Winter Provençal

My younger sister is in town with her kids as is my niece from DC, so of course we had to have a big family meal tonight.  The main event for any dinner for my family is dessert.  It seems the Sugar Gene has been passed down, as my sister’s little kids who were visiting asked Auntie Andrea if we can have an “Un-Birthday” tonight; that is, our favorite birthday cakes even though no one is having a birthday this week. Why not?  Grampy got his fave, devils food with buttercream and coconut; Grammy also got her request, Kahlua-imbibed raspberry filled white cake with pink seven minute frosting; I love a pink camellia from the garden on top of that cake~

I added what I call coconut foo-foos to that tray, mini white cakes with Paula Dean filling and seven minute frosting topped with shredded coconut; wildly popular tonight~ 

Before we got to the dessert of course, we had dinner.  I made rosemary potatoes, which are always a hit; dice up a few Russets….they will shrink when you cook them so coarse is ok~

I like finer pieces, but they can be up to an inch~

On a silpat or foil, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with Herbs de Provence and fresh or dried rosemary; a single layer is best~

Bake at 400 degrees, this will take more than an hour, until crispy; you can turn them a little, but try not to mush them, best to be intact; salt at the middle of cooking and again at the end of cooking; my family ate every bit tonight~

The chickens were generously stuffed with thyme and trussed; roasted French-style to perfection~

Green asparagus from the market today was our side dish~

I made a cassoulet yesterday; this deserves its own post, and it doesn’t really photograph well, but trust me it was delicious and seasonal and all-eaten tonight~

Though I cooked everything in my own kitchen, we ate at my sister’s house nearby, which I don’t like as much as I have to pack all of this food up in the car, and it doesn’t afford me the luxury of setting a nice table.  But that was ok in the end as we had a great meal, together, as a family.  Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend~