A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Yesterday, Bruce, Julia and I all visited the Mines Museum of Earth Science, in Golden. Once again, Julia was enabling me with my “new addiction” of silver, precious metals and gems. 🙂

The Mines Museum of Earth Science, formerly known as the Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum, is a geology museum located on the campus of the Colorado School of Mines, in Golden, Colorado. It was established in 1874 by paleontologist and Mines’ professor, Arthur Lakes. It features over 15,000 square feet of extensive collections including Colorado’s state mineral collection, Apollo 17 moon rocks, and a walk-through mine with glowing UV minerals. The museum houses over 50,000 rocks, fossils, gemstones, and meteorites. It is known for having some of the finest examples of Rhodochrosite (Colorado’s state mineral) in the world. Admission is 100% free to the public, though donations are accepted.

We had a good time learning about the history of mining precious metals and gemstones of both Colorado and of the world.

Mining is nothing new. People have practiced mining and quarrying since ancient times. The first mineral known to be mined was flint, a fine-grained variety of quartz used to make weapons. Early peoples mined other things, such as ochre, for use as pigment in art and religious ceremonies. Egyptians mined native metals, including gold, silver, and copper, from stream beds as early as 3700 to 3000 BCE. Around 2600 BCE they began to quarry stone to build the Great Pyramids. By the Middle Ages, mining was common in Europe. Georgius Agricola (Figure 9.8), a German physician, wrote the first widely read book about mining, De re metallica, published in 1556. Agricola’s work is said by some to represent the beginning of the science of mineralogy.

Mineral resources literally put places on the map of the ancient world. If a region contained abundant amounts of copper, silver, tin, or gold, and later iron, it soon became populated and prosperous. Civilizations established trade routes and developed commercial systems, shipping commodities over increasingly longer distances. If resource supplies became depleted in one location, people sought new sources. Thus, exploration was needed to sustain production and consumption of valuable resources. These same dynamics operate today: when new mineral deposits are discovered, new communities and industries may appear. When old deposits become depleted, communities and industries wane. And, always, mining companies are exploring to find new sources of economically viable minerals. Copper, tin, iron, and nickel were all important during the early ages of humans, and they are equally important today. Those same metals – and many others – are key parts of a seemingly infinite number of products.

All three of us were ooing and awing over all the pieces we saw. The gems were just magnificent.

And this is how silver looks in it’s very rawest stage.

This is a large copper vein.

This is the largest amethyst geode I have ever seen. It is quite impressive.

Way more than just a bunch of rocks!!!!!

We loved seeing all the fluorescent stones in the mineshaft too.

Miss Colorado’s Crown, inspired and made from Colorado’s gems and minerals.

Julia and I each purchased our own geodes too, and had them cracked open. We chose different geodes. A geode is a hollow, spherical rock with mineral crystals inside deposited by mineral-rich water. The word “geode” comes from the Greek word for “Earth-like.” Geodes form when mineral-laden water fills spaces in igneous or sedimentary rock. The rock gets spaces from gas bubbles in igneous rock or by tectonic shifts forming cracks in sedimentary rock. The minerals forming the geode come from ground water or hydrothermal fluids. Over time, minerals deposit from the dissolved silicates and carbonates in water. Geodes contain hollow spaces called vugs. Vugs range in size from a few millimeters to crystal caves. If the original rock fills completely with minerals, it’s called a nodule.

Geodes in the wild are often found in deserts, in areas rich in limestone, and volcanic ash beds. Ideally, look in regions of past volcanic activity or where limestone dissolves over time. In forested areas, check river beds and lake shores. In the United States, geodes are common in Arizona, California, western Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, Nevada, and Utah. The are abundant in Brazil, Mexico, and Namibia. In Somerset, England geodes are common enough to have their own name (“potato stones”). Wherever you go, look for a rounded rock. While the minerals within geodes may be any color, usually the rock is bluish-gray or tan.

Cracking open the geodes.

We held mine under black, fluorescent light and discovered mine is fluorescent and shines bright green.

It was yet another new and fun adventure.

The Mines Museum is located at 1310 Maple Street in Golden, CO. They are open from 10-4.

You are never to old to learn new things. In fact, learning new things is what keeps us young. Learn as many new things as you can and enjoy every minute of everyday. ‘Til next time.

You would think that we had become vegetarians with all the deliciously fresh vegetables Bruce and Julia brought to us from their garden. Not so though. We definitely ate our fair share of meats as well. Larry once again had the smoker going and smoked some ribs and a bacon wrapped pork loin for all of us to enjoy.

I can’t tell you what Larry used for the ribs since he made those up. But I can tell you how I prepared the bacon wrapped pork. We topped both with my spicy ketchup Spicy Ketchup.

First, I made a marinade.

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup orange and fig jam

2 tsp liquid smoke

My pork loin was about 4 lbs, with the excess fat removed. I let it marinate overnight. When I was ready to wrap it, I patted it dry with a paper towel, then wrapped it with about 20 pieces of bacon, overlapping it, so the pork loin was completely wrapped and covered. I used pepper bacon.

We smoked the bacon and the ribs together. Once again, Larry is in charge of the smoker, not me, so I don’t know how long he smoked everything, but I am going out on a limb to say it was for about 3-4 hours. Then we placed them both in the slow cooker for an additional 2-3 hours for them to get nice and tender. And then, we let the feasting begin! 🙂 Everything got rave reviews.

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

I like learning new, fun food facts and then sharing them all with you. Sometimes you learn the strangest things. 🙂

1. I love tomatoes of all kinds. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Did you know the largest tomato ever grown was over 16.89 lbs (7.661 kg). This giant fruit was grown by Dan Sutherland in Walla Walla, Washington, and was officially verified on July 19, 2025, by the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth.

2. If you eat too many carrots, your skin can turn orange. Eating about 10 carrots a day for a couple of weeks can result in carotenemia. This condition is harmless and completely resolves once you reduce your carrot intake. Eating too many carrots can lead to a harmless cosmetic condition called carotenemia, where excess beta-carotene builds up in your bloodstream and turns the thick areas of your skin (like your palms, soles, and nose) yellow or orange. It can also cause digestive discomfort or bloating from excessive fiber intake.

3. Pumpkin pie dates back to the year 1623, making it about 400 years old. Pumpkin pie originated in the 17th century when English colonists adapted European pie-making traditions to native North American squashes. Early versions were cooked directly in hollowed-out pumpkin shells or layered with apples and herbs, until 1796 when Amelia Simmons published the first recognizable custard-like recipe in American Cookery.

4. There are almost always 10 segments in an orange slice. Oranges (and other citrus) usually have exactly 10 segments because of their ancestral flower structure. The citrus flower ovary has multiple chambers called “locules”, and each locule is genetically programmed to develop into a distinct juice-filled segment. While 10 is the most common average, the exact number can fluctuate between 8 and 14 depending on the specific citrus variety, tree age, and growing conditions (such as sunlight exposure or climate). You can actually predict the number of segments before peeling the fruit by checking the tiny indent at the bottom of the orange. The number of small white dots or folds in that “bellybutton” matches exactly with the number of segments inside.

5. Thomas Jefferson helped introduce mac and cheese to America. Thomas Jefferson played a significant role in popularizing macaroni and cheese in America, but he did not introduce it entirely. He encountered pasta dishes during his travels in Europe and brought back a recipe for a baked macaroni and cheese dish, which he served at Monticello and state dinners. However, it is important to note that the dish’s rise in popularity is also attributed to an enslaved Black chef who worked for him, who likely contributed to its development. Jefferson’s influence helped make macaroni and cheese a staple in American cuisine, but he was not its sole creator.

6. If you have a latex allergy, you are also likely allergic to papaya, as well as avocados, bananas, kiwi fruit, potatoes, tomatoes and bell peppers. They can cause a cross-reaction known as latex-fruit syndrome. An allergic reaction to latex can vary from a mild, itchy skin rash to severe and potentially life-threatening effects, such as anaphylactic shock. Reactions may occur immediately, or in some cases, you might experience a delayed response up to 48 hours later. Food and latex allergies often overlap in a condition called latex-fruit syndrome, where the immune system confuses proteins in certain foods with those in rubber tree sap. Up to 50% of people with a latex allergy experience reactions to these cross-reactive.

So next time you are playing Trivia Pursuit, or something similar, the next time these questions come up, you will know the answers. You can say “I learned it from A Jeanne In the Kitchen”. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Life is short. There is so much out there just waiting to be discovered. Learn as much as you can in the time that you have. Make it a game and make it fun. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride. ‘Til next time.

I would love to say I’ve been cooking with Julia Child all week, but sadly that will never happen. I have been cooking with another fabulous Julia all week though; my dear friend and our very own Julia from Blackberry Homestead at https://wordpress.com/reader/feeds/101099938. We have been busy making all kinds of delicious sourdough treats with the sourdough starter she brought me. We just made another beautifully delicious olive loaf too. We will enjoy that with dinner tonight. 🙂

We’ve been cooking a lot more than bread too. Not only did Julia gift me with her sourdough starter, but she and Bruce brought a whole big box of vegetables and sweet potatoes too.

We have already used all of the tomatoes except for one of the larger heirloom tomatoes. The first thing I made with the tomatoes was my spicy ketchup Spicy Ketchup.

Then I made a delicious tomato cucumber salad with more of the tomatoes and a couple from the cucumbers. I used a lot of the smaller potatoes for a warm potato salad with olive oil and fresh herbs, also from Julia’s garden.

Tomato Cucumber Salad

4 large tomaotes, diced

2 cucumbers, sliced thin

1/4 red onion, sliced very thin

2 TBSP olive oil

1-2 TBSP lemon olive oil, optional

1 TBSP lemon juice

2 tsp minced garlic

salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

1-2 TBSP fresh herbs, chopped -of course I added lemon verbena from our backyard

Mix everything together well and serve. You can eat this deliciously fresh salad chilled or at room temperature. I almost like it at room temperature better because it really brings out the fresh flavors of the vegetables.

The ingredients we used for the potatoes were very similar to what we used for our salad.

I finished up the rest of the tomatoes for my pasta with shrimp, sausage and vegetables, a favorite of ours that I haven’t made in awhile. Usually I make it with scallops, but this time we had shrimp instead. Angel Hair Pasta with Scallops and Chorizo

Tonight’s dinner just may include some of Julia’s sweet potatoes, along with the freshly baked olive bread, as well as some other delicious menu items. 🙂

We have thoroughly enjoyed having Bruce and Julia stay with us. I just wish we all lived closer to each other so we could get together more often. 🙂

Life is always better with good friends and good food. Life is short. Make the most out of everyday and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

Julia knows how much I love bread and how much I love to bake bread too. She brought me a sourdough starter that she showed me how to feed and care for. We have been feeding it everyday she has been here so far. And we have also been cooking with it too.

A good sourdough starter is key to making good sourdough bread. Make the starter about 2 weeks in advance before using it to cook with. Your starter is alive and needs to fed and maintained in order to be a good, healthy starter. A starter is very simple to make and is only water and flour, that when properly fed and maintained will turn into a natural yeast alive with healthy bacteria. Mix the flour and water together well then store it in a jar with a tight fitting lid. It will take anywhere from 5-12 days for the starter to start growing. You will know when your starter is ready when it starts to bubble furiously while in the jar after about an hour or so after feeding it. It should double in size after it is fed. It should smell slightly sour and sweet. It tends to work better if you have it a little more wet at the beginning, and then to feed it, once it starts growing, you will mix 1/2 cup of starter with 1/2 cup of water and 1 cup of flour. Mix everything together well and place it back in your jar, only now, you can’t use the lid, so just lightly cover with a little aluminum foil or plastic wrap. This will be the way you will continue to feed it, indefinitely. Do not refrigerate it until after it starts growing. Stir it often before it starts to grow, then once daily is fine. Once you refrigerate the starter, it makes it dormant until you take it out and let it get back to room temperature and start feeding it daily again. I have heard of starters lasting for over 200 years if they are properly fed and maintained.

Sometimes after refrigerating your starter, if it is in the fridge for too long, a yellowish liquid, called hootch, will form on top. And sometimes, a black sediment will also occur. Neither of these are anything to really worry about. Some people just mix them in to their starter, while others throw them away. Both are fine. You can leave the refrigerated starter in the fridge for up to 6 months without feeding it and it should still be fine, but it is best to feed it once a month if you are not using it right away.

No two two starters are alike and because of this, no two sourdough breads are alike either. How you take care of your starter will affect the flavor of your bread. If you feed your starter everyday, the flavor of your bread will be mild. If your starter has missed a couple of feedings and is on the “hungry side” it will have stronger, more sour taste. I love it both ways, but I do have a slight preference for the more sour taste in my sourdough bread.

Bruce and Julia arrived on Friday night. Saturday morning, we first used our starter to make some sourdough pancakes for breakfast. Julia and Larry were the pancake chefs.

We fed the starter again on Sunday morning. We took some of the starter to make some sourdough crackers. We made our dough first, for both our crackers and our bread. We made our crackers out of our scraps.

We used the same dough for both the crackers and the bread, however we cooked the crackers right away and let the bread rise slowly all day.

4 oz of sourdough starter

4 cups flour, divided – bread flour is suggested, though all purpose flour works fine too

1 1/4 cups water

1 tsp salt or kosher salt

For the crackers, preheat the oven to 400* F or 205* C.

Julia rolled the dough for the crackers on top of the parchment paper, and she rolled the dough very, very thin, then she cut it into both small squares and long strips. I brushed them with lemon olive oil and then sprinkled them with sea salt before we baked them to a light golden brown. They were so good. They we thin, light, crispy, slightly lemony and salty too. YUMMY! Or as Lauren said, “they were KICK ASS!” My oven is funky-do, and takes longer to bake things. I don’t know if it is the altitude or what. I am used to my oven, but Julia said she doesn’t like it. 🙂

For the bread, we lined a cast iron skillet with parchment paper, placed the dough in the center, then covered it with a deep, round mixing bowl and let it rise slowly all day, after kneading it for about 7-10 minutes and forming it into a ball. You can do the same thing with a cake pan too.

When it was ready to bake, Julia scored the top of the dough and wrapped both the dough and the skillet with aluminum foil to make a tight seal. This was to trap the steam inside to let the bread rise more slowly and more naturally, and also to create a nice, crispy crust.

We heated the oven to 375* F or 191*C then put the skillet in the oven. We baked the bread covered for about 30-40 minutes, then we raised the oven temperature to about 425* F or 218*C, and continued baking the bread for an additional 30-40 minutes uncovered, until it was golden brown. We let it set for a couple of minutes before slicing it up and savoring every bite. Mike and Lauren joined us for dinner and the bread got rave reviews from everyone. Some of us enjoyed it with butter while the rest of us enjoyed dipping it into a lemon, herb garlic dipping sauce. And Julia and I thought it was fabulous both ways. 🙂

Life is short. Make the most out of everyday and enjoy it with good friends and good food. ‘Til next time.

Bruce and Julia were at their friend’s wedding. While they were gone, I made good use of a lot of the tomatoes they brought. I made a spicy ketchup with a good portion of them. The ketchup, which was more like a spicy BBQ sauce, will be used for something I am making for dinner tonight.

Ketchup originated in China around 300 B.C. as a fermented fish sauce called ge-thcup. Brought to Europe in the 17th century by traders, the recipe evolved into mushroom and walnut ketchups. The first tomato-based recipe was created in Philadelphia in 1812. The modern version was perfected in 1876 by H.J. Heinz in Pittsburgh.

Long before it became the sweet, red condiment we know today, ketchup began as a pungent, fermented fish sauce in southern China. Known in the Hokkien dialect as kôe-chiap or kê-chiap, this early sauce was made from fish entrails, meat byproducts, and soybeans. The salty, savory liquid was easy to store and transport on long ocean voyages, allowing it to spread along trade routes into modern-day Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

In the early 1700s, British and Dutch traders discovered the fish sauce in Southeast Asia and brought it back to Europe. Because the original Asian ingredients were scarce, European cooks began experimenting to replicate the salty, savory flavor profile. This sparked a culinary trend in the 18th century where cookbooks featured numerous “ketchup” variations, including mushroom, walnut, oyster, and lemon. Mushroom ketchup, in particular, became highly popular in England and was a favorite of author Jane Austen.

The first published recipe for tomato-based ketchup did not appear until 1812, introduced by a Philadelphia scientist and physician named James Mease. His early version was a thin, watery concoction made of tomato pulp, spices, and brandy. Ketchup as we know and love it today, has come a long way from it’s ancient Chinese origins, made with fish entrails.

Luckily, my spicy ketchup had NO FISH ENTRAILS. It was made from about 3-4 lbs of fresh tomatoes instead.

Spicy Ketchup

More so than not, I cook with what I have and I improvise and make changes and substitutions if and as I need to. By doing this I make my own recipes up all the time. This recipe was no different. That’s just how I cook. 🙂

3-4 lbs ripe tomatoes, diced – as usual I love to mix and match my tomatoes

1/2 tsp cloves

1 cinnamon stick

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 cups peach juice

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Combine about 1/2 the tomatoes with the rest of the ingredients. Split the cinnamon stick in 1/2. Place in a medium-large pot. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add the remaining tomatoes and mix together well.

Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. You can leave it chunky if you wish or you can blend it to make it more like a traditional ketchup like I did.

The house was smelling so good, and of course I had to sample the goods when they were done. 🙂

This recipe made about 4 cups of sauce.

You will soon find out how I am planning on using this delicious, spicy sauce, but for now, you’ll have to just enjoy the sauce. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Sauce it up and make it spicy. ‘Til next time.

Bruce and Julia came in a day earlier than we expected. It was a very pleasant surprise indeed. Of course we are happy we get to spend more time with them. Not only are they gifting us with more time together, but they also came bearing gifts, which they didn’t need to do at all, but we are very grateful for.

First, Julia knows I am really getting into my jewelry making and they brought me a whole bunch of beautiful stones of all different colors and sizes. So, there is LOTS more jewelry coming your way. Larry says my silver dealer is my “crack dealer” and Julia laughed at this saying she is now feeding my addiction. 🙂

Then they gifted us with a beautiful bounty from their garden. I will be putting them to very good use while they are here, starting on something in just a bit. You will soon see the results. 🙂

Julia also brought me a sourdough starter. She showed me how to “feed it” then we let it rest over night.

Don’t you just love Julia’s big beautiful smile?????

This morning, Julia was very pleased with the progress of the sourdough starter, and she and Larry made some sourdough pancakes for all of us for breakfast. What kind of hostess am I where I make my guests cook their own breakfast???? 🙂 🙂 🙂

I helped too though. I helped her measure and I cut up the fruit. 🙂

We always have so much fun with Bruce and Julia. We are happy they are here visiting with us as well as their many other friends and family here in Colorado. 🙂

Life is always better when shared with good friends, good food and good times. Life is short. Make the most out of every minute and live life to the fullest. Enjoy the ride. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

In case you hadn’t already noticed, I am a very creative person. I always have been. My mother and I used to do all kinds of creative, crafty things together all the time, so whenever I craft today, I am channeling my mom.

Priscilla asked me the other day how I find time to do all the things I do. Finding time isn’t the issue. In fact, it is quite the opposite. I have too much time on my hands, so I look for creative outlets to keep myself busy. If I don’t keep myself busy, I tend to get into a lot of trouble. Besides, I hate to clean. To me it is one of those necessary evils that has to be done, so I busy myself with other things until I just have to get down to it and do the cleaning and can’t put it off any longer. In all other areas, I was always taught to do what had to be done first, then I could do what I wanted to do after. That is still true today, for the most part, just not when it comes to cleaning the house. 🙂

Here is my latest creative project I just completed. (The glue was still drying).

And some more jewelry projects I am working on too. In fact, I will be leaving to go to my jewelry class in just a bit to work on it some more. I can only do so much at home, because I need the tools at the school. These are going to be another pair of earrings and another pendant. Obviously I still have a lot to do with them. I just started them the other day. The stones are tiger’s eye.

Let your inner artist come out to play. Be creative and have fun. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

For as long as I’ve been cooking, in my humble, honest, professional opinion, I can’t really tell much difference between jambalaya and paella. I love them both. Obviously I have been pondering this for quite some time and still haven’t figured it out. Paella vs Jambalaya I wrote this piece about 3 years ago and am still perplexed. I was even more surprised to see that when you google “jambalaya vs paella”, I am actually referenced on the google website for it. Surprise, surprise, surprise! I just found that out. 🙂

The two dishes have a lot in common because jambalaya was historically inspired by Louisiana’s Spanish settlers attempting to recreate paella using local Gulf Coast ingredients and West African rice techniques. The pros distinguish them this way: Jambalaya and paella are kissing cousins, but with distinct geographical and flavor differences. Paella is a Spanish dish flavored with saffron and cooked in a shallow pan for a crispy crust. Jambalaya is a Louisiana Creole/Cajun dish utilizing long-grain rice, spicy Andouille sausage, and cayenne pepper, cooked in a deep, covered pot. OK. That doesn’t really help much.

Both jambalaya and paella are considered to be poor man’s food. They are both made from little bits of this and little bits of that, and will be different every time you make them. The spices are generally different and usually the types of rice are different too. The cooking methods also vary slightly. Paella is cooked uncovered in a wide, flat pan (the paellera) to create a coveted crispy layer of rice at the bottom called the socarrat. Jambalaya is a one-pot dish cooked in a deep pot with a tight lid, resulting in a fluffier, more stew-like or casserole texture.

This is the paella we made in Barcelona a few years ago with Chef Andre.

We made Paella Marisco, with seafood.

If you are cooking traditional Spanish paella, there are three main types. The three traditional types of paella are: Paella Valenciana (the original meat-based dish), Paella de Marisco (seafood paella), and Paella Mixta (a combination of both meat and seafood). I tend to make the Paella Mixta, with a combination of meat, chicken and seafood most often. That was my latest version too.

This is the paella I just made. Obviously I don’t have a big paellera, but they are basically the same. Both are delicious or delicioso.

If you call it paella or if you call it jambalaya, either way, you’re going to love it. It’s like potato vs pototo or tomato vs tomoto. 🙂

Life is short. Don’t waste your time on the semantics of the little things. Just go out and live life and live it to the fullest. Enjoy the ride. Make the most out of everyday and have a great day. ‘Til next time.

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.