Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

There is a lot of talk amongst Chefs in the kitchen, though not so much from the staff. The staff is allowed two words, and two words only – Yes, Chef! On days when I am quiet in the kitchen, I like to share what others are saying. So here is my latest round of Chef talk. Chef talk is a universal language spoken in all kitchens, around the world. Truer words were never spoken, at least not in the culinary world.

I live by all of these “truths”, but this one is probably closest to my take on the culinary world.

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

New Orleans is famous for a lot of things, and particularly for its good food. Gumbo is one of those traditional signature dishes of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. Gumbo is a thick soup that has been made famous in the city of New Orleans, and it dates back to the early times of Louisiana, and its very diverse history. Gumbo is thickened in three ways – one is with a roux and then by the use of okra, and in many recipes, it is thickened by both means. Louisianans will often proclaim that it is “gumbo weather” when the barometer drops and the weather starts to get cooler. Gumbo is the food of the people, and of their region, or Parrish. There are endless variations of gumbo. There is never just one gumbo recipe. Before refrigeration, gumbo recipes varied according to the availability of resources within a particular region.

A roux is a mixture of equal parts flour and fat, or oil that is browned to varying degrees. Butter is not usually used to make a roux, unless it has been clarified because it burns easily, and once a roux burns, it is DONE! There is NO going back. The only thing you can do when the roux is burned is to throw it away and start all over. The darker the roux, the nuttier the flavor. A light or blond roux is usually thicker than a darker roux too. A roux can be very light or very dark.

It was gumbo weather here in Denver yesterday, so I made a big pot of gumbo filled with all kinds of good things. Of course I followed the rules and added the Louisiana Trinity of peppers, onions and celery, but I also added some jalapenos and garlic to the trinity, making it more of a quintet. And I thickened it with both a medium blond roux AND okra. It came out oh so good too. Then I served it with some cornbread topped with honey butter.

By the time of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, gumbo had become deeply ingrained in the local diet. The dish was prevalent among Cajuns, Creoles, and people of color, no matter their socioeconomic station. The word gumbo is a derivation of the African word gombo for okra, which is a vegetable that is also used as a thickening agent.

Gumbo’s varied history reflects the evolution of agricultural production and creolization, a hybridized blending of multicultural traditions, in Louisiana. Louisiana cuisine, as writer Lafcadio Hearn understood it in the late nineteenth century, is “cosmopolitan in its nature, blending the characteristics of the American, French, Spanish, Italian, West Indian, and Mexican.” While gumbo can be as varied as the cooks who prepare it, there are three essential varieties: seafood, poultry, and gombo z’herbes.  My gumbo had a little bit of everything. I had some Andouille sausage, shrimp and chicken, as well as the vegetables.

Mixed Meat Gumbo

Gumbo is one of those scrumptious dishes that has no rules, none what-so-ever, except for these rules – Here are some gumbo rules that cannot, under any circumstances, be broken. Thou Shalt Always Use a Bowl. If you use a plate, it is not gumbo it is rice and gravy! Thou Shalt Only Use a Wooden Spoon. There is only one kind of spoon that can enter a gumbo pot and that is a wooden one. Most rules I don’t follow, but there are some that I do. Of course I followed these rules. 🙂 So use whatever you have on hand, even if it is only little bits of this and little bits of that. Mix it all together and throw it all into the gumbo pot.

I had a little shrimp, a little bit of Andouille sausage and a little bit of chicken. None of it was enough on its own, but used together, it was more than enough to feed five.

Because I was using shrimp, I did not want an over powering roux or flavor. So I purposely chose to use a lighter, more blond version. I used 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of canola oil. A light roux only takes a few minutes of whisking it constantly until you get your desired thickness and/or color. A dark mahogany roux can take between 45-60 minutes.

Once my roux was almost to the point where I wanted it, I added my vegetables and cooked them with my roux. A traditional trinity uses only green bell peppers, but that is changing with the times, and more and more people are using mixed colored peppers. I like to mix them. The proportions for a trinity are 2 parts chopped yellow onion, 1 part chopped celery, and 1/3 part chopped green or mixed bell peppers.

I cooked my meats first, separately, then re-added them again later.

When the vegetables are softened and cooked, and the roux is to the color and consistency you like, add between 6-8 cups of chicken, or vegetable broth. If you like it a little thinner, add more.

Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 1-1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Re-add the meat towards the end of the cooking process, but make sure to give it enough time to let it heat thoroughly and cook thoroughly.

When it is ready, serve it IN A BOWL, with some cooked rice, or rice and beans, and laissez le bontemps roulez!

I GAR-UN-TEE y’all are goin’ to LOVE this.

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

I found this recipe for a banana hazelnut cake a long time ago, but never had an occasion to make it, since I am trying to only make desserts when we have company over now. I finally got the chance to make it, and I am so glad I did too. It came out delicious, but then I knew it would. 🙂

Hazelnuts are known for their unique flavor, which many enthusiasts describe as nutty, creamy, and earthy with a smooth buttery flavor, and they pair very well with a lot of fruits, and they pair especially well with chocolate. As this cake is evident, hazelnuts pair very well with bananas too. 🙂

Turkey is the first world hazelnut producer and exporter. In addition, it covers approximately 70% and 82% of the world`s production and export respectively. It is distantly followed by Italy with nearly 20% in production and 15% in export. In the United States, Oregon is the most prodigious hazelnut producer and exporter.

Hazelnuts, also known as filberts, are very old nuts, dating back around 10,000 years or so. They are believed to be one of the five sacred fruits bestowed by God onto His people. Hazelnuts, and nuts in general, have a lot of religious significance and are mentioned in the Bible too. Hazelnuts, as well as most nuts, were ancient symbols of good luck and fertility which were given new Christian meanings and remain a common part of Christmas traditions around the world, even today. Physically characterized by three distinct parts, nuts were interpreted as a sign of the Holy Trinity.

Hazel has been native tree in the British Isles for 8,000 to 11,000 years. It became the predominant forest tree after the last ice age and was eventually superseded by the beech tree. As well as being an important food source, hazel trees and nuts figure significantly in the lore of Scotland, Ireland, and England.

Banana Hazelnut Cake

The Cake

Preheat the oven to 375* F or 191*C.

Spray two 8 1/2 or 9″ cake pans with cooking pray and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

2 cups flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3 TBSP butter, softened

1 1/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup or about 2 mashed ripe bananas

1/2 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts

1 tsp hazelnut extract, optional

1 tsp banana extract, optional

Combine all the dry ingredients together and mix well.

Mix the bananas, butter and sugar together, then add the eggs, buttermilk and extracts and mix again until well combined.

Add 1/2 the flour and 1/2 the buttermilk, mix, then repeat until it is all incorporated into the mix. Mix just until everything is blended together. Do not over mix.

Fold in the chopped hazelnuts.

Evenly divide the batter into the prepared cake pans, spreading it evenly into the pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the cakes are golden brown and set in the middle.

Allow the cakes to cool, while still in the pans, then refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before frosting.

The Frosting

1/2 cup flour

1 cup milk

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

3 sticks or 1 1/2 cups softened butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp banana extract

1 tsp hazelnut extract or 2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup Nutella or hazelnut spread

1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts

whole roasted hazelnuts for topping

Combine the flour, milk and cream together in a saucepan. Whisk constantly until it begins to thicken to the consistency of pudding over a medium-high heat. Once it is the consistency you are looking for, remove from the heat and set aside.

Combine all the other ingredients together in a mixing boil and mix together, then incorporate the flour mixture. Beat together until you get stiff peaks.

Remove the cakes from the pans, and remove the parchment paper from the bottoms of the cakes. Spread a generous amount of the frosting over one cake. Add a few of the hazelnuts, then add the other cake on top and frost with the frosting, covering the sides of the cake as well.

Once the cake is completely frosted, sprinkle the sides of the cake with chopped hazelnuts with your hands. Pipe some frosting onto the top of the cake, and top with whole hazelnuts.

Refrigerate until about an hour or so before ready to enjoy with friends.

Life is short. Always make time to enjoy the sweeter things in life. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Normally, we rarely go out to eat while we are home. But this week alone, I have more than made up for that. I have gone out to eat three times this week. That’s more than we normally eat out in six months. Two of those times have been with Janet, Bob and their exchange student Luke. First We went to Durbar’s Durbar Nepalese and Indian Food, then I went out to lunch at Mumtaz, for Middle Easter Food with my friend Janene. Mediterranean Mumtaz And yesterday, Janet and Bob invited me to a spur of the moment lunch to a fun place called Totally 80’s Pizza, located in Fort Collins, which is about an hour north of us.

The 80’s were my coming of age times. They were fun, good and mostly innocent times. Totally 80’s Pizza is a fun pizzeria that is also a museum dedicated to life in the 1980’s. Come for the pizza and food, and while you are enjoying the pizza, explore the museum. You can either relive your past, or learn about it if you are to young to remember what the 80’s were like. Janet, Bob and I knew every single thing that was showcased. It brought back very fond and happy memories for all of us. Luke, however, is only 17, and from Germany, so he didn’t know about any of this pop culture history. It was fun to see his take on all of it.

We took in all the exhibits of the museum as we were waiting for our lunch to arrive, as well as after we finished. There is SO MUCH to see. You could spend hours just looking at everything, or playing the video games.

Remember all the Rocky movies?

Or Ghostbusters, or the Nightmare series, with Freddie Kruger?

All the table tops were photos of 80’s TV shows.

Luke and Arnold, The Terminator.

Everything was behind glass and there were a lot of lights around, so not all of the pictures came out great. Plus some were high up on the walls and hard to catch with the camera. I apologize for some of the fuzzy pictures.

What teenage girl in the 80’s didn’t want the perfect Farrah Fawcett hair?

The famous ZOLTAR from BIG, with Tom Hanks.

Totally 80’s Pizza was created by Alex Morgan.  It took 10 years to track down and collect all the memorabilia in the museum.  We wanted to create a fun place where the younger generations could learn about the greatness of the 1980’s. 

The most important part of any restaurant is the food.  We make our own dough and sauce with 14 herbs and spices.  Totally 80’s Pizza features salads, chicken wings, garlic parmesan twists and ice cold beer on tap.  There are no waiters at Totally 80’s.  Come in, order at the counter, sit back and enjoy some fantastically cheesy 80’s music videos and some even cheesier pizza.

Many 1980s icons have stopped by Totally 80’s Pizza!  Corey Feldman (Goonies, Stand By Me), John Paragon (Jambi the Genie on Pee Wee’s Playhouse), Ernest Cline (Author of Ready Player One) & Robin Shelby (Slimer in Ghostbusters) and more.

After looking around we ordered two kinds of pizza and some stuffed mozzarella cheese twists to share.

​

With full and happy tummies, and a fun blast to the past, it was time to call it a day. But if you are an 80’s fan, and enjoy pizza, the next time you are in the Fort Collins, CO area, definitely stop in at Totally 80’s Pizza. It will be a fun dining experience like none other.

Totally 80’s Pizza is located at 2567 S. Shields Street unit 4C, Fort Collins, CO 80526 or you can all them at (970) 867-5309 or find them online at Totally80sPizza@Gmail.com or https://www.totally80spizza.com/ Their hours of operation are:

Tuesday – Thursday 11am – 9:00pm

​​Friday-Saturday 11am – 9:30pm

Sunday 11am-8:00 pm

​Monday Open at 4pm -8pm.

Sometimes we all need a blast to the past, especially if it is filled with fun, happy memories and happy times. It’s fun to be young at again, even if only young at heart. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

In honor of International Women’s Day, I thought it would be fitting to celebrate the ladies of the kitchen, and their pioneering spirits. For any of you who have ever worked in a professional kitchen, you know they are predominantly run by men, even today, though that is changing, thanks to these strong ladies who led the way. These ladies are ranked as the top 10 Ladies of The Kitchen, who paved the way for all other women to follow. Thank you Ladies. We owe it all to you.

Betty Crocker

Betty Crocker is known as the first lady of food. She started this reign almost 100 years ago. Betty Crocker has been a leading brand for General Mills since 1921, when the fictional character was created to present a friendly face and name to personalize the company. Known for baked goods, over 200 Betty Crocker cookbooks have been released, establishing Betty as a trusted household name. 

Stephanie Izard

In six seasons of Bravo’s popular competition television series Top Chef, there has been only one female winner. Izard is the former chef and owner of Scylla in Chicago, known for its upscale seafood. She calls seafood her specialty, telling Bravo she’s amazed the same fish can be cooked in so many different ways. She recently opened The Drunken Goat in Chicago, with a menu of shared plates influenced by Spanish and Italian flavors.

Irma Rombauer

As author of world-famous The Joy of Cooking, few women have contributed as much to the food industry. When the homemaker was widowed in the early 1930s, she took half of the money left to her and self-published 3,000 copies of her book. Publisher Bobbs Merrill produced the first edition nationwide in 1936. It is now one of the most-printed cookbooks in the nation and has sold more than 18 million copies worldwide.

Cristeta Comerford

In 2005, Laura Bush appointed Comerford White House Executive Chef, making her the first woman to hold the prestigious position. Comerford was recently reappointed by Michelle Obama because of her emphasis on healthy eating. The Filipino-American holds a B.S. in food technology from the University of the Philippines and has worked in fine dining for 26 years. Before holding the top position, she served as assistant chef to the Clinton administration.

Dione Lucas

Englishwoman Lucas was the first woman to land a television cooking show, making her one of the most influential food celebrities. She was also the very first woman to graduate from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Lucas opened a restaurant in London and a restaurant and cooking school in New York before beginning her show, To The Queen’s Taste, on CBS in 1948. She has written that she cooked stuffed squab for Adolf Hitler, asking that it not be held against the “fine recipe.”

Cat Cora

As the first and only female Iron Chef on the prime-time competition show Iron Chef America, Cora reminds viewers that women, too, are masters of the culinary arts. The Mississippi-bred chef developed a business plan to own her own restaurant at age 15, and enrolled in The Culinary Institute of America a few years later. After several prestigious internships and positions, she landed roles on early Food Network shows Melting Pot and Kitchen Accomplished. She was dubbed Iron Chef in 2005.

Padma Lakshmi

This former model and actress took the national stage as host of Bravo’s reality food competition show, Top Chef. Lakshmi got her start in the food world by writing cookbooks, which she told ForbesWoman was the result of interest over what models ate. Her exotic Indian heritage and sizzling good looks helped her secure hosting roles on Padma’s Passport and Planet Food, while she also pursues other passions, like her namesake jewelry line that launched last year.

Martha Stewart

Brief stints as a Wall Street stockbroker and owner of a catering business gave this home chef all the skills she needed to reap über success. Her aspirational brand, with a penchant for baking and home beautification, offered viewers an escape from the everyday. Keen business skills led her to launch Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which controls award-winning magazines, television and radio shows, bestselling books and mass-market product lines sold at K-Mart and Macy’s.

Rachel Ray

Known for her lack of culinary training and knack for inventing words (E.V.O.O., yum-o and stoup, come to mind), this unlikely icon now powers a media empire. With her girl-next-door appeal, Ray was chosen in 2001 to host a Food Network show on getting dinner on the table quickly and at a low cost. She was an instant success. A smart move to syndicated daytime talk show Rachael Ray, the launch of magazine Every Day with Rachael Ray and easy-to-follow cookbooks have propelled the folksy cook into mega-fame.

And perhaps the most famous of the female chefs, the one and only, Julia Child.

Back in the public eye after the success of recent film Julie & Julia, our love affair with the spunky cookbook author and television chef continues. Inspired by French cuisine while living in Paris, she became one of few women to graduate from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. She then penned her famous 800-page book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, to show Americans how to cook sophisticated fare step-by-step. Her celebrity skyrocketed as a television chef and her original 14×20 foot kitchen is on permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian.

A big thank you to all of you strong, beautiful, pioneering ladies. Without you paving the way, there would be no culinary world or aspirations of a ladies’ culinary world. All of us who have followed in your brave footsteps owe you all a world of gratitude and appreciation. Hats off, or toques off, to all of you.

Follow your dreams, ladies (and gentlemen). Don’t be afraid to be the first. Don’t be afraid to soar high and catch the stars. If you aim high enough, the stars will come to you. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

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.