A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Tilapia is widely debated but is not nutritionally a junk food. It is an inexpensive, low-calorie white fish packed with protein, Vitamin B12, and selenium. However, because it is farm-raised in high densities and has an omnivorous diet, it has earned the stigma of being “trash fish” or “junk fish” among critics. Despite these criticisms, experts emphasize that responsibly farmed tilapia is a highly nutritious, low-mercury protein source. Tilapia are mainly freshwater fish native to Africa and the Middle East, inhabiting shallow streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommends choosing tilapia farmed in the U.S. in recirculating systems, or imports from countries like Peru, Ecuador, Mexico, and Indonesia, while generally advising against tilapia imported from China. I personally love tilapia and eat it quite often. It is mild white fish that goes well with everything.

Believe it or not, I actually do buy some prepared foods every now and then. Then I “doctor” them up. We had some garlic breaded tilapia we bought from Costco. Costco does a good job with most of their foods. We’ve had it before and it is very tasty, but it needed a sauce to go with it. So I made it saucy. 🙂

Tilapia with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Cream sauces are my favorite sauces. They are not the healthiest choice, and I do try to limit them to some extent, but I just can’t resist a good cream sauce; over anything. I used the same sauce for my asparagus too, and because I used so many vegetables, it had to be a little healthier, right?! 🙂 This is a versatile sauce that you can use to dress up anything.

olive oil

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/3-1/2 cup diced tomato (I used a yellow tomato)

1 shallot, diced fine

2 tsp minced garlic

1-2 TBSP lemon juice

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

fresh basil and/or lemon verbena, chiffonade – I think you know which one I used this time

2 TBSP butter

Peruvian peppers, optional

Cook the mushrooms, shallots and garlic in the olive oil and lemon juice for about 2-3 minutes or until they have softened and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Add the cream and mix together thoroughly. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Add the seasonings and the butter to monter au buerre.

Add some of the fresh herbs after the sauce is cooked and mix together thoroughly.

Since I used a prepared fish, I cooked it according to the directions. (I know, a real stretch for me to actually follow directions. Sometimes it does happen though. 🙂 ).

When everything is cooked plate it up. Even when it is just the two of us, the Chef in me still likes to plate it pretty. I served it over couscous, with a dab of sauce on top, then the fish, topped with asparagus, more sauce and the tomatoes, Peruvian peppers and more lemon verbena. I served it with a chilled white wine on the side to complete the meal.

You can buy prepared foods and still give them your own style and personality. You just have to “doctor them up” a bit. No one will ever know you “cheated”. 🙂

Life is short. Make the most out of everyday and live life to the fullest. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

Prairie dogs are always so cute, and so curious. They want to be a part of everything. They also share what they see with their whole community through an intricate series of chirps and “barks”, so soon, the whole prairie dog community knows what’s going on around them.

Be ever watchful and curious. Be like the prairies dogs and be in the know about what’s going on around you. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve done a deep dive, so I thought it was time to do another one. This time, I am going to talk about eggplants. I love eggplant, but I do not cook it very often because Larry is not a fan.

When we think of eggplants we think of Mediterranean foods, and we are correct in that belief. However, eggplants were actually a gift from Asia long before they found their way to the Mediterranean. Evidence supports they were first cultivated in China and India as early as 59 BCE. They made their way to the Mediterranean regions around the 8th century through the Arab traders, and spread to the rest of the world as the world grew. Their wilder cousins trace their roots back to Africa.

Today, there are many different varieties and names of eggplants, as they are called by the Americans, Canadians and Australians. They are also known as aubergines, which is derived from the original Arabic name, al-badhinjan. In India, they are often called brinjal, stemming from its Portuguese translation, beringela. In many parts of Europe they were and still are known as “mad apples”. The English name “eggplant” originated during the 18th century from the white or yellow varieties that looked exactly like goose or chicken eggs. In both Germany and Austria, they are known as egg fruit. The word aubergine, which is the French word for eggplant, ultimately stems from the Sanskrit vātiga-gama, which means “the plant that cures the wind.” This ancient name reflects its historical use in Ayurvedic medicine to alleviate flatulence and digestive issues. Their natural chelating properties can assist the liver in filtering toxins. Furthermore, its high fiber content is excellent for gut health, promoting smooth digestion. In Medieval times, eggplants were also thought of as aphrodisiacs.

Eggplants are very healthy for us in many different ways. As I just mentioned, they are good for many digestive issues and ailments, but they are also good for many other health issues as well. Eggplants are rich in dietary fiber, potassium, and vitamins that support normal blood pressure and improve overall blood flow. The antioxidants in the skin help reduce plaque buildup in the aorta and main arteries, meaning they are heart healthy vegetables. They are also considered to be good brain food because they contain Nasunin, an antioxidant found abundantly in the purple skin, which protects cell membranes in the brain from oxidative stress and helps prevent neurodegenerative disorders. They are good for the pancreas because they have a very low glycemic index. The fiber slows the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, which takes the burden off the pancreas by preventing rapid blood sugar spikes, which in turn helps control diabetes. The majority of the antioxidants are concentrated in the skin, so don’t throw the skins away. Use them when cooking the eggplants.

There are many different varieties of eggplants found all over the world, but the there are three main types that we eat – Solanum melongena, Solanum integrifolium, and Solanum gilo. They come in all colors, shapes and sizes, each with their own unique personality and characteristics. Most of what we eat are the S. melongena varieties.

S. gilo is a cultivar of the Ethiopian eggplant, and S. integrifolium is commonly called “pumpkin on a stick.” It’s actually an eggplant and you really can eat it, but most people grow these as ornamentals due to how eye catching they are in flower arrangements and such. I never knew these were actual eggplants or that they were edible. I thought they were purely ornamental. I learn something new everyday. 🙂

Eggplants, by whatever name you call them, are members of the nightshade family, which also includes tomatoes, potatoes (but not sweet potatoes), eggplants, tomatillos, bell peppers, jalapeños, chili peppers, cayenne, habaneros, and many, many more. In fact, there are roughly 2000 members of the nightshade family found all over the world. Europe did not, as is generally the case with all nightshades, take too well to this initially. It’s not their fault, really. Almost all the nightshades indigenous to Europe are deadly.

Some eggplants will have spiny stems, some not. They have all 5 petals per flower, which can range in color from purple to white. They have that “classic” nightshade look to them with the vibrant yellow stamens and conical petal arrangement. The flowers are largely self-pollinating, but sometimes bees and birds do like to get into the mix on the cross-pollination front.

As of 2014, 50 million tons of eggplant were grown, providing net annual values of 10 billion dollars! The rise in popularity of ketogenic diets also helps eggplant get more traction, because it’s a fantastic low-carb veg that is diverse enough in what it can do to perform a wide array of culinary tasks. Additionally, as we learn more and more about what a nutritional powerhouse eggplant is, that also helps spread the word, as it were. There is an endless amount of ways to cook eggplant, as is usually the case with something that has been around for millennia and is popular all over the world. You are not limited at all in the possibilities, so let your imagination run wild.

I hope this was interesting and educational for you. I know I learned some new things. I hope you did too.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Learn something new everyday and share it with others. Life is short. Make the most out of everyday and live life to the fullest. Enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

It had been awhile since we were last at the Wild Animal Sanctuary(WAS). This time we took Neil with us, since he had never been. Neil was coming in from a business trip, and after picking him up from the airport, we all went to lunch. After lunch we were off to the WAS.

It was SUPER HOT, so as expected, most of the animals were lounging around in the shade, doing their best to keep cool. But there were two tigers who were playing around and cooling off by splashing around in their pond.

These two tigers have always been together. They are brother and sister. They were abandoned together in the parking lot but have been well loved and well cared for ever since.

Tigers love to swim and are excellent swimmers too.

It was time for a nap after their swim.

They had a good plan. Play around a little. Cool off with a dip in the pool. Then nap time.

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

It was game night, and our turn to host. We had steak down so I cooked that up with a delicious red wine mushrooms sauce. I served it with my grilled potato salad Grilled Potato Salad. Lauren brought over a salad and some bacon wrapped scallops. And we had some strawberry shortcake for dessert. For a casual impromptu dinner, we ended up with quite the feast. 🙂

Steak with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce

My marinade tuned into my sauce with just a few extra additions and cooking it up.

1 1/2 – 2 lbs thick cut steaks

1 cup dry red wine

1-2 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1-2 tsp Dijon mustard

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp dried thyme and/or dried marjoram

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 shallot, minced

1/2 cup chicken or beef broth

olive oil

butter or specialty butter

Combine the red wine, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and seasonings together to use as your marinade for your steak. I marinated my steaks for about 5 hours we grilled them.

When ready to cook the steak, get a large skillet very hot, add the olive oil, mushrooms and shallot. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the liquid from the marinade along with the broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for an additional 5 or so minutes, stirring frequently, or until it thickens.

Turn off the heat and add the butter. Gently blend the butter into the sauce. I used one of my Bella La Crema specialty butters, Bella La Crema to really enhance and bring out the flavors.

When the steaks and the sauce were done, I topped the steaks with the sauce and some fresh basil and we ate like kings and queens. 🙂

Lauren’s bacon wrapped scallops and salad.

It was yet another deliciously fun evening. Games followed our feast.

Life is short. Make the most out of everyday and live life to the fullest. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

Western Kingbirds are our summer birds. We see them mostly between May – early September, when the weather is warm and the sun shines brightly. They prefer to be out in open spaces and are not seen as much in the more urban areas. They can be aggressive, especially when guarding their nests, though with that being said, this particular mama must have known I wasn’t going to hurt her or her babies in her nest, and let me get real close to take some nice shots.

There was another one just hanging out on the fence, waiting to be noticed.

They must know I love my birds and would never hurt them, because they always seem to be smiling for my camera and love the attention. 🙂

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

Lately I have been using my indoor grill a lot lately, for all kinds of things. The big outside grill is Larry’s preferred method of cooking, but I like my inside grill that I can just place on top of my stove burners. It is both a grill and a griddle, and sometimes smaller things are just easier to cook and to control with my inside grill. There is also less loss because nothing can fall between the lines.

When I grill potatoes, they are much easier to grill on my inside grill. I have done a couple of batches of grilled potatoes just this week alone.

Grilled Potato Salad

Grilled potato salad merges the rich history of traditional European potato salads with the modern, outdoor cooking culture of American barbecues. The rise of grilled potato salad is a relatively recent innovation driven by backyard chefs looking to elevate the classic summer side dish. For generations, the traditional method for making potato salad involved boiling or steaming the potatoes. However, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, as grilling transformed from a simple necessity into a celebrated culinary art, cooks began experimenting with cooking potatoes directly over open flames. The grilling technique provided several benefits over boiling:

Enhanced Flavor: Cooking potatoes directly over wood or charcoal imparts a distinct smoky, charred flavor that complements the earthiness of the tubers.

Better Texture: Grilling crisps the edges of the potatoes while keeping the interior tender, preventing them from turning to mush when mixed with dressings.

Warm Serving Style: Grilled potato salad is typically served warm or at room temperature, a direct nod to original European-style warm potato salads. Ingredients often include crispy bacon, fresh herbs, scallions, mustard, or a splash of citrus to balance the smokiness.

Potato salad itself traces its roots back to 19th-century European immigrants, primarily from Germany. Early European versions—which were often served warm—were dressed simply with oil, vinegar, and herbs. When brought to the United States in the mid-1800s, the dish evolved dramatically. As commercial mayonnaise (like Hellmann’s and Miracle Whip) became mass-produced in the 1920s and 1930s, the creamy, mayo-heavy version of potato salad became a staple at American picnics and cookouts.

Once my potatoes were cooked, I added everything else and tossed them together to make my potato salad. The possibilities are endless, but for this particular version, I used my left over peachy mustard sauce that I used for my last round of pork loin chops. Pork with Peachy Mustard Sauce

1 1/2 – 2 lbs grilled new potatoes, quartered

3 -4 strips of bacon,cooked and crumbled

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

2-3 hard boiled eggs, chopped

1/4 cup green onions, sliced

fresh ground black pepper to taste

salt to taste – I used my smoky bacon infused salt

1/2 cup peachy mustard sauce, or more as needed without drowning the potatoes

Mix everything together well and serve warm or at room temperature.

Life is short. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride. Stay cool on these dog days of summer and enjoy the ride. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

I have finally used up the last of my pork loin. I made it three different ways, all of which were very tasty. This time, I made it with a peachy mustard sauce. It was similar to what is known as a South Carolina mustard BBQ sauce. This meal was pure Southern comfort,with grilled potatoes and grilled corn on the cob.

Peachy Mustard Sauce

I marinated my pork in the sauce for about 4 hours before grilling it. You can use the same sauce for chicken or seafood too, as well as a base for a potato salad (more on that later).

1/2-3/4 cup orange juice, especially if using as a marinade

2/3 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup whole grain mustard

1/2 cup peach vinegar

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 TBSP hot sauce

salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

Mix everything together well.

Grill the pork and serve it with your favorite side dishes. Enjoy.

Life is short. Make the most out of every minute and live life to the fullest. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

It’s funny how I go for long stretches without seeing any Killdeer at all, and then all of a sudden, I see a whole bunch. I am in that phase where I am seeing a whole bunch. I am NOT complaining one bit though. I love seeing them.

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

My jewelry classes were suspended for about 6 weeks due to renovations to the school. The school has now reopened for workshops, with the actual classes resuming once again in September. I went back the first day I could and I have been busy making more jewelry once again. With the exception of a few minor tweaks left to do, I just finished another pair of earrings yesterday. The stones I used this time are Sodalite.

A work in progress.

And the finished pair. I learned and used some new techniques for these. I am always learning and working on new ideas and new techniques. My instructors have all commented on how well I am doing and progressing. Not to brag or anything, but these have already received a lot of praise, and a lot of that praise has come from people in the know. 🙂

As soon as I finished, I immediately started on another project. I have so many ideas just waiting to be made. To many projects, to little time. 🙂

Life is short. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride. Stay cool along the way too. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.