Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

Phew!!!!!! I am finally all caught up. I love going on vacations, but I always have SO much to do when I get back. But now that I am all caught up, I can get back to my normal routine.

Yesterday, I mentioned I was contributing a recipe or two for my friend Sandy Axlerod’s Colorado cookbook. I just submitted a Colorado classic – Green Chili Time for Green Chili and I will do my best to come up with a few more typical Colorado gems as well.

Green Chili is a Southwestern classic, and there are many different versions. But I think Colorado, and mine in particular (of course I’m biased), is some of the best. I load mine up with lots of pork, as well as all kinds of other fresh and good ingredients. I also like it a little on the thicker side too, to make it heartier and more like a meal. We eat it on its own, or over rice, or we add it to our breakfast burritos, and many other great dishes as well. Larry likes to top his fries with green chili and then loads it with lots of cheese too.

Colorado green chili is a thick, savory pork stew made with fire-roasted green chiles, which gives it a distinctive smoky and rich flavor. It is a point of culinary pride in Colorado, particularly in the city of Pueblo, and is a staple in many local restaurants and homes. Unlike a thin sauce, the Colorado version is a thick, spoonable stew, often made with chunks of pork shoulder. The primary ingredient is roasted green chiles, such as the Pueblo chile (which includes the Mosco variety) or Hatch chiles from neighboring New Mexico. The chiles are roasted until their skin is blackened, then peeled, chopped, and added to the stew. The roasting process adds a signature smoky flavor, while the chiles themselves provide a significant, but not overwhelming, amount of heat.  Colorado green chili can be enjoyed on its own as a soup or used as a “smothering” sauce for other dishes. It is a popular topping for burritos, breakfast burritos, eggs, and fries.

What is the difference or differences between Colorado green chili and New Mexico green chili? This is a “heated” debate. One of the main differences between the two competing versions is the types of chilies that are used. We Coloradans think ours has kicked up the heat a bit, and we like it like that! Hatch chilies may be more widely known, but roughly 500 miles north of the Hatch Valley and 100 miles south of Denver, Pueblo, Colorado, grows another, hotter type of pepper. Colorado Pueblo chilies clock in between 5,000 and 20,000 Scoville Heat Units on the famed Scoville scale. This is far spicier than Hatch chilies, which generally lie between 500 and 3,000 SHU (only a third as hot as a jalapeño pepper). Smoky, earthy, and rich, Hatch chilies are more about their distinctive taste than their heat. We like it HOT! Another major difference is the thickness. Colorado green chili is thicker than the New Mexico version. In Colorado, our weather is usually colder, so thicker stews keep us warmer.

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

This is the last of my Chef Jeff Podcast series, with more words of wisdom, to help with life both in and out of the kitchen. Once again, Chef Jeff and I are asking a favor from all of you. He is trying to grow his podcast and would like you all to leave a review and 5 stars on anyone of his platforms after listening or watching. We all like to help out our friends, and see them grow and become successful. 🙂

Chef Jeff’s words of wisdom:

We all know the phrase: “When life gives you lemons…”

But in kitchens — and in business — it’s not always lemons.
Sometimes it’s a bag of onions.
Sometimes it’s a delivery that didn’t show up, a menu that flopped, or a day that just didn’t go your way.

It’s easy to write those moments off. But every challenge is still raw material — something you can work with.

That’s what creators do. Not just chefs. Not just writers.
Anyone building something real.

You take what shows up — and you turn it into something worth sharing.

That mindset shift? It changes everything.
Not just how you cook. But how you lead. How you build. How you keep going.

JEANNE JONES
hashtag#FellIntoFood hashtag#HospitalityMindset hashtag#KitchenCreativity hashtag#EntrepreneurialThinking hashtag#CulinaryLeadership hashtag#JeanneInTheKitchen hashtag#MakeSomethingOfIt hashtag#FoodIndustryVoices

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

I am almost done editing all my bazillion pictures, which means soon, you will all be hearing about our fabulous trip to the Great North. In the mean time, Chef Jeff is helping me out once more. Thank you Chef. This time we are talking about consistency, honesty and sincerity:) More Insight From My Fell Into Food Podcast; More Insight From My Fell Into Food Podcast – Part 2 – Flexibility. Chef Jeff and I are asking a favor from all of you. He is trying to grow his podcast and would like you all to leave a review and 5 stars on anyone of his platforms after listening or watching. We all like to help out our friends, and see them grow and become successful. 🙂

I have been busy working on other things too, stirring many pots on many fires; more fun things I think you will enjoy. You just need a little more patience and anticipation, and soon you will see them all. 🙂

1. I am working on another article for Arlington Wine & Liquor Everything You Need to Know About Aperol Aperitif.
2. My friend and fellow blogger Sandy Axlerod, from The Traveling Locovores, is busy touring around the country in her RV she calls Ladybug and is writing cook books for the different states. I am contributing a recipe or two for her from Colorado.
3. I am also planning and preparing a special birthday dinner for Lauren. We will be celebrating her belated birthday on Saturday. Once again, you will hear all about it very soon. 🙂

So as always, I am keeping busy, but most importantly, still having fun. 🙂

Chef Jeff and I discussing consistency, honesty and sincerity.

You can show up every day.
You can post. Publish. Plate. Promote.
But if you’re not real… none of it sticks.

Consistency matters — absolutely. But it’s authenticity that builds trust.

Because people don’t just want what you’re selling. They want to know who they’re buying it from. And if they sense it’s a performance? They’ll scroll. They’ll unsubscribe. They’ll forget you.

But if you’re willing to tell the truth — even when it’s uncomfortable — you give people something they can connect to. Something they can believe in.

This is true whether you’re a content creator, a chef, a brand, or a leader.

Consistency is what gets people to notice.
Authenticity is what gets them to stay.

JEANNE JONES
hashtag#FellIntoFood hashtag#BuildWithAuthenticity hashtag#ContentWithCharacter hashtag#LeadershipMindset hashtag#HospitalityMarketing hashtag#FoodStorytelling hashtag#CulinaryVoice hashtag#JeanneInTheKitchen

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

Flexibility and having back-up plans are the keys to success in any business, but especially in the food industry. Things will always change and not go as planned. You have to be able to come up with a new plan in the blink of an eye or else. Just like in show business, the show must go on, no matter what.

More words of wisdom from both Chef Jeff and me:

In hospitality, the only thing you can count on… is that things won’t go as planned.

You’ll prep all day for a service that no one shows up to — and then get slammed on a slow night.
You’ll lose a dishwasher mid-shift.
Run out of a key ingredient with no time to resupply.
Get grease on your dress before expo even starts.

It’s not a matter of if something will go sideways — it’s how you respond when it does.

That’s why flexibility is one of the most underrated leadership skills in this business.
Not everything needs a meltdown. Not every pivot needs a postmortem.

Sometimes success is just the ability to shift without losing momentum.

Plan B isn’t a failure.
It’s proof you know how to keep moving.

JEANNE JONES
hashtag#FellIntoFood hashtag#HospitalityLeadership hashtag#KitchenMindset hashtag#Adaptability hashtag#RestaurantLife hashtag#CulinaryWisdom hashtag#FoodIndustryVoices hashtag#JeanneInTheKitchen hashtag#ResilienceInTheRush

I am still editing all my pictures from our trip, as well as just catching up and living normal life at the same time. With Chef Jeff’s help and insight, I am able to still communicate with all of you, and give you wise words of wisdom, and experience, I am also able to focus on catching up too. Once again, thank you Chef Jeff, for a lot of reasons. 🙂

Chef Jeff is so sweet. He is giving me yet another shoutout for some of my insights, that he recognized and I didn’t see myself. This was at the 24:00 minute section, where I was talking about how my blog was born. https://ajeanneinthekitchen.com/2025/10/06/fell-into-food-the-podcast/ Is he giving me more credit than I deserve? I’ll let you decide. 🙂

Chef Jeff’s kind words:

Some of the best ideas don’t start with a strategy.
They start with a moment.

Someone throws something away.
You say, “Wait—don’t toss that.”
And suddenly, you’re thinking differently about food, waste, and creativity.

That’s how Jeanne in the Kitchen started — not with a brand plan or a business model, but with a genuine instinct to use what we already have.

It’s a lesson we forget sometimes in this industry:
You don’t always need new ingredients, new tech, or new ideas.
You just need to look at what’s right in front of you… differently.

Whether it’s product development, menu design, or just feeding your family — creativity doesn’t come from having more.
It comes from reimagining what’s already there.

Thank you once again Chef Jeff for this fun and fabulous opportunity. 🙂

Right before I left for my Canadian vacation, I did a podcast interview with Chef Jeff Fell. https://ajeanneinthekitchen.com/2025/09/17/fell-into-food/ Chef Jeff and I had a lot of fun and it felt like I was talking to an old friend I had known forever. And here it is! The live podcast with Chef Jeff and I. There are a lot of ways you can listen. Just click on any or all of the links below and see it for yourselves. 🙂

Fell Into Food With Chef Jeff Fell

This week, I sit down with JEANNE JONES — a lifelong culinary pro turned food blogger behind A Jeannie in the Kitchen. We talk about everything from cutting onions in goggles to working 18-hour days in catering, why she left the restaurant industry, and how she found new purpose in writing.
Jeanne’s journey is filled with honesty, grit, and a deep love for food — whether she’s whipping up “first overs” or crafting a whole new recipe from leftovers. We also chat about staying real in a world full of filters, learning to pivot, and why creativity (not perfection) wins every time.

Links & Resources
Jeanne’s Blog: https://lnkd.in/gESrcneg
Cookbook Mentioned: Mediterranean: The Ultimate Cookbook
Culinary School Shoutout: Southern California School of Culinary Arts
The Raisins Commercials (Yes, Those Ones): California Raisin Board

00:00 – Intro & Jeanne’s blog origin story
04:00 – Falling into food at 15
08:30 – Culinary school hustle & hands-on learning
12:00 – Working with Chevron’s multicultural catering
17:30 – The chaos (and beauty) of catering
22:00 – Stepping away from the industry
24:00 – How blog topics are born
27:00 – Ditching video for what feels authentic
30:00 – Writing as therapy & artistic expression
33:00 – Authenticity in a filtered world
36:00 – Cooking from the fridge: Jeanne’s approach
38:00 – First overs & leftovers explained
40:00 – Cookbook dreams and marketing roadblocks
43:00 – Jeanne’s dream meal with her dad
45:00 – Wrap-up & how to follow Jeanne

Listen to the full episode and more! It would mean the world to me if you could leave a 5 star review on your listening platform to help grow and expand the Podcast.
YouTube – https://lnkd.in/gQM3S5mr
Spotify – https://lnkd.in/g_5kFXie
Apple Podcast – https://apple.co/41RoTm4
Pandora – https://lnkd.in/gS-wu_YJ

Follow Jeff:
YouTube: https://lnkd.in/g_ncFg9Y
Linkedin: https://lnkd.in/gGp5Z2fa
Instagram: https://lnkd.in/gSRZamTc
Facebook: https://lnkd.in/gUmBw9Vb
FellintoFood.comActivate to view larger image,

I hope you like it. 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thank you so much Chef Jeff for this fantastic opportunity. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to you and sharing our passion for food together.

I am still editing all my pictures and catching up with everything, but I will be back in business again before you know it. Stay safe and stay well.’Til next time.

I like to vary my walks, so I am always trying out new places. This time I went to nearby Anthem. Anthem is an upscale residential neighborhood in Broomfield. Broomfield and Westminster border each other, and we live right on the border between them. I walked around the Anthem Lake. It was a beautiful walk, but the most impressive find was a gorgeous Red-Tailed Hawk who was up in a tree. He let me take so many great shots of him. He and I made fast friends. I was just happily clicking away with my camera, getting one great shot after another.

I tried to get him in flight, but wasn’t able to. This shot is almost better though. I love this shot. it was just pure luck. He was flying from one tree to another, where he still let me get some more great shots of him.

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

We leave for Eastern Canada early, early in the morning tomorrow. No diving this time; just taking in the sights. Once again, I will be out of touch for a couple of weeks. Don’t touch that dial. Stay tuned and don’t go anywhere. I will be back before you even have a chance to miss me. 🙂

I haven’t seen nearly as many turtles this year as I normally do. But when I do see them, they are out sunning themselves, enjoying their day in the sun. This year I have mostly seen Red-Eared Sliders, and not very many Snapping Turtles. Usually, I see a lot of both.

TRIGGER – There is a picture of a snake at the end.

Snapping Turtle

Red-Eared Slider

I’ve also only seen a couple of frogs/toads this season too.

Though I haven’t seen nearly as many turtles as I normally do, I have seen MORE THAN my share of snakes this year. They’ve been slithering around all over, including inside and outside my garage and on my front porch and in my backyard. They’ve been EVERYWHERE!!!! YIKES!!!!! I have seen both Garter and Bull snakes all around.

I am going through the fridge, using up what I can before we leave. I am not buying anymore groceries, especially not vegetables until we get back. I was thinking, what do I have that needs to be used up. HMMMMM! Plus, I was making a Greek casserole and wanted a Mediterranean/Greek vegetable to serve along side of it.

Olives have been a part of the Mediterranean region since the beginning of time. Peppers were brought over to the area in the 16th century, after the Spanish settled the New World. Peppers have been a part of the Mediterranean diet ever since. This salad originally comes from Naples, Italy, where it is known as peperoni in padella con capperi e olive, or peppers with capers and olives. I found what I wanted to make. I found what I was looking for. 🙂

Roasted Pepper & Olive Salad

This salad is best when served warm or room temperature. Of course I did what I normally do. I had a recipe, but changed it and made it my own. I think my version was much better too. 🙂 The original salad cooks the peppers in a pan. I roasted mine instead. It also only called for red bell peppers. I had a variety of peppers, so as always, I mixed and matched. I made other changes too. That’s just what I do.

1 red bell pepper, roasted and sliced into thin strips

1 yellow bell pepper, roasted and sliced into thin strips

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP capers

1/2 cup mixed olives, sliced

2 TBSP parsley, chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1-2 TBSP lemon olive oil, optional

1-2 TBSP white balsamic or Prosecco vinegar

salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine the garlic, oil(s), vinegar, capers, olives, salt, pepper and parsley together and mix well, then set aside.

Roast the peppers until completely charred on the outside. Let them sweat in a plastic bag for about 30 minutes, then peel away the skin and rinse. Remove the seeds and slice into thin strips.

Toss the peppers together then spread the olive mixture on top and serve.

This colorful salad is so tasty and versatile. You can use it next to anything you want to serve it with. It is an easy-peasy Mediterranean classic.

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

Yesterday I gave you all a little teaser, OK, maybe a BIG teaser, about a surprise I was working on for you. It is all done now, and it was a big success. What is it? What is this big surprise I have in store?

Well ….. I have just been a guest on the Podcast Fell Into Food, with Chef Jeff Fell. This was my first podcast.

The Fell Into Food Podcast,https://www.youtube.com/@FellIntoFood, is a media project focused on food trends and kitchen innovations. The Fell Into Food podcast features conversations with culinary experts, covering topics like food trends, new kitchen technologies, innovative cooking techniques, and industrial food systems. Welcome to the deliciously informative world of the Fell Into Food Podcast! Each week, we serve up piping-hot conversations with industry experts, shedding light on the latest food trends and … much more. Perfect for home cooks and food enthusiasts alike, this content is an invitation to bring excitement back into the kitchen. You can find episodes on platforms like Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Chef Jeff says he “grew up in the middle of a corn field outside of Chicago. He went to the Windy City of Chicago, where his crazy culinary journey and crazy ride began, and then took it back to the corn field”. He has been doing his podcast, Fell Into Food, about everything food related for about 2 years now, and he is already making quite the name for himself. He is definitely in the know, and everyone who is anyone knows of Chef Jeff. And now I do too. 🙂

I was scared about all the technical stuff, because unfortunately, I am NOT very technical or tech savvy, but everything went off without a hitch. It was a lot of fun. Jeff and I got along very well and have a lot in common.

My podcast interview will be available for everyone to see and hear on Monday, October 6. As soon as it goes live, I will send everyone the link(s) so you can click on it and see it for yourselves. Chef Jeff and I spoke for about 45 minutes, about all kinds of good stuff. So ….. STAY TUNED! There is a lot of fun stuff coming your way very soon. 🙂

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