Dinner in Paris to Feel Like a Local

Dining in Paris is priiiicy. I know we’d only be in Paris this time, but I still wouldn’t really enjoy a meal that would affect my ability to grocery shop and eat future meals. Maybe that is dramatic, but seriously, I didn’t want to break the bank. Twenty dollar dinners make adding wine and dessert gentler on the wallet. (Check out our first dinner there! and this is a fast-forward a few days later.)

It was kind of cold and rainy so I wanted something cozy and warm that included French wine. We found a super cute neighborhoody kind of place that felt like we were locals.

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I got the cassoulet and loooved it. Dunking baguette hunks into the salty broth while sipping some wine was just what I envisioned. It was meaty and salty and perfect with the red wine.
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The bacon was salty and the beans were the perfect consistency. There was pork sausage annnnd a duck leg. This is serious comfort food. It was also HUGE. Check out the dish compared to the fork. There was so much in there.

Mr. J got beef with roquefort sauce. He loves blue cheeses and definitely loves sauces. He thought the beef was good and the potatoes were an interesting in-between a chip and a potato slice. The beef was supposed to be medium rare. I don’t know that medium should have been in there…it was rare, for sure. I nabbed some green beans from his plate since I my dish was bean & meat focused.
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We were super full. My meal was quite salty and something sweet seemed like the perfect end to the meal. The menu had us at creme brulee.
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We love creme brulee and had it on the menu for a rehearsal dinner dessert option so it seemed quite fitting on our anniversary trip. Also, it is definitely not something we can make at home. It was creamy and the perfect sharing size.

Now, onward to Prague (with some recipes coming along too).

Cake Bombs

Way back when, I wanted to experiment with some cake pops. I somehow convinced myself that I could get away without dipping them in chocolate. I know, you get it. It’s such a mess and a process, right? Right.

Also, I’m not really a baker either. These cake bombs are a twist on cake pops and are about 90% successful. They taste amazing. Nobody minds that the mess is sprinkles because hello, they’re sprinkles.

Ingredients:

boxed chocolate cake mix (and required ingredients)
16 oz chocolate frosting
mini chocolate chips & sprinkles

Directions:

Cook cake according to package.
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Mix cake mix and frosting together.
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Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
Roll into balls then dip in chocolate or roll in mini chips and sprinkles.
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Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
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They’re easy and I served them in cupcake wrappers. They give the impression of a truffle and taste pretty amazing. I’m glad I didn’t buy sticks just to make the mess to dip them in chocolate.

Lunching on the Go in Paris

Mr. J and I know how to pack in all the sites when on vacay. I’m glad we got to see so much of Paris but also weren’t at whirlwind speed. We tend to have slower more thought out dinners so lunch just depended where we were. These 2 were the most memorable lunches.

I love trying local drinks and snacks that we don’t have here. Europe totally gets the best Schweppes. Agrum is a citrus blend one that is ahhh-mazing. This one seemed really pink grapefruity to me. It was delicious. I got obsessed with a bitter lemon one in Croatia a few years ago. Sis even found me some online!
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We stopped at a tiny place (and ordered completely in French!). It was perfect and gave us a little break from the rain to refuel and keep going. It also was quite the bargain which is hard to find in Paris.

I got a croque monsieur. The French totally know how to do grilled ham & cheese better than we do. So good. I love the soft cheese spread on top with shredded cheese melted on top of that!
paris_lunch_croque_590_390Think bread, cheese, ham, bread, cheese, cheese….and they’re not afraid of butter.

Mr. J got a baguette sandwich. I don’t remember what was in it, but he loved it. It was just what he envisioned.
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Then on the last day in Paris, before we flew to Prague, we ate crepes…on the champs-elysees. How unbelievable is that? I think this is my most iconic meal ever. They came off a cute little car thing converted into a creperie.
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We got 2 to share. One was savory with turkey & gruyere and the sweet one had nutella. Then we decided maybe we needed a croissant and pain au chocolat for the flight.
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When in Paris, right? Next we head to Prague!

September in Review

Did you miss me? I have been gone for the last seven weekends so I need some slack. I’m home now! I was most recently off galavanting in San Francisco. By galavanting, I mean working 18 hour days often talking about portable toilets. I do love SF though. It is so beautiful in September.

I traveled a lot lately. My fam went to the Cape for a long weekend for some beach time, nightly ice cream, and family fun. Lobster mac & cheese on a patio doesn’t hurt either.
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We also went to NYC for a friends weekend. There was a picnic in Central Park, a beer tasting, cupcakes, NY bagels, and a chance to see some favorites all together. It was great.
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I was in Santa Barbara too. I got to work at the polo club all weekend under the Cali sun. Then the best trip came! It was finally time for Paris & Prague!
france_1stnight_eiffel_390_590We ate delicious food…and there’s more to share. I had duck confit and now somebody might like wine #servethehubbysomewine Love. it.
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I haven’t gotten through much of Paris so stay tuned. Then comes Prague!

I got a new job!!! That’s the most exciting news this month. I cannot get over the amazing outpouring of support, how many FB likes, and the amazing comments I’ve gotten from across the country from colleagues, the sweet words from vendors, and volunteers offering to have me on their teams! I start next week. Eeek!

here’s some of my fav food posts this month:
Greek Pasta Salad
Back To School Potluck
BBQ Bubble Up Pizza
Bacon & Cheese Panini with Peach Compote
Brunch at Redd’s in Rozzie

 

Stay tuned! I have some fall dishes in mind after apple picking this weekend! There’s a guest post coming and LOTS more travel posts to come!

Coconut Milk Smoothie

I have many more vacay meals to share but I’m trying to space ’em out so I don’t lose all my readership on the same day. See that? I’m keeping ya on your toes. You don’t know if you’ll get something delicious or if you’ll just have to endure my delicious European adventure. I’m back to Cali for another event (last one!!!) so a smoothie seems timely for today.

Just add mango and coconut to my smoothie and poof! I think I’m in the Caribbean. I made a smoothie adding coconut, then I saw that Chobani had a new coconut yogurt and I was thinking about coconut milk and it all came together.

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Ingredients:

6 oz coconut Greek yogurt
1/2 cup frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup frozen peaches (or strawberries)
½ cup coconut Almond milk

Directions:

Assemble
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blend & enjoy.
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I wondered if buying a half gallon carton of almond milk with only smoothies in mind was a waste of money. Mr. J ended up liking it on it’s own and it stays good for longer than regular milk. I also froze some into cubes before one of my trips when I didn’t think it would be used.

We used to drink soy milk occasionally in cereal. I’m not a milk drinker but soy & almond is not the same in cooking, baking, or even drinking it straight. I think they’re great options (higher protein, higher calcium sometimes, lower fat contents, etc). I don’t envision this coconut milk is a flavor anyone wants regularly, but it was so great in smoothies.