The Differences Between France and Here

Some of you probably already know my love of France: the language, the bicycle baskets with baguettes sticking out, the scarves… It started at an early age, with a very influential teacher who loved the language and the country. In elementary school she would teach us the French words for colors, numbers and simple greetings. It culminated in high school when I had a fantastic educator who loved the French culture, and not only taught the language but the history, artists, literature, and architecture. And it continued in college when I decided it was what I knew and loved best… (But please don’t ask me to speak, I’m very rusty.)

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The Louvre with my girls…

 

Recently a friend of mine (seen above… all the way to the right), who accompanied me on one of my trips to France, sent me a link to demonstrate the differences between every day occurrences in the U.S. and France. I thought it was humorous (and in a particular circumstance, very true to my own experience when asking for directions). Amusez-vous bien! Enjoy!

French Girls vs. American Girls (You need to click on the video ?)

Please note as portrayed in my “Featured Image” about to lunch in Paris with my college BFF, Maria, I can eat well anywhere I am.

Loving Lately ❤

Loving Lately: Take Out

Enough said, right? Because if I had time to write this post, I’d have time to make dinner.

Life Bellissima’s Peanut Butter Fudge

I’ve only attempted fudge a few times in my life- and not very successfully. It seems like it should just be something in one’s repertoire. Like every homemaker makes fudge, at least in my mind. Once I even tried making a sugar-free fudge for my diabetic grandmother, which was a disaster. I live hours away from Mackinac Island, where they produce world famous and delicious fudge. It’s just like one of those things that has been a part of my life all of my life. Making good fudge is important! Is it a Michigan thing? Is any of this making sense?

Then came Anna of Life Bellissima. She shared a Peanut Butter Fudge recipe that was special to her, because it’s the same recipe her dad used to make. And I thought to myself, “I’m going to try again.” And I can now feel comfortable saying that I do make fudge- good fudge, successfully (at least one kind of it). I have my own family recipe! My husband and kids loved it, and my kids had fun helping me make it.

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My favorite tip was that Anna said to pour it onto a plate! My first reaction was no way, it’s going to go everywhere and make a hot mess! But, mind you, I’ve never been successful at fudge making. And I thought about the times I’ve tried to dig it out of a baking dish… or try to prep a dish with wax paper. And I trust Anna, and if she said that’s how she does it, then by golly that’s how I’ll do it! I dumped that hot peanut butter fudge right onto a large (buttered) dinner plate, and it worked!


Without further ado, straight from Life Bellissima:

Sue’s Easy 15-Minute Peanut Butter Fudge

*I prefer to use organic ingredients

-In medium saucepan, combine:

1 cup raw cane sugar

1 cup light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup milk

-Stir with a wooden spoon until mixture begins to softly boil. Cook to 240 degrees. (For some reason, mine tends to heat fairly quickly, and I take it off of the burner at 230 degrees.)

-Remove from heat, and add:

1 cup mini marshmallows (or homemade marshmallow recipe here)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

-Mix with a wooden spoon for several minutes. Candy will become creamy, thicken and start to lose it’s gloss.

-Spread onto a buttered dish (Dad and I always used a large dinner plate.)

-This recipe can easily be doubled.

Thank you Anna for a great new recipe!

And I’ve had a request for Life Bellissima’s Homemade Marshmallow recipe too. Which she got from www.kitchenfrau.com, who got the no-fail recipe from her mother-in-law, Mabel’s cookbook. Don’t you just love modern conveniences? She includes some great step-by-step photos too. (Just click on the website above!)

 

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I don’t know anyone that doesn’t like a lemon poppy seed muffin. They’re like light little yellow cakes, beautifully polk-a-dotted with tiny black beads. Like little cake pieces of art, that you can eat- that taste like lemon. They are great for luncheons, brunches, and breakfast… nice with coffee or tea. Lemon poppy seed muffins are perfect to serve alone or along side a salad. And they are great in all sizes from jumbo to mini-muffins. I just love ’em.

Makes 12 medium muffins

As organic as possible:

1/2 cup Butter (1 stick), softened

3/4 cup Sugar

2 Eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups Flour

1 tsp Baking soda

2 Tbsp Poppy seeds

zest of 1 large or 2 small lemons

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Milk

Juice of 1 lemon (about 3 Tbsp)

1 tsp Vanilla

 

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a standard 12 cup muffin pan and set aside.

In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar with a hand held mixer (or a spoon and determination), until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, trying to keep a creamy consistency but not over-beating. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, poppy seeds, zest and salt. Thirdly, in a liquid measuring cup, stir milk, lemon juice and vanilla. Alternate adding and mixing the “dry” ingredients (flour mixture) and the “wet” ingredients (milk mixture) to the creamy butter mixture- just until incorporated. When all ingredients are combined, scoop batter into prepared muffin pan about 3/4 full. (Side note: I like to use an ice-cream scoop to keep an even amount in each cup. It helps them bake evenly.)

Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until edges are just starting to brown and cake is light and spongy. Insert a clean toothpick into center muffin to test. If it comes out clean, they’re ready!

 

 

 

Owen’s Jalapeño Cheese Roll

My husband likes to get creative in the kitchen- usually that means raiding the spice cabinet. This is one of his best creations. It’s a lot like those cheesy stuffed jalapeños or poppers, except it’s baked, not fried. (Which means it’s practically health food.) I have eaten a large portion as a meal, but my favorite way is to cut it into strips and serve it like an appetizer. The cheese really does give a nice balance and contrast to the heat of the jalapeño. I like things spicy… remember it’s a jalapeño roll. You know what you’re getting into.

As organic as possible:

4 oz. can or jar diced Jalapeños (do not drain)

8 0z. Cream cheese at room temperature

1 prepared or ready made Pizza crust, about 14 oz give or take

1-2 tsp Garlic Salt, plus more for sprinkling

2 Tbsp plus 2 tsp Butter at room temperature, divided, plus more for pan

2 Tbsp flour, plus more for pan

 

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter and flour a 13 x 9 inch baking sheet. Set aside.

Sprinkle flour on hard surface and roll out dough in a rectangle, approximately 12 x 9 inches. Cut the dough in half, so you have two 6 x 9 pieces.

In a medium bowl combine cream cheese, garlic (start with 1 tsp and taste for preference… you can always add more), 2 tablespoons of butter and jalapeños (including juice). Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated and creamy. Divide cheesy jalapeño mixture into 2 equal parts. Using half of the mixture, cover 2/3 of the prepared dough. Use the remaining half of the mixture and do the same on the other prepared dough sheet. Roll up 1/3 of the Flatten dough starting on the side where the cheese is on (cheese on top of cheese). Make sure the cheese is now all covered, bring the remaining 1/3 over the top. Gently pull the bottom sides out, fold over to the top, and pinch to seal in the cheese. Repeat with second roll.

On each roll, use 1 teaspoon of butter and rub on top of roll. Sprinkle with garlic salt (a light even covering). Place the rolls onto the prepared baking sheet, and put it into the oven. Cook until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly and cut into 1 1/2″-2″ x 5″ slices. Serve as an appetizer or to accompany a meal. Please note these are spicy! And it pairs well with a side of Ranch dressing. ?

 

Loving Lately ❤

Loving Lately: The Doors

I have a fascination with doors. Actually doors, windows and benches. But today I’m focusing on doors. They can be ornate, simple, freshly painted, tattered… I love to think about the stories that go along with them. The people that live behind them.

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As a little girl I remember seeing a door on the side of a mound covered with grass. A root cellar maybe? More likely a hobbit who wants to be left alone…

I think about a small rectangular door I saw on the top of a home. I never thought about it being a window. I only questioned how in the world does the person who lives there get in?

I like to think I’m much more practical with the stories I associate with doors now. A billionaire, an artist…

I find that I am particularly drawn to doors with flowers around. Because clearly that means someone lives there and takes care of there home.

And what about the other point of view? The doors that lead out, more than leading in?

I really could go on and on.

And I have to note that I cannot take credit for any of these photos. But if you are interested in finding more information about them you can find them on Pinterest @sadiesnest under “The Doors”.

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Okay, that’s it. Goodbye. (I’m shutting the door)

Pizza Bagels

This is proof that food can be fun. I have some cherished childhood memories of my dad making pizza bagels. It’s the kind of food he’d make for us while mom was away at a baby shower or something. It seemed exciting because, well for one, we were cooking with dad. Second, it was all things we were familiar with and knew we liked. Pizza! For another, it really seemed like we were getting creative. Taking something made for one thing and turning it into something completely different. Kids eat that kind of stuff up! (Figuratively and literally… and so do adults.) It really doesn’t get much easier!

As organic as possible:

Makes 8 servings

4 plain or everything Bagels, cut in half

1 – 14.5 oz jar or can of favorite prepared or homemade pizza sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

4 oz Pepperoni

*Any other topping you like (my kids pretty much stop right there)

 

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Place bagel halves, open faced, on a baking sheet. Spoon on desired amount of sauce on each bagel. (Side note: This is a lot of fun for kids (big and small). And everyone can adjust the toppings to their preferences.) Place a handful of shredded mozzarella on top of the sauce. Sporadically or methodically place pepperonis on top of the cheese (keeping in mind they will shrink in size when they cook).

Place the pizza works of art into the oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Leave it until it starts to brown if you prefer. This is your show. But do allow them to cool slightly before you bite into them, because the sauce will be surprisingly hot, and if you burn your tongue on the first bite, you will ruin the rest of your dinner. …And tasty pizza bagels are too tasty and fun to not enjoy!

A Day in the Life

Owen had left for work. Breakfast had been made, and put away. My oldest son was dressed, groomed and sent to school. Diapers had been changed. The little ones were settled in front of Disney Junior. It was a good time to steal a moment for myself.

“What is that?” I asked myself, staring into the bathroom sink. All I could see against the peach porcelain bowl was little flecks of white and brown. “Is that toilet paper? Oh my gosh, is that poop?” My four year old daughter had been the last one to use the bathroom. “Naomi, come here!” I yelled across the house. “Naomi, did you put your poopy toilet paper in the sink?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I was trying to rinse it off.”

“Why?” I asked again.

“I don’t have an answer for that.” she said. That’s her new go-to line.

“Okay, we don’t put our dirty toilet paper in the sink. It’s very yucky. After we are done, we flush it all down the toilet… Let’s get you cleaned up.” I took her to the kitchen sink to wash her up. After I felt she was sanitized, I headed back to the sanctioned off bathroom. As I was cleaning up the sink (with slight disgust mind you), I found myself in the rare position of thanking God that I actually saw the poop-stained shreds of toilet paper. At least I knew that I needed to disinfect the bathroom, and scrub Naomi. Then I had the terrifying thought of “what happens that I don’t know about?” …which I quickly dismissed… Because there are some things I’m better off not dwelling on.

Not in the too long future, I was attempting to give my three year old a dose of antibiotic medicine. He and my husband had recently taken a week-night trip to urgent care. Mostly because my husband had been miserable with what turned out to be a pretty severe sinus infection. My son, wasn’t in as bad shape so the prescription wasn’t necessary at the time, just a back-up in case his condition worsened. We had been giving him saline solution drops in his nose, and some cough medicine before bed. But now his mucus was darkening. Just to let you know Elijah, my three year old, has an uncanny self-imposed gag reflex. He can actually get himself to puking before he has ever even taken a bite of something he thinks is going to taste gross. The remedy to this usually is to have a drink of water on stand-by and have him well prepped ahead of time.

“It doesn’t taste bad. Stop that. You have water right here. It’s going to be fine. It’s going to make you feel better. Stop doing that. You haven’t even tasted it yet. It might taste good!” Medicine attempt failed. Puke everywhere. After a brief pause of disbelief, I say “That’s it. Everyone upstairs! I’m throwing you all in the tub!”

“Mom, you can’t th-wo kids.” he said.

“You’re right Elijah. I didn’t mean I was going to really throw you. I just mean I’m giving you all a bath.” The baby too, all three of them. Just on principle.

And it wasn’t even lunch time yet.

Biscuits & Gravy

I love a hearty breakfast, weekend or weekday. Anyone who knows me can attest to that. You know that line on Gone With the Wind when Scarlett says something to the effect of “Ashley told me he likes a girl with a healthy appetite.” And Mammy says “What gentlemen says and what they thinks is two different things.” I don’t know why that reminds me of me eating breakfast. It really has nothing to do with biscuits and gravy. But the amount of them I can put down in the morning is impressive. Or is it that it just feels that way when you’re finished? Regardless, I love that feeling. Comfort food at it’s finest. They’re so good! Don’t judge me.

As organic as possible:

1 pound Spicy ground pork breakfast Sausage (*you can do any ground breakfast sausage)

3 Tbsp flour

2 1/2 – 3 cups milk divided (whole or 2%)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tsp granulated garlic

1/2 tsp granulated onion

8-10 Biscuits, baked to golden perfection (homemade or store bought)

In a large skillet, brown the sausage. If you didn’t use spicy sausage (which is highly recommended), I suggest adding a few red pepper flakes. I just love how the heat cuts through the gravy and gives it a little depth. When the meat is browned, there should be a little fat left in the skillet. Add the flour and let it cook a couple minutes. Pour in about 1 cup of the milk, stirring gently until it starts to thicken, add about 1 1/2 cups more. Add the salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and granulated onion. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your preference. (Side note: I usually add more black pepper because I like to see the flecks on the top. It’s totally a childhood thing.)

If you find the gravy is too thick for your liking add another 1/2 cup of milk. If it’s not thick enough add a teaspoon of flour… gravy can be so forgiving.

Here’s where it gets personal. I have another childhood habit of tearing my biscuit into pieces and spooning the gravy on the top. Some people keep their biscuits whole and spoon the gravy on like snow on a mountain.  Owen likes to cut his biscuit in half (horizontally) and place the gravy on both halves. As far as I’m concerned there is no right or wrong way (or amount 😉 ). Just enjoy yourself one of life’s simple pleasures.

Loving Lately ❤

Loving Lately: The Treadmill

So, my first Thursday “Loving Lately” rendition of the year is not as much “loving” as it is “lately”. However, I’m trying to make some better choices. It really has nothing to do with the new year or any resolutions. Inadvertently, it has plenty to do with the holidays. I know the math is very simple, if you take in (eat) more calories than you burn you hang on to the excess. Thankfully the opposite is also true… So that’s what I’m going for. Actually, I saw this little quote recently on Facebook that said “I ran my first 10K this morning! I’m just kidding. I’m on my third donut.” That’s my kind of funny. My instinct says do not let that be my kind of reality. TBD…