Hello everyone – thank you so much for your kind words and wishes for us and Ella.  I really, deeply appreciate it.  I thought I’d do a little bit of gratitude today, with some photos of some of the things making me smile these days (I am feeling much better).

And now, enough about me – let’s talk about food.  With an extra busy week ahead, I’m focusing on simple, nourishing foods for our family.  If you are a serious foodie and haven’t read any of Thomas Keller’s cookbooks, (The French Laundry is the most famous, and I’m using recipes from Bouchon this week, his “bistro”), stop reading this and go get them.  Check your library, buy them used, beg someone to buy you one new, just do it.  Keller is a genius, and his respect for food and understanding of how to get out of the way and let the ingredients sing is unparalleled.  So now you have your homework assignment, haha. (Be forewarned – looking at his books will make you very, very hungry.)

This Week:

* Pan-fried porkchops with onion gravy, mashed potatoes & sweet potatoes

* Winter veggies a la greque (from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon)

* Spring Nettle Tonic Soup (from Full Moon Feast by Jessica Prentice)

* Celeriac Remoulade and the Simple (Perfect) Roast Chicken (from Thomas Keller’s Bouchon)

* Potato Cheese Soup and Roasted Beet Salad with Roasted Walnust (similar to Keller’s)

* Wild Polenta (from Petit Appetit by Lisa Barnes) and Sauteed Swiss Chard with Almonds and Balsamic Vinegar

* Pasta with Pesto Sauce (from the freezer) or Bolognese (if I’m feeling up to it)

There you have it – have a great week everyone and Bon Appetit!