Semolina Cake - French Fridays

This cake was interesting.

I couldn't decide if I liked or not.

This is a gorgeous cake made out of Cream of Wheat of all things. After you make up this deliciously sweet Cream of Wheat mixture, it bakes in a caramel sauce like a pineapple upside down cake.

My gut told me to leave out the raisins, but I didn't. And, my gut told me to leave out the squeeze of lemon juice from the caramel sauce.....and, I didn't. I think if I would have left those two things out and added just the tiniest pat of butter to the caramel sauce--I would have enjoyed it more.

However, my 4 year old really like it. She must have a more sophisticated palate then me. (Like I always suspected.)

See this nice close up:

I contemplated only posting the close up, but I believe in full disclosure...I had a little mishap when extracting cake from pan.

Potato Gratin - French Fridays

Every Friday I am going to be posting a recipe that I cooked out of Around My French Table. I joined an Internet group called "French Fridays with Dorie." I bought the cookbook because a couple of blogs I read mentioned it, and I am excited to try some new things. This week we had Potato Gratin. (Potatoes Au Gratin for the Betty Crocker fans.)

This potato dish was delicious. There is a subtle garlic flavor because you infuse the cream with the finely chopped garlic, and the cheese is also subtle because just a sprinkling is on the top, so the potato and cream flavors really dominate. It is a simple dish, but decadent because I don't often cook with heavy whipping cream!

I wish I could have taken a better picture, but a friend had borrowed my camera, so I took it with my phone...

And, if you will notice my link to the book title directs you to Barnes and Noble because I am quite annoyed at my beloved Amazon over the whole pedophile book thing.

Halloween 2010

Halloween seemed to go on forever this year. Abigail had two parties, a Halloween cookie decorating class, a trunk or treat, and then finally....actual trick or treating. The kids loved it, of course. They are my little candy monsters.

I wish I had a cute picture of them together, but Adam was not into it. He was into this book.

Pet Peeve

Waitresses and Old Ladies at the Grocery Store. I used to like both categories of people until I had Adam. Now, not so much.

I have two adorable children. So, why-waitresses and old ladies at the grocery store-do you act like I only have one?


I get that Adam is a baby, he has very blond hair, and very blue eyes. I get that. But, come on people....

My Baby is 4!?

We celebrated Abigail's 4th birthday on Wednesday. She was very excited, we had a big "Candyland" themed birthday party. It was a lot of work, but the kids seemed to enjoy it.

Here is our Princess Frostine.

Here they are pinning a button on the Gingerbread Man.

And here is her brand new bike.

When it was all over, Abigail said "Mom, can have I my birthday tomorrow and turn 5?"

What!!?? Is she trying to make me cry?

Abigail is only three...

and she smoked her first toy cigarette today.

Thank you, Cruella DeVil.

You know you are old when...

Your celebrity crush is Russell Crowe.

I was innocently watching TV with my husband a few weeks ago and 3:10 to Yuma came on TBS. I tuned in for Christian Bale, and Russell Crowe stole the show for me, and now I am really looking forward to his slightly chubby portrayal of Robin Hood.

I watched him on Dave Letterman last night and giggled like a school girl. Why? Not sure....