Exception ...

Today, I'm not going to share with you a recipe. I'm sorry for one of those who came here just for that. 
It won't happen too often, don't worry.
But today ... It's Christmas decoration's day ! 
You know, in france, for a lot of people, fall is a sad period. 
In Provence, we've got the "Fête de la Chataigne" (Chestnut  celebration) who last a week end in november.
But generally, there's no festive time during this period and we're waiting for Xmas with impatience. 

In my family, we use to decorate Xmas tree and home from 25th november (or so) to 10th january, for Epiphany.

We have an artificial tree for many reasons : 

• I don't like the idea to cut a tree for our selfish pleasure.
• I bought a tree years ago, it is always with us !
• As our "celebration time" is a little bit long, I'm not sure a real tree would last for almost 2 months. 

So today, I'm going to share with you some pictures of our home. Hope you'll like it ;)

Family time.

Some of our decoration's tree.

Some of our home's decoration.

In our home, Santa Claus is really coming from the sky ... 
In reality, we hang it up on centre light, in the middle of the room. 
Generally, at the end of Xmas's period, my husband hit him right in the face several time ...
I like to give him some challenge in our daily life.
And generally, we can say we're lucky if Santa Claus is still alive, because my husband's reaction can be violent.

Our family welcome Santa Claus !!... 

Yes... We're a playmobil family. 

Even a rabbit has the right to celebrate Xmas. And for once, not in a plate ! ... ... Sorry ... ;)

See you soon for a new recipe, I promise ! 

Tian provençal my way (Tian provençal à ma façon)

I've got one thing in common with Leonard Cohen, Johnny Cash and Barry White ... Our voice ! 
Not the quality, no ...
But saturday night, we shouted so much that my voice is broken and so bass tone ! :)
I must begin a baritone career ! It is now or never ! 

Weather is strange, here. It's not cold at all and summer vegetables live close to fall vegetables ! 
So I still have some zucchini and, las t week, in my farmer's basket, I had tomatoes and eggplants ! 
That's the reason why I've decide to cook a summer dish ! 
Here's the recipe of a very traditional provencal dish, called "Le Tian".
We love to eat it during sunny days. Very easy to make and delicious.
The only "difficult" point is the erection of the vegetables because they must be straight.
This is not difficult, in fact... But, remember ... 2 children who need me ALL-THE-TIME, a husband who need me ALL-THE-TIME, a job, a blog and a rabbit ... 
I have to save time ! 
So yesterday, I have cooked a "my-way-Tian" : Un Tian à ma façon.

Here's what you'll need : 

• 2 zucchini
• 2 eggplants
• 2 potatoes
• 2 onions
• 4 tomatoes (Hahaaaa ... this was a trap !)
• 1 clove of garlic
• Herb of provence
• Olive oil

You oven must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / th 6)

Step 1 : 
Cut all your vegetables in thin slices (except the garlic) and spread one coat of each of them, beginning by potatoes and ending with tomatoes.

Step 2 : 
Water with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs of Provence. Salt and pepper.

Step 3 : 
Do the coats again until the top of the pan and press the garlic. 

In the oven for 45 minutes / 1 hour. Your vegetables must be tender.

It's done.

Bon appétit.

Recapitulative : 

• 2 zucchini
• 2 eggplants
• 2 potatoes
• 2 onions
• 4 tomatoes
• 1 clove of garlic
• Herb of provence
• Olive oil

You oven must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / th 6)

Cut all your vegetables in thin slices (except the garlic) and spread one coat of each of them, beginning by potatoes and ending with tomatoes.

Water with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs of Provence. Salt and pepper.

Do the coats again until the top of the pan and press the garlic. 

In the oven for 45 minutes / 1 hour. Your vegetables must be tender.

Apple cake (Cake aux pommes)

I've got the feeling ... ouhouuuu .. that tonight's gonna be a good night ...

Second party tonight, baby !! 

Once again, I'm going to move my anatomy. I love this expression, it makes me think about King Julian in Madagascar. We love this character.

From this morning, WE DON'T STOP ONE MINUTE ... I'm already exhausted. We have to think about a lot of things to make the party great. 

And I don't know for you, but for me, there's always ONE thing who don't go as you want it to go and it makes me going CRAZY.

For us, it was the music playlist ... Important thing, don't you think ?... 

From this morning, my husband and I ... Well, much more my husband, because after 2 hours of try, I was ready to threw the computer by the window...

Well, one entire morning and a part of the afternoon to make music going right. 

Patience is not my first quality. 

I've got friends who come from far away to celebrate this time with us. 

As we live in a small apartment, my parents went away for the week end and we go to sleep in their house, with some of those friends.

So, I needed to think about our lunch for sunday noon, and the dessert too.

Thats' the reason why I bake this apple cakes. 

Oven preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6) 

Here what you'll need :

• 250 grammes of flour
• 10 grammes of baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 90 grammes of white sugar (sometimes, I use brown sugar and it's divine)
• 90 ml of milk
• 50 ml of half and half cream
• 3 tablespoon of neutral oil
• 3 apples
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla liquid

For the crunchy : 

• 50 grammes of white sugar
• 40 grammes of butter. 

Step 1 : 

Peel the apples and cut them in pieces.

Step 2 : 

Whisk sugar and eggs and vanilla.

Step 3 :

Mix dry ingredients together : flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.

Stir all that.

Step 4 : 

Add the dry ingredients into the mixture and, little by little, pour the milk, the cream and the oil.

Stir until all is combined.

Step 5 : Butter and flour and cake pan and pour the HALF of the mixture in it.

You may have the feeling there's not enough mixture. Believe, you'll have ... It's going to rise.

Step 6 : 

Pour the HALF of apples and cover with the rest f mixture.

Step 7 : 

Finish with apples, that you sink a little bit in.

Put your pan on a hotplate, before put it in the oven for 30 minutes.

Step 8 : 

5 minutes before the end of cooking, get out your cake from the oven and let melt sugar and butter in the microwave for 1 minute.

Pour it on the cake's top.

In the oven again for 15 minutes more.

Wait until it's totally cold.

Bon appétit !!

Oven preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6) 

Recapitulative :

• 250 grammes of flour
• 10 grammes of baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 90 grammes of white or brown sugar
• 90 ml of milk
• 50 ml of half and half cream
• 3 tablespoon of neutral oil
• 3 apples
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla liquid

For the crunchy : 

• 50 grammes of white sugar
• 40 grammes of butter.

Peel the apples and cut them in pieces.

Whisk sugar and eggs and vanilla.

Mix dry ingredients together : flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.

Stir all that.

Add the dry ingredients into the mixture and, little by little, pour the milk, the cream and the oil.

Stir until all is combined.

Butter and flour and cake pan and pour the HALF of the mixture in it.

Pour the HALF of apples and cover with the rest f mixture.

Finish with apples, that you sink a little bit in.

Put your pan on a hotplate, before put it in the oven for 30 minutes.

5 minutes before the end of cooking, get out your cake from the oven and let melt sugar and butter in the microwave for 1 minute.

Pour it on the cake's top.

In the oven again for 15 minutes more.

Wait until it's totally cold.

Pasta with dry basil

Hey ! I hear you ! 

Pasta ? Once again ??

Never forget : you're not on a sophisticated cooking blog. You're on a REAL cooking blog and in my family, we use to eat pasta often. 

VERY often ... ;)

This dish is the typical one I cook when I'm exhausted. Strangely, when I'm tired, I want pasta. 

Still don't know why.  

My children love it. My husband loves it. I love it. 

And this is the most easy recipe I know. So ?... Let's just cook it. 

You'll need, for 4 persons : 

• Pasta (We love spaghetti)
• 10 tablespoon of olive oil
• 10 tablespoon of half and half cream. 

Yes, it seems a lot, I know. If you don't want to use this quantity, remember : For one tablespoon of olive oil, add one tablespoon of half and half cream.

• Dry basil. A-LOT...
• One clove of pressed garlic
• Parmesan. A-LOT...

Step 1 :

Make water boil et let cook spaghetti for 8 minutes.

Step 2 :

Pour olive oil, cream, basil and combine all that. 

That's ready, serve it immediately. 

I add garlic for my husband and I, my son add one kilo of parmesan, and my daughter die for crude ham ... 

And of course, you can add all that together ! 

Easy, fast and so good ! 

Bon appétit !

Recapitulative for 4 persons : 

• Pasta (We love spaghetti)
• 10 tablespoon of olive oil
• 10 tablespoon of half and half cream. 

• Dry basil. A-LOT...
• One clove of pressed garlic
• Parmesan. A-LOT...

Make water boil et let cook spaghetti for 8 minutes.

Pour olive oil, cream, basil and combine all that. 

Serve it immediately. 

Add garlic or/and parmesan or/and crude ham.