La Bonne Vie- An Eating, Drinking & Cooking Diary!

This blog is “cooking therapy”. I lost my dear friend, Linda H. Mason, "Mason", this year- so I began to cook! Mason and I loved food! Mason lived "the good life"- "la bonne vie"- she cooked, ate, enjoyed the company of others...enjoyed French stuff. I've decided to blog recipes, tastes, and smells that remind me that life is good. Nothing stuffy- just fun- an eating, drinking, cooking journey to explore the good life...the way Mason would- over a good meal!

Friday, September 26, 2014

A Favorite Fall Snack!

White Chocolate Popcorn!

We make this every fall. Sometimes I switch out the fruit and nut mix for candy corn, M&M's, and peanuts.

Ingredients: 2 bags of popped popcorn, 2 large bags of your favorite fruit and nut mix, 12 oz white chocolate morsels, and cinnamon (to taste).

Melt the morsels by heating them in the microwave on
medium heat for several 20 to 30 second intervals.
Stir after each heating interval.

Continue the heating and stirring intervals until melted
completely.

Make sure that any unpopped kernels are removed.
Add popped popcorn and both bags of fruit and nut mix to a large bowl.

Mix popcorn and fruit/nut mix together. Pour melted chocolate over the popcorn mixture.
Mix well, then pour out on wax paper to cool and harden.

While still warm and gooey, sprinkle with cinnamon.

When cooled and hardened, store in an airtight container.

Absolutely delicious!!!

Fall Snacks...Just one more way to enjoy La Bonne Vie Y'all!!!

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Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Chicken a' la Diable...a Little Spicy in Hurry!

This is from the Saute', Deglaze and Serve section of The Bonne Femme Cookbook.

It is ready to serve almost as fast as you can read this blog post- hooray!

Chicken a' la Diable over rice, with mixed veggies!

Saute'd chicken

Using the same pan, saute' 1 large shallot, add 1/4 cup
white wine, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp tomato
paste and 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns.
Whisk to loosen brown bits, bring to a boil and reduce
by half.
Add 1/2 cup chicken broth, boil and reduce until sauce
coats the back of a spoon

Whisk in 1 Tbsp parsley and serve sauce over chicken.

Spice but Nice: The peppercorns add spice to the dish; but "the Nice"...it is ready in less than 30 minutes!!!

Great food doesn't have to take hours to make...if it did you might see me picking up more food from the drive-thru.

This dish can handle a spicy red wine like the Brazen Zinfindel.

Enjoy a great meal on a week night.

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

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Friday, September 19, 2014

Sausage Cheddar Muffins with a Berry Banana Parfait- Great Weekend Brunch!

Delicious and Easy Weekend Brunch!
These Sausage Cheddar Biscuits are great for crisp fall mornings!

Ingredients: 1 lb pork (or turkey) sausage browned and drained; 3 cups Bisquick; 1 1/2 cups Cheddar Cheese; 1 can condensed cheese soup, 3/4 cup water.

Mix the 1st three ingredients, then make a well and fill with mixed soup and water. Mix until all the dry ingredients become wet.

Fill muffin tin to the top and bake at 375 degrees...

...for 20 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Ingredients: Vanilla yogurt, banana, raspberries, blueberries,
whipped cream and cinnamon.

Layer yogurt, sprinkle with cinnamon, berry mixture,
banana slices- twice. Top with whipped cream and
more cinnamon.

Brunch is served!

The muffins taste a lot like my Mamaw's sausage balls. They are actually easier to make and they taste delicious!

La Bonne Vie Y'all!

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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Mustard Sea Scallops with Tarragon

Served with Gruyere Mashed Potatoes and Mixed Veggies!

1/4 cup of fennel, 2 Tbsp Dijon, 1 small garlic clove minced, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1 tsp sugar, olive oil, 1 tsp tarragon leaves, 16 sea scallops

Saute fennel to soften, add garlic, salt and white pepper (to taste), saute scallops. Mix sugar, orange juice and Dijon mustard- add oj mix and cook until scallops are opaque and sauce reduces. Stir in tarragon.

Make mashed potatoes and add shredded Gruyere cheese.

Delicious mustard and Gruyere play off of each other.

Enjoy and La Bonne Vie Y'all!

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Hooray For Fall!

Fall Sangria from Chat 'O Brasserie!

Fall...bright blue skies, cool crisp air, festivals, pumpkin carving, football, the smell of cinnamon and caramel...Ahhh! What a wonderfully festive time of year!

I feel more creative in the fall. I find myself flipping through magazines feverishly, looking for new recipes and decorating ideas.

Throughout the fall be sure check in to see what we are doing. Decorating a harvest inspired table, front porch arrangements, pumpkin carving, and festive fall foods will feature here all season long. I'm pulling together a tailgating party with "The Bear's Berry Punch" complete with hounds-tooth decor for big Bama games in October!

And don't even get me started on Halloween...I'm making lists of cocktails and fun food ideas for a great Halloween gathering!

I'm just so excited!

I thought I would share pics of some of our favorite times from fall's past:

Pretty Fall Front Porch

We have 3 rescued black cats...this
door hanger just speaks to me!

Beautiful Fall Topiary made by...my mom!

Oktoberfest at the Chattanooga Market!

Fundraiser Basket for the Pet Placement Center- Bama
Tailgating Basket!

We love pumpkin carving! The Hubs is particularly skilled.
We found the pattern for these Dancing Starfish
on the Coastal Living website.

This Wave After Wave design is another
Coastal Living pattern.

This Creepy Castle pattern came with a
pumpkin carving kit.

Last year, I dressed up like Remy. Do we
look anything alike?

A few years ago, Remy was a "Cat-Fish"...get it?!

Minnie as a fairy...she kinda hated the wings. It was on
just long enough for this picture.

Pumpkin was the cutest Pirate ever!

You know we love our black cats! This little treat came
from Rembrandt's Coffee House. White cake, orange
frosting, and a delightfully whimsical
fondant black cat, complete with green eyes!