Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

It is still salad season, which is a good thing. We will enjoy our salads out on the deck for as long the weather allows. We know the end of salads on the deck are coming soon.

Awhile ago, I had come across this interesting Asian cucumber salad that I’ve been wanting to try but had never gotten around to until yesterday. It was delicious, but not enough for a meal. So I made that salad first and then added it to our main salad with chicken to make it a meal. It was perfect.

I made the Asian cucumber salad first, which is a great side dish, but not enough for a meal. I used macadamia nuts, but you can use peanuts or almond slices, or chopped walnuts or pecans if you prefer.

Asian Cucumber Salad

1 1/2 lbs English cucumber, sliced thin

2-3 green onions, sliced

1/4 red onion, sliced very thin

1/2 cup fresh basil, chiffonade

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup nuts of your choice- I used sliced macadamia nuts

3 TBSP lime juice

2 TBSP olive oil

1-2 TBSP lime olive oil, optional

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP garlic

2 TBSP honey

1-2 tsp red chili flakes in oil, optional

Whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing and set aside.

Slice the cucumbers thin. I like to score mine with a fork first, but this is optional.

Combine all the rest of the dry ingredients and add just enough of the dressing to coat everything without making it all swim in sauce. Reserve the extra dressing for later, especially if you are going to make this into a main salad.

You can leave it just like this and serve it as a side dish to something else, or you can add this to a bigger salad and make it more of a meal like I did. I added shredded Romaine lettuce, shredded carrots and tomato wedges along with some cooked chicken breast. Then I added more of the dressing on top.

It’s a simple salad that’s simply delicious. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

I like to shake things up, as you all very well know. So I like throwing in food quotes and food funnies too.

We are always celebrating when good food is around, no matter the occasion.

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

When we were up in Lyons, Nature Walks – Hummingbirds of Lyons not only did we see the Rufous Hummingbirds, but we saw an American Dipper as well. American Dippers are birds that like to swim, or more they like to dip into the icy cold and turbulent waters, like streams or rivers in the mountainous areas that comes from snow runoff.

They are camouflaged, so they really blend in with the rocks. They are easy to miss unless you know what to look for. This guy was having so much fun just playing around and dipping in the water.

It’s perfectly OK to take some dips into the waters of life. Who knows, you just might like it too. 🙂

The other day when Larry was smoking his meats, one of things he added to the smoker was a pork loin. He did a great job with it too. He has definitely come a long way with his smoking skills. He is almost a smoke master now. 🙂

I am a saucy kind of girl, in more ways than one too. But for food purposes, I will leave it as I like sauces on my foods. I think sauces make the meal and they really bring meats to life. I wanted a good sauce that would enhance the smoky flavors of the pork loin. I decided upon a roasted pepper and herb coulis. I served it all over some tri-colored couscous with some sauteed vegetables and warmed ciabatta with an olive oil dipping sauce on the side. My sauce was red, so I chose a red blend wine to go with the meal. Delicious!

The term coulis has French origins and is used to indicate all of those sauces used to enrich dishes, but for the most part desserts.  The real definition of coulis is a strained liquid. Coulis (pronounced koo-LEE) is French for a thick sauce that’s made from puréed and strained vegetables or fruits. The original, classical use of the term was a meat sauce that was reduced three times.

Of course I don’t make a “proper coulis”, though I certainly know how. I prefer mine with texture rather than smooth. Every time I “break the culinary rules” I think of my favorite Chef Instructor, Chef Andre Averseng. He would always say ” no, no, no Jeanne, dis is not da way to do it”. Then he would taste what I made and rephrase his wording to “did is good, Jeanne. Dis is good”. So, breaking the rules can be a very good thing indeed. At least in the kitchen. 🙂

The main difference between my coulis and the traditional coulis is that I don’t strain it. I prefer it chunky. Everything else though, I keep the same; more or less. Though I am always going to add my own style and personality, and my own personality for that particular day too. 🙂

I started off by roasting some red peppers on an open flame, and charring them. Then I let them sweat for about 30 minutes before removing the charred skins. I rinsed and removed the seeds, then into the food processor they went, along with all the rest of my ingredients.

Roasted Pepper and Herb Coulis

2 red peppers, or any color, roasted, charred, seeds removed and rinsed

1 TBSP garlic

salt & pepper to taste

1-2 TBSP fresh rosemary, oregano, thyme, basil, lemon verbena, or other fresh herbs of your choice

1/4 cup olive oil

1-2 TBSP lemon olive oil

1-2 TBSP lemon balsamic vinegar

Process everything together in a food processor until it is the consistency you like. Like I said, I prefer mine more chunky. If you want to make yours more like a traditional coulis, then puree everything longer, and strain everything through a fine meshed strainer.

This sauce is best when served warm. You can use it for just about anything you like. It goes well with all kinds of meats and you can add some more vinegar to it to make it as a dressing for a salad too. Use your imagination and see you what you get. 🙂

Make the world a little bit more saucy and live it up. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Lyons is a pretty little mountain town about 1 hour north west of us. We go through it all the time when we go up to Estes Park, but this time, we actually stayed there for a bit. Larry’s boss retired and he recently moved up to Lyons full time. Before it had only been his get-away cabin. He hosted his retirement party and we all got to see his little bit of paradise, right on the river. I would move there in a heartbeat.

It was a little slice of Heaven. Not only did we enjoy this gorgeous idyllic bit of paradise, but we got to enjoy the hummingbirds as well. It is late in the season, so we only saw a few. Usually there are 100’s all around in the summer months. I was still very happy, and I finally got some great hummingbird shots, up close too.

These little gems are Rufous Hummingbirds. They like Colorado High Country and migrate there after the summer solstice. Usually by late August though, most of them are gone. There are just here long enough to make a brief appearance before they’re off again.

Persistence and patience have paid off. I am so happy these little guys were so cooperative this t time. Usually they are very difficult to capture with my lens. But not this time. 🙂

Today, September 11, 2023 marks the 22nd anniversary of one of the scariest, most horrendous terrorist attacks in America. Twenty-two years ago today the horrors of 9/11 occurred, killing almost 3000 Americans on our own soil. May we always honor those who fought bravely and honor those we lost. May we never forget. I wish we could all come together once again like we did that day, and especially on 9/12, where every American and many others from around the world came together as one to fight the evils that brought the world to its knees.

It was time to go a-wining once more, though it is always that time for me, and I needed to make some nibblies to go with us. I did a variation of my usual tray of mixed cheeses, crostini, different spreads, bread, smoked turkey, roast beef, nuts and antipasto. I also made some olive tapenade with 3 different kinds of olives.

I almost always bring a variety of olives, but I decided to turn them into a tapenade this time instead. A tapenade is a Provençal name for a spread, condiment and culinary ingredient consisting of puréed or finely chopped olives, capers, and sometimes anchovies. Tapenade comes from Southern France, from the region of Provence. Anyone who is familiar with a tapenade knows it is an olive spread, but the name actually comes from the Provencal word for capers or tapenas. Tapenades have been around since the late 1880’s.

A traditional tapenade is made with black olives and anchovies. Well NO WAY am I going to ruin a perfectly delicious dish with anchovies, and I prefer green olives to black olives, though I love a variety of olives. You already know where I am going with this. It goes without saying, but you all know I “Jeannified” the recipe to make it my own. 🙂 I used Kalamata olives, castrelvato (sp) Spanish olives, and whatever else I had on hand. I usually keep a variety of olives on hand at all times. Each type of olive has a different flavor, so do what I do, and play around with different kinds of olives for different results and flavors.

Mixed Olive Tapenade

2 cups mixed olives or olives of your choice

1 TBSP garlic

1 shallot

6-8 capers in brine

5-6 sundried tomatoes in oil

1-2 TBSP lemon juice

1-2 TBSP lemon olive oil, optional

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 red pepper

1/4 cup parsley

Mix everything together in the food processor until it is blended together. You want it with little bits of chunks in it for added texture, or at least I do. 🙂 Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use as a spread for bread, Arabic flatbreads, crostini, or whatever you like.

I made some crostini to go with it this time. The easiest and most simple way to make crostini is to cut a French baguette into thin slices, at an angle, and brush both sides with olive oil. Then bake at 400*F or 205* C for about 15-20 minutes, then flip each piece over and continue to bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until it becomes lightly golden and crunchy.

And there you go. Simple, easy-peasy, delicious and always ready to go wherever you go.

Sometimes the best things in life are the simple things. Remember the K.I.S.S. rule – keep it simple (stupid). Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Rosh Hashana is coming up for all of our Jewish friends. It is the Jewish New Year, and it is celebrated with traditional foods of the season. It is one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar or a High Holiday. Rosh Hashanah is packed with mitzvahs, special foods and traditions but the central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, the ram’s horn, on both days of the holiday. The shofar itself recalls the Binding of Isaac, an event that occurred on Rosh Hashanah in which a ram took Isaac’s place as an offering to God. 

The festivities begin with prayer and readings from the Torah about Abraham and Sarah. These stories are told on Rosh Hashanah — the anniversary of the creation of human beings — because they remind us that all people, including those we look up to as our founding patriarchs and matriarchs, are filled with character flaws. Human beings are imperfect, and despite that eternal truth, they never lose hope in the potential to achieve great things. The reading is followed by a Haftarah about Hannah’s prayer for children that teaches that God fulfills even the most improbable of requests. Her song of gratitude is a shining example of how we need to thank God for our life every day. Her life takes on greater dimensions in the birth of Samuel the Prophet. From her sorrow to her joy, Hannah’s story is really the story of the Jewish people.

After prayers and readings from the Torah, the day is filled with feasts and festivities. It is customary to eat sweet foods, symbolizing the desire to have a sweet year, blessings and abundance. Throughout the meal, it is customary to also eat foods whose names allude to blessing and prosperity. Pieces of sweet apple are dipped into honey. The prayer said before eating it is: May it be Your will to renew for us a good and sweet year. A head of a fish, ram, or other kosher animal, is served. This symbolizes the desire to be at the “head of the class” this year. A pomegranate is eaten, symbolizing the wish to have a year full of mitzvot and good deeds as a pomegranate is filled with luscious seeds.

I am definitely NOT a Jewish expert or scholar. I’m not even Jewish. But I do like to learn new things about all cultures, and especially their foods. What I am learning about the foods of this major Jewish holiday is that people like to eat various sweet foods in hopes of a happy, prosperous new year. Honey cakes, apple cakes, apples, challah are some of the delicious foods eaten and enjoyed during these festive times.

I made a Jewish apple cake for no other reason other an I liked the recipe, though I love learning about all the traditions that surround the cake and and the celebrations too. A friend of mine asked if it was called a Jewish apple cake because the apples came from Israel. No. That was just the name on the recipe and it is the time of the Jewish year to celebrate new beginnings. As you know, I celebrate almost everything with food, as do so many other people and cultures That is one of the beautiful characteristics of food. It has such a special meaning to all of us, for so many reasons. Food is life and life should be celebrated.

Jewish Apple Cake

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

Spray a bundt cake pan with cooking spray.

2 1/3 cups sugar, divided

2 tsp cinnamon

4 1/2 cups Gala apples, peeled, cored and chopped

2 3/4 cups flour

1 TBSP baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup orange juice

2 tsp vanilla

4 eggs

Combine 1/3 cup of sugar, the cinnamon and apples together and gently fold in so all the apples are coated with the cinnamon and sugar. Set aside.

Combine all the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Mix the remaining sugar and oil together. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing in between each addition. Add the vanilla. Add 1/2 the flour and mix, 1/2 the orange juice, and repeat until everything is blended together.

Gently fold the apples into the batter, then spoon into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the center is set.

Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the pan and serving. I dusted mine with a sprinkling of powdered sugar too.

Enjoy the festivities and the new year’s celebrations and Shana tova or Happy New Year. Jewish, Gentile, or something else, have a great day, and a great year. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

The Cobb salad is a popular composed salad found in restaurants all over the United States.

The Cobb salad was born in the wee hours of a Hollywood, California morning in 1937 at the Brown Derby restaurant. The owner, Bob Cobb, was ruffling through the kitchen’s refrigerator, pulling out various remnants including lettuce, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, tomatoes, chives and avocado. Smelling bacon being cooked nearby, he grabbed a few slices to add to his dish. It sounds like Bob Cobb liked to cook the same way I do. What do I have? How can I use it? Bob tossed the ingredients together and shared the outcome with his friend Sid Grauman (of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre fame). Mr. Grauman was so impressed that he asked for a “Cobb salad” at the restaurant the very next day, and a classic was born. The Brown Derby was a landmark restaurant that had been a part of Hollywood for decades, but sadly, it is no longer there. A part of the Hollywood tradition died the day they demolished the Derby.

Larry had the smoker going again, and when he smokes, he smokes. He smoked some ribs, a turkey and a pork loin. I used some of the smoked turkey to make Cobb Salads for dinner. The temperatures are still soaring, so it is still summer salad weather. This Cobb Salad just hit the spot.

I cooked up some bacon and made some croutons with some crusty bread that I cooked in the bacon grease and just started layering up the salads from there. Mine had avocados, Larry’s did not. His had cheese, mine did not. I also didn’t put the turkey on his yet, since he likes his warmed, whereas I prefer mine cold for something like this, but I think you get the general idea. 🙂

Simple can be elegant too. It’s all in the presentation. Presentation, presentation, presentation. 🙂 I only got he one picture of this salad, as it was kind of an after thought. But I guess sometimes less is more, right?!

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

This year I have seen so many bees, butterflies, dragonflies, their winged cousins, beetles and bugs around. I don’t remember seeing so many in years past. But this year, it’s a banner year for them. Some even let me get close enough to get some good shots of them too.

If you allow yourself to see it, there is beauty in everything. All you have to do is open your eyes and look, and you will see beauty in everything. 🙂