Under Construction - French Apple Tart

Have you ever tasted something so good that you were dying to figure out how to make it yourself? Well, I have 9 French cookbooks on their way from the library to complete this mission. Renee's Bakery is responsible for this obsession, thanks to my neighbors who started me on this quest. I have stocked the kitchen with Granny Smiths, almond paste, and a will to succeed. I will not stop until I have duplicated this heaven in a tart pan! And best of all, I will share the fruits of my labors, so to speak! Stay tuned!!!

Sheesh, here it is almost Christmas...

Well, needless to say, I have, again, been eating (there is evidence) and not posting. Last night, however, I was commanded by my dearest to "remember how to make this!" See, I do this a lot. I make something in a panic (you know, 5-o'clock-oh-my-gosh-they-are-going-to-want-something-to-eat-AGAIN panic). I rummage through the fridge and the pantry and the freezer for something that does not need overnight soaking-thawing-growing. I thank God for my pressure cooker and pray for speedy melding of flavors and that at least 3 of the 4 of us will be willing to eat it (the 4th of 4 being required to make own PBJ).

Well, last night I made 5-o'clock panic potato soup (recipe posted separately), and it was a hit. We had in our freezer our friend's homemade kielbasa that he makes and smokes every Thanksgiving weekend, so protein-check. Hmmm, soup has carrots and celery and onions and, of course, potatoes, so veggies-check (surely some antioxidants will survive pressure cooking...?). Half a loaf of overly crusty ciabatta for dredging and dunking-check. So now I can relax until supper.

But then, my betrothed uttered between ciabatta dunks and mmmm-mmmm's "Why honey, I could eat this every week during the winter!" AACCKKKKKK!! That would mean that I have to remember how to make this!!! Okay, quick while I still have a few of those neurons intact, start writing to see if you can remember what you did!!! So, this is a lengthy way of making a disclaimer for the 5-o'clock panic potato soup...it may or may not be an exact recreation of the beloved soup I made last night. I could not find an all-night analysis lab to take my leftovers to confirm the soup DNA and print out an exact molecular recipe. But I do think the recipe that I have written here will be pretty darn close!! Enjoy!! Let me know what you think!

Has it been that long ?!?!

Well, sorry my fellow epicureans! I have been eating, but I have not been posting. Counting down 4 more peanut butter and jelly-or-fluff sandwiches to make, 3 more carpool pickups, 1 set of clean PE clothes, 6 more clean white shirts (well, CLEAN dingy grayish-white, that is), 2 teacher gifts, 2 teacher-aide gifts, and THEN I will have time to post a recipe or 2. I will try to come up with something worth the wait in the mean time!! Thanks for staying in earshot!!

Say your friend gives you 5 gallons of tomatillos...

What do you do? 1.) Soak in cold water to soften husks and remove. 2.) Grill them or place under a broiler until blackened in spots and softening. 3.) Whir in a food processor until mostly liquid but still a little chunky. 4.) Freeze in premeasured containers. (FYI, 5 gallons made 5 quarts of pureed roasted tomatillo.) Stay tuned for fun recipes to use this delicious concoction! I am thinking Green Pork Chili!!!

UPDATE: We made wonderful green salsa the other night with this. I partially thawed one of these containers, slid the whole block out and just cut the top off with a knife. I put the other half back in the freezer. I threw it into the Cuisinart with the top cut off a bunch of cilantro, 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of chipotle chili puree, juice of a lime, and 3 very small jalapenos that I blackened over the gas flame on the stove. A little salt & pepper and YUMMM! This would be great on grilled chicken or pork or, my fave, tortilla chips!