A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Chicken is probably one of the most versatile meats in the world. The possibilities on how to cook it and prepare it are endless. Because we eat a lot of chicken, I am always on the lookout for new ideas. Encrusting chicken, or fish or other meats, with nuts is nothing new, and certainly not new to me either, but it is something I don’t do on a regular basis. So it was a refreshing treat to cook my chicken with crushed, toasted pecans.

Nut-crusted chicken emerged as a modern culinary fusion of traditional Southern breading techniques and regional American nut harvests during the late 20th century. While breading and frying chicken dates back centuries via European and West African traditions, nut-crusting specifically gained traction as chefs in the American South and Pacific Rim began highlighting local flora. Unlike traditional deep-fried chicken, nut-crusted chicken is most frequently baked or pan-seared to prevent delicate nut oils from burning. Cooks typically use an egg wash, Dijon mustard, or honey-mustard layer to help finely chopped nuts and panko breadcrumbs adhere securely to thin chicken cutlets.

I prepared my pecan crusted chicken in this same tried and true method, and as expected, it came out crunchy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside and full of flavor all around.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

You can play around and use different kinds of nuts, for different flavors and characteristics, but the basic preparation methods will remain the same. I chose pecans because pecans are some of my favorite nuts.

4 chicken breasts

1 cup flour

1 cup crushed pecans, or your favorite nuts

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

2 eggs

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp lemon zest

1/4 red onion, diced fine

salt & pepper to taste

dash cayenne pepper

1 stick + 2 TBSP butter

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme

Preheat the oven to 350*F or 180 C.

Spray a deep abking dish with cooking spray.

Get a skillet hot and add about 2 TBSP of butter. Add the red onion and cook for about 2-3 minutes, or until it softens, then add the chopped nuts and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they brown.

Mix the flour and panko breadcrumbs together, then add the cooked pecans and mix thoroughly.

Combine the eggs, Dijon mustard and seasoning together and mix well. Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel and coat the chicken in the egg mixture then generously coat all around with the pecan and onion mixture and place in the baking dish.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160* F. Let the chicken sit for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving next to your favorite side dishes. Enjoy.

I served my chicken over wild rice with asparagus. Then I made a Hollandaise sauce with the remaining egg and mustard sauce and additional butter, and topped it all with the Hollandaise sauce and a little bit of the chopped nut mixture, and some sweet 100’s tomatoes to make it pretty. It was finished with a chilled white wine on the side and made for a perfect French dinner. 🙂

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

Once again, I have been creatively using up the last batch of tomatoes from Janet and Bob’s prolific garden. As I mentioned yesterday Greek Calamari, we are already preparing for trip to Greece in May 2027. We have been watching all kinds of Greek tour videos, including videos about Greek food. Stuffed tomatoes keep coming up as a Greek staple. So I made them to go with my Greek calamari. 🙂

Greek stuffed tomatoes are part of Gemista (or Yemista), a historic Mediterranean category of oven-baked stuffed vegetables whose roots stretch back millennia. The practice of stuffing leaves (like grape or cabbage leaves) and hollowed-out vegetables with grains, herbs, and legumes dates back to ancient Greece and the wider Middle East. The use of rice as a primary grain stuffing became widespread during the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, replacing earlier ancient grains like barley and wheat. These dishes are celebrated globally as a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, signaling the peak of summer from June to October when garden tomatoes and fresh vegetables are ripest.

Tomatoes are native to the Americas and were not introduced to mainland Greece until 1815, when they were first grown as rare ornamental “golden apples” in an Athenian monastery garden in Plaka. Traditional peasant communities were initially hesitant to eat them, but by 1827, the first Greek cookbook containing tomato recipes was published on the island of Syros. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the tomato became fully integrated into Greek agriculture and kitchens, giving birth to domates gemistes (stuffed tomatoes). The traditional recipes for Greek domates gemistes, or stuffed tomatoes, varies from region to region. Just like many favorite recipes, there is no such thing as just one recipe. 🙂

Stuffed Tomatoes

Normally big beefsteak tomatoes are used for this dish, but any kind of tomato will work. You can also stuff them with any kind of filling you like, from vegetarian to meat filled. Traditionally a combination of meat and rice is used, but it is really your choice. I used my leftover wild rice, my leftover nut topping and some hot sausage.

Preheat the oven to 375* F or 191* C

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray

4 large tomatoes, hollowed out

1 cup cooked rice

3 sausages, casings removed or ground sausage

1/4 onion, diced

2 tsp garlic

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped olives

1 TBSP fresh thyme and oregano, chopped

2 TBSP chopped nuts, optional

shredded Mozzarella cheese and/or feta

olive oil for cooking

Get a skillet very hot and add the olive oil, onions and garlic. Cook for about a minute or two, or until the onions start to brown, then add the sausage and cook until the sausage is completely cooked.

Chop the insides of the tomatoes and add along with the fresh herbs and seasonings.

Once everything is completely cooked, fill the hollowed out tomato shells as full as you can. Top with the cheese and sprinkle the chopped nuts, or breadcrumbs if you prefer, and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft.

Enjoy next to your favorite entree or eat them on their own as a light snack. Either way, you are going to love them.

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.

Larry and I love calamari. I don’t cook it too often, though we eat it on the rare occasions we do go out to eat. That being said, I did make some the other day, to go with my Greek stuffed tomatoes. I kept it all in a Greek theme and made my calamari in the Greek style too. Even though we will not be traveling to Greece until May 2027, I am already getting a head start on my Greek cooking. 🙂

Calamari has been a staple in the Greek diet for 1000’s of years; ever since the Bronze age during the Mycenaean period. The word “calamari” actually comes from Italian, while the root of the word traces back to ancient Greek (kalamos, meaning reed or pen). Because squid is abundant in the Mediterranean Sea, eating squid is a long-standing tradition across many coastal cultures, including Greece, Italy, Spain, and Turkey.  Ancient cooks prepared squid by roasting or boiling it, seasoning the meat with local olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, and cumin. In the 4th century BC, the Sicilian-Greek poet Archestratus wrote about squid and octopus as fine delicacies worthy of celebration. In Greece, calamari is rarely eaten on its own. It is served with a variety of other dishes, in the meze style. Eating calamari among friends is considered to be a sign of good hospitality. Sharing a plate of fried or grilled squid remains a cultural gesture of community, celebration, and connection to the Mediterranean sea.

Greek Calamari

The only real difference between Greek styled calamari and “regular” fried calamari is the addition of a little dried oregano in the flour mixture. This recipe is super easy-peasy and delicious.

As I was doing my research for this recipe, I discovered a little trick that I never knew before. Soak the calamari rings in milk or buttermilk for about 30 minutes or so before coating it and frying it. It will take some of the “fishiness” out and will help to keep the calamari tender. Though, if you do not over cook them, them will be tender anyway. Mine came out very tender.

1 1/2-2 lbs calamari rings

1/2 cup flour

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp dried oregano

Mix everything together well and add the calamari. Toss well and thoroughly coat the calamari rings.

Then fry in hot oil. You can either pan fry them, like the traditional Greek way, or if you have a deep fryer, you can deep fry them for a couple of minutes. I deep fried them in my fryer for about 3 minutes per batch. I cooked them in small batches.

I made a lemon aioli to dip the calamari in too.

Simple Lemon Aioli

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1-2 tsp garlic

1 tsp capers

1 TBSP lemon juice

1-2 tsp lemon olive oil, optional

1-2 tsp lemon vinegar, optional

Mix everything together well and serve.

When it all came together, it was so Greek to me. 🙂

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

The other day in my jewelry class, somehow we got on the subject of sourdough bread. I mentioned I have a sourdough starter in my refrigerator, and one of my instructors immediately asked if I knew how to make sourdough bread. Then a request for fresh sourdough bread came. Of course I had to oblige.

I have quite a few cookbooks for bread alone, so as you can imagine I have a lot of different recipes. I am doing my best to make as many of all my different recipes, from as many of my cookbooks as possible. The recipe I chose for this bread was for soft sourdough baguettes.

Soft Sourdough Baguettes

2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast

1 3/4 cups lukewarm water

1/4 cup sourdough starter

2 TBSP olive or canola oil + more to oil the bowl

2 TBSP sugar

2 tsp salt

4 1/2 cups flour, or more as needed

Cornstartch Wash

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

2 TBSP melted butter

Dissolve the yeast in the water then add the starter, sugar, oil, salt and 3 cups of flour. Mix together thoroughly and add more flour as needed to make a soft dough.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 30 times, or until you get a round dough ball. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough in the bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours, or until it doubles in size.

Preheat the oven to 400*F or 205*C. Punch the dough down and cut it into 1/2. Form each 1/2 into a 12×18 rectangle and roll into a log, from the long side. Pinch each end to seal. Place seal side down onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise again for 30 minutes, or until it doubles again.

Make the cornstarch wash by mixing the water and the cornstarch together and cook until it begins to thicken.

Cut 4 slashes into the top of each loaf and brush with the cornstarch wash.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, then brush with the cornstarch wash once again and continue to bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the bread is golden brown. Brush with the melted butter immediately after removing from the oven, then allow to cool before slicing. DELICIOUS!!!!!

I took the bread to my next class, along with some soft butter, and it received rave review and disappeared quickly. 🙂

Bread is the food of life, and I personally could easily live on bread and butter alone. 🙂 Life is short. Make the most out of everyday and live life to the fullest. Enjoy the ride, and ALL the breads you can. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

The combination of sausage and shrimp cooked together in a Portuguese meal is a long standing tradition that has been used since the Medieval times. The Portuguese sausages, known as either enchidos, or chourico, or linguica, began as a way to preserve meats by using salt, garlic and smoke before refrigeration existed. Unlike fresh sausages (like Italian sausage) or Spanish chorizo (which is often dry-cured and harder), Portuguese sausages are typically smoked in smokehouses, giving them a rich, distinctively smoky flavor and a fully cooked state ready for slicing, frying, or flaming tableside (chouriço assado). The Portuguese Jews used chicken and bread in their “sausages” instead of pork. They hung these pork-free sausages in their smokehouses to trick authorities during the Inquisition into thinking they ate pork. Alheira is one type of these “fake” sausages and uses poultry or game mixed with bread for texture. Farinheira is another type that uses a base of flour, spices, and pork fat. Seafood of all kinds is also iconic in Portuguese cooking, since most of the country is on the coast. By the 12th century, Lisbon’s food culture combined Christian ingredients like pork and shellfish with Moorish and Mediterranean flavors, making the foods of Portugal what they are today, and loved by all.

I LOVE Portugal and everything Portuguese. And the food is AMAZING. Ever since our trip to Portugal in March, I have been making Portuguese meals here at home too. This time I made some Portuguese sausage & shrimp, though I have been making versions of this with either shrimp or scallops for a long time, never knowing they were Portuguese in origin. 🙂

Portuguese Sausage & Shrimp

This time I used kielbasa, which is more like Portuguese chourico, because that is what I had on hand at the time. This dish, like so many other Portuguese dishes brings the earth to the sea.

1 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed

1/3-1/2 lb sausage, sliced

1 red onion, sliced very thin

1 TBSP garlic

1 tsp red pepper flakes

salt & pepper to taste

2-3 tomatoes, diced

2 cups dry white wine

1 TBSP mixed fresh herbs like thyme and oregano

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup sliced olives

olive oil

cooked pasta

Get a large skillet very hot then add the shrimp sausage. Cook until mostly cooked.

Add the onions, garlic, mushrooms and red pepper flakes and seasonings. Continue to cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the wine, tomatoes, herbs and olives. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook, for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over cooked pasta of your choice, with some warmed bread and wine of your choice on the side. !Deliciosa! This is definitely a dish of the people, bringing the earth to the sea.

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

WHOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!!! I just finished the last set of bling for all my September/October birthdays! I finished it yesterday.

This set is jade with fresh water pearls.

Making this set was FULL of frustrations and trials and tribulations. First, before I even started working on the set, I thought I lost it after showing it to my instructors. I searched through my tool bags TWICE, and reached out to everyone in class to see if they had found the stones, before finding them. They were tucked deep inside one of the pockets of one of my tool bags. I was very relieved when I found my stones. I was able to start the creative processes.

Once I made the bezels, I was feeling pretty proud of myself, since I was ahead of schedule and things were coming along nicely. But my pride got in the way of my progress, and I lost one whole bezel. To this day, I still haven’t found it. I looked everywhere for it, to no avail. I was ready to set the stone in it too when I lost it. I ended up having to remake it.

Then, because the stones were diamond shaped, with sharp points, that presented another set of challenges. I had to really work at it to get the silver formed around the points. One of our senior instructors told me numerous times “points suck”. I am not going to argue that fact. He’s right. But if done right, they look very nice.

After the bezels were made, I made my holes for the jump rings to attach the pearls and the earrings. But once I added my ropes, I didn’t leave enough room for the jump rings. So, once again, I had to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new plan. I was NOT going to remake those bezels again!

But through blood, sweat and plenty of tears, determination and perseverance, and A LOT of help, they are now complete and ready to go. All that is left is to do is one minor thing that I need a special machine for, and I can’t do that until Tuesday. I am going to use a laser to seal the jump rings. Then they will be put in the mail and off to my niece for her birthday, that was yesterday. Are they perfect? Definitely NOT. But they are definitely unique and full of their own personality. They were made with love though, and that is the important thing. 🙂 Now …. On to the next project and new set of challenges. My friend Andrea asked me what inspires me. I told her the stones themselves speak to me and tell me what they want.

Today’s moral of the story is to never give up; no matter how difficult or challenging things may be. If it is worthwhile, it is worth the effort. Through hard work, perseverance and sheer determination, anything is possible. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

After our train ride Leaf Peeping In Leadville, we decided to have lunch in Leadville too. We chose the iconic Silver Dollar Saloon.

The Silver Dollar Saloon has been around since 1879, 147 years, and is still going strong today. If walls could talk, these walls would have so many stories to tell, and each one would blow your mind. It is a living relic from the days of the wild, wild west. Doc Holliday was a permanent fixture in this bar for the last six years of his life and his old piano is still in the back corner of the bar. Molly Brown and her husband used to frequent the Silver Dollar Saloon too, as did many other historical persons of interest from the days of the wild, wild west. It is still wild today as well, just in a different way; or is it? 🙂

The Silver Dollar Saloon is legendary in many ways, and it was packed to the gills. People were being told there was a long wait to be seated. Larry and I were lucky, and were seated pretty quickly. We sat at a high top table in the bar. Almost everything in the restaurant is the original from when it first opened.

Doc Holliday’s piano is in the back right corner, on the stage.

As I was taking pictures, Kevin, the Manager and Bobbi, our bartender/server wanted to be recognized as well. They are definitely part of this living legend and deserve to get their names in the books of history too.

The food was deliciously rustic and wild, just as you would expect with such a wild restaurant. 🙂 I have been craving a burger now for quite some time, so a burger just hit the spot for me. But it wasn’t any ordinary burger. No, no! It was a big Yak burger. I don’t think I had ever eaten yak before, but it was definitely delicious. I can add it to my list of exotic foods, which is ever growing. Another wild, exotic item I was considering was the rabbit and rattlesnake sausage sandwich. I have eaten both before too, and both are also very tasty. But the yak burger won out; this time.

Larry ordered a lamb French dip sandwich, which was also very good. Because the restaurant was so packed and busy, the food took awhile to get to us. We were perfectly fine waiting. We took in all the scenery and stories as we were waiting. But Bobbi thought we had been waiting too long, and brought over a fresh Caprese salad for us to enjoy as well. I know the tomatoes were super fresh, because I saw them in little containers in the back while I was walking around. We had the last of them too. Someone else saw our salad and wanted to order one, but I think we got one of the last ones available for the day.

If you are adventurous, and/or a history buff, especially for the days of the wild, wild west, you DEFINITELY need to go check out the Silver Dollar Saloon when you visit Leadville. Both the town and the restaurant will have stories to tell that will knock your socks off, AND they are all true too. Some things, you just can’t make up. 🙂

Life is short. Sometimes you just have to walk on the wild side and live “dangerously” every now and then. Get those juices flowing and enjoy the wild, ride. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.

Today, Larry and I celebrate our 23rd wedding anniversary. Yesterday we drove up to Leadville, about 2 hours away, and took the Leadville train through the mountains. The train ride was about 2 1/2hours. It was a perfect day, and a perfect day for leaf peeping. The fall colors of the Aspens were on full display. They were gorgeous, and definitely did not disappoint.

Of course I took a lot of pictures of our fabulous mountains and their beautiful fall colors. But when we got home, it had already been a long day, since we left our house before 7:00 AM and did not get home until about 5:00 PM. I still had to edit all the pictures, and I just didn’t feel up to it when we got home. Besides, I had other things I needed to do as well. But, I got up early this morning, and got them all edited, so I can now share them with you.

Larry and I sat in one of the open air cars of the train so we could fully appreciate all the gorgeous scenery. It was a bit chilly, but we were dressed for it, so the temperature wasn’t bad at all. It was actually very pleasant, with a hint of crispness in the air. Fall is absolutely my favorite season.

I think we live in a very beautiful state, though every place has its own, unique beauty and charm.

I apologize for “just a quick note” yesterday, but I hope it was worth the wait. 🙂

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

We had a very busy, full day today, so no real post today, but I will get back into the swing of things tomorrow. I promise I will tell you all about our latest adventures. 🙂

I started off making a butter chicken, but as with many things, it kind of evolved into it’s own creation. Whatever you want to call it, we called it delicious. 🙂

This dish of spiced chicken in a creamy tomato sauce gained its popularity in the early days of newly independent India. The original dish of Indian butter chicken, or murgh makhani, kind of evolved in the same way as my own dish. It evolved in a way to extend the life of the tandoori chicken using whatever was on hand at the time.

Butter chicken was created in 1947,in a restaurant in Delhi. It created its own unique personality and a traditional food was born. The dish came about as a practical solution to prevent food waste. Leftover tandoori chicken pieces would dry out and harden if left sitting out. Chefs revived the dry meat by tossing it into a mild, rich gravy made from fresh tomatoes, butter, cream, and basic spices. Traditionally, the dish would begin with tandoori chicken: bone-in meat coated in cumin, coriander, turmeric, chili and garam masala, partially cooked in a tandoor (a hot clay oven) before later being flash-cooked in the tandoor a second time. Meat has been cooked in tandoor-style ovens in northwest India since around 2600-1900 BCE, according to archaeological finds, but butter chicken only evolved in the first half of the 20th century. The dish came about in response to discerning restaurant customers who wouldn’t countenance eating day-old tandoori chicken that was past its succulent best. As a solution, leftover pieces were dunked in the simplest of curries, whipped up quickly to disguise their dryness. The sauce was originally made with crushed fresh tomatoes and minimal spicing, including garam masala — a warming blend that would likely have included coriander, cumin and bay leaves — and a touch of chili. Freshly churned butter was added to finish.

Indian/Butter Chicken

My Indian/Butter chicken is more like the original version than the popular version found today. I used a lot of fresh vegetables, and of course quite a few of my fresh tomatoes from Janet & Bob’s garden A Box of Tomatoes. Some people like to use canned tomatoes and/or tomato paste, and that is certainly OK. But when I have fresh garden tomatoes, I will ALWAYS choose fresh over canned.

2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 onion, sliced very thin

2 carrots, sliced

1 green pepper, cut into thin strips

4-5 mushrooms, sliced

2 cups tomatoes, diced

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP ginger

1 jalapeno, diced fine

1 red chili pepper, diced fine

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 tsp fennel

1-2 tsp thyme

1 tsp coriander

1-2 tsp garam masala

1-2 TBSP honey ginger vinegar, optional

1-2 TBSP honey

olive oil or canola oil for cooking

1 cup yogurt

3-4 TBSP butter

Mix the yogurt, honey, honey ginger vinegar and herbs and spices together for the sauce and set aside.

Get a large skillet or pot very hot. Add the oil, and then the chicken and cook until lightly browned on all sides. Then remove and keep warm.

Add the heartier vegetables to the oil and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Re-add the cooked chicken and the tomatoes and mix together thoroughly.

Add the yogurt sauce and incorporate well into the chicken and vegetables.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, or until the sauce starts to thicken a bit, stirring frequently. Add the butter and incorporateintothe sauce.

Once everything was cooked, I served it over a combination of rice and peas with some warmed naan bread on the side. I added some green onions and sweet 100 tomatoes on top and I served it with a chilled white wine on the side. The wine was one of our own, but it didn’t have a label, so I am not really sure what it was, though I think it was a chardonnay. Of course I did what I do best. I started with an idea and used it as a guide, then added my own personality to make it my own creation. 🙂

Life is short. Live life to the fullest and experiment with all kinds of things along the way. Enjoy the ride and enjoy the creative processes as you go. Have a great day and make everyday great. ‘Til next time.