive oil and a little salt and pepper.  Stir and microwave on high until partially tender.  Heat in two minute intervals, stirring in between.

Peel and thinly slice shallot.  Next, layer potato slices into bottom of ham bowls and top with shallots.  Gently crack two eggs into each cup.

Cut roma tomatoes into sliced roundels.  Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top of each egg cup.   Then sprinkle with parsley flakes.  Garnish each cup with 2-3 tomato slices.

Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve hot.  This dish goes great with a delicious baguette!

Bon Ap!

Julie.

Leek, Mushroom and Bacon Tart

Hello everyone    Sorry it has been a few weeks since my last post.  But don’t worry, this recipe will make up for my lack of presence, I promise!  In a few weeks I will be moving again and should have some more time to cook and bake.  Keep a look out!

This tart is absolutely delicious.  The crust is the same recipe used for the Quiche Lorraine I posted a few months back.  The combination of the leeks, mushrooms, bacon and eggs leaves a wonderful taste in your mouth.  I ate three slices… 

This is a simple recipe with a quick prep time so its a great no-fuss light affair.  Enjoy!

Leek, Mushroom and Bacon Tart

Ingredients:

Pâte a Tarte Dough (can be found on my Quiche Lorraine recipe)

7-10 slices of bacon

400g mushrooms

2 leeks, white part, chopped

1 cup of condensed, unsweetened milk

2 eggs

1 tblsp. flour

olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F

Clean and chop mushrooms and leeks.  In a large pan, on medium/high, cook leeks with oil for about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and cook both vegetables together for another 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Place a sheet of parchment paper over the pie pan.  Roll out the dough over parchment.  Pour vegetables into the crust.

In a bowl, beat together condensed milk, eggs, and flour.  Pour over vegetables.  Add salt and pepper over the top.  Lay slices of bacon over the top.

Cook in the oven for about 25-30 minutes.  Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Bon Ap!

Julie

Fêtes de la Mirabelle

Ever wonder what those little fruits are at the top of my blog?  Well, here is your answer: they are mirabelles.  The Fêtes de la Mirabelle is a special four day celebration of the mirabelle fruit.  This summer is the 59th year of celebration and appreciation for a local simplicity found only in a small part of the world.

The Mirabelle is a tiny fruit in the plum family.  It is about the size of a quarter in circumference, making these easy snack food (I seriously could eat an entire kilo myself).  This fruit is so special for two reasons:  The first is that it is only in season during the month of August, peaking in the last couple weeks.  The second is because in the entire world, it only grows in very few locations.  In France, it is only found in the region of Lorraine and in the north of the region of Alsace.  Alsace and Lorraine comprise over 70% of worldwide production of the mirabelle!  Every year in Metz, the capital of Lorraine, this festival celebrates this wonderful fruit.

It is believed that the fruit’s origins are Chinese.   Historians believe that in the 15th century the Duc of Anjou and of Lorraine brought the fruit to France.  Some believe the origin of the name comes from the Latin word “mirabilis” which means “beautiful to see”, though there are other speculations.

It is sweet, juicy, and unlike any other fruit I have tasted.  The last time I had the chance to eat a mirabelle was seven years ago.  Needless to say I have been eating a lot of them!  Every year everything from tarts, caramels, beer, wine, jam, chutney, whole preserved mirabelles in syrup, sparkling juice, nectar, and the special liquor called the “eau de vie” (which means the water of life) are made using this delicious little fruit.

At the festival today, I bought myself a kilo and am going to make a tart.  I will post this at a later date.  If you ever have the rare chance to come to Lorraine in August, do not miss a chance to taste this amazing fruit!

Bon Ap!

Julie

Marbré

Marbré is a French marbled cake that is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside.  The combination of both the plain and chocolate batters form a beautiful marble-like pattern, giving the cake its name.  Marbré is dense and full of flavor, sweetened just enough to call it a cake, but light enough for those without a major sweet tooth.  This is another of Mamine’s recipes she has shared with me and is the first time I have made it.  I will definitely be making this one again!

Note: For the sugar and flour I have included the measurements in grams, because the conversion to the US system was not exact, but close.  So if you have a scale, use that instead.  If not, don’t worry!  It will still work just fine!

Marbré

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (or 1 1/2 sticks) of butter, room temperature

~ 1 cup of sugar, a little less, (200g)

4 eggs, whites and yolks separated

1/2 cup of milk

~ 3 cups of flour + a little extra (340g)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tblsp. unsweetened cocao powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Lightly butter and flour cake pan.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat egg yolks, butter, and sugar together on high until fully combined.  Add milk and stir.  Set aside.

Beat egg whites on high until white and fluffy, they will slightly stiff.  Set aside.

Slowly add flour and baking powder to yolk, butter, and sugar mixture.  Beat on low then high until well combined.  Fold in egg whites until well combined.

Pour HALF of the batter into the cake pan.  To the remaining half, add the cocoa powder and stir until combined.  Pour over the first layer in the cake pan.

Down the middle of the pan, from one end of the to the other, carefully dip a spoon into batter, lift upwards and pull forward.  Do so until you reach the end of the pan.  Now, on either of the sides, do the same thing in the other direction.  This give the cake its marbled effect.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 350 F.  Lower the heat to 300 F and let bake for 40 – 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand for 5 – 10 minutes.  Gently remove from pan and let cool.

Slice and Serve!

Bon Ap!

Julie

Happy Birthday, Julia Child!

Julia Child

Julia Child would be 97 today.  In 1963 with her show, The French Chef, Julia was one of the first most successful people to host a cooking show on television.  Throughout her career she wrote numerous cook books.  Her most famous, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, was widely successful and is still considered to be one of the best French cook books on the market today.

Thank you, Julia, for your wonderful contributions to the food industry.  Happy Birthday!!!

Artichoke Rice

I could eat a thousand servings of this rice.  We served it with a roasted pork loin, cooked with carrots and onions, but this rice could be paired with any of your favorite meats, or even eaten alone.

As you know by now, I am a fan of simple recipes with bold flavor that let each ingredient shine through.  There are no tricks or fancy methods to this humble dish, but you would never know it!  Give this one a try and I promise it will become a staple in your dinner rotation

Artichoke Rice

Ingredients:

300 g. rice (NOT instant)

3 1/2 cups of water

2 medium yellow onions

1/2 stick of butter (4 tblsp)

1/4 cup of parmesan cheese, shredded

10 artichoke hearts

1 lb. tomatoes

Directions:

For the rice:

Finely chop 1 of the onions.  In a large, deep sauté pan, cook the onion in a small amount of olive oil until they begin to soften (they will turn slightly clear).  Add rice and stir to soak up oil.  Then add the water.  Let simmer for 20 minutes.

For the artichokes & tomatoes:

Peel the tomatoes, cut into large chunks, remove seeds, set aside.

Chop each artichoke heart into 2 or 3 pieces.  Set aside.

Finely chop the other onion.  Sauté until they begin to soften.  Add tomatoes and artichokes.  Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine ingredients from each pan together.  Add butter and parmesan, stir until combined.

Bon Ap!

Julie

Shrimp Stuffed Avocados

Oh these are heavenly.  Avocados are one of my favorite foods.  They are great as a garnish, a main dish, in guacamole, and almost anyway you like.  This recipe makes for a wonderful, simple appetizer.  It includes shrimp (one of my favorite seafoods) and homemade mayonnaise.  Serve this at your next dinner party for an elegant yet effortless touch!!

Shrimp Stuffed Avocados

Ingredients:

3 ripe avocados, halved and pitted

juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup mayonnaise (recipe follows)

1 tsp. whiskey

salt and pepper

1 cup baby shrimp

Directions:

Drizzle lemon juice over each avocado half.  Combine all other ingredients in a small bowl.  Fill center of avocados with shrimp mixture.  Serve any extra mayonnaise and shrimp on the side.

Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk

1 tblsp. dijon mustard

a splash of vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Let all ingredients come to room temperature.  Combine the egg yolk, salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.  Continue to mix while adding oil.  Mix until fully combined.

Bon Ap!

Julie

Mamine’s 80th Birthday (and my 5 course meal)

Mamine's 80

Today was Mamine’s 80th birthday!  What a day!   I decided to make a 5 course meal her and guests.  The menu I made was as follows:

Appetizers:  Champagne, Caprese Salad Skewers, and Saucisson (dried salami)

Caprese Salad Skewers

Second Course:  Cold Green Bean and Tomato Salad with Italian Dressing

Main Course:  Roasted Garlic Pesto over Penne with Chicken and Red Peppers

Pesto Pasta with Chicken and Red Peppers

Fourth Course:  Cheese Plate and Bread

Dessert:  Sautéed Peach Halves over Vanilla Ice Cream

Sautéed Peach Half over Vanilla

In this post I have included the recipes for the Caprese Salad Skewers, the Roasted Garlic Pesto, and the Peach Halves over Vanilla Ice Cream.  I am in love with Caprese Salads, and this appetizer gives the original salad a fun little twist.  The pesto is my own take on the classic pesto recipe, and I have to say it is really delicious!  Roasting the garlic gives this irresistible pesto its fabulous flavor and fragrant aroma!  And the dessert, is elegant and simple, and absolutely amazing.  Enjoy!

Caprese Salad Skewers

Ingredients:

1 package of small wooden or plastic skewers

1 carton of cherry tomatoes

2 balls of fresh Mozzarella

fresh basil leaves

balsamic vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

Directions:

Chop Mozzarella into large pieces.  On each skewer, place one tomato, a folded leaf of basil, and one piece of mozzarella.

Arrange skewers on a platter.  Drizzle a light amount of balsamic vinegar over skewers.  Do the same with the oil.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Serve cold.

Roasted Garlic Pesto

Ingredients:

1 whole garlic bulb for roasting plus olive oil and salt (directions follow – 6 cloves will be used in the Pesto)

4 cups of fresh basil leaves

1 cup of parsley

1 cup of pine nuts, toasted and cooled

1 cup of Gruyère cheese

salt and pepper

1 cup of extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut pf top of garlic bulb, exposing the tops of the cloves.  Lightly drizzle olive oil over top.  Sprinkle with salt.  Wrap bulb in tin foil and roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, over medium high heat toast pine nuts with a few tablespoons of olive oil.  Nuts will lightly brown as cooked.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Set aside.

Once garlic is done, remove from oven and let cool.  Remove 6 cloves from the head and set bulb aside.

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except for the 1 cup of olive oil.  Process for a few seconds.  Add olive oil and continue to process until well mixed.  You want the pesto to be thick in consistency.

Serve with your favorite pasta!  Pesto will keep in the fridge for several days to a week  in an airtight container.

Sautéed Peach Halves over Vanilla Ice Cream

Ingredients:

4 yellow peaches

sugar

2 tblsp. butter

Directions:

Cut peaches in half, remove pits.  Over medium heat, melt butter in a pan.  Lightly sprinkle peach halves with sugar.  Face down, hear peaches for 5 minutes or until warm and slightly tender to the touch.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.  (I love this dessert!  And so will you!!)

Bon Ap!

Julie.