Artichoke Cheese Bake

On September 17, 2019August 30, 2019 By Lorie FangioIn A Taste of Paris, Taste2 Comments

Need a simple go-to appetizer? My Artichoke Cheese Bake never disappoints a crowd.

It really is so simple to make, just mix the ingredients, put it in a baking dish and pop it in the oven. Really people go crazy for this stuff! Try it the next time someone asks you to bring an appetizer to a party!

For more fantastic appetizer recipes, consider joining me for an upcoming class, Ultimate Appetizers on November 14th, just in time for holiday party inspiration!

Artichoke Cheese Soufflé Bake

2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese

1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup of mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 cup chopped frozen artichoke hearts

1 red pepper chopped

Dash cayenne

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using an electric mixer, cream together cream cheese, mayonnaise and Parmesan cheese for 2-3 minutes. Fold in vegetables, garlic and cayenne. Pour mixture into a deep baking dish and bake 25-30 minutes, until brown and bubbly. Serve with crackers or French bread.

One of the Sweetest Provencal Towns

On September 12, 2019September 3, 2019 By Lorie FangioIn A Taste of Paris, Be Inspired, DiscoverLeave a comment

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is without a doubt one of the sweetest towns I have ever visited. It’s an idyllic small community that is surrounded by the Sorgue River.

The Sorgue has 14 remaining water wheels making use of the power of running water. These wheels were originally used to power mills; first corn then wool and silk mills. The moss-covered paddles pushing the babbling water, add real charm to the riverside.

Sunday is market day in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.

Shoppers can find vegetables and other food items.

Prepared foods abound, like this enormous copper pan filled to the brim with paella.

This market usually has a nice assortment of brocante for shoppers seeking treasures. Arrive early, by 8:00 as vendors start to pack up by noon.

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is an antique town and shops are open on Sundays. A little known fact; walk down the alleys past the antique stores and you will find many of the back-doors of the establishments open creating a maze of tiny booths and tables of goodies. If you are an antique lover, this comes highly recommended.

I found several sets of linens here that are absolute treasures.

I am still wondering what is behind this charming open window covered with ivy in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue…

Want to visit L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and many other Provencal villages in 2021? REGISTRATION IS OPEN!

PROVENCE
September 11th-18th, 2021

Provence – where sparkling seascapes, fiery sunsets, and the striking variety of scenery make visitors feel as though they are stepping into a French Impressionist painting. Sun-soaked flavors and a convivial spirit flourish in this region. Our magnificent base for this food and wine centric trip of a lifetime is Saint-Rémy-READ MORE

Dinner Boards

On September 10, 2019August 30, 2019 By Lorie FangioIn A Taste of Paris, Be Inspired, Taste2 Comments

I am into wooden boards!

Of all shapes and sizes! These are a few of my favorites. The board I am holding is an antique Turkish bread board, and it’s old! You can see that the wood split and copper was hammered in place to hold it together and restore it for good use. Below that is a striped board that Mark and Brandon made me many years ago that is a treasure and staple in my kitchen. And just beneath that, is a prized large olive wood board that I hauled back from Provence and trust me, it barely fit in my suitcase!

I NEVER cut on these boards!

Instead, I like to use them for serving. Here I am using it as a trivet for a hot dish of Artichoke and Red Pepper Quiche.

What about the idea of serving an entire meal on the board? This is my olive wood board, piled high with a fresh crispy Chicken Caesar Salad, ready to be served right from the board.

Talk about a quick dinner, Sausage warmed along with Baked Beans and Confetti Slaw.

Who’s hungry?

If you are board with dinner, try using your wooden boards to serve!

Tune into Fox 4 for a segment featuring ME and more Dinner Boards on Tuesday, October 14th!!

Chicken Caesar Salad on a Board

Dressing

1 cup mayo

3 cloves of garlic

1-ounce anchovy paste

¼ cup milk or half and half

1/3 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Salad

2 grilled chicken breasts cut into chunks

2 heads Romaine lettuce

½ cup of halved tomatoes

Parmesan cheese shards

Toasts

½ small French bread loaf sliced paper thin

¼ cup olive oil

2 cloves of garlic crushed

To prepare the toasts, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix olive oil and garlic in a small bowl. Dot both sides of the bread with a small amount of the oil mixture using a pastry brush. Spread the bread on a baking pan. Bake toast until golden brown about 4 minutes, turn toasts and cook another 3-4 minutes to brown the other side. Meanwhile, prepare dressing by adding all ingredients in food processor or blender, process to combine well. Add additional milk if a thinner dressing is desired. To prepare the salad cut root of each lettuce head off and let water run through to clean the leaves. Keeping the bundles intact slice heads into thin strips and place the lettuce in the center of the serving board. Add chicken, tomatoes and toasts and toss along with a generous amount of dressing. Top with Parmesan shards and serve.

Confetti Veggie Slaw

2 carrots shredded

1 green bell pepper cut in a julienne

1 red bell pepper cut in a julienne

2 cups of shredded purple cabbage

2 green onions finely diced

Dressing

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

To prepare dressing, whisk together ingredients in a small bowl. Assemble slaw in serving bowl by layering ingredients. Add dressing, toss to coat. Let salad stand for a few minutes before serving.

Baked Beans

2 16-ounce cans of baked beans any brand

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup yellow mustard

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch salt

Mix all ingredients in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until center is bubbling.

Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis

On September 5, 2019August 27, 2019 By Lorie FangioIn A Taste of Paris, Be Inspired, TasteLeave a comment

Have you ever made panna cotta? It really is delicious!

Panna cotta is a lot like creme brulee only not quite as rich. Gelatin is used to thicken the milk and cream mixture rather than egg yolks and it is generally topped with berries.

Making Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis is a great way to eek the last bit of flavor from summer berries. Make it today, you will be glad you did!

Panna Cotta with Raspberry Coulis

1 envelop plain gelatin

2 tablespoons water

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 ½ cup whole milk

1/3 cup sugar

Seeds from one vanilla pod

In a small sauce pan add water to gelatin. Let it bloom about 2 minutes. Next turn the burner on to low and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved. Meanwhile, heat the milk and cream and sugar together in a large saucepan over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat, add gelatin and vanilla and stir well. Pour mixture into 4- 6-ounce ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and let chill before topping with Raspberry Coulis.

Raspberry Coulis

10 ounces fresh raspberries

½ cup sugar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan heat berries with sugar and lemon for about 8 minutes. Pour berry mixture into a blender and process. Strain mixture to remove raspberry seeds. Store coulis in refrigerator until needed.

Pretty Cakes

On August 29, 2019August 16, 2019 By Lorie FangioIn A Taste of Paris, Be Inspired, Taste10 Comments

You may have heard that my daughter, Brooke is engaged!

A few weeks back we hosted a little get-together for her finance’s family and their wedding party.

I made the cutest little cupcakes for the event and I wanted to share them with YOU!

Brookes favorite cake is Chocolate with White Butter Cream, recipe below, so I made a batch.

I iced the cupcakes by putting the frosting in a zip-top bag, I snipped the tip and pipped the frosting in swirl pattern.

I bought the cutest edible paper flowers, gold star sprinkles and large drugeries to decorate the tops.

It was so much fun!

I got out my food stylist tweezers to help me place the drugeries, large edible pearls, exactly where I wanted them. You could definitely use a standard pair of tweezers for this task!

I arranged the cupcakes and a very large tiered stand that sits on my center island.

To complete the assortment of goodies, there were vanilla and pistachio macarons and a biscuit barrel full of decadent dark chocolate bon-bons.

With a few flowers it looked amazing!

Next time you need a yummy sweet treat, my Chocolate Cupcakes with Butter Cream Frosting are hard to beat!

Chocolate Cupcakes

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/3 cup extra dark coco

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

1 cup water

2 eggs

½ cup buttermilk

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 24-place cupcake pan with paper liners. In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda and salt and set aside. In a small sauce pan set to medium, heat water, coco and butter until the butter melts. Add warmed liquid to flour mixture and stir till combined. Add first buttermilk then eggs and stir well. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 19-21 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting.

Butter Cream Frosting

1½ sticks butter at room temperature

6 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

Milk or heavy cream

Using an electric mixer, combine butter, sugar, extracts and several teaspoons of milk on low speed and beat, add milk as needed to get the proper consistency for spreading. Mix on high speed for 5-7 minutes to create a fluffy frosting. Do not leave the mixer unattended.

Cheers to “Cooking Season” and Irresistible Greek Layered Dip

On August 27, 2019August 26, 2019 By Lorie FangioIn A Taste of Paris, Be Inspired, Taste2 Comments

I can’t think of a better way to spend a few hours than making great food with YOU GUYS!

There are so many fabulous cooking classes this fall, how will you choose?

Classes are filling fast so take a look and make your plans for “cooking season” and tons of great friends and good times, with me!

Some classes are already sold out so register TODAY HERE or by email to lorie@atasteofparis.net

Friday, August 30^th 10:30-2:00 Pasta Pop-UP!-1 seat just opened for this SOLD OUT class Let’s make homemade pasta! After working with Italian chefs in the Lake Como region, Lorie is ready to share all the secrets and fresh dishes she learned with YOU! We will make a snack of Sundried Tomatoes and Goat Cheese dip for fresh Crudité and we’ll toast the generous spirit of the Italians with Prosecco READ MORE

October 10-11^th French 2-Day Flavors and Inspiration from Burgundy France 10:30-2:30- 2 SEATS OPEN Join me for a truly unique culinary event as we travel to Burgundy for some of the most delectable food on earth. Slow cooked dishes eking all of the flavor from food, Dijon mustard and delectable cheese abound in the Burgundy READ MORE

Friday, October 25^th 7:00-9:00 POP-UP Dinner Fall Party Join me for the first time ever for a Fall Dinner Party. We will have a cooking lesson while enjoying appetizers and a Grapefruit Rosemary Sparkler Cocktail. Relish a gorgeous tablescape set for fall. Feast on a 4-course meal inspired by my trip to Lake Como this spring, READ MORE

Friday, November 1^st 10:00-2:30 A Day in France- Bistronomy Join me for a fabulous class- a day in France. French bistros have changed over the years, many combining the classics along with gastronomic dishes all at affordable prices. Bringing an haute cuisine experience to the masses, this movement, now decades in the making is called Bistromomy and will be the inspiration for our class. We will enjoy crafting READ MORE

Friday, November 8^th 11:00-1:30 The Thanksgiving Table-Looking for inspiration for the most talked about meal of the year? Join me for a class that will inspire you to explore traditional flavors in fresh new recipes. While we get our feast together, we will sip Peartinis, my most requested cocktail, and snack on a wonderful TG app, Rosemary Raspberry Pistachio Brie. Of course, the turkey is always the star of READ MORE

Thursday, November 14^th 6:30-8:30 Ultimate Appetizers-Holiday Entertaining Come to a cooking class that’s like throwing a party without the work! Join me in the kitchen to concoct crave able appetizers that look more complicated than they are. Enjoy my fabulous fall Apple Pear Rosemary Martini while we prepare an appetizer feast. Join in the action or just sit back and watch the show! We will get the party started with unbeatable Salmon Tacos with Crispy Slaw and spicy Aoli Sauce. Next up, READ MORE

FRIDAY, November 22nd 6:30-9:30 A Taste of Paris presents- France comes to McKinney, Burgundy Wine Tasting Experience. Chateau Pommard, one of the most prestigious wine houses in Burgundy will be coming to McKinney Texas for a very special evening of wine tasting with A Taste of Paris guests. As a participant you will taste 6 luxurious Burgundy wines and relish premium composed appetizers READ MORE

Thursday, December 5th 6:30-9:00 AND Friday, December 6^th 11:00-1:30 15^th Annual Gifts from the Kitchen-FILLING FAST! Back by popular demand this fun and festive class will take you through an array of goodies perfect for gift giving from your own kitchen, fabulous ideas to gift neighbor’s, coworkers or hostess. Each recipe will be made and tasted and all while sipping delightful Citrus Crush Cocktails. Creative packaging techniques will be taught for each recipe so your gifts will dazzle…so fun! Most of the work will be done so you can sit back and soak up the spirit READ MORE

Friday December 13^th 11:00-2:00 Holiday Luncheon Join me for the first time ever for a Holiday Luncheon. We will have a cooking lesson while enjoying appetizers and a Pomegranate Martini. Next, we will sit for Lunch, at a lovely table scapped with the spirit of the season. Relish a 4- course meal prepared and served by ME! READ MORE

Register now by clicking HERE or by email to lorie@atasteofparis.net

7 Layer Greek Dip

1 recipe Basil Hummus

2 recipes Pita Chips

4 ounces feta cheese crumbled

1 large cucumber peeled and diced

1 clove garlic

1 5-ounce container plain Greek yogurt

¼ teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

1 cup halved cherry tomatoes

½ cup diced red onion

1 jar roasted red peppers diced

1 cup assorted sliced olives

In an 8-inch glass dish spread hummus as the first layer of the dip. In a small bowl mix cucumbers with yogurt, garlic, dill and parsley and mix well, gently spread this as the second layer. Sprinkle on tomatoes, then peppers, onions then olives. Sprinkle the last layer of feta cheese and serve with pita chips.

Basil Hummus

1 15-ounce can chickpeas drained and washed

1/3 cup fresh basil packed

2 cloves garlic

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup tahini paste

2 tablespoons olive oil

Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until creamy. Serve with pita chips.

Pita Chips

1 package of pita bread cut into wedges

¼ cup olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush bread with a small amount of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and arrange on baking sheet in single layer. Bake until chips are crispy. Flip over and bake until other side is crispy.

Burgundy, France- Where Beautiful Food and Elegant Wines Prevail

On August 22, 2019August 21, 2019 By Lorie FangioIn A Taste of Paris, Be Inspired, DiscoverLeave a comment

After spending time in the Burgundy region of France this spring, I am ready to share 2 exceptional A Taste of Paris happenings, that YOU won’t want to miss.

I am both delighted and humbled to announce the A Taste of Paris Fall Event. One of the most prestigious wine houses in Burgundy, France, Chateau Pommard, will be making a trip to McKinney TX to share their knowledge, passion and wine with a few A Taste of Paris guests.

This extraordinary experience was crafted to give each participant a rare look at the elegant foods & wines of Burgundy, France. The festivities will begin with flute of Crémant de Bourgogne, followed by an entertaining cooking lesson, Let’s Get Skewered, perfect inspiration for holiday entertaining. Advanced wine tasting techniques will be shared by Chateau Pommard’s own Preston Mohr as you relish their exceptional wines. Wines will be paired with fanciful tidbits AND a composed, passed Appetizer. Delectable French sweets from a renowned patisserie will abound and the evening will end with a luxury gift for each participant. Couples and singles are welcome! For tickets Click HERE

I was absolutely energized by the amazing foods, of Burgundy. Superb flavors and magnificent presentations inspired me to create a 2-Day French Workshop. We will spend 2-thrilling days cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner together. These dishes will dazzle and soon become your families favorites. Space is limited so register TODAY.

A Taste of Paris Presents:

Friday, November 22nd 6:30-9:30 France Comes to Texas, Burgundy Wine Tasting Experience

Chateau Pommard, one of the most prestigious and beautiful wine houses in Burgundy will be coming to McKinney Texas for a very special evening of wine tasting with A Taste of Paris guests.

Taste 6 luxurious Burgundy wines. Plus 2 full pours.

Relish premium composed appetizers paired with each wine.

Entertaining lesson Let’s get Skewered- that will get you ready to host for the holidays.

Wine tasting techniques will be shared as well as the background and stories of these Burgundy wines; rich in both intensity and history.

Tidbits that pair with each wine will abound.

French Sweets to satisfy any sweet-tooth will be almost too pretty to eat!

Each guest will receive a recipe booklet with pairing information AND an exceptional gift to commemorate the evening.

Tickets are limited. Tickets.

October 10-11th 10:00-2:30 French 2-Day Flavors and Inspiration form Burgundy France-for a truly unique culinary event as we travel to Burgundy for some of the most delectable food on earth. Slow cooked dishes eking all of the flavor from food, Dijon mustard and delectable cheese abound in the Burgundy region. Dishes packed full of love and timeless flavors with an artful quality that we will share together.

This 2-day workshop is immersion style, cooking side by side. Each day we will prepare breakfast, lunch, dinner and a sweet along with a snack or two! Wine and a cheese course will be served each day for an authentic French dining experience. Dinner portions will be packed up to-go.

In addition to this fabulous menu, we will prepare 2 classic French doughs; Brioche, an enriched dough that is a staple in France and Choux Paste the basis for so many sweet and savory dishes. For those that want to arrive 30 minutes early on the second day, I will demonstrate Laminated Brioche, similar to croissant, a favorite treat of mine that is hard to find unless you are at the finest boulangerie in Paris! And just because we can, we will shake and enjoy French 75’s, how much for French can you get?

This course promises to improve your overall kitchen skills; French cooking is the gold standard and expertise acquired will last a lifetime. Be a part of the fun! Limited enrollment, Fee $189.00

Day 1- We’ll start our day with time honored baking skills. Brioche, made with my Parisian, Le Cordon Bleu recipe; is hands down the absolute best, add fresh churned European Style Butter and exquisite Cherry Jam and you have achieved perfection! We will also prepare delectable Oeuf en Meurette, traditionally served as a main course, will make a hearty breakfast. Cornittes, precious pockets of cheesy goodness, will be our luxurious snack. For lunch, Wreath of Greens Salad with Choux as the centerpiece, will delight your pallet and your senses. Choux puffs stuffed with mushrooms, leeks and a frothy goat cheese mixture is almost too pretty to eat! For dinner, Traditional Coq au Vin a classic slow simmered dish with rich complex flavors. Served with Maple Roasted Carrot Salad, sure to be a favorite fall go-to. For dessert we will make Burgundy Poached Pears with homemade Vanilla Ice Cream.

Day 2-Arrive 30 minutes early for a demonstration on cinnamon crusted Laminated Brioche, a truly unique treat that is worth every bite. We will start our day with wholesome Tartouillat, a tart filled with apples and pears that you will see in every glass pastry counter in the Burgundy region. Crème de Cassis, a black currant liquor, is produced in the Burgundy region. We will make a Kir Royal, one of my all-time favorites and toast them with thanks! For an irresistible snack we will make Herbed Fromage Blanc served with fresh vegetables. We will prepare the most famous dish from the burgundy region, Boeuf Bourguignon and we will serve it with Potato Leek Gratin, my favorite bite from my recent trip to Burgundy! Dinner will be delectable Jambon au Chablis served with Roasted Root Vegetables. For dessert, heavenly Chocolate Banana Crepes. Register NOW

What to go to Burgundy with me? Click HERE for more info!

Can’t wait to see you!

Peaches and Cream!

On August 20, 2019August 20, 2019 By Lorie FangioIn A Taste of Paris, Taste2 Comments

I thought this cool creamy recipe was worth a second look!

I created Peaches and Cream Ice Cream for Lauren at The Art of Living Beautifully for her July blog post. Subscribe there so you never miss a post!

As the summer heat drags on, a batch of freshly churned ice cream can really perk up a crowd. This simple recipe with honest ingredients is a true winner. Try it today, you will be so glad you did!

Peaches and Cream Ice Cream

3 cups fresh peach chunks

1 ¼ cups sugar

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

Seeds from 1 vanilla pod

Pinch salt

Pinch cinnamon

In a small sauce pan heat milk, cream, and sugar over low heat stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and pour milk mixture into a glass bowl. Add remaining ingredients and cover the bowl before placing it in the refrigerator overnight. Pour the cold milk mixture into electric churn and follow the instructions, most ice cream makers will churn for 20-40 minutes. Remove the ice cream from the churn and place it in a covered glass or plastic container. Place the container in the freezer to harden completely for at least 4 hours.

Note- This recipe is for a 2-quart electric ice cream churn and can easily be doubled for a larger churn.

Grown-UP Sundae Party

On August 15, 2019August 3, 2019 By Lorie FangioIn A Taste of Paris, Be Inspired, Taste, Trips2 Comments

Do you have a favorite flavor of gelato?

I recently hosted some friends for dinner. At the peak of the summer heat, I just didn’t feel like baking something for dessert. Instead, I made homemade Vanilla and Dark Chocolate Gelato; a classic and my husband’s favorite combination.

Yummy!

If you want to learn to make gelato; join me for Pasta POP-UP! I’ll share all I learned while cooking with Italian chef’s this past spring!

To create a super-fun vibe, I decided to turn my frozen concoctions into a Grown-Up Sundae Party.

To create your own party, just grab a tray, I used a silver one. Fill small bowls with good things to top gelato with, such as nuts, coconut, white or dark chocolate and marshmallow cream. Add several of your favorite liquors to the tray to pour over the frozen sweet. And the sundae party is ready!

Pistachio is my favorite gelato flavor, what about you?

Tips:

– Use store bought ice cream if there is no time to make your own gelato.

-Dish the gelato or ice cream into scoops several hours before your party. Place the individual scoops on parchment paper in the freezer until ready to serve.

Paper Flowers Fun

On August 13, 2019August 13, 2019 By Lorie FangioIn A Taste of Paris, Be Inspired4 Comments

For years I have been working on lightening up the interior of our home. Letting go of the rich reds and golds and replacing them with warm whites, creams and blues.

I finally reset my home for summer…I know, it’s almost fall but you guys I have been behind since November!

I really wanted something soft in the two vases that flank the TV on the mantel in my family room. I looked high and low for something that was the right color and size without breaking the bank and ultimately, I decided to get crafty.

It was so much fun I wanted to share the project with you. I hope you will forgive the shadowy photos, it was a very late night project!

To make your own paper flower globe, you will need a 7 7/8-inch Styrofoam ball, a large package of paper flowers in assorted sizes, a package of tiny paper flowers with pearl centers and a hot glue gun with plenty of glue.

Place the ball in your container and draw a line around the top of the container. This will be your start line.

Start gluing flowers around the start line. Be sure to vary the flower size, overlap the flowers slightly and only glue the center so the petals are free.

Once you have gone around the start line, start to fill in the blank space with flowers and again be sure to vary sizes and overlap, this gives the surface texture.

I could not resist leaving my fur baby in this shot. He is sleeping close to the action!

A tip for getting the flowers just right and not burning your fingers is to use the eraser end of a pencil to press the center of each flower into the ball while the glue cools off.

Once the ball is covered with flowers above the start line, go back around the globe and add the tiny pearled flowers to the center of some of the flowers. This adds a little sparkle and more texture.

There is no hiding that big TV, but I am really pleased with the look of my creations.

You can cover these Styrofoam balls with many things to create a look you love. Seashells, moss, small bits of tile, crushed flowers or herbs like lavender…so many ideas and so little time!

What would you cover a globe with?

A Taste Of Paris

Author: Lorie Fangio