Butternut Squash Risotto tastes even better then it sounds!

I had to thin it with extra chicken stock at the end.

Roasted squash

Rachel of Rachel Likes to Cook chose today's recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto. I was very interested in how this recipe was going to work. I was surprised at how easy it was. The stirring the chicken stock into the rice was the biggest part of the recipe. The prefect risotto has always scared me. I tasted awesome risotta on our trips to Italy. I have attempted it a couple times before but never with butternut squash and bacon. I made some chicken stock in the morning to use in the recipe. I par cooked the squash before roasting it. It really helped save on time when I was making this. The butternut squash was awesome. I am going to try my squash roasted next time as a side dish! It was sweet and salty at the same time and had a great caramelized flavour from roasting it in the oven. My husband and I both loved this recipe. We had enough left for leftovers for several days. My husband took it to work the next day and people were asking for samples of it because it smelled so good. Ina always has such great recipes. I can't wait for her new book to come out. I pre-ordered mine and am hoping that it will ship soon! If you want to check out the other Barefoot Bloggers http://www.barefootbloggers.wordpress.com/ .

Provence

Hill-top town
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is — called the "Venice of Provence" The river runs through the town in Provence.

We went to an open air market to shop!

Market days are huge here selling everything

from food to linens. It was very fun seeing what
people were selling. I wanted to buy a little of

everything. We did buy stuff for a picnic at the park.

My favorite treat was Creme Brulee from a bakery.

CREME BRULEE
1 pt. heavy cream6 egg yolks1/2 c. sugarPinch of salt2 tsp. vanillaLight brown sugar (granulated)
Heat heavy cream (the heaviest you can get) to the boiling point. Lightly beat egg yolks with sugar and a pinch of salt; pour the hot cream over them, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula or wire whisk until well blended. Add vanilla or a little mace or any other flavoring you desire. Strain the custard into a 1 1/2 quart heat-proof baking dish; stand the dish in a pan of warm water and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the custard is completely set but not over cooked. Do not let the water in the pan boil. Remove from the oven; cool and then chill in the refrigerator.
About 1 1/2 to 2 hours before serving, sprinkle the top evenly with fine light brown granulated sugar to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Put under the broiler (or use a salamander, if you have one) until the sugar is melted and bubbly, watching carefully to see it does not scorch and burn. Remove, cool, and chill again until serving time. You'll have a hard, highly glazed crust on top of the custard. This will serve about 6. If you have more guests, double the recipe, using 12 egg yolks to a quart of cream.

Bins and bins of olives!

What a huge display of homemade

goods! I have never tasted so many
jams and jelly's before.
I came across these pictures from our trip to Provence in April. We had such a great time touring the region and sampling Delicious foods. We tried Foie Gras for the first time and also enjoyed some wonderful stinky cheeses : -)
Fourme d'Ambert: A classic favorite within France and beyond, this creamy cheese has a big flavor without being excessively salty. A perfect partner for crisp fruit!
Buche de Chevre: No French assortment would be complete without a representation of France's centuries-long tradition of aged goat's milk cheeses. And what better cheese than the flavorful Buche de Chevre!
Abondance: Highly aromatic, Abondance is a washed-rind cheese that melts wonderfully and tastes heavenly. Fruity, nutty, and creamy; you won't mind the smell after a single taste! (8 oz)
Camembert: Hailing from Normandy, camembert is a creamy cheese ripened under a layer of downy white mold.
Mousse Truffee: A smooth, silken pate; this mousse is enhanced with the earthy, inimitable flavor of black truffles.
Saucisson a l'Ail: A smooth, soft pork sausage made by the Trois Petit Cochons and a generous addition of garlic and white wine.
Crusty French bread: The perfect accompaniment to all of these creamy cheeses.

In France, chefs are as famous as great athletes. Local cafés, cuisine, and wines were the highlights of our French adventure. We sampled foods that we normally would not have tried. We loved the hilltop town of Roussillon. It is car free and we hiked the hill to the top. We strolled darling streets and found a tea shop to enjoy a cup of tea and relaxed while watching the sunset. I came across the best cookies from one of the vendors at the market. They were made with almond paste and melted in your mouth. I paid almost 10$ with the conversion for a handful of cookies. I think they were worth it!

ALMOND PASTE COOKIES
1/2 lb. very soft butter1 c. sugar1 c. grated almond paste1 egg, beaten1 1/2 c. flour1/2 tsp. baking powder1/2 tsp. baking sodaPinch of salt
Cream butter and sugar well. Add remaining ingredients. Form batter into small balls, press down with floured fork on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 9-10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Summer recipes

I love summer. There is something to say about sunshine, long days, outdoor grilling and no school. It is also a great time to try recipes. My friend Alyssa makes the best lemonade cookies. She brought them over to our first get together and they have been a favorite of my kids ever since. She tweaked the recipe until they came out perfect. Here is her version of the summer cookies.

Lemonade Cookies 350 oven temp
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
3 1/2 Cups self rising flour
1 can frozen lemonade concentrate she uses regular or pink

Frosting
2 Cups powdered sugar
1/6 cup lemonade concentrate
1/4 cup butter

Grease cookie sheet
Cream butter and 1 cup sugar, add flour. Gradually beat mix. Add 3/4 cup lemonade concentrate. Drop rounded tsp of cookie mix onto greased pan.
Bake 10-15 mintues until lightly browned.

Beat powdered sugar, lemonade and butter together to make the frosting. Wait until cookies have cooled to frost. May add lemon zest if desired. These made about 2-3 dozen cookies. They are so good with Strawberry lemonade.