Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

As you all know, I love to cook and I love to cook just about anything and everything. But since our trip to Spain last year, I have been doing more and more Spanish style cooking. I grew up with and absolutely love the Mexican/Spanish flavors from across the border, but the recipes from Spain are totally different. It is Old World vs. New World. Both are muy delicioso, and though there are similar, they are also completely different, with their own personalities too.

In Spain, and in Spanish cooking all over, sauces are used as building blocks for many other dishes. They add texture and layers to the foods while they cook. Many Spanish dishes are started with cooking, onions, garlic and tomatoes in olive oil until they are cooked down to make a puree. This is called sofrito, or in Catalan, soffregit. Can you see why I am so enamored with Spanish cooking? 🙂 They start off with the most basic ingredients that I use in almost all of my own cooking. How can you go wrong when cooking with garlic, onions and tomatoes, right?! 🙂

My latest venture to the Old World of Spain was a combination of dishes that started with this very tasty, Spanish style tomato sauce. It is a sweet tomato sauce that is muy facil, or easy to make, very versatile, and only requires a few basic ingredients. It can be used for just about anything. I have already used it three different ways, which of course, you will soon learn about. But first, let’s start with the sauce itself.

Sweet Spanish Tomato Sauce

1 cup olive oil

2 TBSP garlic

1 onion, diced fine

3 cups tomatoes, diced medium

2 1/2 cups water

1 TBSP salt

2 tsp black pepper

3 TBSP sugar

Heat the olive oil, garlic and onions and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the onions soften and start to turn golden.

Add the sugar and the rest of the ingredients to the mixture and bring to a boil.

Then reduce the heat, and continue to cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until the sauce is reduced to a puree. Make sure to stir the sauce occasionally too.

When the sauce is done, let your imagination run wild, and use it however the fancy strikes. You can use it for eggs, seafood, pasta, or …..

So when you want to make it saucy, say ole, and sauce it up Spanish style.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.

I can’t speak for anyone else, but one of the main reasons why I blog is to learn new things and to share new ideas with all of you. There are so many wonderful thoughts and ideas out there, just waiting to be shared. You just never know when an idea will pop into your head and inspire you, whether it be an idea, a recipe, music or something else entirely. I came across this recipe for a potato pumpkin tart from blogger, Thea Neven at The Buttered Skillet at https://butteredskillet.com/. You should stop by and say hi. She has some great recipes. This was one of those recipes that just spoke to me, and I just had to try it. And of course, I also just had to make in my own way too. It is similar to Thea’s but I also made it my own as well, like I always do.

Pumpkin Potato Tart

The Dough

I made my basic go-to dough that you have seen me make and use many, many times.

1 1/2 cups flour

6 TBSP cold butter, cubed

1 tsp salt

1 egg

5-6 TBSP heavy whipping cream

In a food processor, blend the flour, butter and salt together first. Then add the egg and cream and continue to process together until a ball is formed. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Preheat the oven to 400* F or 200* C.

Use either a rectangular or round tart pan. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, to about 1/4 inch in thickness. Place the dough into the pan and firmly press it into the pan.

The Filling

I potato, peeled, cut in 1/2 and sliced thin

6 ounces of squash or pumpkin of your choice, sliced thin. This time I used delicata squash.

1-1 1/2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP fresh rosemary, chopped fine

salt & pepper to taste

3 TBSP olive oil

1 cup shredded Parmigiano cheese

chopped parsley

This time I used delicata squash. One of the characteristics of the delicata is that the skin is very thin and can actually be left on the squash while you cook it. It is definitely edible and enhances the flavors of the squash itself.

Start by layering the Mozzarella cheese on the tart dough, covering the whole bottom.

Then add the layer of the potato slices and the squash slices, alternating them until the tart is filled.

Mix the oil, garlic salt, pepper and rosemary together and drizzle over the potato and squash rings, covering the whole top area. Sprinkle the Parmigiano cheese and parsley over the top.

Place the tart into the hot oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the dough is a nice, flaky golden brown and the potatoes and pumpkin, or squash, is soft and tender and completely cooked.

This rich and delicious savory tart can be eaten and enjoyed at any time, either by itself or served on the side as part of a main meal. It is very rich and satisfying no matter how you decide to enjoy it. This is perfect dish to celebrate the fall and all its beautiful bounty.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.

It is video time again, and this is just a short little video about a real easy-peasy, super simple treat that will be loved by all. I made some turtle pretzel bites, that take bout 10 minutes to make and will disappear in no time at all. They are loved by all, and you can make them up in jiffy for any party that pops up.

Happy Halloween Everyone. Hopefully your evening was filled with lots of treats and very little tricks. Don’t be scared of the ghosts and goblins that may come your way. Give them some of these delicious treats and everything will turn out to be A-OK!

If you like what you see, please subscribe to my YouTube page, and please, share it with your friends and family too.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time. Happy Halloween!

Typical Colorado weather. Sunday we had a snow storm that dropped 5 inches of snow, and now almost all the snow is gone, at least around our lakes. In fact, not only was the snow gone, but the weather was back up into the low 60’s and the sun was shining brightly in the blue, blue skies above. It was a perfect day for a walk.

We still have that one turtle who is just as confused as the rest of us are. He still refuses to give up and loves to sun himself on his “log”, even though one of the lakes still has a thin layer of ice on it.

The geese were out in droves, as they usually are.

And we had a lot of ducks out and about too. We had our normal mallards, and even our newest residents, the redheads and the hooded mergansers.

But we have some new kids on the “block” too, or should I say new ducks on the lake. Our new neighbors are the ring-necked ducks.

I think they will fit in nicely. They are a great new addition to our beautiful area. Welcome to the neighborhood.

When you mention the word “vegan” a lot of people freak out. They think it is some strange and foreign concept. In reality, a lot of the side dishes I cook and prepare are vegan. I admit, I am NOT a vegan, nor would I ever be. It’s just not my thing. Although I do certainly know how to cook vegan foods and dishes, and some of them are really delicious, but I am a carnivore and I need my meat and my proteins from animal sources. To go vegan means to eliminate ALL animal products from your diet. It is a more severe and strict form of vegetarianism. Vegetarians still eat eggs, honey and dairy products, whereas vegans do not.

This vegan rice and lentil recipe is one of those dishes that is pretty tasty. To me it is like a combination of a risotto and a rice pilaf dish. I prepare it is a side dish that I serve with meat. I actually served it in two different ways this time. The first time I served it with my Italian short ribs Italian Style Short Ribs, and you will just have to wait to see how I served it for the second time. 🙂 If you are a vegan or a vegetarian, I would highly recommend you serve it as a side dish as well, and add your favorite source of protein to serve with it. Lentils are a great source of protein, however they still do not offer as many proteins and benefits as proteins that come from animal sources. The health benefits of vegan and vegetarian vs. meat eaters are still undecided. There are pros and cons for all and everyone has to decide for themselves which is best.

Vegan Rice and Lentils

I used wild rice and red lentils, but you can use brown rice or any other kind of rice, and you can use the brown, red or yellow lentils too. If you use a different kind of rice, you may need to adjust the cooking times.

3/4 cup lentils

1 TBSP olive oil

1 onion, diced fine

1 medium carrot or 2 small carrots, diced fine

1 TBSP garlic

1 cup rice

1 1/2 tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

3 cups water + water for the lentils

salt & pepper to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. When the lentils are done, drain them and set them aside.

Sautee the rest of the ingredients, including the spices in the hot olive oil for about 10 minutes.

Add the rice, lentils and water and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 30 minutes, or until the liquid has evaporated.

When the rice is cooked, fluff it up a bit and serve. You can eat it as is or on the side with something else.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone ‘Til next time.

Today is National Cat Day here in the United States. Who knew? I have had cats my whole life and never knew such a day existed, but now we know.  This day was created by Pet Lifestyle Expert and Animal Welfare Advocate, Colleen Paige, in 2005 “to help galvanize the public to recognize the number of cats that need to be rescued each year and also to encourage cat lovers to celebrate the cat(s) in their life for the unconditional love and companionship they bestow upon us.”  Since its inception, it has helped save the lives of more than one million cats. Canada celebrates National Cat Day as well, but they celebrate it on August 8th.

Here are some things you can do to help celebrate your feline friends and to honor the day:

1. Adopt a cat or kitten
2. Volunteer at a local animal shelter
3. Donate to a local animal shelter
4. Watch cat or kitten videos
5. Make your own cat video
6. Stock up on catnip and kitty treats
7. Give your kitties a new toy
8. Dine with your kitties
9. If you cat likes to go for a walk, walk the cat instead of walking the dog
10. Pamper your cat.

But my best way to celebrate our favorite felines is to give them lots and lots of love and attention. Showering them with lots of love is always the purrfect way to show them how special they are. Otis and Nicodemus know they are well loved, and like Vinnie, they have complete rule of the house. Larry and I are just lucky enough to be able to share their house with them; and the bed.

Otis and Nicodemus are litter mates, and have always been together. This is when we first brought them home, back in 2016. They were only about 6 months old here.

They LOVE their tree house.

Purrfect bookends.

They love to cuddle with each other.

Daddy and the kids.

Otis is caught off guard.

Nicky is cooling off in the sink.

Enough with the pictures already Mom. We need to get our beauty rest now.

It is always a purrfect day when you have kitties to love.

Normally when I think of ribs, I think BBQ. Silly me though. Pork is one of the most widely eaten meats in the world, so WHY would ribs only be something eaten as BBQ, and only in the United States. The pigs in Italy tend to be very large and very flavorful, so they are most often cooked with a minimal amount of seasonings, which highlights their natural goodness and flavors.

I found this recipe for Tuscan style short ribs that I just had to try, and I am really glad I did too. The ribs were full of flavor and were so tender they literally just fell off the bone. I served them with wild rice and lentils, steamed vegetables and my stuffed brioche, Stuffing the Brioche with a red blend to complete the meal. It was very good comfort food that just seemed to hit the spot.

Italian Style Short Ribs

2-2 1/2 lbs short ribs

1 TBPS salt

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp dried sage or 1 TBSP fresh sage, chopped fine

1 1/2 TBSP fennel

1 TBSP dried rosemary or 2 TBSP fresh rosemary, chopped fine

2 tsp paprika

3 TBSP olive oil

2 cups water

2 TBSP balsamic vinegar

Coat the ribs with a light coating of olive oil.

Mix all the herbs and seasonings together to make a rub, then coat the ribs on both sides with the rub. Cover them and let them stand at room temperature for about 2 hours or you can refrigerate them overnight.

Once the ribs are ready to cook, spray a baking dish with cooking spray and preheat the oven to 300* F or about 160* C. Pour the water over the ribs and tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil. Slow cook the ribs for 1 1/2 hours.

After the slow cook, turn the oven to 375* F or 190*C and continue to cook the ribs uncovered for an additional 30 minutes or until the ribs are tender and the meat just pulls away from the bone.

Brush the ribs with the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for about another 5-10 minutes. The ribs are now ready to eat. They are going to melt in your mouth with goodness.

When you are ready to eat these, top them with a little bit of their juice to really make their flavors pop and stand out. !Mangia!

You can also use this same rub for chicken or steak too. The cooking times will be different, but they key to the good flavors is in the timing. Let them marinate for a minimum of 2 hours before cooking for the flavors to really kick in and the meat to tenderize.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.

One of the best things about Colorado, at least in the lower foothills, is that when we do get snow, which is fairly often, it melts very quickly. Sunday we got 5 inches of snow and it literally snowed the whole entire day. Monday, everything was blanketed beneath a thick white covering, but the sun was out. Yesterday, the temperature was considerably warmer and we had blue skies above. Today, most of the snow has already melted and the sun is once again shining brightly. It was a perfect day for a walk around the lakes; not to hot, not to cold, but just perfect.

One lake had a thin layer of ice on it. Another lake still had a turtle swimming around. I tried to get a picture of him, but he must have realized he is supposed to be hibernating right about now, and went down for a long over due nap.

I did get pictures of some of some of our winter birds though.

There was a robin sitting in the snowy tree branches. This was through my office window.

Of course there were our Canadian geese. We always have them around.

Our resident mallards swimming side by side.

We had one lone redhead out on the lakes today.

And a few more hooded mergansers that are now calling our lakes home.

And just as I was walking up my driveway, I had a bunny waiting for his picture too.

But one of my favorite animals of them all, winter, spring, summer or fall, is my very own “panther” Nicodemus (Nicky), who was laying in the sun.

Live for the moment and take it all in. Enjoy the beauty all around.

Brioche is a type of bread found all over Europe, with its origins from many different European countries. It can be traced back as far as 1404 from the Normans when they settled in France. But some have also called it Viennese or Roman, and some even say it is Romanian because of its similarity to the Romanian sweet bread made for holidays. The word brioche is a combination of the French words brier and broyer, which mean to knead and the German word brehhan meaning to break.

Brioche is richer than most breads, which makes it almost like a pastry. It is a yeast dough that is enriched with butter and eggs. One of the reasons why people think it may be from the early Normans is because they were some of the first Europeans to master the art of churning butter, and butter is a key ingredient for making brioche. Often brioche breads are fruit filled. Filling breads and cakes with fruit is a European tradition found all over the continent, with many, many different variations. Filling breads and cakes with fruit is a time honored tradition that has been carried out through the centuries, particularly during the Holiday season.

I made my own version of a fruit stuffed brioche. I filled it with some leftover cranberry-fruit relish that has been in my freezer for awhile. But you can fill this brioche with apricots, apples, raisins, or any other hearty fruits or fruit preserves too. You need time and patience to make this brioche bread. This bread cannot be rushed. It needs time, and lots of it, for it rise and set properly.

Fruit Stuffed Brioche

2 1/2 cups white bread flour

1/4 cup superfine sugar

1 TBSP yeast

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup milk

3 eggs

1 1/2 sticks of soft butter

1 cup dried fruit that has been softened and/or reconstituted

Combine the flour, sugar, yeast, salt, milk and eggs in a food processor and processor abut 5 minutes or until you have a smooth dough. You can also mix this by hand, which will take about 8 minutes. Then add the butter, and process again for another 5 minutes, or 10 minutes if mixing by hand.

Once your dough is made, place it in a large bowl and cover it. Let it rise in the refrigerator overnight.

The dough will double and will be a stiff dough, which will make it easier to work with and to shape.

When the dough is ready, divide into 3 fairly equal sections, then divide it into 30 small balls. Flatten out the balls. Spray 3 loaf pans with cooking spray.

When the dough balls have been flattened out, fill them with about 1 tsp of fruit filling and form them into a ball. I find if I roll them on to a lightly floured surface, it helps to seal the dough.

Place the filled fruit balls into the loaf pans 2-1,2-1 until the pan is completely filled. You should be able to get about 10-11 balls per pan.

At this point, the dough needs to rise again, for about 2 hours.

Preheat the oven t 400* F or 200* C.

Brush an egg wash over the top and bake for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool the breads completely before slicing. Then enjoy this fruited delight. It could very easily be a meal all by itself.

As Marie Antoinette once famously said, “Qu’ils mangent de la brioche” en Francais, or “Let them eat cake” as we know it in English.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.

It is more than a bit chilly outside. Our latest snow storm blanketed us with about 5 inches of snow here in the foothills. The mountains got dumped upon.

This is what the mountains look like right now.

And this is what we look like right now.

Our highs have been between 15-19* F or about -6* C for the past couple of days. Today, we should start warming up a bit though. We are expecting the temperature to get up to about 38* F, and then warmer again in the next few days.

When it is this cold outside, we need something to keep us warm on the inside. I can’t think of anything better than some hot, spicy Texas style chili to help warm us up, and warm us up it did too.

There is no right or wrong way to make chili. There are endless possibilities. I make chili different all the time. I make many, many different styles and variations constantly. This particular variation was full of beef and full of heat. The best way to make chili is to throw in all kinds of good things, mix them all together, and just see what comes out. It is always good.

Texas Style Chili

3-4 lbs beef roast, cubed

flour

salt & pepper to taste

Coat the beef cubes with the flour, salt and pepper and brown completely in canola or vegetable oil.

1 green pepper, medium dice

1 onion, medium dice

3-5 roasted Hatch chilies, medium dice, or to taste

1 1/2 cups corn

2 TBSP garlic

1 can stewed tomatoes, with the juice

1 can kidney beans, with the juice

2 cans beef broth

1-2 tsp cumin

1 TBSP chili powder

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp yellow ajo chili powder, optional

1 tsp chocolate chili powder, optional

cheese for topping

sour cream for topping

chopped onions for topping

Once the beef is browned, put it into a slow cooker and start adding the rest of the ingredients. I like to mix all my vegetables, spices and beef broth together first, before adding it to the beef, to make sure it is all blended together and equally distributed.

Put everything into the slow cooker, turn the heat up to a medium heat, and forget about it for about 5 or so hours. All you need to do in between is to stir it every so often. When the meat and vegetables are cooked and tender, and the sauce has thickened up, it’s time to sit back and enjoy. If you like, you can top it with extra cheese, sour cream, and/or onions. Or not. I like to add either Fritos or fried tortilla strips to mine. I guess that is just a Texas thing. And you just have to serve it with some kind of cornbread on the side too. Usually I make my corn bread but Larry bought this one. I really wished he had let me make it instead though. Neither one of us liked this cornbread much. Oh well. Live and learn right?!

When it’s chilly outside, make some chili for the inside. It will definitely warm you up from the inside out.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.