Miam, who can resist this roasted chicken with its golden and crispy skin?! A very easy recipe.
Why not bake potatoes at the same time? Potatoes can be left unpeeled, and if they are small in size, you don’t even need to cut them into pieces.

Easy roasted chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken giblets removed
- 1 kg small-sized potatoes
- Salt and pepper
- 2-3 cloves crushed garlic
- a bit aromatic herbs Herbes de Provence
- 1 lemon optional
- a bit olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C (420F).
- Place the potatoes in an ovenproof dish or on a baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper, and sprinkle with aromatic herbs.
- Wash and pat dry the chicken with paper towels. Rub with salt, pepper, garlic, not forgetting the inside of the chicken. Place the lemon cut in half inside the chicken. Brush the chicken with olive oil. Place the chicken in the dish on top of the potatoes.
- Put the dish in the oven for about 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Occasionally, baste the meat and potatoes with the cooking juice.
- When the chicken is cooked inside (the juice that runs out is clear when pierced) and golden brown on the outside, remove the dish from the oven. Don't forget to check if the potatoes are cooked as well. If they are cooked before the chicken is done, they can be removed beforehand.
Boursin™ Stuffed Mushrooms
Tasty and very easy recipe with only 2 main ingredients that you can find in every store: mushrooms and Boursin.

Boursin Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 30 small mushrooms (Cremini or Button Mushrooms)
- 1 block Boursin™ Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese
- freshly ground black pepper
- Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley) finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F.
- Wash and dry mushrooms. Remove stems. (You can use them for another recipe),
- Place mushroom caps on a baking sheet. Season with pepper. Fill each mushroom’s hole with 1-2 tsps of Boursin™.
- Bake about 25 minutes until mushrooms are golden and cooked through.
- Sprinkle the baked mushrooms with fresh herbs and they’re ready to be served!
Salmon Теrrine
Make a Salmon Terrine with fresh and smoked salmon, eggs, sour cream, and parsley. This elegant french recipe is a refined and delicious appetizer and it is perfect for cold buffets. Serve the terrine with mayonnaise, vegetables, or a green salad.

Salmon Terrine
Ingredients
- 500 g salmon fillet with no skin or bones
- 5 eggs
- 250 г sour cream
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 250 g smoked salmon cut into small pieces
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 390° F (180°C). Grease a loaf pan using cooking oil.
- Cut the fresh salmon into pieces and mix with a food processor.
- Add the eggs and mix well.
- Add the sour cream and parsley.
- Add the smoked salmon, salt and pepper. Mix with a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes.
- Allow the salmon terrine to cool before removing it from the pan. Serve the dish chilled.
Chocolate Yule Log (Bûche de Noël)
Chocolate Yule Log (Bûche de Noël) is the French roll cake very popular during the Holiday season. This is a delicious version of Yule Log you can make at home using very simple ingredients you can find in every store.

Chocolate Yule Log (Bûche de Noël)
Ingredients
Sugar syrup
- 150 g sugar
- 300 ml water
Chocolate ganache
- 200 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%)
- 200 g dark chocolate (60-70% cacao)
- 15 g unsalted butter
Biscuit
- 4 eggs (at room temperature)
- 120 g sugar
- 120 g all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
Chantilly cream
- 250 ml heavy whipping cream ( 35%) very cold
- 50 g mascarpone cheese
- 1.25 Tbsp sugar
Decoration
- Few meringues, pieces of chocolat
Instructions
Sugar syrup
- In a small pot, bring cold water and sugar to the boil. Keep boiling for a few minutes, stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool down. When the syrup is cold, you may add vanilla or the Triple Sec liqueur (optional).
Biscuit
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar until the mixture becomes thick, fluffy, and triples in volume.
- Using a spatula, gently fold in flour and cocoa powder.
- Spread the batter evenly in thin layer into the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in center of biscuit comes out clean.
- Turn upside down onto clean kitchen towel and carefully remove parchment paper. Let cool down.
Chocolate ganache
- Boil the heavy whipping cream. Pour the boiling cream over the dark chocolate. Wait for one minute.
- Then mix it until the mixture is smooth.
- Add butter and mix until this is fully dissolved.
- Let cool the ganache for about 30 minutes in the fridge. Mix and check frequently: the ganache is ready when it’s not anymore liquid and has a spreadable texture.
Chantilly cream
- Beat together very cold heavy cream and cold mascarpone cheese until this is whipped. Keep gradually adding sugar.
Assemblage
- Paint the biscuit with sugar syrup.
- Spread the chantilly cream evenly over the biscuit.
- Roll up firmly.
- Tightly cover with plastic wrap, and keep in the fridge until chocolate ganache is ready.
- Remove the plastic wrap. Spread the ganache over the cake. Using a fork make lines to look like a log. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and let stand in the fridge for a night or at least 3 hours.
- Before serving, dust with cacao cocoa powder and decorate with meringues or pieces of chocolate.
Notes
Cranberry Cake
This homemade cranberry cake is perfect for the winter season. Its bright red color brings holiday spirit to your family dinner or friends party. Easy to make and delicious!

Cranberry Cake
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 220 g granulated sugar
- 115 g melted butter
- 150 g all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 380ºF. Grease and flour a cake pan.
- Beat eggs and sugar with mixer until slightly thickened.
- Add melted butter and mix well.
- Stir in the flour and baking powder.
- Add the cranberries and stir gently.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool. If desired, dust with confectioners sugar.
Puff Pastry Apple Tart
Very simple puff pastry apple tart recipe with minimum ingredients and maximum flavor. You don’t even need a mold for it. Sour apples work the best. I use brown sugar, it gives the apples that caramelized taste. Can be served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or cold with some powdered sugar on top.

Puff pastry apple tart
Ingredients
- 1 sheet all butter puff pastry
- 3-4 apples Granny Smith
- 1-2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 30 g unsalted butter
- confectioner’s sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 380 degrees F. Place the dough on the baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Poke all over with a fork.
- Peel the apples, core and cut into wedges. Slice the wedges thinly and arrange the slices on the pastry, overlapping as you go. Dot apple slices with butter.
- Fold the edges of the pastry.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the pastry is golden and apples are tender.
Prunes with prosciutto
The prunes are wrapped with thin slices of Italian raw ham, the prosciutto. Easy to prepare and quick to cook!

Prunes with prosciutto
Ingredients
- 7 thin slices prosciutto
- 20 prunes pitted
- 20 tooth picks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 240°C (thermostat 8) and cover a baking tray with baking paper or aluminum foil.
- Cut the prosciutto slices into thirds lengthwise.
- Wrap each prune with a slice of prosciutto.
- Secure with a wooden skewer (tooth pick).
- Place the bites on the baking sheet and cook in the oven for 3-5 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Baked eggplant slices
The eggplants are cut into slices and roasted with salt, pepper and olive oil.
Eggplants with garlic are delicious whether served hot or cold, which is why they can be prepared in advance.

Baked eggplant slices
Ingredients
- 2-3 eggplants
- 1-3 cloves garlic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3-4 Tsp olive oil
- Some fresh herbs (cilantro, green onion, parsley)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to the broil setting.
- Wash the eggplants and slice them into 0.7 cm thick rounds. Place them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Season with salt, pepper, and brush both sides with olive oil.
- Cook under the broiler for 15-20 minutes. Flip to the other side.
- Cook for another approximately 10 minutes.
- Peel the garlic, grate it using a fine grater (or crush it). Then spread it over the eggplant rounds before they cool down.
- Serve hot or cold, sprinkled with parsley or coriander. Add slices or wedges of tomato if desired.
Walnut Cake with Plums
You will love this walnut cake with plums.
“All prunes are plums, but not all plums are prunes. When dried, plums are called prunes, but the prune fruit comes from a different type of plant than plums.”
Whatever you call them, they’re the best combination with walnuts! 🙂

Walnut Cake with Plums
Ingredients
- 240 g softened butter
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 200 g sifted flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 160 g ground walnuts
- 6-12 pieces pitted dried plums (cut into 2-4pieces)
- 8-10 halves walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Generously butter a skillet.
- In a medium bowl combine butter and sugar together and beat until creamy.
- Add eggs, flour, baking powder and mix until the batter is smooth. Add ground walnuts and mix.
- Scrape the batter into the skillet and smooth the top with spoon. Lay slices of plums and walnuts halves on top of your cake.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes. (Check often last 5-10 minutes).
King Cake (Galette des Rois)
This King Cake (Galette des Rois) is a very popular French pie. It celebrates the holiday of Epiphany, the day when 3 wise men came bearing gifts for newborn Jesus. The traditional way to bake this king cake is to place a porcelain figurine, a charm or “fève” into the center of the galette. The person who receives the slice with the charm is “King of the Day”. The lucky winner gets to wear a (paper) crown for the rest of the day!

King Cake (Galette des Rois)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (100 g) softened butter
- 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (100 g) almond flour
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 1 Tbsp rum (optional)
- 2 sheets ready-to-use puff pastry ( Puff Pastry Sheets)
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- Beat the softened butter and sugar together, then beat in the eggs. Stir in the almond powder. Add vanilla, rum and set it aside.
- Roll out one sheet of puff pastry. Poke holes with fork.
- Spread the almond filling over the center of the dough, leaving a 1 inch (1.2 cm) exposed border. If you wish, place a little porcelain figurine “fève” somewhere in the almond filling.
- Brush the edges of the pastry with water and cover with another circle of dough on top and press down to seal the edges.
- Brush with beaten yolk then use a paring knife to create a design on top of your galette, Poke 8-10 holes in the top, to allow steam to escape while baking.
- Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 380 degrees F. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. (Bake on the bottom rack of the oven).