Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

For those of us old enough to remember actually having to go into work everyday, we also remember many people would gather around the “water cooler” as a place to congregate and catch up with each other. I guess birds have something similar. They call it the bird feeder. There were a bunch of little Pine Siskins gathered around the bird feeder and it was quite the social event.

I guess, even for birds, it is much more fun to eat with friends. Have a great day and make everyday great. Be as social as you like, stay safe and stay well.

When we buy the Costco rotisserie chickens, they are whole. There is no way we can eat a whole chicken in one setting. I do many things with them, and we get quite a few meals out of just one chicken. Sometimes even the
kids” enjoy the chicken for their meals too. The other day I used the breasts and served them with a spicy pecan butter sauce. Chicken With Spicy Pecan Butter This time, I used the leg quarters and topped them with a creamy spinach sauce.

Obviously, my chicken was already cooked, but if I were cooking it, I would probably roast it until is was cooked thoroughly, then add it to the creamy spinach sauce later. I’m not going to lie. Cream sauces are definitely a favorite of mine. 🙂

Creamy Spinach Sauce

I used this delicious sauce to top my chicken, but you could use it for anything really. It would go very well with salmon or steak or pork too.

2-3 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed

5-6 mushrooms, sliced

1 medium tomato, diced

1 shallot, sliced very thin

1 TBSP garlic

salt to taste

red pepper flakes to taste

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp herbs de Provence, optional

1- 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

olive oil for cooking

2-3 TBSP butter

Get a large skillet very hot and add the olive oil. Then saute the shallot, garlic, spinach, mushrooms and spices for about 3-5 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and the shallots are soft and translucent.

Add the cream, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, stirring often.

Add the butter and incorporate into the sauce.

Add the tomatoes and mix together thoroughly, then add the chicken and continue to cook until the chicken is heated.

Serve it up over rice, or noodles, or with something else on the side. This time, I used my seafood stuffing. I served it all with a cool, crisp white wine. The acidity of the white wine will help cut the fat of the cream sauce.

I promise, you are going to love this. It doesn’t take long to prepare, but it is an elegant, delicious dish. You will get rave reviews and people will think you slaved away at it. It will be our little secret that you didn’t. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

My guest writer, Abby Holt has submitted another great article for your enjoyment. It is all about cooking with technology. Thank you once again Abby for your interesting and informative article.

When you think of cooking with technology, this may be the image you first conjure up.

Tech-Infused Culinary Adventures: Making Cooking Fun with Technology

However, this is more the reality of cooking with technology. It is much more fun and interactive, and not so much like “The Jetsons”.

The internet has gone a long way in challenging the belief that cooking is a tedious or daunting chore. In fact, technology has introduced a wealth of enjoyable possibilities into the kitchen, while also making cooking easier and more convenient. In this article shared below by https://ajeanneinthekitchen.com/, we explore the various avenues through which technology can enhance your culinary experience.

Learn Cooking Online

Online cooking classes offer a structured learning environment that is beneficial for both beginners and seasoned cooks. The convenience of learning at one’s own pace from home is a notable advantage, coupled with the fact that these platforms continually update their content in line with current culinary trends. This ensures that learners remain engaged and creative, making cooking an exciting and evolving experience.

Kitchen Renovations for Efficiency

I have a beautiful kitchen, but I would absolutely LOVE to have this kitchen!

With modern technology, even a simple kitchen renovation can dramatically alter your cooking experience. Advanced countertops, built-in cutting boards, and intelligent storage solutions can simplify the process of meal preparation. This kind of upgrade doesn’t just streamline your cooking experience; it also increases the value of your home should you decide to sell it. Energy-efficient kitchen appliances not only modernize the kitchen but also contribute to
substantial savings over time. By integrating technology into your kitchen layout, you add a layer of sophistication and functionality that makes cooking more enjoyable.

Smart Cooking Products

You’ve probably already noticed that the market is flooded with smart cooking gadgets that claim to make your life easier. These gadgets, from smart ovens to digital measuring spoons, are designed to take the guesswork out of cooking. It’s important, however, to consult extensive product reviews before investing in these technologies, as they can be significant investments. Many of these devices also come with integrated apps, allowing you to control cooking times,
temperatures, and even recipes from your smartphone. Such convenience enhances the cooking experience, making it more interactive and less labor-intensive.

Interactive Recipe Apps

If you’re looking for daily cooking inspiration, interactive recipe apps could be your best friend. These apps don’t just offer a list of ingredients and steps; they often feature videos, timers, and even grocery lists to make your cooking journey as smooth as possible. Some even offer customization options, where you can input the ingredients you already have and find recipes that you can cook without a last-minute grocery run. The convenience and user-friendly nature of these apps make cooking seem less like a task and more like an exciting activity.

Virtual Cooking Parties

Virtual cooking parties have gained popularity, especially in times when social gatherings are limited. These online events provide a platform for people to cook together, each in their own kitchen, yet connected through a video call. Not only do you get to socialize but you also end up learning new recipes and cooking techniques from others. This combination of social interaction and culinary education makes virtual cooking parties a fun, engaging experience.

Exploring Food Blogs

Food blogs have become a staple of online culinary exploration. They offer a treasure trove of recipes, tips, and tricks that cater to all kinds of culinary endeavors. From traditional dishes to adventurous recipes, food blogs provide an endless supply of inspiration. Moreover, the comment sections and community forums associated with these blogs offer additional tips and
hacks, often providing solutions to common cooking challenges. Who knows? It may inspire you to create your own food blog. Many people start blogs as a way to start their own business, so this could serve as a side hustle or side gig if you put some hard work into it.

Social Media Culinary Challenges

Platforms like Instagram often feature culinary challenges that can be both fun and educational. These challenges push you to try new recipes or cooking methods, making the whole experience interactive and engaging. In addition, the social media aspect allows you to share your creations and get feedback, turning cooking from a solitary activity into a communal one. Without a doubt, technology and the internet have revolutionized the cooking landscape,
transforming it from a fairly mundane task into an exhilarating adventure teeming with endless possibilities. With the advent of smart gadgets and online classes, the culinary world has become more accessible and enjoyable than ever. Leveraging these tech-driven opportunities can add a sprinkle of fun and a dash of convenience to your cooking endeavors.

And Jeanne from A Jeanne in the Kitchen at https://ajeanneinthekitchen.com/ is here to help you have more fun in the kitchen. Feel free to
reach out with any questions!

So, let’s get cooking!!! What’s stopping you? There’s so no excuse. 🙂 Again, a big round of applause and thanks for Abby, for yet another great and interesting read, Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Chicken is one of the most versatile dishes to cook. The possibilities are endless. And so much of that versatility comes from the sauces used to top the chicken. I had yet another Costco rotisserie chicken that I wanted to dress up, though believe me, they are very good on their own too, and don’t really need dressing up. As I was scouring through my library of cookbooks and recipes, I found an interesting recipe for a spicy pecan butter that just hit the spot.

Pecans are a Southern thing, so I decided to make the rest of the meal a Southern thing as well. I made some mashed sweet potatoes, and some maque choux to go with my chicken. For my maque choux, I just boiled some lima beans until they were soft, about 7 minutes, then sauteed them with some corn, onions, garlic, red bell pepper, salt, pepper and herbs. I was honoring my Southern roots with this meal. My mother and her family would be so proud. 🙂

Chicken with Spicy Pecan Butter

4 chicken breasts, grilled or cooked however you like

1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce

olive oil for cooking

1/2 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1/4 cup +2 TBSP butter

1/4 onion, diced

cayenne pepper to taste

salt to taste

I like to toast my nuts on top of the stove. This only takes a couple of minutes. Many people, and a lot of recipes, tell you to roast them in the oven, but I get the same, if not better, results by just toasting them on the stove top, in a fraction of the time, but it’s your choice how you like to toast them.

Combine all the ingredients, except the pecans, together, and add to a very hot skillet, with the oil most of the butter. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, or until the onions are softened and are translucent.

Add the pecans when the liquid has evaporated by about half.

Coat the cooked chicken in the sauce.

Then serve and top with more of the sauce. This sauce went very well with the sweetness of the mashed sweet potatoes too. They complimented each other very well. I served a chilled Pinot Grigio on the side, to complete the meal.

It was all so good. I GAR-UN-TEE y’all are going to love this one. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

When we travel we eat out all the time, because I ABSOLUTELY refuse to cook when I am on vacation. But when we are home, we eat at home most of the time. It’s been awhile since we’ve eaten out at home. But last night we did. We went out for some delicious Indian food with Janet, Bob and their exchange student, Luke. The restaurant we tried was new to us, but has been in business for one year now, opening their doors to the public on March 11, 2023 . We went went to place called Durbar Nepalese & Indian Bistro, where they serve both Nepalese and Indian foods.

Not only are the dishes prepared with care by experienced experts, they also represent the traditional flavors of two unique countries. Whether customers are looking for a flavorful curry or a sweet dessert, Durbar Nepalese & Indian Bistro has something for everyone.

On a nice day, it would be great to dine outside on their patio, but it’s still a bit chilly for that right now.

So we all dined inside instead.

Durbar is a small family owned restaurant in Broomfield, where “Dreams Do Come True! After a lifetime of dreaming to open his own Nepalese – Indian restaurant, owner Sonali Sapkota and his family made it happen, and through hard work and perseverance, Durbar Bistro Restaurant was a dream come true!

This modest couple encompasses what being an entrepreneur means. They wanted their food to speak for itself, serving delicious authentic food and making each dining experience exceptional! Durbar Bistro is all about serving you delicious, authentic, memory-making Nepalese – Indian food.

We did what we always do when experiencing a new restaurant, particularly one that has so many exotic entrees from which to choose. We ordered a variety of different dishes and we all shared and enjoyed a little bit of each one. This time we all enjoyed some of the Indian delights. Next time we will focus on some of the Nepalese dishes.

We were started off with some crispy papadums for the table before we ordered. Papdums are thin wafers made from chickpea flour.

Next we ordered some appetizers for the table. We ordered 2 Double Combo platters, which included a vegetable samosa, onion bjahi, vegetable pakoras and fried vegetable momos, with a mint sauce and a tamarind sauce on the side.

We ordered a wide array of delicious items for dinner such as:

Chicken Vindaloo

Aloo Gobi, which is a vegetable dish with cauliflower and potatoes.

Butter Chicken,

Scallop and Shrimp Moilee

and some garlic naan bread.

Everything was delicious, but we all had our favorites. My favorites were the shrimp and scallop moilee, followed by the butter chicken. We did our best to eat it all, and we did a pretty good job of it too, but try though we did, there was still a bit left over. We were all pretty full at the end of the meal, but we were very happy and satisfied.

With full and happy tummies, we followed dinner up with games and port back at Janet and Bob’s house. It was a fun and enjoyable evening, as it always is. We all had a good time and a lot of laughs.

Durbar Nepalese & Indian Bistro is located at 6590 West 120th Avenue, Broomfield, CO. We just walked in and were served right away by the very friendly and helpful staff. But if you go on a Friday, it would be best to make a reservation, since they have live music on Friday evenings, from 8-12. Their phone number is (720) 287-3307 or you can contact them online at durbarbroomfield.com or durbarbroomfield0323@gmail.com. We all said we want to go on a Friday evening next time to experience the live music and entertainment. 🙂

Walk on the wild side and venture out to parts unknown. Life is an adventure. Make the most of it. 🙂 Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Larry and I love seafood of all kinds, but as with anything there are some types of fish we like more than others. Salmon is not one our favorite types of fish, though we do like it and we do eat it, just not as frequently as we enjoy other kinds of fish. That being said, I had some salmon in the freezer that we took down and put into our weekly rotation. Salmon is a cold water fish that is found all throughout the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. They are two totally different species of salmon, each with their own unique and specific qualities and tastes. I had a big piece of salmon that I cooked whole in a simple citrus rub/sauce.

Salmon is great grilled, pan seared, air fried or baked in some olive oil and seasoned with just salt and pepper.  I had some citrus seasoning that I generously sprinkled on top, with some fresh ground black pepper and some cara cara orange olive oil. That was it. Simple and easy-peasy.

I let it set for about 1-2 hours before roasting it in the oven at 425*F or 219*C for about 15 minutes.

While the salmon was cooking, I made a spinach, shallot, garlic and tomato topping for it.

Sauteed Spinach with Garlic, Shallots and Tomatoes

2-3 cup fresh baby spinach, stems removed

1 shallot, diced fine

1 TBSP garlic

1/2 cup tiny drop tomatoes, or chopped tomatoes

olive oil and/or cara cara orange olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

feta cheese, optional

Saute the spinach, garlic and shallots in the oil, in a very hot skillet for about 2-3 minutes, or until the shallots are translucent and the spinach is wilted.

When the salmon and spinach are cooked, slice the salmon into serving portions, and top with the spinach topping. Toss a few of the tiny drop tomatoes on top and then if you like, add a little feta cheese on top as well. I served it over wild rice with some warmed ciabatta and a cool, crisp white wine on the side. Delicious!

As I have said many times, and in the words of the late great Chef Anthony Bourdain, “Good food is very often, even most often, simple food. … Just make sure they’re good ingredients, fresh ingredients, and then garnish them. How hard is that?” (p. 83). Kitchen Confidential

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Janet and Bob and I are divided by a big open space area. We live on the Westminster side, and just a mile or so down the road, they live on the Broomfield side, but it is all the same open space area. We enjoyed the sunshine and beautiful day together, and walked “on their side” of the open space. We were looking for the Blue Herons, as we had been told there were some already around. At first we didn’t see any, since it is still pretty early in the season for them. But lo and behold, we did see a couple at the end of our walk.

These pictures were taken from quite a distance, at least 50-100 yards from where we were, but they still came out OK. I love my zoom. 🙂

This is a tribute to the beautiful Blue Herons on the bridge, crossing over.

This is the Broomfield side. Just over the trees and across the field it is Westminster; two big Denver suburbs, divided by one giant open space or park area.

Every day is a gift. You never know what you will unwrap for the day. Enjoy all the day’s blessings, today, tomorrow and everyday.

Tomatoes are a staple in our house. We eat a lot of tomatoes, all the time. And I love all kinds. I always have a bunch of different kinds on hand, and I use them for just about everything. Currently, this is what I have in stock, ready to use and enjoy.

I have some tiny drop tomatoes that are about the size of a pea. These are super sweet and you can eat them by the handfuls. Taken by ship to North America and Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries, this tiny fruit gave rise to all the many tomato varieties we enjoy today. The plant is the wild ancestor of all the tomatoes we eat today, and still grows wild in northern Peru and southern Ecuador. If it wasn’t for the genes of these wild species, you wouldn’t be able to grow tomatoes in a lot of areas,” according to Roger Chetelat, a renowned tomato expert at the University of California, Davis.

I have Campari tomatoes. Campari tomatoes are hybrid tomatoes noted for their juiciness, high sugar level, low acidity, and lack of mealiness. Camparis are deep red and larger than a pear or cherry tomato, but smaller and rounder than common plum tomatoes. These are known as the “happiness tomatoes”.

I have a variety of small tomatoes, in different colors and sizes. This bunch has some cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, komata or black cherry tomatoes, tear drop tomatoes and orange and yellow sunburst tomatoes. All have their own distinct flavor characteristics and differences. And all are very good too. Again, you can just pop these in your mouth by the handful.

And I have some of my favorites, heirloom tomatoes. An heirloom tomato (also called heritage tomato in the UK) is an open-pollinated, non-hybrid heirloom cultivar of tomato. They are classified as family heirlooms, commercial heirlooms, mystery heirlooms, or created heirlooms. They usually have a shorter shelf life and are less disease resistant than hybrids. They are grown for various reasons: for food, historical interest, access to wider varieties, and by people who wish to save seeds from year to year, as well as for their taste. They come in many different colors, shapes and sizes. These varieties are living history. The hand that created a variety stretches right through the centuries to deliver that tomato to our own gardens today.

These are just the tomato varieties I currently have in stock, but there are so many more varieties available too. Tomato seeds were brought from Mexico to Spain by the early explorers. From there the plant spread to Italy by the mid-1500s where it began to be incorporated into regional cuisine. Our word “tomato” is but a slight modification of tomati, the word used by the Indians of Mexico, who have grown the plant for food since prehistoric times. Other names reported by early European explorers were tomatl, tumatle, and tomatas, probably variants of Indian words.

5 fun facts about tomatoes

• Tomatoes originated in South America. Researchers have recently discovered a tomato plant that originated 80,000 years ago. …
• Tomatoes are technically a fruit. …
• There are more than 10,000 varieties of tomatoes. …
• Tomatoes aren’t always red. …
• Tomatoes have been to space.

So if you love tomatoes like I do, be adventurous. There are so many tomatoes and too little time. But, try as many different varieties as you can and enjoy them all. Each one is a gift with its own truly unique personality and flavor characteristics. Plus they are very versatile and plentiful, and very healthy too.

Add some tomatoes to your day. Make it colorful and fruitful. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

When we think of bread pudding, we tend to think of a sweet dessert topped with an even sweeter sauce, at least in the United States. Believe me, that is a very good thought too, and very tasty. In the United States, most people are only familiar with the sweet versions of bread pudding. But that is NOT the only kind of bread pudding out there. In other parts of the world, savory bread puddings are for more popular. Savory bread pudding is a close cousin to stuffing or dressing, depending on where you live in the States. In fact, bread pudding originated as a savory dish made with meats or seafood and vegetables. It was a main meal for the poor, and a side dish for the more affluent.

Bread puddings have been around since the 11th century, and were very popular all throughout Europe. They became very popular when people were trying to find ways of extending the life of their leftover stale bread. It became known as “poor man’s pudding” because of the scarcity of food at the time, with the pudding being made only with boiling water, sugar, and spices. It became a popular dish because people could not afford to throw anything away and food had to be kept and used for as long as possible.

I like to cook a savory version of bread pudding with spinach and artichoke hearts. I never thought of adding seafood before, until I was thumbing through recipes trying to find some inspiration for dinner and came across an idea for a seafood stuffing or seafood bread pudding. That was it! The light bulb went off and I was going to make it. As with anything, there are many different styles and recipes, but I just used one that is tried and true for me, and added some krab (krab is “fake” crab, usually made with pollack fish).

Savory Seafood Bread Pudding

This delicious dish can be eaten on its own or served along side your favorite entree. You can add shrimp and/or scallops too if you like, or keep it simple, and just use crab, or krab. You can also add your favorite kind of cheese too.

Preheat the oven to 375-400* F or 191-204*C.

Spray a deep baking dish with cooking spray

1 loaf day-old or stale bread of any kind, cut into cubes

2 cans chicken broth

1 package krab, cubed

salt & pepper to taste

1 can artichoke quarters, drained and rinsed

1 TBSP garlic

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

3 cups spinach, stemmed and chopped

1/2 onion, diced

4-5 eggs, beaten

olive oil

Saute the spinach, bell pepper and garlic in a very hot skillet with olive oil and/or butter for about 2-3 minutes, or until the onions become translucent and the spinach begins to wilt.

Combine everything together with the bread cubes and mix together thoroughly.

Add the chicken broth and eggs, and cheese if using, and firmly press everything down, making sure the bread soaks up the liquid. Add to the prepared baking dish, and press firmly into the dish.

Cover in foil and bake for about 30-40 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue to bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the top begins to crust over and is lightly golden. Serve with whatever you like and enjoy.

I served mine along side some turkey breast cooked in a light tomato vinaigrette and roasted carrots, with a dry white wine on the side. It was a perfect combination. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

When I first started my blog, almost 6 years ago now, originally I was considering to make it all about re-using leftovers. But I quickly reconsidered this notion, because I actually had to make the “firstovers” before I could make the leftovers. Larry has given me an idea to ponder on regarding this, but I will save this for another time. Right now, I have another recipe transformation for you. The last of the transformations from my Old World/New World Fiesta. Old World/New World Fiesta

We had a lot of the chicken mole verde left from our fiesta. Chicken Mole Verde We already enjoyed it as chicken mole verde once again after the party, but I added more chicken to it, and instead of decreasing the amount I had left, it seems like I actually had more. It’s a gift; the gift that just keeps on giving too. So rather than eating the same yet again, I transformed it into something else. One day (or two) it was chicken mole verde. The next day it became chicken tortilla stew.

This was an easy transformation to make. It was just the addition of a few extra ingredients, and voila, it became something new. My new additions were:

6 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups rice

1 1/2 cups corn

1 bell pepper, diced – any color

1 onion, diced

1 cup baby tiny drop tomatoes

1/3 cup fresh cilantro

1-2 cups cooked chicken, diced

olive oil for cooking

In a large, very hot soup pot, I sauteed the corn, pepper and onion in olive oil for about 3 minutes.

I added the rice and continued cooking for about another minute or so before adding the rest of my ingredients.

Then I mixed in the remainder of my original chicken mole verde and the chicken broth and additional chicken. I brought it all to a boil, then covered it and reduced the heat to a simmer and continued to cook it for about 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the soup was cooking, I cut up a few corn tortillas into thin strips, then pan fried them to make them crispy. This only takes a few seconds.

After the soup was done, I threw in the tiny drop tomatoes right before serving. These are tiny, little delicate tomatoes, so no cooking necessary or they will disintegrate.

When I served it up, I topped it with some grated cheddar cheese for the boys, the fried tortilla strips, and some avocado slices. !Esta mui delicioso!

This dish was mui excellente both ways. With grocery prices always increasing these days, we all need to figure out ways to make our dishes last as long as we can. Yes, you can enjoy them the same way all the time, but to me, that gets very boring very quickly. So, I reinvent them all the time. It is a fun and creative way to save $$$ in the kitchen and I get to use up all my leftovers. It’s a win/win for everyone. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.