Growing up, one of my all time favourite desserts was chocolate mousse.  If it was on the menu, it was in my tummy.  I couldn't get enough of it.

I loved it most when it was light and airy, almost like a fluffy pillow, and not too chocolaty.

I loved it so much that I remember going into the local Taco Bills with one of my girlfriends, back when we were on our "P" Plates, and ordering 2 chocolate mousse desserts to take away.  No Mexican food, just the desserts!

We were the talk of the kitchen.

I'm finally back in the kitchen - Thank God! 

My fridge and cupboards are full. 

I've unpacked and found all of my pots and pans.

I'm finally home.

Enjoying the long weekend recently, I was able to finally get myself sorted, cruise around my new hood, and of course cook.  With a chill in the air, but blue sky's over head, I headed into the kitchen to make something warming and hearty.  Something fitting for this time of year.

I've been back from France for 5 months now and it's taken me this long to pluck up the courage to not only OPEN one of the French cookbooks I brought back with me, but to actually COOK a recipe from one of them.

My first cookbook - Quand Katie Cuisine (What Katie Ate)

Remember my lip smacking mousse from last week?

Know what goes perfectly with it..... ...this week's recipe!  Der!

Yes.  Another recipe from the cookbook I have fallen head over heals for.

I hope you're not bored yet, cause there is a lot more coming.

Each time I think I'll flick through another cookbook, I find I get a couple of pages in and then suddenly, low and behold, it's back in my hot little fingers once again.

I guess I can't really call it a "crush" anymore as I think we've moved more into "stalker" territory now.

Whilst relaxing in the park one lazy Saturday morning (as seen here), flicking leisurly through some of my many French cookbooks, I came across this recipe. 

I'm a big lover of soup in Winter and I find it is my go-to staple for mid-week meals.  I'm not such a fan during the Summer time - go figure!  However this soup seemed a little different.  It looked fresh, light and packed full of yummy vegetables - and it was French.  I was sold.

With what seemed like hundreds of egg whites sitting in my freezer and a picnic to plan for, I couldn't think of anything more appropriate to make than the humble French friand, especially as it was for the So Frenchy So Chic in the Park picnic (see post here)

There seems to be a theme developing in this little challenge of mine.  Completely unintentional of course, although I'm sure my sub-conscious has been planning this all along.

Have you noticed?

Without meaning to, everything I've cooked so far seems to have some link to France.  Hmmm...wonder why that is......

You guessed it.  This week's contribution is no exception.

I'm smitten!

And my crush is the little cookbook Santa brought me called The Little Paris Kitchen by Rachel Khoo.  I know I've only recently posted about Rachel's cookbook, but this is what happens to me when I get a crush (some may call it being obsessed).  I want to try making everything from cover to cover, and so far I seem to be on track.

Presenting recipe #2 in the 2013 Cookbook Challenge:

Burgundy isn't a region we're planning to explore on our trip to France later this year.  As a number of my favourite dishes come from the region, including Coq au Vin, it's definitely a place a plan to go back to one day. 

Another reason I'd like to go back would be to go to a cooking class at The Cooks Atelier.  An amazing looking school where you head off to the market in the morning then cook the afternoon away.  I had originally thought I'd just pop down there from Paris to attend the school, but with the amount of things I want to do in Paris - I'll think I'll have to leave it for now.  Oh well, there's always next time.

I'm getting excited about exploring Normandy.  It was never part of my original plans to go there and in fact, when I think back I don't think I'd have ever planned to go there ever.  I'm not sure why that is, but I just found other areas of France more appealing to me.  Well, thank God all that's changed thanks in large part to reading two particular cookbooks by Jane Webster - My French Table and Family Ties.  I know I've raved on about these books in the past on this little blog of mine, but the stories and pictures make me feel as though I'm already there.  I can smell the country air and taste all of that delicious food.

So, of course, it wasn't long before I NEEDED to make something else from one of these cookbooks, and the winning recipe for the day was.......

After a lazy morning in my pj's sipping my pot of tea, I rugged up and headed off on a gorgeous long walk, discovering new places I never knew existed, right around the corner from where I live. Who knew I had an amazing community garden just steps away. Filled to the brim with stunning vegetables and flowers. The bees liked it also!

Chasseur means "hunter" and is a term used for dishes that include mushrooms, shallots, tomatoes, wine and brandy and is most often served with game/poultry.  To me, when I see the word Chasseur

I instantly refer to Chicken Chasseur.  A dish I haven't made in years and a dish that I've fallen back in love with.  Why did it ever go out of fashion?

I've never been to Normandy.

However, in a couple of months time the above sentence will no longer be true.

I'll be cycling around the local villages, visiting Monet's garden, shopping at the food markets and basically eating all the French food I can get my hands on. I'm salivating as I think about it.

For me, this holiday is all about immersing myself in French life.  I've seen the tourist sights, so now I simply want to wander around and shop at the food markets and then cook with all the amazing produce, and to help get me inspired I've been pouring over all of my French cookbooks. Geez, I've got loads of them!

One in particular is At My French Table by Jane Webster.

Il est dix heures.

It's 10 o'clock Sunday morning.  The sun is shinning and I'm sitting in my local park with a coffee.  I love mornings.  I love the fresh start they bring. Anything is possible.

I also love knowing that I have a big bowl of hearty French soup waiting for me at home.  All I need to do is pick up some fresh bread from my local bakery and I'm all set.  Parfait!

Bonjour!

If heaven is me being surrounding by French food (and maybe a French man or two) then I've got my bags packed and I'm ready.

As you can see, I'm loving this fortnight's theme - European (although when I saw the word European, I really saw the words French Food).

I have a new addition to my family.

A new cookbook to be precise.

It's French, and I love it!

Flicking lovingly through my brand new baby I found my dish for this fortnight's theme -