My "I-need-to-clean-my-freezer-and-cupboard" ratatouille...

We all know Ratatouille. 

For maybe a lot of people, thanks to a small rat called Remi and Disney.

But this traditional provencal (exactly from Nice) recipe needs a long time to be correctly prepared.

I mean, if you want to make the real one ratatouille, you have to cook each vegetable one by one.

When one vegetable is cooked, you take it away from the pan and cook the following one.

It takes time that I don't have, when my day was full and I must make diner for my family, you already know that.  

So, I always have and use frozen food in. Freezer is one of my best friend.

Here's a fast, easy ratatouille's recipe. It won't taste as good as the traditional one (that I'll show you in summer, I promise) but it's flavorous as well.

We must not be too exigeant with ourselves !

Here what you'll need : 

• 300 grammes of frozen and grilled eggplants 
• 300 grammes of grilled and frozen red and yellow peppers
• 2 zucchini (I just had one, that's good as well)
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 pulp tomatoes in can of 250 grammes or so (or 3 fresh tomatoes)
• Olive oil
• 2 bay leafs
• Herbes de Provence
• 1 teaspoon of white sugar

Step 1 :

Let your frozen vegetables defrost. To go faster, I rinse them slowly with cold water.

Step 2 :

As always, in olive oil, let onion brow 5 minutes on a low fire with salt, then add garlic.

Step 3 :

When it's a little bit caramelized, add your zucchini cut in pieces and let them cook for 5 minutes on a medium fire. 

Step 4 : 

Because we're tired and we don't have time to lose, cut defrosted vegetables with scissors.

I love those colors together.

Step 5 : 

After 2-3 minutes, pour tomatoes, herbs, leafs and sugar, this last ingredient is not obligatory.

Messy dish ! 

Let cook for 20 minutes on a low fire.

Bon appétit ! 

Recapitulative : 

• 300 grammes of frozen and grilled eggplants 
• 300 grammes of grilled and frozen red and yellow pepper
• 2 zucchini (I just had one, that's good as well)
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 pulp tomatoes in can of 250 grammes or so (or 3 fresh tomatoes)
• Olive oil
• 2 bay leafs
• Herbes de Provence
• 1 teaspoon of white sugar

Let your frozen vegetables defrost. To go faster, I rinse them slowly with cold water.

As always, in olive oil, let onion brow 5 minutes on a low fire with salt, then add garlic.

When it's a little bit caramelized, add your zucchini cut in pieces and let them cook for 5 minutes on a medium fire. 

Cut defrosted vegetables with scissors ! 

After 2-3 minutes, pour tomatoes, herbs, leafs and sugar, this last ingredient is not obligatory.

Let cook for 20 minutes on a low fire.

Happy !

Life needs music to make it easier, sometimes.
Art and books. And Love.

On this page, I would like to share with you some music I love, which give me good vibrations on the moment.

Please, enjoy ! :)

Just to tell you ...

As you can see, I've changed once again my template, I just wanted to separate recipes from my blablabla.

You've got now the possibility to "come for diner", in my little kitchen and to read my family adventures, my thoughts, my great feat...etc.

This way, you can avoid my gossip, if you just want to know what you can cook tonight.

This is a new beginning, so please, forgive me if the integrality of messages are not arranged this way, at the moment. 

Thank you to Jamie, who gave me this idea. Just hope you'll like it.

Thank you for coming here, wherever you come from, thank you to the ones who come daily or regularly and for the ones who just stop for a short visit. Hope you'll come back !

Friendly, 

Axelle the french cook !  

Pics took with my cell ...

Chicken, mushrooms and white wine !

Here a very good and easy recipe to share with you, friends ! 

• For a chicken with 10 legs ...
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leafs
• 200 grammes of mushroom (here, canned mushroom)
• 1 bottle (75 cl) of white wine
• Some olive oil
• Some herbes de Provence (or some thyme, oregano and dry rosemary)
• 1 big tablespoon of cornstarch.

Step 1 : 

As always, begin by making onions brown in olive oil.

Step 2 : 

When they become transparent, let brown the chicken legs for 10 minutes.

Step 3 : 

Pour white wine, garlic (just exploded, no need to cut it), herbs and leafs.

Step 4 :

Take one ladle of sauce in a small bowl and stir with a large tablespoon of cornstarch.

It will help to make all that more creamy.

Step 5 :

Pour the mixture in the dish and finally, let it cook without lid, on a low fire for 30 minutes. 

Bon appétit ! 

Recapitulative : 

• For a chicken with 10 legs ...
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leafs
• 200 grammes of mushroom
• 1 bottle (75 cl) of white wine
• Some olive oil
• Some herbes de Provence (or some thyme, oregano and dry rosemary)
• 1 big tablespoon of cornstarch.

Begin by making onions brown in olive oil.

When they become transparent, let brown the chicken legs for 10 minutes.

Pour white wine, garlic (just exploded, no need to cut it), herbs and leafs.

Take one ladle of sauce in a small bowl and stir with a large tablespoon of cornstarch.

Pour the mixture in the dish and finally, let it cook without lid, on a low fire for 30 minutes. 

Ali Baba and the 40 cloves of garlic : the recipe !

And here's the recipe of a chicken, that we're going to call Ali Baba and his 40 cloves of garlic. 

Just because we need a lot of garlics and I thought this title would be fine. 

You'll need : 

• Pieces of chicken (legs go well), as much as you want.
• 40 cloves of garlic (or so)
• 1 onion
• 1 cup of white wine
• Dry thyme
• Olive oil, salt and pepper
• One pan who can go on fire and in oven. Or as me, two pans.

Your oven must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6)

Step 1 : 

For once, this recipe doesn't begin by onions, but by meal ! Let brown your chicken on the skin side.

Step 2 : 

Separate your cloves but don't peel them. Because if you needed to peel 40 cloves of garlic, you would have to begin some hours before.

Step 3 :

When your chicken is brown, take it off the pan and replace by onion. 

Step 4 : 

When onion is caramelizing, add the wine and let 2 minutes more.

Step 5 : 

Arrange the half of garlic in your pan who will go to the oven, the chiken and the second half of garlic.

Step 6 : Sprinkle with dry thyme, salt and pepper.

Step 7 : 

Finish with pouring the wine. 

Step 8 : 

Cover with a lid or with aluminum sheet and in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

That's it ! Believe, chicken is incredibly tender and perfumed.

Bon appétit !! 

Recapitulative : 

• Pieces of chicken as much as you want. 
• 40 cloves of garlic (or so ...don't count the garlic, please !)
• 1 onion
• 1 cup of white wine
• Dry thyme
• Olive oil, salt and pepper
• One pan who can go on fire and in oven. Or as me, two pans ...

Your oven must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6)

Let brown your chicken on the skin side.

Separate your cloves but don't peel them. 

When your chicken is brown, take it off the pan and replace by onion. 

When onion is caramelizing, add the wine and let 2 minutes more.

Arrange the half of garlic in your pan who will go to the oven, the chicken and the second half of garlic.

Sprinkle with dry thyme, salt and pepper.

Finish with pouring the wine. 

Cover with a lid or with aluminum sheet and in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Yogurt and raspberry cake (gateau au yaourt et aux framboises).

I'm sharing with you today an easy raspberry yogurt cake, with cupboard ingredients.

• 1 raspberry yogurt (125 grammes)
• 200 grammes of raspberries, fresh or, as me, frozen.
• 3 eggs
• 3 yogurt pot of flour (375 grammes)
• 2 yogurt pot of white sugar (250 grammes)
• 1/2 yogurt pot of neutral oil (65 grammes)
• 10 grammes of baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Your oven must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6)

Step 1 : 

Whisk together eggs, sugar and yogurt.

Step 2 :

Add flour and baking powder, stir together, then pour oil.

Step 3 : 

Finally, pour vanilla and raspberries defrosted.

In the oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. A knife standing in the middle of the cake must be dry.

Recapitulative : 

• 1 raspberry yogurt (125 grammes)
• 200 grammes of raspberries, fresh or, as me, frozen.
• 3 eggs
• 3 yogurt pot of flour (375 grammes)
• 2 yogurt pot of white sugar (250 grammes)
• 1/2 yogurt pot of neutral oil (65 grammes)
• 10 grammes of baking powder
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Your oven must be preheated at 180°C (350°F / Th 6)

Whisk together eggs, sugar and yogurt.

Add flour and baking powder, stir together, then pour oil.

Finally, pour vanilla and raspberries defrosted.

In the oven for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. A knife standing in the middle of the cake must be dry.