French Week continues

Listen to all the sites we saw on our first full day in Paris, 9 years ago:  we took a bus tour of Paris, went to Notre-Dame cathedral, went to Sainte-Chapelle, went to the Samaritaine department store to check out the view of the city I had read about & went to Musee d-Orsay.  That makes me tired just reading that long list!  If (not if...when!) we go back to Paris someday, I will not cram our schedules so full.  We really didn't enjoy the Musee d'Orsay at all because we were both so tired.  My memory of that museum is resting on the bench, rubbing my poor aching feet.  Not all the beautiful works of art, no.....my memory is of my dogs barking!

But really, despite that, it was wonderful!  Notre Dame is beautiful & we got to really explore it.  We climbed to the top for the view of the city, which was worth the 400+ winding steps (no wonder we were so tired)!  Sainte-Chapelle was gorgeous & tiny.  I'd probably skip the Samaritaine - there are more authentic, historical sites to get those great views.  Then perhaps we wouldn't have been so exhausted once we reached the Musee d'Orsay.  Well, at least now we have a good excuse to go back & do that museum justice!

Here are a couple of our pics from that day:

So, I've been cooking & baking French fare like crazy the last couple of days.  The first thing I made was French toast - French toast for French week!  Actually, let's call it Pain Perdu - more authentic!

Last night for dinner, I made this yummy asparagus & leek quiche.  I love making this dish just for the wonderful aromas from these veggies cooking.  Here is where you can find the recipe - thanks Martha!  There is a typo on the site, though - it's only 1/4 tsp. pepper, not 1 tsp!  And this morning, I made oeufs en cocotte.  This is a new way to eat eggs around here - creamy, baked eggs.  It's comfort food, French style.  I got the recipe from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. 1, but I first heard about it from Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen, as Julie Powell talks a lot about this recipe in the book.  Here's my oeufs:

And, finalement, I made French Almond Macaroons!  DH & I unfortunately didn't have any macaroons while we were in Paris.....another excuse to go back, I say!  Here is the recipe....merci Martha, once again!  Mine don't look as lovely & perfect as Martha's, but they taste wonderful!

And now, after all that cooking & baking & cleaning up, I'm tired & need a good rest - awww, it's just like Paris!

Bonne nuit!
Cheryl