Thyme For Cooking, the Blog

Skillet Roasted New Potatoes

2012-05-30T21:31:23+02:00

New potatoes are very thin-skinned, immature potatoes. They have a short shelf life, usually only a few days before they start turning green and need to be added to the compost pile. It's likely that you'll only find them at the farmer's market - but try, if you can. They're worth it: incredibly sweet and creamy. I've made them several different ways over the years (a few ideas below) but this is still my favorite. When something is this good,...

Creamy Goat Cheese topped Beets on Spinach Salad

2012-05-28T20:58:14+02:00

I was meandering past Lucy's Kitchen Notebook, the other day, and saw her fantastic-looking Mille Feuille de Bettrave. The recipe sounded delicious; I had the goat cheese and beetroot... and some spinach. Of course I couldn't be bothered to actually follow the recipe. As was usual, it was late and I was in a hurry..... But my version was wonderful - not as pretty as hers, not as elegant, but wonderful. Thanks for the inspiration Lucy! Creamy Goat Cheese topped...

French Potato Salad

2012-05-27T22:00:38+02:00

We did something today that we haven't done in ages.... Or ever, actually. We forced the puppies into the back of the car and went on an outing. They haven't been in the car since they were spayed last fall.... We want to go visit our friend in Spain, and the puppies get to visit their mom, brother, granny and great-uncle. They need to get in the car in order for us to do that. They're still reluctant. They also...

Memorial Day.... The French do not forget.

2012-05-25T19:17:47+02:00

It's Memorial Weekend in the U.S. I first posted this in 2007, I think it's worth repeating..... This memorial was just down the lane from our house in the Vendée. I was going to write about French-American politics; American opinions about how the French think/feel; French opinions about American views/thoughts; who saved who in what war... I decided I was not stepping into that quagmire but, instead, would let some photos do the talking. A stone's throw from our house...

Oriental Pasta Salad, with Beans and Basil

2012-05-23T20:37:37+02:00

This is a salad that is full of flavors, keeps well, is low in fat and high in nutrition. And it's a hit with everyone that tries it. What more can one ask for? I normally have this as a side with grilled meat or fish, but you could add sliced, grilled chicken to it for a main dish salad. Or tofu for a vegetarian dinner. Unlike many pasta salads, the flavors don't all blend together after a day.... We...

No more puppies - the update

2012-05-22T21:48:18+02:00

They're big girls now - full-fledged dogs, er, bitches. Well, not Bonnie. Bonnie is the devil. This used to be a bed of iris. There were 4 different colors. They were all beautiful. They were just getting ready to bloom. First, Bonnie ate all she could, then came in the house and threw it all up at my feet. Then she and Guapa roll around in what was left of the iris. Emma used to like to lay on them...