Asparagus-Wild Rice Chowder

Evidently Mother Nature didn't get the memo that it's Mother's Day, which is supposed to be sunny and gorgeous with irises and lilacs in bloom.  (Instead, we have a snow storm.)

Killer Guac to Take to the Cookout

There's little to say except everyone loves guacamole.  It doesn't matter what the main dish is at the picnic or who's going to be there.  (We took this to a potluck Sunday night where it disappeared very quickly.)   You just dish up a nice big bowl of guac to go with the best tortilla chips you can find, a crunchy veggie tray, or even a plate of rolled up turkey and pepperjack slices for all of those on the South Beach diet.  If there are burgers, you're in luck, because many folks love burgers topped with guac.  Truth be told, there's such bad guac out there that you can buy it pre-made in the produce or frozen section.  Learn to make your own (no cooking except the bacon!) and be the hit of the party.    If you've got some vegetarian or vegan friends coming, leave out the bacon (or have it separate for an add in.)  Guac also makes a tasty salad...just add greens and a vinaigrette.  Try this:

alyce's killer guac  serves 4-6 as a appetizer with chips/doubles easily 

I like the food processor for making pico de gallo.

Meatball Frittata

Except for soup, pasta, or salad, there's nearly nothing you can cook that is as versatile as the not-so-humble frittata, which is nothing more than an open-faced omelet.   Just about whatever you've got leftover in your frig, including spaghetti you brought home from the Italian restaurant (and definitely the toppings from that box of cold pizza), can be worked into a frittata and turned into a meal that might feed you a couple times or more.  Will you be happy?  I think so.

Mother's Day Brunch -- A Lesson from Cooking with Music

In honor of Mother's Day, here's a reprint of one of my favorite brunch posts from More Time at the Table...as I finish moving and travel.  Have a wonderful day!

  Here's a link to my article, "Quiche 101"  --Make some quiche!

Today was the first summer session of Cooking with Music at my house, which is a group of lessons or classes that combine food, culture, and music from specific countries or cultures.  French was first up--

MENU CHEZ MORGAN

Hors-d'oeuvres (appetizers):   Fromage avec pain  -- Cheese with Bread
Entree  (First Course)  Salad Printemps avec vinaigrette dijonnaise-  Spring Salad with mustard vinaigrette or....Everyday Chopped Salad (from Jamie Oliver's Ministry of Food--we used the on-line video)
Plat principal  (Main Course)  Quiche  -Cooking with Music Quiche (Lesson on Pate Brisee; quiche w/ bacon and pruscuitto)
Dessert (Dessert)  Mousse au Chocolat -Chocolate Mousse with Whipped Cream and Strawberries

Beginning French Lesson was a great online video from Alain Le Lait

We began with

Bonjour!
Comment ca va?
Bien!  Tres Bien!  Et vous?
Pas mal.

And so on.

(Alain:  They loved Josette!)

I passed out notebooks and each student had a different color and their photo on the front.  Inside were maps of the world, Europe, info on the country of France, links to all of the sites we used in the lessons, all of the recipes and notes, and some coloring pages for the younger ones.

We went over the geography of France first.  Where was it?   While we did that, we listened to French folk songs...  But soon, if we wanted to eat before supper time, we needed to begin.  We made the mousse first and got it in the frig.   Next, we learned to make pastry dough ( Pate Brisee) and quiche filling.  That went in the oven while we watched a video on how to make chopped salad and made the salad.  Table set.  A little cheese.  Lunch was served.   It began to look like a piano lesson was going to have to be another day.

Merci! Merci!  to Jacque, Joel and Ellen.  Good cooks all!!!!
What are you cooking for Father's Day?

Here are a few highlights.

Working on liquid measuring technique

Using Le Creuset cookware on a gas stove...

Hot stuff in a Krups blender....

I get the taste test!

I want to see.

We all work together.

How to fill a quiche without spilling the filling.

Maybe.

Ok, How did Jamie chop cress?

Should we watch the video again?   Watch those fingers!

Oh, yeah.  That's a chopped salad.

Hey, I made that quiche!

At the table...finally!

Oh, by the way, you need to put a grace to music.  Here are the words:

Come, Lord.  Teach us to care, share and be grateful.  And most of all, teach us to love you and all you love.

We got a tune we're workin' on.

We did it!

Et voila! Mousse au chocolat:)  Another French food convert.

We'll have the piano lesson with French music another day!  Phew.

A bientot!