Hi, I’m Vanessa. Half-French. Half-American. All Foodie.
I’m a home chef who learned much of what I know cooking with my mother in France, but also studying at Peter Kump’s cooking school, now the Institute of Culinary Education in New York.
This is my new site where I am slowly bringing over hundreds of recipes from chefdruck.com, my chronicle of a life of feasting.
“Il faut vivre pour manger, et non manger pour vivre.”
“We must live to eat, and not eat to live.”
15 years of content takes a long time to migrate. Please enjoy the gradual relaunch of French Foodie Mom: a recipe repository and email me at chefdruck@gmail.com if there are any recipes you loved that you don’t see here yet.
Let the feasting begin again!
Recent Posts
Recipes make their way into this blog after three dinner trials. Hope your family likes them as much as ours does.
Fire Roasted Tomato Soup
Fire roasted tomato soup is a celebration of color and flavor. One I can’t get enough of. Is there anything better than tomato soup to beat back the chill of fall and winter? I don’t think so, especially when the tomatoes have the kiss of fire roasting.
Whiskey Short Rib Sliders
Short ribs have been my favorite slow cook dish for years, but the whiskey gives them a glorious caramel overtone. Leave them to rest for a day or two after you cook them and they’ll just get better.
Oreo Truffles Even a Kid Will Love
These Oreo Balls are the truffles I wish I’d reached for as a child. They’re also the type of treat that will be the talk of your cookie exchange and the perfect little something to give to your neighbors. They’re incredibly easy to make as they require no baking.
Just a Simple Little French Cake: Fondant au Chocolat
French cooks, just like American ones, have recipes they whip off without thinking, even dessert recipes. This recipe for Fondant au Chocolat comes together in five minutes and has six ingredients, but the moist and intensely chocolate cake is definitely worthy of being served at the fanciest French restaurant.
French Crepes for my American Kids
Like many French foods, crepes sound fancy and difficult, but you could have them on the table faster than you can boil pasta. Just throw 4 ingredients in a food processor, pulse a half a dozen times, and get cooking.
Carrot Souffle: a Family Favorite Worth Sharing
Vegetable side dishes are rarely the star of the show, but my carrot souffle is the exception. This sweet and fluffy casserole is like eating dessert with dinner.
Secret Homemade Silver Dollar Pancakes
It took Steve months to perfect this silver dollar pancake recipe. Every Sunday he would trudge down, wipe the sleep from his eyes and whip up a new batch, tweaking the heavy cream and milk (yes!), sugar (yes!), and other ingredients before we finally unanimously agreed that these were the most amazing, melt in your mouth, silver dollar pancakes. Trust me. You won’t be able to have just one stack.
How to Make Pommes Dauphines, the French Tater Tots
Easy Challah Thanks to a Forgotten Bread Machine
Challah used to be a mystery to me, a skill my mother in law could not pass on to me, until I discovered this bread machine shortcut.
Basic Roasted Chicken Recipe with a Twist
A Basic Roasted Chicken Recipe with a Twist
Soy Butter Glazed Roast Chicken: a Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinner with Glorious Crispy Skin
a Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinner with Glorious Crispy Skin
Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash and Pancetta: a Roasted Rainbow
This riot of color is so full of flavor that you can serve it as a side dish or a main course.
Sauteed Kale with Parmesan and Croutons
I'm not normally a kale lover but this dish is crave-worthy.
Caribbean Chicken to Keep Vacation Vibes Going
Carribean Costa Rican Style Chicken
Roasted Slow Cooker Carnitas – Spices and Citrus Make Slow Cooking Burst with Flavor
Slow Cooker Carnitas
Sweet Potato and Date Chicken Tagine
Sweet potato and date chicken tagine, an exotic Moroccan inspired dish.
Cider Braised Pork with Apples and Carrots
Cider Braised Pork with Apples: My Fall Back Dish
Crockpot Beef Bourguignon
Beef bourguignon stew is so satisfying on a cold winter night.
Sweet and Sour Chicken Drumsticks
These sweet and sour chicken drumsticks are so good and so easy to make.
Roasted Pumpkin Gratin: a Veggie Dish that Shines as a Main Course
This pumpkin gratin shines as a main course.
