Parisian food, Stinky Cheese and a Sweet Feline...

How beautiful Paris is! The obvious sites were gorgeous, but I just loved the shops and the street vendors as well. I could have eaten my way through Paris! Can't believe I didn't get a photo of the chocolate and banana crepes I had! Probably because I couldn't wait to eat them-no time for a photo!

Fresh tulips!

Wooden tulips

Macaroons...mmmm

Ham and eggs..ahhh American food

Small market

Fromage (cheese) market (phew...a little ripe odor for me) The display was so tidy!

Le Mimi cat got to lick the creme' brulee' spoon...

i loved these little cheese appetizers!!

..but I REALLY loved the creme brulee'!

Just brushing up with my $6 cup of coffee...

Roasted chestnuts!!!

My French breakfast!

All he needed was coffee and jam :)

Meringues!

A cute cafe'

More fresh tulips...

Fresh fruits and nuts on the street

French Croissants near the Eiffel Tower

Gleeful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How cute are these? Erin over at A Bake Odyssey made them!! I was so excited that I made some for Will's chorus teacher and am making a bunch for a bake sale tomorrow :) This is one with Sam!

Check out Erin's blog! I'll post when I have made the rest !

Homemade Home Cookin'

We have been traveling and/or busy since Spring Break and therefore eating at home has suffered. My youngest has taken a growth spurt despite this AND the lack of fruit and vegetables in his diet.

Anywho...I decided to make some basic food tonight. Ham, green beans and potato casserole. I baked the smoked ham---nothing exciting. I do not like honey ham. Sweet meat is not appetizing somehow. The potato casserole has been in my family FOREVER and the green beans have as well. Since I am from southern Arkansas, I grew up on this food. My green beans are seasoned with salt, pepper and a nice ham hock :) For those of you who are wondering where the HOCK is on a pig....it is somewhere around the ankle joint. If you have ever examined the ankles of a pig, they are pretty meaty. If you have not noticed a pig's ankles...good for you. I will use a piece of Petit Jean peppered ham if I have it, but it has been used up from my Christmas stash!

Here are the pics and the Potato Casserole recipe follows!

Ingredients + cheese

Place thawed potatoes in a 9x13 inch baker (this is my Pampered Chef pan...it is not dirty!) Spread the soup, sour cream, cheese, butter mixture on top...

I didn't take a pic of the soup, sour cream and cheese mixture because it didn't look photo worthy! This has half of the crushed corn flakes on top already...

Add the crushed corn flakes to the top and pour the rest of the butter on the top! (I only use 1/4 a cup of butter in the mix and pour the other 1/4 on top. A total of 1/2 cup of butter. Gotta watch my girlish figure...apparently not my cholesterol!

Finished product!

Recipe:

32 oz. frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed

1/2 cup melted butter, (not margarine!)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz. sour cream

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 small onion, chopped (I have to use garlic powder or my youngest thinks I am trying to poison him)

2 cups crushed corn flakes

1/2 cup melted butter

Place potatoes in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix next 6 ingredients and pour over potatoes. Top with crushed corn flakes. Drizzle butter over the top. Bake uncovered 45 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Beans with ham hocks! (from my cell camera)

Finished Plate!

(sorry for the poor quality of print!)

Let me know if you try any of these :)