Empire Falls - Richard Russo

When I started reading Empire Falls I realized I had already read it but I kept reading anyway. I'm glad I did, the characters are human and interesting, and the book is really interesting and well-written (although I though the ending was weak vs the rest of the book).

It was a good book to have with me while my DH was in the hospital, because it was easy to come in and out of, and yet the story kept my mind occupied.

Roti de boeuf and mashed potatoes

I made this super-simple meal for my DH the night before he entered the hospital for surgery on his gut. He was on a "low residue" diet which meant no fruits or veggies basically.

I am rarely the one who makes meat in our house, but I did this time, and it turned out well although the meat itself was strong-flavored (probably had aged at the butcher).

The mashed potatoes were made from scratch w milk butter and some leftover beaufort cheese. A bit too rich, but yummy for a few bites.

Suite Française - Irène Némirovsky

I've been reading Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky for the past few weeks and found it interesting but not to count among the best books ever.  I liked the treatment of some of the characters and it was well adapted to reading it in short bursts.

Tostada Dinner

I made a big tostada dinner for my team, full of American foods like guacamole, homemade tostadas and chocolate chip cookies for dessert. It was a big success and I was less stressed knowing I knew how to make everything. I even made refried beans myself since it drives me nuts to pay 7.50 euros a can (about 10$) and I have to go across town to find them. They turned out really well, and I will make them again.

My guacamole was excellent and stayed green for 2 days.

The other nice surprise of the day was finding that the chili peppers sold for North African cuisine are about the right spiciness for me and I made a really great pico de gallo the next day for my leftovers. It was simple to make and so much better than jarred salsa, and these chilis are available year-round, so it was a nice find!

The chocolate chip cookies were a big success and I drafted help in the kitchen to make them. Everyone went home with a baggie and I had none leftover.

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup

I made soup today with Jerusalem artichokes that I bought several weeks ago and then didn't know what to do with... During this week I came across a soup recipe for the little tubers when flipping through magazines in a doctor's office. I didn't write down the recipe because it seemed pretty simple - a litre of milk, a pound of Jerusalem artichokes, a potato or two. I started with a sauteed leek, added the milk and Jerusalem artichokes, 20 min later added the potato and some chicken boullion and there you go. A quick spin with the hand mixer and it was delicious and fast and I now have soup for the week!

The Lady From Shanghai

We watched this classic Orson Welles movie tonight after a nice dinner of beef fondue. The pace was a bit slow but the characters were interesting and the cinematography was really interesting. I agree with the reviews that said it is a good but not great film.

Juno

I saw Juno, a movie that looked fun and American on posters but I though I'd probably miss, because I miss most movies like that here...

But circumstances played out well, and I was at the theatre just a few minutes before it started so I grabbed the opportunity.

I liked it - very well acted, sweet, touching and entertaining. Not a GREAT movie but pretty good and better than the average stuff these days.