A Jeanne in the Kitchen

We go to the Wild Animal Sanctuary quite a bit, as you all know. Every time we go, we see something different. This time, our new find was the caracals. They were hiding in the tall grasses and in the ditches. They blend in very well, by design. If one of the volunteers hadn’t pointed the first one out to us, we probably would have just walked on by and never noticed him. I am so glad we saw them though. They are beautiful.

The caracal is a carnivore that typically preys upon birds, rodents, and other small mammals. They can leap higher than 3.0 m (9.8 ft) and catch birds in midair. Caracals are highly adaptable, medium-sized wild cats inhabiting dry woodlands, savanna, shrublands, and arid hilly steppes across Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia. They prefer areas with good cover for stalking, such as rocky hills and savannas, while avoiding dense tropical forests and sandy, hyper-arid deserts. Caracals are primarily solitary, territorial, and nocturnal hunters that live alone, except for mating pairs or mothers with kittens. They mark vast territories using urine, act independently in the wild, and use vocalizations like hisses and growls to establish boundaries. 

Have a great day and make everyday great. Discover something new everyday. ‘Til next time.

Of course I saved the best, the dessert for last from my Portuguese feast. I made pasteis de natas, or custard tarts, probably the most famous and beloved dessert in Portugal.

I had enough custard leftover to make a tart too.

Pastel de nata is a famous Portuguese egg custard tart with a flaky pastry crust, traditionally dusted with cinnamon or powdered sugar, though most people, us included, prefer just the cinnamon. Originating in the 18th century with monks in Lisbon, these tarts feature a rich, creamy custard filling that is baked until caramelized or slightly scorched on top. They are a beloved dessert in Portugal and have gained international popularity, with a famous secret recipe still made at Pastéis de Belém in Lisbon. They can only be called pasdteis de Belem in Belem, at the world famous Belem restaurant. Anywhere else, they are called pasteis de natas. They were first created by Catholic monks at the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon before the 18th century. These delicious desserts were created because they used the egg whites to clean and starch their collars, and needed to find a way to use all the egg yolks. The result …. pasteis de natas. !Deliciosa!

Pasteis de Natas

This delicious sweet treat doesn’t use a lot of ingredients, but they sure use them well. 🙂 I bought this cookbook in Portugal, at the Bertrand Bookstore in Lisboa, the oldest bookstore in the world. Everything was in metrics, so I had to convert everything. To be nice (for a change) I will give you both measurements for this recipe. 🙂

300 g or 1 1/2 cups sugar

150 ml or 1/2 cup water

1-2 cinnamon sticks

1 -2 tsp grated lemon peel

30 g or 2 TBSP flour

30 g or 2 TBSP cornstarch

500 ml or 2 1/2 cups milk

6 egg yolks

1 whole egg

puff pastry – I used the puff pastry shells

ground cinnamon for topping

Preheat the oven to 250*C or 450*F.

Arrange the puff pastry shells on an ungreased baking sheet.

Make a simple syrup with the sugar, cinnamon sticks, lemon peel and water. Bring to a boil without stirring, then reduce to a simmer for 3-4 minutes or until it reaches 105-107* C or 225* F. Use a candy thermometer.

Dissolve the flour and cornstarch in a saucepan with the milk. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until it is lump free and slightly thickened.

Combine the egg yolks and whole egg and mix together well.

Pour the simple syrup mixture through a strainer into the milk mixture and mix the simple syrup with the milk and flour, bring to a boil, and stir constantly until it thickens, for about 1-2 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes, then slowly add the egg mixture, whisking constantly, so the eggs do not scramble.

Prebake the puff pastry shells for about 15 minutes, or until they puff and brown, then remove from the oven. I scooped out the center of the pastry shells. Fill with as much pastry filling as the shells will hold with out overflowing. Bake again for about 10-15 minutes, or until the custard begins to brown and caramelize on the top.

Remove from the oven, let cool a bit, then generously sprinkle the ground cinnamon on top. These are best when served the same day they are made at room temperature, though they are still good a few days later, when kept in the refrigerator and removed about 30 minutes before eating. I bet you can’t stop at just one. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

The other day when Larry and I last visited the Wild Animal Sanctuary, the grizzly bears were the stars of the day. Not long ago, we didn’t see many bears because they were still hibernating. But this time, they were out and having fun. They were just bears being bears. 🙂

The black bears were out too, but they weren’t nearly as funny or entertaining as the grizzly bears were.

Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

The other vegetable I served for our Portuguese feast was Portuguese sweet & sour carrots, also known as conserva de cenoura or cenouras temperadas. They are the Portuguese version of pickled carrots. They were very popular in the Southern Algarve region of Portugal. We enjoyed them there too.

Portuguese Sweet & Sour Carrots

These are carrots marinated in olive oil garlic, white wine vinegar and paprika. They are best when marinated overnight and served later, at room temperature.

1 TBSP kosher salt

6 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

2 TBSP white wine vinegar

1 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp fresh thyme and/or oregano

1-2 tsp paprika

fresh ground black pepper to taste

Blanche the carrots in boiling hot water for about 3-5 minutes, then immediately dip into ice cold water and let set for a bit to stop the cooking process.

Whisk together all the other ingredients and add the carrots. Toss everything together once again. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Remove them from the refrigerator at least an hour before serving to get them to room temperature.

They are exactly what you would expect; sweet from the carrots and sour or tangy from the vinegar and garlic. They are great as an appetizer or as a side dish for a main meal.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

It is hawk season, or at least I am seeing more hawks than usual right now, though I usually see quite a few at all times. That is perfectly OK by me too. I love the hawks. They just speak to me. A hawk represents, in a spiritual context, sharp focus, higher perspective, and clear vision, acting as a messenger encouraging you to observe your surroundings and act with intent. Seeing a hawk suggests it is time to gain a broader view of a situation, take control of your life, and trust your intuition to soar above challenges. Seeing a hawk reminds you to look at the “big picture” of your life rather than getting lost in minor details, helping you rise above problems and gain clarity. Hawks are often seen as messengers, signaling that you should pay attention to signs, synchronicities, and messages from the spiritual world or your ancestors. They can represent your higher self and the need to release old, limiting energies to advance on your spiritual path. The presence of a hawk is often viewed as a sign of spiritual protection and a prompt to trust your inner voice.

I believe in the spirit animals, and they represent us and speak to us for many reasons. Listen to the animals. Listen to what they have to tell you.

Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

Even though the Portuguese diet is very heavily meat oriented, they do eat their vegetables too. I like balancing my meals, so when I made my Portuguese feast for Bob’s birthday, I wanted vegetables to go with my meat dishes as well. One of the vegetable dishes I made was seared broccoli rabe with garlic, or gretos salteados.

In Portugal, they actually use turnip greens instead of broccoli rabe, but the two are closely related, and here in the United States, David Leite, the author of The New Portuguese Table recommends using broccoli rabe instead of turnip greens.

Broccoli rabe (also known as rapini, raab, or turnip broccoli) is actually a member of the turnip family, not a type of broccoli. While regular broccoli has thick stalks and large, dense heads, broccoli rabe has thin, leafy stalks with small buds, featuring a pungent, bitter taste rather than broccoli’s mild, sweet, and nutty flavor. Broccoli rabe is best sautéed or blanched to reduce bitterness and pairs well with strong flavors like garlic and sausage.

Seared Broccoli Rabe with Garlic

This is an easy-peasy recipe to make and will go well with anything.

2 lbs broccoli rabe

1/4 cup olive oil

6 garlic cloves, sliced thinly

dash red pepper flakes

kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of of water to a rapid boil then add the broccoli rabe and cook for about 2 minutes. Once the broccoli rabe is cooked, take it out of the water and gently roll it into a tea towel to keep it moist until you are ready to saute it.

Heat the olive oil and red pepper flakes in a large skillet until it is sizzling. Cook for about 3-5 minutes or until the garlic starts to brown.

Add the broccoli rabe and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serve immediately alongside your favorite main dishes and enjoy.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

Yesterday, Larry got off work early and we headed back to our favorite local wild animal preserve, The Wild Animal Sanctuary. As usual, we saw all kinds of wildlife, and also as usual, there were different stars of the day. Some of the day’s stars were the Bald Eagles. We saw some juvenile ones, who hadn’t fully developed into their majestic selves yet, but were well on their way.

And we saw quite a few in flight. I got some good shots of them in flight, which is quite the capture, since that is a pretty hard feat (for me at least) to accomplish. Here are some of the juveniles in flight.

And here they are in their full majestic glory, flying to the Heavens.

One also flew right by our windshield as we were on the way home too, but I didn’t get a shot of that one. Beautiful and majestic are the two best words I can think of to describe these magnificent birds.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest and take it all in. ‘Til next time.

Before our trip to Portugal, I never knew here were two completely different styles of chicken piri piri. One is the Peruvian style (chicken peri peri) Happy Birthday To Me – Part 3 – Peri Peri Chicken, which has a green sauce, and the other is Mozambique style with a spicy red sauce. Both are very good, just very different styles. The Mozambique style is the original style I believe. Mozambique was once a Portuguese colony, so there are a lot of Mozambique influences in Portuguese cooking, among other cultural influences as well.

One of the dishes I made for our Portuguese feast was chicken piri piri, Moazambique style. This Mozambique style of piri piri is jokingly called Portuguese viagra.

Mozambique Style Chicken Piri Piri

The sauce is what makes the dish, as is most often the case.

3-4 lbs chicken pieces – I used breasts

1 TBSP minced garlic

1/2 cup white wine vinegar

6-8 red chilies, diced very fine

1 cup olive oil

1-2 tsp paprika

dash of Kosher salt

Mix the garlic and vinegar together and let steep for 20 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients and mix together well. Pour over the chicken and let marinate for at least 2-3 hours before grilling.

When ready to grill, grill it over a hot grill until the chicken is cooked completely. Reserve the sauce, and heat in a small pan for about 5-7 minutes, at a medium-low flame, then pour over the chicken right before serving. This chicken will have a kick, and that’s exactly what you are looking for. DELICIOUS or DELICIOSA!

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

Nuthatches are not birds I see on a regular basis around our lakes. But the other day, when I saw my new baby ducklings, or duck-a-lings as I like to call them, there was a curious White-breasted Nuthatch in the tree right beside me. He kept inching his way closer and closer as if to say, “Hey, I’m right here. Take my picture, not those silly babies”. But he was also playing with me. He definitely wanted the attention, but he was also being coy and as soon as he saw I was looking at him, he would go around the tree trunk. When I took my eyes and camera off of him, he would come back even closer to me, to make sure I hadn’t forgotten about him. He did this a few times before finally posing for his photos.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Enjoy all the little things that come your way. The little things are the things that matter most. 🙂 ‘Til next time.

I think Larry’s favorite dish he tried in Portugal was the francesinha. He was really looking forward to it the whole trip, but waited until we got to Porto to try it.

Francesinha is a a hearty Portuguese sandwich from Porto, featuring layers of meat (like steak, ham, and sausage) on thick bread, covered in melted cheese and a rich, spicy tomato and beer sauce, often topped with a fried egg and served with french fries. The name means “little French woman,” or “little Frenchie”. It was inspired by the French croque monsieur, but adapted with more ingredients and a unique sauce. The francesinha originated in Porto, Portugal, during the 1950s or 1960s, created by Daniel David de Silva, a returned emigrant who sought to adapt the French croque-monsieur to the Portuguese palate. It is said to be a tribute to French women, who Silva reportedly found to be “spicy” (referencing the sauce).

When we had our Portuguese birthday dinner for Bob and Janet, francesinha was the main dish on my menu. It looks complicated to make, but it really wasn’t too hard.

Francesinha

The sauce is the key to this traditional dish from Porto.

The Sauce

4-5 large tomatoes, diced – I used large heirloom tomatoes

1 onion, sliced very thin

1 TBSP garlic

1-2 TBSP butter

2-3 TBSP olive oil

1-2 bay leaves

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 can light beer

2 cups beef or ham stock – I used ham stock

1/2 cup port

1/4 cup brandy

salt & pepper to taste

1 red chili, diced fine

1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce

In a large pot, cook the onions, garlic and chili pepper in the butter and olive oil for about 8 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue to cook for about 40-45 minutes.

With a large liquid mixer, pulse everything until you have a smooth sauce, then pour through a strainer and reboil.

Making The Sandwich

2 slices thick bread

4-5 slices of cheese – your choice of cheese

2 slices thinly sliced ham, or more if you are not using cheese

1 sausage, cooked and cut in half lengthwise

4-6 oz thin steak, cooked to your liking

1 egg

While the sauce is cooking, cook the sausage and steak to your liking. For me, a nice medium rare (the more rare the better for me) is perfect. Once the meat is cooked spray a deep dish with cooking spray and start layering the sandwich. Start with one slice of bread, then the ham, steak, sausage, more ham, and the other slice of bread on top.

If you are not a cheese eater, instead of adding a layer of cheese all around the sandwich, make it even more carnivorous, and add another layer of ham all around it. Since I am not a cheese eater, I made both kinds of francesinha.

Once the sandwich is layered completely, poor the boiling hot sauce over the sandwich. The hotter the sauce, the more quickly and completely it will melt the cheese.

Top with a fried egg and serve immediately.

Don’t even think about how many calories are in this dish. Just enjoy it and savor every bite. I suppose you could make this a vegetarian dish if you wanted to, just use thinly sliced hearty vegetables, such as zucchini, yellow crookneck squash, butternut squash, eggplant, mushrooms and peppers.

This is one of Larry’s favorites, and if you are a meat eater, it will be one of your favorites too.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Live life to the fullest. It’s not the destination that matters, but the journey. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.