Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

I am coming up with a new idea for ” A Jeanne in the Kitchen” and it involves ALL of you.  As you have noticed, I am now on YouTube and am putting out videos about once a week.  And you have also seen and noticed I wear aprons when I cook.  As creative as I am in the kitchen, I am not really all that creative when it comes to drawing.  This is where ALL of you come in.  I need your help.  I am going to have a contest and I want all of you to share your artistic skills to come up with a picture for me to use as a logo for my aprons.  Somewhere in the drawing, “A Jeanne in the Kitchen” needs to seen.  Please feel free to send in as many ideas and concepts as you like.  Send them to my email address at ljbjej@q.com  The winner will get a free apron from me.  Once we get an idea and get these aprons into production, I plan on making them available to sell.   Good luck and thank you.

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

I took so many pictures from our beautiful stroll along the Clear Creek that I had to break it into different parts.  Nature Walks – Part 1 – Tubing Down the Creek.  The first part was the creek itself, and all the tubers who were having so much fun.  This part is going to take us back in time; back to simpler times and the days of yore.  I really do miss those days.

Cowboys and Indians and Colorado’s spirit of the West.

Living the simple life.  The typical homes of the day.

The homes were complete with root cellars and chicken coops.

And the one-roomed schoolhouse too.

People gathered together to celebrate.

And they also took time to enjoy nature and to smell the flowers.

Life was simple and life was hard, but through it all, they were always strong.  Strong like lions.  Hear them roar.

After lunch, Suzanne and leisurely strolled along the Clear Creek that runs right through downtown Golden.  The whole area is so pretty and quaint.  You would think you were strolling somewhere out in the woods or in a small town rather than through a North Denver Metro suburb.  It is so peaceful and surreal.

It was a perfect day for the tubers to be out, enjoying the cool, refreshing water.  I was so jealous of them all.  They all looked like they were having such a blast.

Enjoy the ride Everyone.  Stay safe and stay well.  ‘Til next time.

My friend Suzanne and I had a quick, impromptu lunch out in Golden, Colorado.  We had no agenda and no plans.  We just went where we went.  We found an adorable little restaurant called Sassafras American Eatery, which was located right on the creek.  We dined on the patio with a beautiful view of the creek and the mountains.  There are three Sassafras restaurants in the Denver Metro area.   They specialize in breakfast and brunches that have a real Southern flair, such as a host of different kinds of beignets and a variety of Po’ Boy sandwiches.  You feel like you are dining in someone’s Southern home down in the middle of the French Quarter of New Orleans.  It is true Southern hospitality right here in Downtown Golden, Colorado.

As beautiful and cozy as Sassafras was, what really captured my eye were the beautiful stained glass windows.  I have worked with stained glass a bit.  I love it too, but it is definitely a labor of love.  These took a lot of time and effort to make and are beautifully done too.

And finally the food.  Because it was such a beautiful, gorgeous day, everyone decided to dine out on the patio overlooking the creek to one side and Coors Brewery to the other side.

Menus are a thing of the past, as least for now.  You have to take a picture of the app with your phone to order.  I am NOT a fan of this idea for a lot of reasons.  I am not a big techno person for one, and two, I rarely carry my cell phone with me, which means if I had come on my own, I would have been SOL.

While waiting for our lunch, we enjoyed some delicious sassafras tea.  It is a cool refreshing tea that tastes a lot like root beer.

Nicole was our very friendly server who took good care of us.  You know she loves her job.  You can tell by her smile that is shining through her beautiful eyes.

Suzanne and I both ordered Po’ Boys.  Suzanne ordered a breakfast bacon and egg Po’ Boy.

And I ordered the pulled pork Po’Boy.  Both sandwiches were delicious and very tasty.  However my one suggestion would be to include a side dish with them rather than just serving the sandwiches on their own.  As good as they were, I thought they were a bit on the pricey side, especially since nothing else was served with them.  But other than that, we have a fantastic impromptu lunch with a beautiful view.

There are three Sassafras American Eatery restaurants in the Denver Metro area, one in the North, one in Denver on Capitol Hill and one in the Southern Metro area.  We went to the one in Golden, Colorado, located at 1027 Washington, Avenue.  You can reach them by phone at (303) 593-0003 or online at http://www.sassafrasamericaneatery.com.  Sassafras is opened from 8:00 AM-2:00 PM.

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

I love doing themed meals, dinners and parties.  I always have.  I think it is fun to just have a theme and to run with it, seeing where it will take me down the path of creativity.  That is why I developed my dinner and a puzzle theme.  As you know, the last puzzle we did was an elk puzzle, so dinner was elk sausage and pasta with vegetables.  Walking On the Wild Side  I also love breads; breads of all kinds.  Breads can either be a great accompaniment to any dish, or they can also be a meal in and of themselves as well.  When I made my elk pasta dish, I also made some huckleberry bread that allowed me to use the rest of our wild huckleberries we gathered from our backyard.

Granted the huckleberry bread is a sweeter quick bread that I normally would serve more with salads or as a breakfast bread, but it actually went pretty well with the elk pasta too.  At least I think so anyway.  I am always thinking outside the box and am always looking at things in different, often unexpected angles.  Never be afraid to try something new.  That’s what makes life fun and interesting.  🙂

Huckleberry Bread

Preheat the oven to 350* F or 180* C

Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with cooking spray

2-3 cups huckleberries

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup milk

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Mix the flour, salt, baking soda and huckleberries together and set aside.

Then whisk together the eggs, milk, cooking oil and sugar.  Once everything is thoroughly mixed, add it to the flour mixture and gently fold everything together.  You do not want to crush the huckleberries.  Once everything is combined, pour it into the prepared loaf pan and make sure it is evenly spread out.

Bake for 1 hour, or until it is firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean, and the bread is nice and golden brown.  If the bread is browning too much before it is completely cooked, top it with some aluminum foil and continue to bake until it is done.

Let it cool completely before removing it from the pan and slicing.  If you like, slather it with creamy, soft butter, and it will just melt in your mouth.  This bread is so moist and flavorful.

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

Video #3, Making a Vegetable Galette has been filled with many technical difficulties.  The filming and editing was easy-peasy, but downloading has been quite the challenge, and has literally been an all day event.   Vegetable Galette  The only reason I can think of is because it is longer.  This is my most complicated and longest video yet.   But, at long last, here it is.  I made this one for our friend Bryan, who calls this a “vegetable pie”.  He asks for this every time he comes over.  When I do not make them as the vegetable “pie”, and just serve them as the vegetable side dish, he calls them “vegetables a la Jeanne”.  I hope you enjoy this one as much as Bryan does.  This is a fun one.   Please, please, if you like it, and I really hope you do, feel free to share it and to let everyone know they can find it on YouTube as well.

If there is ever any specific recipe you would like to see me demonstrate, please do not hesitate to let me know, and I will get it done for you. I am still a work in progress, but I we are making great headway.

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

Here is the latest installment of my puzzle and a dinner series.  This one is a bit of a deviation from the others, since it was not of a location, but was something completely different instead.  Our latest puzzle was an elk puzzle, hence my quest for elk meat from Wally’s Quality Meats.  Wally’s Quality Meats  I had to wait a couple of weeks after finishing this one because Wally’s was closed for a couple of weeks right after we had finished our puzzle.

I purchased both elk sausage and elk filets.  I used some of the elk sausage this time.  I made a simple creamy pasta with vegetables and the elk sausage.  Sticking with the wild theme, I also made some huckleberry bread using the rest of the huckleberries we collected from our bush.  I’ll Be Your Huckleberry  Since elk was on the menu, and wild game tends to go better with heavier, bolder wines, I went with an Argentine malbec.  It was the perfect choice.

Pasta with Elk and Vegetable Cream Sauce

Cooked fettuccine

1 lb elk sausage, cubed

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced thin

1/4 red onion, sliced thin

1 1/2 TBSP garlic

1 jalapeno, diced fine

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

2 cups chicken broth or 1 can

1 cup heavy whipping cream

salt & pepper to taste

1-2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

olive oil for cooking

This is a heavy sauce, with rich flavors, so you need a heavier pasta that can withstand these heavier, richer flavors.  Fettuccine is perfect.

Cube the elk sausage and saute for about 2-3 minutes in the olive oil.

Add the vegetables and continue to cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the vegetables are mostly tender, but still have a little crispness to them.

Add the chicken broth and bring everything a boil.  Then reduce the heat to a simmer and add the whipping cream.  Mix everything together thoroughly and readjust the seasonings as needed.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

If you like your sauce a little thicker, incorporate some flour into the sauce and let it cook down for about 5 minutes.  I added about 1-2 TBSP of flour.  Serve it over fettuccine, and dinner is served.  Even while dining in the burbs, you can still walk on the wildside, even if only for just a bit.

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

It was another salad day.  We had some leftover roasted chicken from Costco, and this was just a perfect way to use some of it.  I still have enough chicken left for yet another meal too.  We get so many meals from the Costco chickens.  They are simply the best.  🙂 This time I decided to to use my chicken for another salad.   I made an Asian salad with a mango chutney vinaigrette.  It was bold, exotic and very cool and refreshing all at once.  It really hit the spot on a hot summer’s day.  I served it with some potstickers and a crisp, cool, citrusy Spanish Chardonnay to make for a perfect summer meal.

Curried Rice Salad with Chicken and a Mango Chutney Vinaigrette

2 cups cooked rice

1/4 red onion sliced thin

1/4 red bell pepper and 1/4 green bell pepper, sliced thin

1 cup peas, thawed if frozen

1 apple, peeled and cored and diced

1/4 cup green onions, sliced thin

2 cups shredded chicken, cooked

either spinach or lettuce of your choice – optional

Mango Chutney Vinaigrette

3/4 cup mango chutney

1 TBSP curry

1 TBSP garlic

2 TBSP apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tsp dried mint or 1 TBSP fresh mint, chopped fine

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp honey

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste – optional

Mix all the ingredients for the chutney vinaigrette together and set aside.  Then start assembling the salad.  It is a combination of a salade compose and a tossed salad.  The Chef’s Salad  Toss all the salad ingredients together with the exception of the lettuce or spinach and the chicken.  Then add the dressing and combine thoroughly.  Only add as much dressing as you need.  You do not want it to be swimming in dressing, but you want just enough to coat everything and to give it a lot of flavor.

Start with a layer of greens.  Then add the tossed ingredients.  Finish with the shredded chicken and add more dressing on top of the chicken.  I added some potstickers on the side as well to make the meal complete.

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

It is getting harder and harder to find independent butchers these days because most of us get our meats from our local grocery stores.  But when you do find an independent, locally owned and operated butcher, they are a real treat.  I found such a treasure called Wally’s Quality Meats purely by happenstance.  “Wally’s Quality Meats has been delivering quality service and products to Westminster, CO since 1997.  Wally’s is well known for its reputation for following through when only the finest will do. Whether it’s a holiday, special occasion, a great day to grill, or you simply want to treat yourself to the best,  Wally’s offers a wide selection of the highest quality meats available.  From our USDA choice and prime beef, aged for tenderness and flavor, to our pork, lamb, veal, elk, buffalo, venison, game birds, and Red Bird all natural chicken, to our large assortment of homemade and locally produced sausages. Wally’s also offers a variety of deli meats and cheeses.”  And, it is literally just down the street from where I live.  Bonus!

Larry is known as the “Coupon King”, a title he proudly acknowledges.  He was clipping coupons and came across one for Wally’s Quality Meats.   I wanted to purchase some elk meat (more to come on this in the near future), and that is not something you can usually find at your local grocery store, at least not mine.  So coupon in hand, I went to Wally’s.  I was thoroughly impressed.  The minute I first walked in the door, the aroma of freshly made beef jerky permeated through the store.  It was just calling to me, and I had to have a sample.  It was some of the best beef jerky I’ve ever tasted.  It was so fresh and full of flavor and very tender.  The store was spotlessly clean and well stocked with a wide variety of fresh and frozen meats, seasonings and other goodies.

I love elk, as well as a lot of other game meats, but I do not cook with them all that often.  I asked Dan, the owner, if he could recommend any particular rubs or spices that would really enhance the flavor of the elk, and he pulled out his favorite.  You can tell he really likes this one by the “smile in his eyes”.  So, of course, because this rub came so highly recommended, I bought this too.

I bought way more than I had intended to when I went to Wally’s, but somehow, I get the impression they are used to this.  It’s hard not to want to purchase everything in the store when you see all the great quality of meats there.  This is what I came home with.  You will see them in some great recipes in the very near future.

Wally’s Quality Meats and Delicatessen is located at 11187 N. Sheridan Blvd., Suite #8, Westminster, CO 80020.  You can reach them either by phone at (303) 439-8024 or online at http://www.wallysqualitymeats.com.  They are open Tues-Fri from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM and Saturdays from 9:00 Am – 5:30 PM.

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

We had a quiet walk around our lakes this time.  There were some of our furried, feathered and reptilian neighbors and friends lolligagging about, but not many.  Everything was pretty quiet and calm.  So I captured a variety of things I saw in people’s yards instead.

We saw we everything from rock sculptures to fancy wind movers to a moose in a tree.

This yard had both hanging gardens and a sculpture of rocks.

Then there were the wind movers.

There were also pelicans and turtles.

And a moose in a tree.

With all this craziness going on in the world today, sometimes we all need to just step back a bit, and have a little fun.  SMILE!

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