Fun with M&M's.

It's not really cooking, but it sure was fun! The Queen's Diamond Jubilee is next week, as the kids are on holiday, today was the party. Our contribution was a Union Jack made from peanut M&M's.

I can't believe I forgot about this recipe...

So easy and such a nice change from plain bread, or bread and butter, or garlic bread, I think you get the picture. As a matter of fact, here it is, the picture, I mean:

Pan con Tomate (Tomato Bread)

No, it's not my best picture, but it's sooooo tasty. It's a recipe from Spain and there are tons of ways to adapt to your taste. This makes up the whole loaf. Serve along side a salad or instead of garlic bread. Top with arugula, cured ham, or sliced tomatoes for a light lunch.

Pan con Tomate (Tomato Bread) 

Ingredients:

1 loaf of nice bread, ciabatta, rustic, the one in the picture is a rosemary sourdough

Olive oil

3 Large Garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half

2 Tomatos, cut in half

Kosher salt or sea salt flakes

Slice the bread into 3/4" slices and toast in a toaster or oven until just starting to get crisp on the top. You want the bread to still have it's chewy/soft interior. When the toasted bread is ready, rub the cut garlic slice all over each slice. Next, rub the tomato all over each slice. The bread will be slightly colored from the tomato, but shouldn't be wet. Drizzle olive oil and then sprinkle the salt.

Very easy, very yummy. Enjoy!

Coldy cold and soupy soup

(Footed soup bowl from Crate and Barrel)

I can't believe I last posted in August!
The weather is much colder now and we eat a lot of soup. One of the favorites is French Onion. Not the kind that you have to spend an hour caramelizing the onions and making the stock from scratch.
Though, if you've got the time, I recommend the Julia Childs recipe. Three kids hanging on my leg doesn't always allow time for Mrs. Childs wonderful soup, so I make it this way:

Please keep in mind, this is one of those recipes that you don't have to be to exact. Taste it along the way and make your adjustments. Your bowls do need to be oven proof and I recommend a crock or large ramekin style. I love these footed soup bowls from Crate and Barrel. http://www.crateandbarrel.com/dining-and-entertaining/individual-bowls/footed-soup-bowl/s408328 We get so much use out of them and they are just fancy enough to serve for guests.

French Onion Soup
Serves 2-3


Ingredients:
2 yellow onions, halved and sliced thinly
olive oil
1 pint of stock, beef, chicken, or vegetable
2-3 springs of fresh thyme
1 cup Gruyere cheese,(or half Gruyere and half Cheddar) grated
1 glug dry sherry or brandy (yes, glug - tip the bottle into the broth as it simmers and listen to the sound)
salt and pepper to taste
Crusty Bread, the more grains the better in my opinion, cut into rounds to fit the bowl that you will use to serve 


Method:
Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a wide sauce pan. Add in the onions and saute, stirring frequently. Season the onions with salt and pepper. When the onions have a nice golden color, add about 3 oz. of the stock and stir up all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium low and add the rest of the stock and sprigs of thyme. Add in the glug of sherry or brandy and let simmer gently another 5-10 minutes.  At the end of this time, remove the thyme stems.
Meanwhile, turn on your broiler or turn on your oven to about 400 degrees F or 205 degrees C. Line a sheet pan or cake pan with foil and place your oven proof bowls on top. Carefully, ladle soup into the bowls up to about 1/2 inch of the top. Set the bread round on the soup and let it absorb the soup a little bit. Press it down very gently and then put the cheese on top. The cheese should cover the bread. This is a great time for a bit of fresh cracked pepper.
Lightly scrunch the foil around the base of the bowls to help keep them stable. Carefully, place the pan in the oven and wait for the cheese top to turn a golden brown and bubble slightly. You will need to check the oven frequently, as only you know your oven. When the top is done, carefully remove the pan and set it somewhere to cool a bit. The bowls will be HOT! Let them cool for about 5 minutes or so until the bowls they are cool enough not to burn.


Serve the soup with a green salad. Remember the cheese will also be Hot, but tasty.


Enjoy!