French Fridays with Dorie – Gougeres

Celery Root Puree was the recipe this week but ummmmmmmm no. Just no. I can’t. So I made some cheesy bread poufs instead. These were the first recipe the Doristas made when this whole FFWD business began and I gotta say I was really sorry to have missed them. I do actually plan on making all the (appealing) recipes I’ve missed at some point but I was particularly looking forward to these. Bread + cheese = 100% a good idea. I made these super-easy little cocktail nibbles for our Festivus celebration but then I decided we had enough food probably so I froze them before I baked them.

In case you’re like “What’s Festivus?” here’s a little overview:

We had a Festivus shindig with our neighbors, complete with the traditional Festivus pole (made by Tristan)

That’s our neighbor Jason wrapping himself around the Festivus pole while enjoying a turkey leg. Yeah, we had a good time. The gougeres were overkill that night so I made them last night to go with Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese which you should all try even if you hate buffalo wings like I do. It’s pretty flippin’ great. Having the gougeres ready to go in the freezer was so nice and easy. I just baked them for a few minutes longer and they puffed up all brown and beautiful and cheesy-like.

I used the same “stinky” Gruyere in these that I made the crackers with last week and it was equally delicious. Stinky cheeses are the best cheeses after all. There are still some left in the freezer that I plan on making sometime during my dad’s upcoming visit. We’re also going to make the Finnish Pulla together and I was thinking of making him a Pizza Rustica too. Lots of good cooking coming up in the next few days! We’re also going to see either Les Miserables or The Hobbit or both. Good stuff.

Found a link to the recipe online if you want to give them a try (and I just know you do).

French Fridays with Dorie – Goat Cheese Mini-Puffs

This is a few weeks late but I’m subbing it in because there was just no way I could make anything with cauliflower. I’m sorry, but no. I have to confess that I didn’t even look at the recipe. I know, I know, I’m terrible. But my last experience with cauliflower was so harrowing and grotesque (and also I just really hate it) that I couldn’t even face it. But guess what I do like? Cheese! And bread!!

I had the day off on Tuesday so I used that opportunity to pretty much cook all the live-long day. I made the gingerbread babycakes for BWJ, I made these puffs, I made some red kuri squash soup (is that not happening for us Doristas any time soon or am I brain-farting and forgetting that we did it?), and I made this awesome Caramelized Onion and Red Pear Focaccia. I love the focaccia but Tristan is not a fan – oh well, more for me!!!

But back to the puffs – I was really excited to use my Bismarck tip to pipe in the goat cheese until I realized that doing it that way vs. slicing the top off means that they look exactly like they did before I filled them when they’re done. Whoops. I thought they were delicious even if they did look a little plain-Jane. I usually make Martha Stewart’s gougere recipe for all of our events at the store but I am totally switching to Dorie’s now. These never deflated and they stayed nice and crispy even after an overnight in the fridge which sort of defies logic but definitely pleases me.

Next week’s recipe is a chicken dish that I’m looking forward to trying but later this month something with celery root is on the horizon and I’ll have to think about whether that will be happening up in here…..