This months challenge comes from Steph from the blog A Whisk and A Spoon.  She chose a Vols-au-Vent, using a puff pastry dough from Michel Richard that is featured in Baking with Julia by Dorie Greenspan. 

Huh?  What?  Don’t know what the heck a Vols-au-Vent is?  Sure you do.  It is those lovely little flaky hors devours that you have had at that fancy party.  You know - puff pastry formed into a “basket” and filled with either a sweet or savory filling. 

Lets just say I had such plans for this challenge!  But in true Blondie form, I planned until I ran out of time and then crunched to get it done.  With only one filling  *loser*  Hey, be nice!  In my defense this very easy, but time consuming pastry does require chilly temps and we have had a month of 115 degree weather!  A girl can not catch a break.  The filling by the way was delicious - scrambled eggs with herbs and brie.

Coming soon expect to see the following recipes, some of my favorite ways to use puff pastry…

• Prawn Thermidor
• Baked Brie
• Salmon Wellington
• Napoleon
• Carmelized Onion Tarts
• Palmier
• Blueberry handpies
• and many, many more

Please also check out what the other Darings have done.  It’s an impressive group of cooks and bakers that I have the honor of associating with.

And guess what?  You can follow this link to see Michel Richard preparing his puff pastry with Julia Child on an old PBS episode! 

Lastly, I am still dealing with a blog gremlin so I am unable to post more photos, the actual recipe and my normal ramblings (perhaps a good thing?).  But this I will soon resolve and then I will post more photos and details and the blah, blah, blah… Blah, blah.   In the mean time considered you have just dodged that bullet and go check out Steph’s blog for the recipe. 

~Blondie

This months challenge is Indian Dosa (vegan) and comes from Debyi at www.healthyvegankitchen.com  

Thank you Debyi!!! I have been wanting to make savory pancakes for sometime - actually chinese pancakes but none the less, these were delish!

I am having technical difficulties with my blog so please follow the link above for the recipe and check out what all the other Daring Cooks have done at www.thedaringkitchen.com

I used a potato curry filling instead of the chickpea filling.  I simply used two baked potatoes, one onion, a clove of garlic and half a red bell pepper and sauteed them in a fairly dry pan (very little oil as per the challenge) and then added salt and pepper and yellow curry powder.

I also omitted the tomatoes from the sauce as I don’t care for cooked tomatoes (or that is tomatoes that are cooked for a long time).

I topped the dosa with chopped tomato, cucumbers, cilantro and pepitas (roasted sunflower seeds).

I must say that I didn’t really care for anyone of the items individually, but together, they really sang.  I will be happy to stash the extras into the freezer for me to have again!