THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA'S VEGETABLE TIAN, AND LAISSEZ LE BONS TEMPS ROULER..........

That's right.....Wink and I are headed off to The Big Easy, because we need to put some serious SOUF in our MOUFS!!! Grits, Jambalayas, Gulf Prawns, Po-Boys and Pralines, baby....with us, it's ALL about the food!.........

This week I've only been asked by about 19,532 people, "Hey, wasn't yesterday Fat Tuesday? And doesn't that mean that Mardi Gras is over?".......

Why yes, yes it is. This is, let's see, my fourth trip down to NOLA, and I don't think I would ever plan to go during Mardi Gras....speshally now that I'm not supposed to drink anything but Sweet Tea. But I have to say that New Orleans is SO SO much more than just partying, anyways--we just love the sweet hospitality we receive there, without fail, and the fact that the whole place is just so darned historical and gorgeous! So don't you worry--I'll be back in 10 days or so with (God willing!) some wonderful, alcohol-free photos and tales to share........(if you look real close, you can find me up on one of those balconies, earning my beads the OLD FASHIONED WAY, back in the day....)..........

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Our daughter, Little Miss Thing, turned 21 years old the other day in Paris. Which is pretty uneventful  (turning 21 there, that is), because kids can legally drink in France at 18. But that didn't stop our little party animal from celebrating with friends.....I stole this photo from her Facebook page, because I'm stealth like that, and I suspect the photo is one of them thar Instagrams (I've downloaded the app myself recently, but haven't figured out how to use it yet.....LOVE the grainy, artistic quality of the photos!)..........

I'm ASSUMING that's something made out of chocolate that she's enjoying, but knowing France, it could be duck livers! With a candle, no less......

HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY TO THE LIGHT OF OUR LIVES!!!

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So I hereby do promise, promise, promise that this is the last Barefoot Contessa recipe I'm going to share with you, at least for the time being. I just adore preparing her recipes, so please forgive me for my little obsession............

Last week I needed a nice side dish for the steak dinner I was serving, and I found Ina's Vegetable Tian...the photos in the book were so appealing, I just HAD to try the recipe! For this dish, you will need lots of yellow onions, garlic, potatoes, zucchini and fresh thyme...............

In a saute pan, saute sliced onions until translucent..............

Spread the onions out on the bottom of a greased baking dish.............

Slice potatoes, zucchini and tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices (Ina's tip: choose vegetables that are all about the same diameter so the slices look similar).....

Layer the vegetables alternately in the baking dish on top of the onions....

Drizzle with olive oil, thyme leaves and thyme sprigs.....



Cover and bake for about 40 minutes; remove thyme sprigs and sprinkle with grated Gruyere cheese...bake for another 30 minutes or until browned....a fabulous side dish, and so very pretty!...............

You can find the recipe, HERE.

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I will be back soon.....but before I go, I need to give proper thanks!.........

TODAY I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR.......

***Curling up on a chilly winter's afternoon for a restful nap with my fat old purring kittens.........

***My obsession with all things beautiful, and ESPECIALLY beautiful foods!

***The sweet people in my life who make my life so very beautiful, each and every day!