à table
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In-between times
You know that funny week between Christmas and New Year's Day, when not much is going on, but there's lots of time to spare. It's actually a really great (albeit slightly awkward) time. Despite Gui and I both having some work to do during this week, it felt pretty slow and sweet. We took advantage of some really spectacular, sunny weather while we could, too. Avienne and Loden made good use of their largest Christmas gift from this year - a 16-foot trampoline, and we biked around a bit in between coffee shop hangs and Christmas cleanup.
Christmas 2023
We're lucky to have had family visit us in Austin over the past couple of months, which made it a little easier to decide to stay put for the holidays this year. We normally travel for either Thanksgiving or Winter break, but we cozied up at home and made very few plans these past two months. It's made for a much-needed reset and I got to focus on spending some time making slower meals at home, which is something I don't ever seem to have time to do anymore.
This year, I made simple goals for meals and decided to keep my stress levels as low as possible by sticking to my tried and true comfort foods. I've also gotten better at setting reasonable expectations of my time when it comes to cooking. I remember getting so overwhelmed after choosing lofty menus and complicated recipes in years past, but I've finally decided not to over-complicate things so I only feel enjoyment from the time spent in the kitchen. It doesn't make sense to feel reluctant about spending so much time cooking if I don't want to be doing it. Last year, I made the decision to order a premade duck confit Christmas dinner, and it was all the rage with everyone. This year, I knew I'd have a lot of time at home, and opted to keep it more homemade.
So, we did our usual smoked salmon, cheese and charcuterie board for Christmas Eve. We added a chocolate panettone to the mix this year for dessert because we couldn't get enough of one at a friend's house earlier in the week. For Christmas linner, I stuck to a long and slow braised beef short rib with grandpère's gratin and grilled red cabbage with mustard sauce. Avienne's gotten more curious (and helpful!) in the kitchen, so she helped me whip up a very rustic bûche de noël that managed to be tasty despite my missing a few ingredients.
It was an indulgent couple of days, and we were all reminded how grateful we are for the food and gifts we all luxuriated in this Christmas.
This year, I made simple goals for meals and decided to keep my stress levels as low as possible by sticking to my tried and true comfort foods. I've also gotten better at setting reasonable expectations of my time when it comes to cooking. I remember getting so overwhelmed after choosing lofty menus and complicated recipes in years past, but I've finally decided not to over-complicate things so I only feel enjoyment from the time spent in the kitchen. It doesn't make sense to feel reluctant about spending so much time cooking if I don't want to be doing it. Last year, I made the decision to order a premade duck confit Christmas dinner, and it was all the rage with everyone. This year, I knew I'd have a lot of time at home, and opted to keep it more homemade.
So, we did our usual smoked salmon, cheese and charcuterie board for Christmas Eve. We added a chocolate panettone to the mix this year for dessert because we couldn't get enough of one at a friend's house earlier in the week. For Christmas linner, I stuck to a long and slow braised beef short rib with grandpère's gratin and grilled red cabbage with mustard sauce. Avienne's gotten more curious (and helpful!) in the kitchen, so she helped me whip up a very rustic bûche de noël that managed to be tasty despite my missing a few ingredients.
It was an indulgent couple of days, and we were all reminded how grateful we are for the food and gifts we all luxuriated in this Christmas.
Feeding my spirit
Paris is full of creativity, creative people, inspiring scenes. So many friends I have made here have inspired me to feed my creative passions that I never really knew I was starving. From knitting, to cooking, to sewing to blogging, I have found so many outlets to express my point of view and creativity that I might never have otherwise known about. My knitting group has the cream of the crop of creative types in Paris, and I'm truly inspired by them every time we meet up. I met my friend Abby at Tricothé and she is seriously creative - she turns all kinds of objects into beauitful treasures, and she seems to find magic in the most everyday of items. She has a perfectly charming blog where she posts her thoughts and musings on the very simply lovely life she leads in the city of lights. This post is inspired from the Marché Photo of the Week series on her blog, and hopefully it will become a regular on this blog, too.
This past week brought the devastating news of the passing of one of my dearest aunts, an incredible, bold and loving soul who taught me that many of life's grey days could be brightened with a funny joke and a hearty laugh. After a few days of grieving and reflection in hibernation, I finally left the apartment to live again. The sun came out this morning, and we took to the marché to embrace its warmth and energy.
My Aunt Clare loved to cook, and she introduced me to so many new flavors and recipes in my younger years that inspire my culinary endeavors to this day. My first manicotti, my first split pea soup - she was a whiz in the kitchen who influenced my palate and fed my creativity at the stove. Her spirit of life and her passion for sharing delicious food with the ones she loved will always resonate in my heart and in my kitchen.
This past week brought the devastating news of the passing of one of my dearest aunts, an incredible, bold and loving soul who taught me that many of life's grey days could be brightened with a funny joke and a hearty laugh. After a few days of grieving and reflection in hibernation, I finally left the apartment to live again. The sun came out this morning, and we took to the marché to embrace its warmth and energy.
My Aunt Clare loved to cook, and she introduced me to so many new flavors and recipes in my younger years that inspire my culinary endeavors to this day. My first manicotti, my first split pea soup - she was a whiz in the kitchen who influenced my palate and fed my creativity at the stove. Her spirit of life and her passion for sharing delicious food with the ones she loved will always resonate in my heart and in my kitchen.
Today's marché finds (Marché Président Wilson):
sliced speck and fioccia
mozzarella di bufala
white onions
green asparagus
limes
eggplant
bean sprouts
spring onions
fresh parmesan
arugula
Thai rice noodles
jasmin rice
freshly ground beef (not shown)
On this week's menu:
Mom's baked spaghetti
Asparagus chardonnay risotto
Italian meat, mozarella, onion, arugula pizza (crust recipe)
Eggplant parmesan on buttered linguini
'Tis the season to be...busy.
How on EARTH is it already mid-November?! And how did my first day of work suddenly turn into a month later?! I so wish I could just stop time for a bit, take a deep breath and reflect on what is now my reality. I see pictures of my new nephew that I still have yet to meet and can't believe he's already transformed from being a pink, wrinkly newborn to a completely cognizant infant. Not to mention that my other nephews are growing at lightning-speed like weeds in the summer without regard for their aging Auntie who's scared they won't recognize her soon.
And now Thanksgiving is upon us - less than a week away - and my built-in nostalgia-sensors are at full-strength. Since I can't make it home again this year for the family feast fest, we decided to host it chez nous once again to keep the tradition alive (at least one more year - I'm swearing that I'll be celebrating in the motherland next year). We've ordered the 17-pound turkey (fingers crossed it actually arrives), stocked up on the essentials for cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole and mashed potatoes, and we're planning to clear out the living room this week to make space for all the food and friends we're anticipating.
To help with the organization, we took a trip to Ikea this weekend and came home with more than we set out to get, including a poinsettia and some red garland. The holidays are already upon us and it's freaking me out! I've never felt so unprepared for the season before - it's like my brain is busting at the seams with thoughts of turkeys, Christmas gifts, new year's eve celebrations, knitting projects, grocery lists, and what I'm going to wear to work tomorrow. When did I become an adult? And when can I go back to letting someone else take care of all that stuff again?
I know what my mom will be saying right about now - something about how great it is to be an adult, to grow a family and continue the traditions. She'd also probably mention that I should just take it one day at a time, or in this case at least, one holiday at a time. I guess I just tend to get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the to-do, it's hard to stop and check-in to reality for a second and cherish what it's really about.
One thing's for sure, when the temps drop and the holidays start rolling through, my stomach starts craving all things wintry and warm. On those rare evenings when I've found myself with some spare energy, I've taken to the kitchen to feed my cravings. And usually, that means something that I've been missing from my mom or Aunt Janie's kitchen - like soups and stews and Spanish rice. My most recent craving-killer was something my mom used to cook for us that I know her mom cooked for her when the air was extra chilly and squash season was in full swing. It's a simply soupy dish called calabaza con pollo, and it's all I could think about eating for more than a week straight. But, no recipe I found was exactly what I was looking for, so I noted the spices and concocted my own recipe along with my mom's recipe for Spanish rice and came up with one of the best dishes I've ever made. One thing I'm very thankful for is having a mom who's always known how to balance her time between work and family, and who, growing up, always managed to put a hot meal in front of us despite her hectic life. It's always difficult to be away from my family during the holidays, but I'm happy for the simple memories of family meals that I'm able to recreate from so far away.
Calabaza con pollo
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 zucchini, sliced or diced
1 onion
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste/concentrate
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Season chicken with salt and pepper and saute in a deep skillet with the olive oil until cooked through.
Add onion and saute for 2 minutes, until translucent. Add zucchini and saute for another minute or 2. Add remaining ingredients, cover the pan and leave it to simmer on the stove (mid-low heat) for about 15 minutes.
Serve over Spanish rice and eat with tortillas (we had some corn tortillas that I brought back from Texas and could only have been happier if they'd been my mom's homemade flour tortillas).
* Also, I remember this dish being served with corn from time to time, but we didn't have a can lying around so I left it out.
And now Thanksgiving is upon us - less than a week away - and my built-in nostalgia-sensors are at full-strength. Since I can't make it home again this year for the family feast fest, we decided to host it chez nous once again to keep the tradition alive (at least one more year - I'm swearing that I'll be celebrating in the motherland next year). We've ordered the 17-pound turkey (fingers crossed it actually arrives), stocked up on the essentials for cornbread stuffing, green bean casserole and mashed potatoes, and we're planning to clear out the living room this week to make space for all the food and friends we're anticipating.
To help with the organization, we took a trip to Ikea this weekend and came home with more than we set out to get, including a poinsettia and some red garland. The holidays are already upon us and it's freaking me out! I've never felt so unprepared for the season before - it's like my brain is busting at the seams with thoughts of turkeys, Christmas gifts, new year's eve celebrations, knitting projects, grocery lists, and what I'm going to wear to work tomorrow. When did I become an adult? And when can I go back to letting someone else take care of all that stuff again?
I know what my mom will be saying right about now - something about how great it is to be an adult, to grow a family and continue the traditions. She'd also probably mention that I should just take it one day at a time, or in this case at least, one holiday at a time. I guess I just tend to get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the to-do, it's hard to stop and check-in to reality for a second and cherish what it's really about.
One thing's for sure, when the temps drop and the holidays start rolling through, my stomach starts craving all things wintry and warm. On those rare evenings when I've found myself with some spare energy, I've taken to the kitchen to feed my cravings. And usually, that means something that I've been missing from my mom or Aunt Janie's kitchen - like soups and stews and Spanish rice. My most recent craving-killer was something my mom used to cook for us that I know her mom cooked for her when the air was extra chilly and squash season was in full swing. It's a simply soupy dish called calabaza con pollo, and it's all I could think about eating for more than a week straight. But, no recipe I found was exactly what I was looking for, so I noted the spices and concocted my own recipe along with my mom's recipe for Spanish rice and came up with one of the best dishes I've ever made. One thing I'm very thankful for is having a mom who's always known how to balance her time between work and family, and who, growing up, always managed to put a hot meal in front of us despite her hectic life. It's always difficult to be away from my family during the holidays, but I'm happy for the simple memories of family meals that I'm able to recreate from so far away.
Calabaza con pollo
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 zucchini, sliced or diced
1 onion
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato paste/concentrate
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
Season chicken with salt and pepper and saute in a deep skillet with the olive oil until cooked through.
Add onion and saute for 2 minutes, until translucent. Add zucchini and saute for another minute or 2. Add remaining ingredients, cover the pan and leave it to simmer on the stove (mid-low heat) for about 15 minutes.
Serve over Spanish rice and eat with tortillas (we had some corn tortillas that I brought back from Texas and could only have been happier if they'd been my mom's homemade flour tortillas).
* Also, I remember this dish being served with corn from time to time, but we didn't have a can lying around so I left it out.
What we've been eating (and drinking)
Living in Paris has given me many opportunities to try so many new foods to both eat and cook with. But, I tend to stay true to my roots which means that a craving for nachos will have me searching Paris high and low for refried beans and cheddar cheese. And, I always keep my kitchen well-stocked with all the foods and spices that I find easy and familiar to cook with, like tortillas, rice, chili powder (I make chili or taco soup nearly once a week), pasta and barbecue sauce. Sometimes I wish I was more experimental in the kitchen, and I often wonder what's being served up on the tables of other families in Paris.
I am lucky (and so is Gui) that I have a decent grasp of cooking, and I find myself trying to merge my cooking habits with those of Gui - well, his mom, at least. When Gui and I were living in Long Beach, he burned pasta while attempting to make some sort of carbonara-type dish, and that's when I decided he didn't really belong in the kitchen. Plus, he doesn't mind doing the dishes (which I detest), so it's kind of a culinary match made in heaven between the two of us. But, his mom, now, his mom can whip up some serious grub. Terrine d'asperges, roasted chicken with caramelized apples and a mean stir-fry rank high among my favorites of her culinary specialties.
Last Sunday, Gui and I managed to roll out of bed early enough to get started on what would become a day of intoxicating chocolate. Despite having taken part in another first in Paris the night before...
...(yep, a bit of absinthe after a few rounds of drinks before), we still made it to the Salon du Chocolat for our own little gourmet version of a chocolate "brunch". It didn't take much more than the lure of fancy chocolate samples to convince me to wake up before noon on a Sunday morning, and I didn't regret my choice after spending a few moments in the exposition hall.
I'm not usually very comfortable asking someone to sample a product knowing full and well that I'm not going to purchase their goods afterwards, but I eventually got over it and set off shamelessly sampling to my heart's desire like everyone else was. I was kind of upset that some of the better-known brands weren't offering any samples, which to me signified a slight arrogance in their product. It's true, I don't know how it all works, but I'd imagine, as a business, you involve yourself in such a venue to gain exposure for your products, especially new ones you're trying to usher into the market. But, the great thing is that almost everyone there was happily offering dégustations of their goods, and I found myself falling in love with new and old chocolatiers and their divine creations.
Our greatest discovery at the Salon, though was of the savory type. As good as the mango Baileys, cappuccino mousse-filled chocolate, and myrtille-flavored chocolate square were, we couldn't get the chicken molé poblano out of our heads after trying a spoonful on a piece of baguette. My mom makes an amazing molé, but hers is reddish-colored and made with peanut butter. I've (kindly) asked her to make a batch of her chicken molé and Spanish rice when we come visit in December because it's definitely on my short but growing list of comfort foods. The molé we tried at the expo was a Mexican specialty, and not completely unlike my mom's; it was made with chocolate instead of peanut butter, which produced a rich, delicious, black-colored sauce that made Gui and I go crazy. We ended up buying some of the last few spoonfuls of the pre-made sauce, rustically packaged in plasticwrap-covered plastic cups, making the complicated dish easy to reproduce the next day. For me, though, the best part of reproducing the meal was that I finally perfected my mom's Spanish rice - no small feat, mind you. It turned out fluffy and flavorful and reminded me why I'll never get tired of eating the stuff I've been fed since childhood.
Mom's rice cookin'!
The end result was DELICIEUX!
Our chicken molé dinner (but, I forgot the sesame seeds until we'd already started digging in!)
With sesame seeds. It was so good!
I am lucky (and so is Gui) that I have a decent grasp of cooking, and I find myself trying to merge my cooking habits with those of Gui - well, his mom, at least. When Gui and I were living in Long Beach, he burned pasta while attempting to make some sort of carbonara-type dish, and that's when I decided he didn't really belong in the kitchen. Plus, he doesn't mind doing the dishes (which I detest), so it's kind of a culinary match made in heaven between the two of us. But, his mom, now, his mom can whip up some serious grub. Terrine d'asperges, roasted chicken with caramelized apples and a mean stir-fry rank high among my favorites of her culinary specialties.
Last Sunday, Gui and I managed to roll out of bed early enough to get started on what would become a day of intoxicating chocolate. Despite having taken part in another first in Paris the night before...
...(yep, a bit of absinthe after a few rounds of drinks before), we still made it to the Salon du Chocolat for our own little gourmet version of a chocolate "brunch". It didn't take much more than the lure of fancy chocolate samples to convince me to wake up before noon on a Sunday morning, and I didn't regret my choice after spending a few moments in the exposition hall.
I'm not usually very comfortable asking someone to sample a product knowing full and well that I'm not going to purchase their goods afterwards, but I eventually got over it and set off shamelessly sampling to my heart's desire like everyone else was. I was kind of upset that some of the better-known brands weren't offering any samples, which to me signified a slight arrogance in their product. It's true, I don't know how it all works, but I'd imagine, as a business, you involve yourself in such a venue to gain exposure for your products, especially new ones you're trying to usher into the market. But, the great thing is that almost everyone there was happily offering dégustations of their goods, and I found myself falling in love with new and old chocolatiers and their divine creations.
Our greatest discovery at the Salon, though was of the savory type. As good as the mango Baileys, cappuccino mousse-filled chocolate, and myrtille-flavored chocolate square were, we couldn't get the chicken molé poblano out of our heads after trying a spoonful on a piece of baguette. My mom makes an amazing molé, but hers is reddish-colored and made with peanut butter. I've (kindly) asked her to make a batch of her chicken molé and Spanish rice when we come visit in December because it's definitely on my short but growing list of comfort foods. The molé we tried at the expo was a Mexican specialty, and not completely unlike my mom's; it was made with chocolate instead of peanut butter, which produced a rich, delicious, black-colored sauce that made Gui and I go crazy. We ended up buying some of the last few spoonfuls of the pre-made sauce, rustically packaged in plasticwrap-covered plastic cups, making the complicated dish easy to reproduce the next day. For me, though, the best part of reproducing the meal was that I finally perfected my mom's Spanish rice - no small feat, mind you. It turned out fluffy and flavorful and reminded me why I'll never get tired of eating the stuff I've been fed since childhood.
Mom's rice cookin'!
The end result was DELICIEUX!
Our chicken molé dinner (but, I forgot the sesame seeds until we'd already started digging in!)
With sesame seeds. It was so good!What we've been eating
There's been a lot going on around here these days. Most of my usually free time has been occupied with job interviews and bouncing around the city with France's latest transplant, and my now partner in crime, Juliet. What crime, you ask? Well, between massacring the French language and boozing it up on red wine at several outdoor terraces a day, I'm sure we're culpable of a few infractions.
Meanwhile, I've been dishing up a few missed favorites at home while my family and friends back in Texas get hit by hurricane Ike. From what I've heard, even Austinites have been affected by the hurricane. For those of you back home, I hope you're staying dry and safe and I'm keeping y'all in my thoughts!
Taco soup. Usually, I make this with pinto beans, but red beans worked fine. I can never get enough of this soup!
An attempt at mom's Spanish rice.
I finally made cheese enchiladas with my corn tortilla and cheddar cheese finds. They turned out pretty good, but the tortillas were so big! Next time, I'm making beef enchiladas. The rice wasn't nearly as good as mom's is, so I've still got a lot of tweaking to do on that.
I made migas, ranchero sauce and gratin for dinner with my leftover corn tortillas. The ranchero sauce was so simple and seriously delicious. Gui and I finished an entire casserole of potatoes gratin. It was a surprisingly great meal!
I made apple coffee cake again. I tried to get away with using less butter this time, but it turned out less coffee-cakey. It was still pretty good, but next time I'm keeping it buttery.
Pizza.
Chorizo, mushroom, bell-pepper, mozzarella pizza with an over easy egg on top. It was my first time making a marinara sauce, which actually turned out quite good (albeit a little salty), but the pizza was delish! Definitely making it more often.
Meanwhile, I've been dishing up a few missed favorites at home while my family and friends back in Texas get hit by hurricane Ike. From what I've heard, even Austinites have been affected by the hurricane. For those of you back home, I hope you're staying dry and safe and I'm keeping y'all in my thoughts!
Taco soup. Usually, I make this with pinto beans, but red beans worked fine. I can never get enough of this soup!
An attempt at mom's Spanish rice.
I finally made cheese enchiladas with my corn tortilla and cheddar cheese finds. They turned out pretty good, but the tortillas were so big! Next time, I'm making beef enchiladas. The rice wasn't nearly as good as mom's is, so I've still got a lot of tweaking to do on that.
I made migas, ranchero sauce and gratin for dinner with my leftover corn tortillas. The ranchero sauce was so simple and seriously delicious. Gui and I finished an entire casserole of potatoes gratin. It was a surprisingly great meal!
I made apple coffee cake again. I tried to get away with using less butter this time, but it turned out less coffee-cakey. It was still pretty good, but next time I'm keeping it buttery.
Pizza. 
Chorizo, mushroom, bell-pepper, mozzarella pizza with an over easy egg on top. It was my first time making a marinara sauce, which actually turned out quite good (albeit a little salty), but the pizza was delish! Definitely making it more often.à table
Food is pretty much my favorite, non-human thing in the world. I've posted about a few meals here before, and I've been wanting to start a regular post about my cooking/baking/eating adventures/disasters for a while now, but always thought it was a little weird to post about. I don't know why. Maybe because nowadays more than my mom and sister are reading my blog (thank God because then I wouldn't have any friends), and although it might intrigue them to know what we're serving for dinner chez nous (my love for food is a genetic thing, I suspect) some unknowing person might not be so interested.
But, then I remembered that the whole point of my blog is to archive events and topics that are important to me and to communicate to my loved ones (and a few random peeps here and there) the daily happenings in my life, however mundane they may seem. Not to mention that I live in FRANCE now and let's face it, who doesn't associate this country with something food-related (escargot, frog legs or cheese, anyone)? So, voila, the first of what I anticipate to be a fairly regular, and mostly visual post about food.
I've discovered my new favorite fruits. Thanks to my preferred local celebrity food-blogger I've discovered so much about my new city - things that I'd never know to see, do or visit, and these Reine Claudes and mirabelles are a favorite among my discoveries. They are filled with the sweetest flesh that's seriously like candy - I ate nearly this entire bowl in one sitting. Love 'em!
Ahhh, iced tea. There really is no better summer drink.
Lentil and red bean soup that I've made twice already. I really am in love with this soup and expect it to make a weekly appearance at our dinner table as winter approaches.
I was dying to make stuffed peppers for some reason but nearly died when I was asked to fork up 6 euros (read: nearly 8 bucks) for four of these babies at the marché!
In the end, they were worth their price. We had two delicious stuffed peppers one night and I simply grilled the others with shallots in olive oil another night.
Martha's mac 'n cheese. I took the recipe from Smitten Kitchen and tweaked it a bit, changing the pasta and adding parmesan to the mix of yellow cheddar we found at Auchan (it was really good and really cheap, too) and soft gruyère. I made entirely too much, but it went really well with a leafy salad and was perfect Sunday food.
It was so cheesy and insanely good.
Barbecue chicken, Ranch-style beans and salad. Texas night chez nous!
I even made my own barbecue sauce, and it was super easy, too! After a Google search, I found this basic recipe and now I'm going to make it more often. After this meal, Gui told me he was really lucky that I was his wife. He quickly clarified that it wasn't just because of the food but for all the other stuff, too (I was flattered enough with the initial compliment, but I won't tell him that).
But, then I remembered that the whole point of my blog is to archive events and topics that are important to me and to communicate to my loved ones (and a few random peeps here and there) the daily happenings in my life, however mundane they may seem. Not to mention that I live in FRANCE now and let's face it, who doesn't associate this country with something food-related (escargot, frog legs or cheese, anyone)? So, voila, the first of what I anticipate to be a fairly regular, and mostly visual post about food.
I've discovered my new favorite fruits. Thanks to my preferred local celebrity food-blogger I've discovered so much about my new city - things that I'd never know to see, do or visit, and these Reine Claudes and mirabelles are a favorite among my discoveries. They are filled with the sweetest flesh that's seriously like candy - I ate nearly this entire bowl in one sitting. Love 'em!
Ahhh, iced tea. There really is no better summer drink.
Lentil and red bean soup that I've made twice already. I really am in love with this soup and expect it to make a weekly appearance at our dinner table as winter approaches.
I was dying to make stuffed peppers for some reason but nearly died when I was asked to fork up 6 euros (read: nearly 8 bucks) for four of these babies at the marché!
In the end, they were worth their price. We had two delicious stuffed peppers one night and I simply grilled the others with shallots in olive oil another night.
Martha's mac 'n cheese. I took the recipe from Smitten Kitchen and tweaked it a bit, changing the pasta and adding parmesan to the mix of yellow cheddar we found at Auchan (it was really good and really cheap, too) and soft gruyère. I made entirely too much, but it went really well with a leafy salad and was perfect Sunday food. 
It was so cheesy and insanely good. 
Barbecue chicken, Ranch-style beans and salad. Texas night chez nous! 
I even made my own barbecue sauce, and it was super easy, too! After a Google search, I found this basic recipe and now I'm going to make it more often. After this meal, Gui told me he was really lucky that I was his wife. He quickly clarified that it wasn't just because of the food but for all the other stuff, too (I was flattered enough with the initial compliment, but I won't tell him that).
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