Talbots for Spring

New Styles from Tuckernuck

Friday, April 1, 2016

Friday's Favorite Things

Hello, dear friends.  Happy Fool's Day!  Although I didn't do much this week, it still managed to fly by.

Here are a few favorite things that are hitting my radar.

one

This is a first on the blog.  If you read my posts regularly, you know that the Mister loves to cook.  As a matter of a fact, he went to school for it and even made a career out of it.  That being said, I am a very lucky lady.  We love to entertain, and I never have to worry about the menu.

Although the Mister loves to peruse cookbooks, I have never seen him use one in the kitchen.  Also, I have never seen him use any sort of measuring device.  So when I post pics of his plates, and you ask for recipes he usually tells me that he doesn't use a recipe.

Our last dinner party the Mister made one of my favorite things -  Feta and Olive Bread Pudding.  Many of my readers asked for the recipe.  After much whining, pestering, and bargaining, I finally got the Mister to sit down and write the recipe.  

Hope you appreciate it.  
I gave up the TV remote control for four weeks.
Good bye Real Housewives...
Hello war movies.






Feta & Olive Bread Pudding

6 portions:
·       1-loaf of artisan ciabatta
·       1 cup olive tapenade
o   Optional chopped dried figs to replace olive tapenade
·       8oz crumbled feta
·       6 oz diced pancetta
·       Chopped fresh rosemary
·       4 whole eggs
·       2 egg yolks
·       1.5 pt half &half
·       TT salt and fresh ground black pepper
·       Optional ingredients
o   Diced artichoke hearts
o   Sun dried tomatoes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees
Dice ciabatta and mix with feta, olive tapenade, pancetta and rosemary, and place in buttered casserole to top.
Place eggs and yolks in a blender, add half and half blend on low speed till just until mixed, allow to rest 5 minutes to remove air bubbles. 
Place casseroles in a pan with 2-inch sides and add water half way up the casserole dish
Add blended egg and half and half to the top of the casserole
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the size of the casserole used.





two







I have always been a huuuuuuge fan of Nora Ephron's.  Her son wrote and produced this no holds barred documentary.  There are interviews with everyone from Meryl Streep to candid words from her family members.  It captures Ephron's tough-as-steel work ethic as well as her cutting wit.  I liked it so much that I'm thinking about watching it again.





three

My third favorite thing is Grammarly.  This website acts as my editor and corrects most of my typos.  This is what I mean.   The Mister gave me a copy of the above recipe.  He can cook, but he cannot spell to save his life.  I was hurried to put the Anatomy of a Dinner Party post on and thought I corrected all the errors.  The day it went on I got an email from one of my favorite bloggers, Leslie Anne.  In her usual Southern lady style laced with her signature humor, she told me that I may have misspelled tapenade.  Sure enough, I read the post and saw that it was spelled TAMPONade.  Sounds yummy, doesn't it?


Back to Grammarly.  Every week I get a report card.  Sorry to say this is probably the best report card I've ever gotten.  In my life.  







Yeah!  I'm up 24% on my mistakes!!






The good thing is that I make the same mistake up to 55 times.  I told you that I was sharp.




four





The Mister brought home a tub of this deliciousness to compliment an apple tart when #1 and Adorable Jonathon were visiting.  This gelato should be classified as a drug.    After my first bite, I practically started crying.  Words cannot express that heavenly moment of the first spoonful.  Or the last.




This is what happened within 20 seconds of entering our house.  The poor tub never even made it to the freezer! 
Preppy Empty Nester
Preppy Empty Nester

Thanks for stopping by my blog. Feel free to contact me through comments and email. I love to hear from my readers!

35 comments:

  1. Interesting recipe. Does the water go inside the casserole dishes or in the pan?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Melissa... The Chef says in the pan. Have a wonderful weekend!!

      Delete
  2. That gelato sounds amazing! I definitely need it in my life haha
    www.amemoryofus.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. You're a good woman to give up The Real Housewives to share a recipe with us! And that ice cream looks amazing!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Caramel and Seasalt Gelato! I am going to Whole Foods today! Katie your hubby's recipe sounds so delish and I will be trying it out as well. I have always admired Nora Ephron!
    Enjoy the weekend!

    xoxo
    Karena
    The Arts by Karena

    ReplyDelete
  5. TAMPONade!!! I needed a laugh today!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. wow--what an interesting recipe, I love the ingredients! Thanks for sharing. And yes, i'm a big Nora fan too, I have to see this documentary! By the way--i'm so happy to be able to finally comment on your blog--for some reason I've been able to read your posts--loved the dinner party--but unable to leave a comment. Strange. I'm sure it has to do with my end of things- sometimes i feel jinxed by the Techno Gods. Whatever can go wrong will go wrong when it comes to my computer although the hubby says everyone has the same issues pop up and i'm just being dramatic. hahaha
    happy weekend Katie!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love feta, olives, bread pudding, caramel and ice cream - so I found this post to be brimming with tasty and useful info. I love the Breyer's faux "gelato" with caramel in the plastic oval tub - but Whole Foods' real gelato looks even better.
    Have an enjoyable weekend and enjoy the warm weather while it lasts!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Katie, it looks like we are going to Whole Foods this weekend.
    Maxine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you fill that cart up to the brim, dear Maxine. The pistachio is pretty good too. Have a great weekend.

      Delete
  9. Also a fan of Nora Ephron's -- hope to be able to see it! And that looks like an amazing and wonderful recipe -- am afraid it is over my skill set! :)
    Have a wonderful weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love Nora Ephron which is the only thing I can indulge on in this post. (need to lose 18 pounds. preferably by Tuesday when I go to the doctor) SIGH!!! xo Laura

    ReplyDelete
  11. You're killing me, Katie! I'm watching my carb intake, but I'm going to have to cheat & try that bread pudding! I love anything with olives and feta. Yum! That caramel & sea salt gelato sounds like perfection, too!
    I'm curious; if you don't mind me asking, what restaurant was your husband a chef at while you were living in Texas? We have some local favorites, like Rick's Chophouse & Jaspers, what were some of yours while living here?

    ReplyDelete
  12. I was so hoping you'd post this recipe! It looked delicious with or without the tampon. Okay, without, please and thank you.
    Happy weekend to you. You are so funny and always a good sport!
    (Going to watch the Nora Ephron show. She was a great and talented writer!)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for dropping by my blog.

    I love your Friday Favorites. I too have a husband who does all the cooking. It leaves me with plenty of time to set a lovely table for his beautiful meals.

    Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh my goodness...please thank the Mister for the recipe! And thank you to you, too, for giving up the remote. All my favorite things. Will be making it this weekend. Thanks so much for sharing. Happy Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Thank you and your Mister for the recipe. I would love to give it a try. Wow! I never get control of the remote (unless my mister is not home)!! Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Well, I needed a bit of humor in my day and I found it here (as I usually do). Thanks for giving up the remote for four weeks-that was big of you. I am saving the recipe and will remember to remove the tampon from the original copy...lol Did you know that tampons can also be used as 'soft pullers' for light cords that dangle in the garage? My son at age 7 tied one to all the strings from lights in the old 'pull the light cord' days. It made for interesting conversation when neighbors came in through the garage.

    Have a wonderful April! xo Diana

    ReplyDelete
  17. I trying to watch the Nora Ephron video, but all I can think about is the Caramel and Sea Salt gelato - yum! Happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I NEED to try the recipe And the gelato if I ever take a break from this damn diet!! I already installed Grammarly - great find - thank you!!! Have a fab weekend - no doubt you two have something fun planned!! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  19. Nora Ephron was so smart, as well as funny. I will need to find that and watch - thanks! Happy Saturday :-)

    ReplyDelete
  20. I can't imagine what it would be like to have someone coming for me. Sigh. Then again, I'm not sure it would be worth giving up the remote. Thanks for the recipe. Feta (I make) and olive are two of my favorite foods!!!!😍😍

    ReplyDelete
  21. That would be COOKING for me. Hate predictive texting!!!!😕😕😕

    ReplyDelete
  22. That would be COOKING for me. Hate predictive texting!!!!😕😕😕

    ReplyDelete
  23. Can NOT even imagine having a husband who cooks!! You and everyone else who has one, please enjoy!! Love your blog..

    ReplyDelete
  24. Please give Mister my thanks for the recipe! So sorry you had to relinquish the remote! Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And thanks ever so much for the grammarly tip. Used it on a draft post. Only 20 critical issues....just the thing to boost my ego on a rainy Saturday morning.

      Delete
  25. Oh Katie, where to begin! First, thanks for visiting the Marmelade Gypsy. I'm glad you're enjoying my Western Mass road trip! I love your beautiful state -- I think I could move there in a heartbeat!

    That olive-feta recipe looks to die for. Thanks for sharing it and for getting the Mister to write it down! Between that and the ice cream, I think I could dine at your house any day of the week! And I love Nora Ephron, too. Eager to see this!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I have pinned, copy & pasted and made notes about every one of these favorite things. I've been using Grammarly since you mentioned it in SLC and I love it!!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. You always make me laugh, Katie! The recipe sounds amazing, even with the slight misspelling on the first run. I definitely have that Nora Ephron movie on my list. Love her!
    Happy weekend darling!
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  28. Grammarly here I come...I cannot indulge in the gelato as I lost nine pounds, but quickly found 5 of them while home on spring break. Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Katie,
    The gelato would not have made it to my freezer either. :)

    Judith

    ReplyDelete
  30. Oh my gosh, that gelato looks amazing! I'm definitely checking out Grammarly too!

    Thanks so much for sharing at #FridayFrivolity :D

    ReplyDelete
  31. Oh, I do believe there is a trip to Whole Foods on my to do list today. Dangerous! I adore anything sea salt and caramel. Yum!

    ReplyDelete

J. Crew

Recent Posts