Claudine, Oui c'est Francais

Cupcake week entry

This week is Cupcake Week on The Martha Stewart Show. Of course I had to make a cupcake or two. First I wanted to make a Eiffel Tower cupcake.

I colored some gum paste black and then rolled it out and stamped it with one of the many Eiffel Tower rubber stamps

I had and then cut them out. Let them dry overnight and there you have it

And then I wanted to do a flower covered cupcake of Martha blue daisys. I love how it turned out. They are also made of gum paste

 

Adding the bottom row of flowers

the finished product complete with silver dragees

 

Off to post them on Martha Stewart,

Visit the Eiffel Tower here and the blue flower cupcake here you can even add a nice little comment for me on Martha's site....

Everyday Food-Shortcut dinners

In each monthly issue of Everyday food there is a "Grocery Bag" section. It plans your meals for a week and gives you your list of ingredients. I thought I would give it a try for the week, Martha is doing all the thinking and planing for me. Besides I have Cupcakes to create for her Cutest Cupcake contest this week...(I'll share that later)

First on the list was Sirloin Steak with Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus. It was delicious, the Dijon garlic and lemon sauce was so good and would be great on lamb or chicken as well.

Tomorrow will be Half Hour Chicken Gumbo

Then.. Broiled Soy-Glazed Pork with Rice and Asian Vegetables

And I can't forget Penne with Shrimp, Feta and Spring Vegetables

and lastly Mediterranean Veggie Burgers with mint-yogurt sauce and carrot salad

The new issue on Newsstands now is great, I will of course update you with all my favorite recipes after I get through a few more. I have already made a few and they have all been big hits!

Want to come over for dinner and some cupcakes?

Excellent reading

I just finished this wonderful book by Julia Child. It was all about her time in France and when she wrote "Mastering the Art of French Cooking"  It is wonderfully written and has great stories of their time in Paris and the south of France. 

It has inspired me to take out my "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and start making all sorts of wonderful things. Julia truly was a pioneer and brought French cooking and cooking programs to all our homes. We wouldn't have a Food network or maybe even Martha without her.

Merci Beaucoup Julia

Martha and the French Chefs

On Martha's show, Friday March 28th she will feature three of New York's top chefs, Eric Ripert of Le Bernardin, Daniel Boulud of Cafe Boulud  and Jean-Georges Vongerichten. I can not wait for this episode. She has had a Italian Chefs day, but I was oh so hoping for a French chef show.

Eric Ripert will be making braised halibut and peas a la Francaise and arugula and baby artichoke salad

Jean-Georges heats up the kitchen with a French twist on a classic dish -- roasted chicken and Creamed Spinach with basil

And Daniel Boulud shows you how to make a heart-healthy salmon dish

I have every one of these three great chefs cookbooks and they are all amazing.

I can't think of anything better, then French chefs and Martha. What a great way to start the weekend.....

Bon Appetit

Super Sneak Peak

A huge sneak peak to share with you all,  Martha is adding to her wonderful line of Craft products with a new line of customizable products-including invitations, save the date cards, favors, decorations and guest books-designed to make birthdays, weddings and every celebration more personal and special! I was able to see a sneak peak of the new invitations and favor book and they are great, wonderful quality and easy to use. Would you expect much less?

Martha Stewart Occasions is an extension of Martha Stewart Crafts and will be sold at Michaels stores and Martha Stewart Crafts online

The line will be available on May 23rd, so you will have to wait. Here are some great photos to tide you over and you can start you shopping list. I already know that I need the Green Tissue Pom-Poms!

Green Tissue Paper Pom-Pom Kit $19.99 – 7 count

Seaside Favors with Place Card Labels $19.99 – 24 count

Floral Cake Invitation Suite $29.99 – 24 count

Great new Martha Photo wedding book

Now this is one great idea from Martha Stewart and company.....

I have always had the best intentions to get all of my wedding photos in a book, but after 5 years they still sit in a box labeled Wedding. I do love to Scrapbook and I even started a album for my wedding, but after only a few layouts done it still sits almost empty.

The new Photo Wedding book from Martha and Shutterfly is a great idea! You can even choose the size 12x12 or 8X8, the 12x12 will just slide into the shelf next to my scrapbook, how perfect is that

It's as easy as dragging and dropping the photos in and when you are done you can make copies for your family as well. Included is a handy tip sheet that will guide you through the whole process. Martha and company always has the greatest wedding ideas, the newest Wedding issues will be out soon and I hear there are Diamonds on the cover. I can't wait to see it

Chocolate Eggs

I have been wanting to make the Chocolate filled eggs for years, even asking for the Drumel drill for my birthday just so I can make them. But after a couple years I finally decided that this would be the year!

It is a multi day project, first you have to blow the eggs out and let them dry for 2 or 3 days. Martha showed a great little gadget on her show the week before Easter and I quickly ordered one. It worked like a dream and the eggs were blown out in no time.

After a few days of drying they were dyed blue, a lot darker then I wanted them but they still work. Time to dry again

There were two different options, you could fill the egg with solid chocolate or make a chocolate shell by filling it with chocolate letting it set for 5 minutes, pour it out and then fill with chocolate ganache. I went with the ganache option. Filling them was not the prettiest job, but it worked

And the final result..... it was very tasty and a big hit at Easter

now that I have one year down, I will make them next year for sure!

The Easter table

My Easter table this year was lots of Martha and lots of glitter. I had plans to use these, but had to change my plans and stick with the Martha Lorraine plates.Then Madenhair will have to wait for it's moment to shine. Maybe my birthday? I have a lot of plates and get in trouble all the time for it so I thought I should stick with my "current" everyday plates. And then the color pallet went from there.

I had found some large bunnies on Saturday morning and they got a quick coat of glitter. The white tulips were hard to find, after 4 stores I found them. I guess it is still a bit early for tulips, at least around here. The chocolate eggs came out well and I made some little favors using tiny flower pots tied a ribbon that matched the plates and filled with white easter grass and then topped with the Chocolate Ganache filled egg. More on those eggs later.

Standing in the kitchen Sunday morning I had to separate the m&m's for the little bowls on the table. John thought I was nuts at this point. I told him he could only eat the yellow, I didn't like that color with the table .Yes I may agree with him, who does that.... I may be a little compulsive.

Dinner was great and the menu was a hit. Now we have leftovers for a few days. Well until we are sick of it which will most likely be tomorrow....

Peter Cottontail

Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail...

I was very proud of my bunny cake and how he turned out. I love the green grass on the top of the cake and the bottom. I wouldn't let anybody cut into the bunny and he is actually still sitting on the cake that now looks more like a bow tie. Since I cut the pieces around it. John wanted to bite his ears off but I wouldn't let him. How can you cut into that sweet little thing?

Easter menu 2008

The Easter Menu for 2008 is set, unless I make yet another change again....

To start:

Claudine's famous family clam dip

French cheeses and truffle pate

Gougeres

Main event

Ham with green Ham Paste

Asparagus Gruyere Tart

French Green Beans

Brussel sprouts with pancetta

Blue Cheese potato gratin

Chive Biscuits

Bunny cake with French Pound cake & homemade sour cream ice cream

As usual I have a French theme.....