Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

Coffee and cakes have always gone together, and have been a huge part of European and German traditions since the 17th century, when coffee was first introduced to Germany. The first coffee cake likely originated in Germany, specifically in Dresden, however, the Danish came up with the earliest version of eating a type of sweet bread while drinking coffee, so coffee cakes really evolved from many different cultural traditions. During the 17th century, coffee and cakes were only for the aristocracy, but by the 19th century, they had become a tradition for everyone. It is known as kaffee and kuchen, or coffee and cake. Even though the coffee cake itself does not contain any coffee, it is the time honored tradition of serving coffee with cake that gives coffee cake its name. It’s a time for people to gather together to enjoy coffee, cake, and conversation, happening any time between two and five o’clock. The only real defining trait of a coffee cake is that it is meant to be served alongside a cup of coffee. It’s a treat that asks nothing of you other than to slow down and enjoy a nice hot mug of coffee and a bite of something sweet, and it is best when enjoyed with friends and conversations.

Coffee cakes have been a part of American traditions since the Germans and Scandanavians first started immigrating to the United States.

In keeping with the German traditions, I made a German coffee cake for our German cooking class, with Janet, Bob and Luke. Our German Cooking Class. The recipe came straight out of one of my German cookbooks too. 🙂

German Coffee Cake

The cake part of this delicious treat is more like a dough than a batter. It is a thick batter that has the consistency of a soft dough. The filling is like the filling used for cinnamon rolls. The results – DELICIOUS or LECKER!

I read the recipe and re-read it again and again, but I couldn’t find the use of cream mentioned in it at all. So I’m guessing, that even though the recipe called for heavy whipping cream, it was only to serve with the cake as a topping afterwards.

Preheat the oven to 350* F or 180*C.

Spray with cooking spray and lightly flour an 8″ cake pan.

The Filling

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/3 cups pecan or walnut meal

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix everything together well and set aside until ready to use.

The Cake

1/2 lb or 2 sticks of softened butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla or 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp pecan oil, optional

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

Beat the butter first until creamy, then add the sugar and beat again for about 1 minute. Add the eggs separately, beating in between each addition. Add the vanilla and/or the pecan oil and beat again.

Combine the flour and baking powder and mix well. Add 1/2 of the mixture at a time and mix in between each addition.

Spoon 1/2 of the dough into the prepared pan and pat it out with your hands to spread evenly in the pan. Then add 1/2 of the filling mixture on top and spread over the dough evenly. Then repeat until all the dough and the filling are used, ending with a streusel-like topping.

Bake for about an hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan.

The cinnamon flavors really come out when this cake is served warm, so I like it best when heated slightly before serving, with or without the whipped cream. I found the cake to be delicious on its own, and didn’t really need any whipped cream with it. It was a big hit with everyone, and Luke, our resident German native, went back for seconds. 🙂

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

Janet and Bob have another exchange student living with them. Luke is German, from Berlin, and will be staying with Janet and Bob until the end of the school year, in May or June. He has already had quite a few new adventures and experiences, with lots more to come.

Luke is enthusiastic about life in the United States. While Luke is learning about life in the United States, he is also teaching us about life in Germany. Last night we all did our part to make a truly authentic German meal, in honor of Luke. We made spatzle, a first for all of us, including Luke, and sausage with sauerkraut. I brought a German tomato, cucumber and onion salad, and a German coffee cake for dessert. Luke had a lot of fun laughing at all of us because we could not pronounce spatzle properly. It’s a mouthful for non-German speakers. 🙂

We got to Janet and Bob’s house about 5:00 PM. Janet already had the sauerkraut on the stove cooking, and Bob was busy cooking up the sausages.

Janet had all the ingredients and tools all ready and laid out for us to make the spatzle. The spatzle tools were a gift from Luke’s mom, from Germany.

Luke and I made the spatzle batter according to the recipe, then let it set for about 30 minutes before adding it to the salted boiling water.

We spooned small amounts of the batter into the spatzle sieve, then spread it over the holes until it all dropped into the water in the form of little dumplings.

The spatzle only took a few seconds to cook and was done when it started floating up to the top. Then we “spoodled” it out and let all the excess water drain off.

When all the spatzle was cooked we sauteed it in brown butter for a few seconds, just to coat it.

Some of the spatzle got tossed in with the sauerkraut and some stayed out to eat by itself.

Janet had beer and Bob and I enjoyed a delicious Malbec with our dinner. Luke and Larry took a pass on the libations.

And after a round of Farkle, it was time for dessert.

Janet and Bob are friends who are really family, and have been for many years. Luke is now part of the family as well. So it was a deliciously, fun-filled family evening, filled with good food and new experiences for us all. It was a family meal that we all took part in cooking and preparing. Larry was the photographer for the evening. As I have said many times, life is good, and we definitely live the good life. 🙂

As Wolfgang Puck would say, “Live, Love, Eat”. I couldn’t agree with him more. Have a great day and make everyday great. And it is always better with good friends and good food. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

At the 11th hour, of the 11th day, in the 11th month. World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” – officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

Thank you to all our Veterans who fought so bravely and defended our freedoms. All gave some, but many gave all. In America, we call this day Veterans Day. Veterans Day continues to be observed on November 11, regardless of what day of the week on which it falls. The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day: A celebration to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.

In other parts of the world these brave men and women are remembered as well. For example, Canada and Australia observe “Remembrance Day” on November 11, and Great Britain observes “Remembrance Day” on the Sunday nearest to November 11. There are similarities and differences between these countries’ Remembrance Day and America’s Veterans Day. Canada’s observance is actually quite similar to the U.S. celebration, in that the day is intended to honor all who served in Canada’s Armed Forces. However, unlike in the U.S., many Canadians wear red poppy flowers on November 11 in honor of their war dead. In Australia, Remembrance Day is very much like America’s Memorial Day, a day to honor that nation’s war dead.

My dad, an Aussie, fought in WWII for the Australian Army. When he emigrated to the United States, he still fought for freedom. He was in the Merchant Marines his whole life, and did military sealift commands for both the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Thank you Daddy and thank you Veterans.

We have been on a lamb kick since we’ve been home from Spain. Larry pulled lamb out of the freezer once again. He said he wanted it cooked in some kind of an Indian way, but other than that, he was open to let me do my thing. And that I did too. I made it into an Indian curry dish with spinach. I love all kinds of curry. I don’t cook them with the Western mindset about curries. I cook curries in the traditional ways they are meant to be cooked, from all the curry countries of the world. Curries, like any other dish vary from region to region and dish to dish.

I made Indian lamb with spinach or palak gosht or saag gosht, from the Punjab or Pakistan region. The Punjab region is known as the home of earthy foods, since it is a lush area where all kinds of good foods are grown, such as wheat, rice, corn, mustard, tomatoes and all other kinds of delicious vegetables. Palak Gosht is a meat dish made with spinach and lamb or mutton. Palak Gosht means spinach mutton, and is a delicious blending of tender succulent pieces of mutton cooked in spinach gravy mixed with freshly ground spices. Saag is a Hindu word meaning spinach. So the dish is either palak gosht or saag gosht depending on whether you are Punjab or Pakistani or Hindu.

The Western idea of curry is something totally different than what a traditional Indian curry really is. Most of the Western world views a curry as a particular flavor of a dish, but in reality, a curry is any dish that is made with a “gravy” or sauce, using many different flavors and spices and cooking techniques to make the sauce. The sauce or the “gravy” in a curry is to soak up the rice and or potatoes that are usually served with curried dishes. Traditional Indian curries have a complexity of tastes and textures, using a wide range of spices and heats. Some are sweet, some are full of heat, some are sour and some are pungent but mixed together, they all blend into a perfect taste sensation. Each spice is used in relative proportion with the other ingredients used in the specific dishes.

Indian Lamb with Spinach

I added pan-fried potatoes to my dish as well. The original recipe does not add potatoes, but I like the added richness and textures they bring to the dish. I should have also served it over rice, but we just rice so I didn’t want to serve rice and rice again. My mistake. But the dish was still delish! I served it with some of our leftover Mediterranean croquettes Vegan Gluten – Free Mediterranean Croquettes, which was a perfect side dish and a smooth, velvety red blend on the side.

You can puree the garlic and ginger if you like, but I prefer to not puree them. I like the texture and the rustic appeal of keeping them whole or in pieces rather than smooth.

1 1/2-2 lbs of lamb, cubed

1-1 1/2 TBSP garlic

1-1 1/2 TBSP ginger

2 jalapenos, seeded and diced fine

3/4 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp cumin

7 oz fresh spinach, stems removed

2 cups baby potatoes

1-2 bay leaves

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cardamom

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 onion, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

1 TBSP tomato paste

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1/2 tsp nutmeg

salt to taste

fresh cilantro

olive oil for cooking

Cut the lamb in cubes and marinate it with the yogurt, garlic, jalapenos, and ginger for a minimum of an hour before cooking.

When you are ready to start cooking, get a large skillet very hot and add the oil, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until the spices become very aromatic.

Add the onions, and reduce the heat to a medium heat. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the onions are completely softened.

While the onions are cooking, blanch the spinach in boiling hot water for about 10 seconds, then drain and puree, or chop into a fine chop.

Add the cumin, then add the lamb and yogurt mixture and combine thoroughly.

Add about 1 1/2 cups of boiling water to the mixture and let the mixture cook for about 3-5 minutes, then add the tomatoes and tomato paste and salt to taste, stirring constantly. I used yellow heirloom tomatoes, thinking the colors would stand out and pop, but no. They just blended into the rest of the dish. No color pops this time. But I still LOVE the taste of heirloom tomatoes, and I use them as much as I can when they are in season.

Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the pureed spinach and about half of the cilantro towards the end of the cooking process, and mix in thoroughly.

I added baby potatoes too. I really like the added flavors and texture they brought to the dish. I washed the potatoes thoroughly first, then cut them in half and boiled them for about 10 minutes, with about 1 TBSP of white vinegar added to the water. The vinegar helps them to crisp up. After boiling them I pan-fried them in hot canola oil for about 20 or so minutes, flipping them over at about the half-way point, to finish cooking. The outsides were crispy and the insides were very tender and velvety.

When the potatoes and lamb were done, I combined them together. I till should have served it over rice, but as I mentioned above, I was trying to avoid rice two nights in a row. Next time, I will do the same thing, but will definitely serve it over rice as well. Once I serve it, I added more of the chopped cilantro on top.

This was a warm and cozy dish that was perfect for a cool, crisp fall evening. 🙂

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

The Holidays are quickly approaching. There is always so much to do. Decorating, cooking, parties, and gifts.

When it comes to gifts, my absolute favorite gifts are the gifts from the heart. I love to give them and I love to receive them. This year I am getting creative. I am making a lot of my gifts this year. I am also still trying out a way of selling some of my prints and photos. So I thought what better way to get my name and photos out there than to start giving some as gifts.

Some lucky few, at least I hope they feel the same as I do, will be receiving a few homemade gift packages from me this year.

I have more goodies in the works as well. I have lots, and lots of homemade goodies I am currently working on.

I know it is early, and this will be the first of many times still yet to come, but I am going to wish you all Happy Holidays, from my home and heart to yours.

Sometimes I just need a break from my kitchen and need to step aside and get a fresh, or even an old, but newly remembered perspective, on life in the kitchen. I always get a kick out of the kitchen sayings. They are all so true too.

I often refer to myself as “an ex chef” because I no longer cook professionally, but I have to step back and remember this. Once a chef, always a chef.

Being in the kitchen is always my happy place. I try my best to make it a happy place for everyone else too. 🙂

So very true indeed. Chefs make magic happen in their kitchens.

Absolutely 100%!!!!!!

Again, this is so true. I have messed up and burned and cut myself so many times that now I don’t even notice any more. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe, especially in the kitchen, when playing with fire and knives, and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Potatoes are some of my favorite comfort foods. They are so versatile and go with any dish you want to serve them with, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. They are also very good just eaten on their own. I love potatoes and I will eat them just about every way possible too.

I was looking for a new, different version of potatoes and decided to make some Hasselback potatoes, but with a spicy twist.

Potatoes are universal and people around the world love them cooked in many, many countless ways. Hasselback potatoes or Hasselbackspotatis, come to us from Sweden, from the Hasselbacken Restaurant in Stockholm. They first made their appearance to the world’s culinary stage back in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Hasselback potatoes are potatoes that are thinly sliced, cut almost through the whole potato and roasted in oil and/or butter, and whatever other toppings you want to add. Not only are they delicious, but they are pretty potatoes too. The magic of the Hasselback potato is the crispy exterior and the creamy interior – it’s the best of both worlds all in one bite.

In the 1700’s potatoes were considered poisonous for human consumption by many Europeans. They were thought of as feed for livestock, and they were believed to cause leprosy in humans. The fear was so widespread that the French passed a law against them in 1748. Potatoes were called the poisoned apple or the devil’s apple, or devil’s fruit. People in South America had been eating potatoes for 1000’s of years before they made their way to Europe, so the notion that potatoes were poisonous was just a farce. And with wars and famine raging through Europe during this time, the attitude towards potatoes being poisonous was quickly disregarded. Lucky for us. Today, the whole world enjoys potatoes of all kinds.

Spicy Hasselback Potatoes

Lately, I have been using a lot of chili oil with roasted chilies in just about everything. I love the little extra kick it adds to spice things up a bit. The addition of the chili oil really brought this classic potato dish to life in a whole new way too.

6 small round potatoes

salt & pepper to taste

2-3 TBSP olive oil and/or melted butter

1 TBSP garlic

1-2 tsp hot chili oil, or to taste

1 tsp rosemary

1 TBSP parsley

Preheat the oven to 425* F or 219*C.

Thoroughly wash and pat dry the potatoes with a paper towel. Then slice the potatoes in thin slices, without cutting all the way trough them. Place them in an oiled baking dish and gently fan the potatoes out. No problem if they break apart. Just keep them together as best as you can.

Combine all the rest of the ingredients together and thoroughly coat the potatoes with the sauce using a pastry brush. Make sure to really get in between all the potato slices too, to make them really flavorful. This will also help them keep their shape.

Bake for about 40 minutes or so, or until the tops are crispy and golden brown and the insides are soft and tender. Baste the potatoes every 10 minutes or so with the liquid. This will help make them crispy on top and will also help with the browning.

Top with more parsley before serving. Serve immediately. These are best when served very hot, straight out of the oven. They will be crispy and velvety all in one bite. Each bite will be a little bit of Heaven in your mouth. Delicious! You can serve these alongside any dish you like, or just enjoy them on their own. Either way, I promise you are going to love them.

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

We used to have warm falls in California all the time, and we called them Indian summers. But here in Colorado, we usually have cold weather in the fall. So far though, this year has been different. We had one cold spell, right before Halloween, with our first snow that dropped about 6 inches, but now it is warm again, though it is supposed to cool down and rain tomorrow. That being said, I don’t usually think of salads in the fall, usually because it is usually way too cold for a salad at this time of year. I do love my salads, but I am a fair weather salad girl. 🙂 I did however, make a delicious fall salad that is perfect for this time of year. I made a roasted pumpkin salad with pork and a maple balsamic vinaigrette.

As usual, Larry ‘s and mine are slightly different. His had feta cheese and mine had no cheese and cranberries. I wanted to add pomegranate seeds, and I had them too, but they had gone bad. So …. quick change of plans. I added cranberries instead, and the salad was still colorful and delicious.

Roasted Pumpkin Salad With Pork and Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

To make this a main meal salad, I added pork, but chicken would be a nice addition too.

The Salad

1 1/2- 2 lbs pork chops

2-3 lbs pumpkin, peeled, seeded

2 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP maple syrup

1-2 TBSP butter

salt & pepper to taste

spinach and/or mixed greens

1/4 red onion, sliced very thin

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, cut into half

pecans

feta cheese, optional

dried cranberries, optional

pomegranate seeds, optional

Marinate the pork or chicken in the same balsamic vinegars and olive oil you use for the dressing for about 2-3 hours prior to cooking. Then grill, roast or saute until it is completely cooked. I used my black fig balsamic vinegar and my blood orange olive oil, with a little fresh ground black pepper.

When you are ready to make the salad, preheat the oven to 425* F or 219*C.

Coat the pumpkin with salt, pepper and olive oil, then place on a baking sheet and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until it is golden brown, and tender but not mushy. Any kind of pumpkin will do.

While the pumpkin is roasting, make the candied pecans. Add the butter, maple syrup and pecans into a hot pan and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring constantly, or until the butter is melted and everything starts to caramelize together. Immediately after the mix has caramelized, pour the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and let cool and harden.

Once the pecans have hardened, break them apart and separate them.

The Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 cup olive oil

2-3 TBSP blood orange olive oil, optional

2 TBSP maple syrup

2-3 TBSP balsamic and/or flavored balsamic vinegar – I used black fig balsamic vinegar

1-2 TBSP white balsamic or Prosecco vinegar

1 TBSP Dijon mustard

salt & pepper to taste

Whisk everything together and set aside until ready to use.

When the pork and the pumpkin are cooked, start making your salad. Start with the greens, then add everything else as you like it, finishing with the protein and nuts. Add the vinaigrette right before serving. Enjoy! Bon Appetit! This salad is perfect for any fall evening, whether it is warm or cold. The greens or spinach helps cool it down and make it lighter, but the warm roasted pumpkin and meat help take the chill off of the cold, crisp fall weather. I guarantee you’re going to love this colorful fall salad any time.

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

Fall is leaving us, seemingly as quickly as it came. The seasons are once again changing and fall is turning into winter, though we have actually been having more summer like weather lately too. Every season has its beauty. I grew up in Southern California, and the changing of the seasons was very subtle at best. But here, they are very evident, and I love them all. I love the changing of the seasons, and actually look forward to them.

One day we had this.

And a few days later we had this, and this was after most of our first snow had melted.

And for the last few days, we have been in the upper 60’s and 70’s once again. That’s Colorado weather for you. You really have NO idea what to expect, especially at this time of year. It changes every five minutes or so. The weather is just one of the many things that makes life in Colorado so interesting. 🙂

Shrimp paprikash is a variation of the very popular Hungarian dish, chicken paprikash, or paprikás csirke or csirkepaprikás. It is also a very similar dish to Hungarian goulash, but that is typically made with beef and is not thickened with flour. All three of these dishes are stews made with lots of paprika and sour cream, for the paprikash dishes. And as with any dish, there are lots and lots of personal recipes and renditions. Everyone always has their own favorite family recipe. Here is my rendition.

The origins of this delicious stew are humble, and started with the one-pot stews of the poor, using whatever ingredients they had. At first, it was made without paprika, and then paprika became a staple to the recipe and to Hungarian cooking in general. Paprika was used a lot because it was initially cheaper to use than pepper.

Hungary is a major source of paprika, and it is the spice most closely associated with Hungarian cooking. The spice was first used in Hungarian cuisine in the early 19th century. It is available in different grades: Noble sweet (Édesnemes) – slightly pungent (the most commonly exported paprika; bright red). Paprika is a spice made from dried, ground red peppers from the species capsicum annuum. Peppers from this group include everything from sweet bell peppers to spicy hot chilis. Native to Mexico, these peppers were brought to Spain in the 16th century. There are eight types of Hungarian paprika, but three are used most. They are sweet, hot and smoky versions. All are very tasty and delicious.

Shrimp Paprikash

I loaded my shrimp paprikash up with all kinds of stuff. It was definitely a hearty meal that was perfect for a cool, crisp fall night.

1 1/2-2 lbs large shrimp, peeled deveined and rinsed

1 onion, diced fine

1 TBSP garlic

2 tsp paprika

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms

5-6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

3/4 cup vegetable stock

1 cup sour cream

salt & pepper tot taste

butter and olive oil for cooking

2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped

cooked noodles or pasta

Start by cooking the bacon. Once it is cooked, drain the excess grease off then crumble and set aside.

Cook the shrimp in the bacon grease for about 3-5 minutes or until it is completely cooked, then remove and set aside, keeping it warm.

Cook the mushrooms, onions and garlic in the bacon grease until the onions are translucent, for about 2-3 minutes. Add more butter and/or olive oil if needed.

When the mushrooms and onions are cooked, add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook until the liquid is reduced by about half.

Mix in the sour cream and salt & pepper and re-add the shrimp and the bacon.

You can add a dollop of butter at the end and incorporate it in well if you like. This will finish the sauce and make it a little creamier. Add the parsley and mix in. Serve over the cooked noodles or pasta and enjoy.

I served it with garlic bread and a cool, crisp white blend. The acidity of the white wine help to cut the fat and really brought all the flavors together well.

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