Weekly Menu, December 5 – 11

First, want to report that the Gratin Dauphinois we made last week, the one I was inspired by on La Tartine Gourmande‘s BEAUTIFUL site, was easy and delicious. If you have a food processor or a mandolin that will slice potatoes (and turnips and sweet potatoes) for you, you’re in business. The turnips and sweet potatoes give it a little something extra.

This is what it looked like before it went into the oven...

and here's the gratin goodness after it came out.

Meanwhile, I’m in a cookie frame of mind. It’s time for Christmas cookies and I’m planning my attack. Rich Roll Cookies, frosted and fun. Peanut Clusters. Candy Canes. On the fence about Gingerbread Men and Christmas Holly. Not to mention the famed Nut Mix. I think next weekend will be the perfect time to make a few.

On to the menu; quick and simple, here it is!

Sunday: Roast Whole Chicken with Roast Leeks (or Brussels sprouts, whatever is easier to find) and Potatoes (yummo)

Monday: Salmon en Papillote with sautéed Broccolini

Tuesday: White Bean Soup with Spinach

Wednesday: Burrito night. Likely a veggie burrito, but possibly Chicken Chipotle a la Homesick Texan

Thursday: Checking in with the Pioneer Woman (she’s in a Christmas cookie kind of mind, too) gave me the idea to try her Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

Friday: Shrimp Stir-Fry over Soba Noodles

Saturday: Pizza Night!

Recipe of the Week: Cherry Amandines from La Tartine Gourmande

I’ve found a great whip-it-up-when-you-get-home-dessert that looks fancy, tastes delicious and is filled with ripe, luscious cherries. It’s a little like a bread pudding with a soft center, and chock-a-block with bright fruit. Perfect for weeknight or weekend company, or (as I made it) for one of those I-need-a-dessert moments.

You should have most of the ingredients in your pantry (eggs, butter, brown sugar, vanilla). You might have almonds (for some reason, we always do. Maybe it’s the granola) and the cherries. And you’ll probably have to buy the crème fraiche or mascarpone cheese (one or the other). But it will be worth it.

Because it will take you 10 minutes to assemble this, 20 minutes to cook it (then some pacing while you wait for it to cool a bit) before it takes you 5 minutes to eat it and exclaim over the deliciousness.

Cherry Amandines, hot out of the oven

Seriously.

I found this recipe over at LaTartineGourmande.com, which you should visit, if for no other reason than it is amazingly gorgeous. Visiting this site from my frigid Manhattan office gives me a short Calgon “take me away” moment.

Cooking notes: I only used about half the cherries because I was afraid they wouldn’t all fit in my ramekins. That said, I could have used more, maybe even all, the recipe called for. I also used mascarpone rather than crème fraiche because the former can be found at the grocery around the corner, and the latter requires a special trip.

Check out the recipe here, and while you’re at it, check out the latest post which includes a fresh pea spread with goat cheese, lemon, mint- need I go on (hint hint Katie who is providing the so-called pea tapenade for dinner tonight)? Wow, that looks good.

Enjoy!