Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

Today is the 4th of July.  Here in the United States, this is our day of celebrating our birth as a nation.  Today marks our 243rd birthday.  Happy Birthday America, with hopefully many more to come.

Sorry I have been AWOL these past couple of days.  We are having the inside our our house painted and our whole house looks like a disaster zone.  It will look really nice once it’s done, but it is total chaos throughout the process.  Today was the first day I was even able to get into my office, but it, like every other room in our house, is a total wreck  right now.  I will post things as I can, but for the next few days, it will be very hit and miss.  The painters haven’t even started on the kitchen yet.  They are only just finishing the upstairs and the downstairs portion of the house is just getting started today.  For the first couple of days, we had to sleep in the guest room downstairs, but now even that room is all taped up now.  I stripped the bed to wash the sheets, and when I came home from work, it was all taped up, dirty sheets and all.  We were able to sleep in our own bed last night, but just barely.  Our bed is the only thing that is accessible and the only thing we were able to put back on the wall was our flat screen TV.  Ah the price we pay for having a nice house, right?!.  🙂  All of this is going on as well as me taking Lucie to her treatments in between work and going in between jobs.  Needless to say, the Jones/Billinger household is in total disarray at the moment.  As soon as I can get back into the kitchen and our house is back in order, the kitchen will reopen.  Until then, please stay tuned ……  There is still lots of good stuff coming your way.  Thank you all for your patience and understanding.  I’ll be back soon.  🙂

This is what my house looks like at the moment, only worse.

Soon, everything will be spic and span again and my house will look like my house again.  Just so you know, these photos ARE NOT my actual photos from my house.  🙂

Chili-Lime Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Just a few simple ingredients transforms sweet potatoes into sweet potatoes that are packed with a punch and deliver a lot of WOW!

2 med-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

1-2 tsp salt

1 TBSP lime juice

3-4 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP honey (not pictured)

1-2 tsp dry roasted garlic

1 tsp dried, minced lime peel, optional

1-2 tsp dried Aleppo chilies

1-2 TBSP parsley

Mix all the ingredients together and then toss the sweet potato wedges into the mixture, making sure to thoroughly coat the potatoes.

Once the sweet potatoes are tossed in the chili-lime mixture, it is time to roast them.  You can roast them in the oven, at about 400* F for about 30-40 minutes, or you can wrap them in foil and place them on the grill to roast for about 15-25 minutes.  We roast them both ways and both are delicious.  I have to confess though, I do not want to have the oven on if I don’t have to when the temperatures outside are pushing the mercury up to the 100* mark or above.  🙂  You are going to really enjoy these sweet potatoes no matter which way you decide to cook them though.  They are full of flavor, easy to cook, and are relatively health for you as well.

My big girl Lucie is getting older now, and because she is a giant breed dog, she is considered to be entering the early phases of her geriatric years.  She is only 7 1/2, but for Saints, this is getting up there.  As we age, we all know the health problems that are associated with advanced age.  Anyone who has experienced more than a few turns around the sun knows exactly what I am talking about.  Lucie is no exception.  A while ago, Lucie tore her ccl or cranial cruciate ligament.  This is the equivalent to the ACL or anterior cruciate ligament in humans, that connects the tibia (or shin, which is below the knee) to the femur (at the top of of the knee).  This is painful and takes time to heal.  I know exactly what Lucie is going through since a couple of years ago, I ruptured my ACL and needed ACL reconstructive surgery, followed by a total knee replacement on the other knee 6 months later.  Surgery was not an option for Luice though, like it was for me.  Fortunately there are other non-surgical options available.  Water therapy and acupuncture are among the most popular and most effective forms of treatment for dogs.  Lucie is getting them both.

Today was Lucie’s first appointment with the physical therapist.  She had an evaluation and some laser treatment today, along with her first session of aqua therapy.  Next week, she will start her acupuncture treatments as well.  For the next 12 weeks, Lucie will have aqua therapy 2x a week and acupuncture 1 x a week.  We are very hopeful, and are expecting to see a lot of very positive results.  I admit, this is not a cheap form of therapy, but Lucie is one of my children, and like any mom, I will do anything within my power to help my children feel better and get well.  Lucie is definitely worth every penny being spent.  Since I teach water aerobics and I live in the water, I know the value and the effectiveness of this kind of treatment very well.  We have high hopes.

The therapist placed a harness on Lucie then placed her into the water tank that had a treadmill in it.  She got into the tank with Lucie.  Because this was Lucie’s first time, the treadmill was set at a very slow pace.  My big girl did great.  She did not like it, but she did great.  She seemed to accept that this is helping her, so she put on a brave face and tolerated it.

After her first day at physical therapy, Lucie was wiped out.  It was a full, adventurous day.  She will sleep very well tonight.  We love you very much Big Girl.

Our friend Bryan has always liked it when I prepare my squash and mushroom saute, so when he comes over for dinner, I like to prepare that for him when I can.  This time when he came over, though, I made it a little different.  His reaction was “WOW!!!!!”   Dinner for 3  I think it’s a winner.  As you know, I am always trying to look for something new and exciting when it comes to food and recipes.  I love that “WOW!!!!!!” reaction when I prepare something yummy and/or different to my guests.

This rustic vegetable tart is easy to make and is a real winner.  It is also very versatile.  You can use any vegetables you like and change them up as much as you want to add some more variety.

Spanish Vegetable Galette

 The Dough

1 1/2 cups flour

6 TBSP cold butter, cubed

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1 egg

5-6 TBSP heavy whipping cream

Mix the dry ingredients and the butter together in a food processor until it is crumbly.   You can also mix my hand too.  Then add the egg and the cream and continue to process until the dough forms into a ball.  Once the dough forms into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before rolling out on a lightly floured surface.

The Filling

1 cup frozen corn,

1 zucchini squash sliced thin

1 yellow crookneck squash, sliced thin

1/2-3/4 cup sliced mushrooms

1/4 red onion, sliced thin

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1 pasilla or poblano pepper, seeded and sliced thin

2 TBSP garlic

salt & pepper to taste

1-2 tsp cumin

1 tsp each fresh oregano and and thyme, chopped fine

1 cup shredded white cheese or Mexican cheese

olive oil and butter for cooking

2-3 TBSP pine nuts

Melt your butter and olive oil in a hot skillet and add the vegetables and seasonings.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked, but still have a slight bit of crispness and snap left.  Add the fresh herbs and mix together thoroughly.

While the vegetables are cooking, pull the dough out of the refrigerator and let it rest a bit before rolling it out.  It does not have to be a perfect shape because once you fill it with the cheese and vegetables, you are going to fold over the edges anyway.

Preheat the oven to 375* F

Once the dough is rolled out, spray a baking pan with cooking spray.  Roll the dough gently onto the rolling pin and then lay it on top of the pan.  Sprinkle the cheese all around the dough, leaving an edge of about 1-1 1/2 inches all around the sides.   Add the vegetables, making sure to use a slotted spoon or spatula to drain the vegetables from as much of the oil/butter as possible.  A soggy dough will leave you with a soggy mess.  Then add the pine nuts on top of the vegetables and fold over the edges of the dough all around.  Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until the dough comes out lightly golden and slightly crispy.   Let cool for at least about 5 minutes before cutting and serve warm.

Though Bryan really enjoyed the whole meal, I think the Spanish vegetable galette was the highlight for him.  He called it a vegetable pizza, which in a way, I guess it kind of is.  He took the rest home for yet another meal.  I just love feeding people and making them happy.  That just makes my day.  🙂

Our friend Bryan was a bachelor for the week, so we had him over for dinner last night.  I love to cook anyway, but it is much more fun to cook for someone else.  Dinner may have been a little more fancy than usual, but not by much.  At least, I didn’t think so.  I didn’t think I really made anything much different than I usually do.  The menu was blackened pork chops, chili-lime roasted sweet potatoes, a vegetable galette, and warmed bread with some of my leftover olive paste, from when I made my grilled Brussels sprouts.  Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Green Olive Sauce

I had just a smidgen of pineapple salsa leftover, so I added it to the top of the pork and it went really well with the spicy pork.  I knew it would though.  I could have gone with either a white or a red wine, since we were eating pork, but I went with a red because I had blackened the pork with a spicy rub.   To me, red seems to go very well with a spicy meat.  I chose a smooth, fruity pinot noir.  It was a very nice accompaniment to the pork and to rest of the meal. Because it was such a gorgeous evening, of course we had to enjoy dining al fresco out on our deck too.  Bryan was very appreciative and savored every bite.  He also took home a lot of the leftovers.  I can easily make more.  There is never any shortages of food or ideas at our house.  🙂  When someone enjoys your food, that is always the best compliment to anyone who cooks.

For my rub, I used dried oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper, dry roasted garlic and my chocolate chili rub.  I made sure the pork was completed coated with the rub, then I seared it in a hot skillet with some olive oil and butter before grilling it.  Sear it for about 4 minutes per side, or until all sides are browned.

Because these pork chops were so thick, I butterflied them before putting them on the grill to make sure they cooked through completely.  Eating uncooked pork is not a smart thing to do.  It’s a great way to get yourself real sick.   When in doubt, especially when cooking pork, use a meat thermometer, and make sure the internal temperature is about 165* F and the juices from the meat are clear.  Bon Appetit!

So far, for the month of June, my husband and I have been on totally different paths when it comes to meal planning.  I will think of something and get it started for what I have in mind, and then plans will change in the blink of an eye, which means, I either have to do a 180 and change things around, or those plans get scrapped completely, and we start all over.  I don’t mind this happening every now and then, but …… Fortunately, I am a very creative person, and have had many, many years in the restaurant/catering business, where flexibility is an essential survival skill.  Apparently, it comes in handy on the home front as well.

Last week, before we left for Hays, KS, Ollie’s 90th I was marinating some chicken in the same sauce I used for the scallops  Sweet & Spicy Citrus Scallops  (I remade the sauce.  It was a completely different batch.  No worries; no cross contamination here).  Larry didn’t tell me that he had other plans and would not be home for dinner that night.  Well, I could not leave the chicken marinating in the citrus sauce until we returned home.  I would have had a big pile of mush.  So I grilled the chicken and turned it into a delicious Caribbean chicken sandwich for myself.  I also used up some of my leftover olive sauce from my grilled Brussels sprouts, Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Green Olive Sauce  as well as the rest of my ancho chili-cinnamon butter from when I made my  Jalapeno biscuits Jalapeno Biscuits with Ancho-Cinnamon Butter.  You all know how I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE being creative with my leftovers, and will do so at every opportunity I can.  I am after all, the Queen of Leftovers.  🙂

I mixed everything together to make the marinade/sauce.  I also added some lemon verbena from my garden.  Then I added the chicken and let it rest for about 3-4 hours, before I grilled it up.

Once the chicken was grilled and ready to eat, I mixed some mayonnaise and my green olive sauce together and served it on a toasted onion bun then enjoyed my quick and easy Caribbean chicken sandwich with some French fries and a cool, refreshing glass of chardonnay.

So despite all the change of plans, my dinner, though not what I originally planned, still came out very tasty.  I have no complaints.  I can always turn a potential negative into a positive; or should I say a positively delicious opportunity.   All it takes is a little ingenuity and creativity.  🙂

It has been a whirlwind these last few weeks, but I think things are beginning to settle down, even though just a bit.  I have actually been back in the kitchen again.  I know some of you are probably saying “It’s about time”.  Have no fear.  I could never be out of the kitchen for too long.  I would miss it way to much.  🙂

I love scallops.  They are some of my favorite seafood, especially the sea scallops.  Since we are actually getting some summer weather for a change, I thought doing something light and easy would be perfect.  We had a light meal of the sweet & spicy citrus scallops and vegetables over orzo with warm bread.  I served a nice, light chenin blanc that went very well with the spiciness of the dish.  We enjoyed all this out on our beloved deck, which just made it a perfect evening and meal.

This easy-peasy recipe only takes a few everyday ingredients.  It does not take long to make and is a perfect light meal.  This is all you need for the sauce.  If you want it a little thicker, you can add some cornstarch to the finished sauce too.

These are the vegetables I added.  We always have a wide variety of vegetables on hand, but I thought these would go best with the citrus sauce.  You can change them around and add whatever kind of vegetables you like though.

Sweet & Spicy Citrus Scallops with Vegetables

1 1/2 lbs sea scallops, drained

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup lime juice

1 TBSP garlic

1-2 TBSP honey

1 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste

1 1/2 cups asparagus, cut into pieces about 1″ in size

1/4 red onion, diced fine or sliced very thin

1 jalapeno, diced fine

1 cup sliced or quartered mushrooms

1/2 red bell pepper, either sliced or diced fine

olive oil and butter for cooking

salt & pepper to taste

1 TBSP cornstarch, optional

toasted coconut, optional

Saute the vegetables in olive oil for about 5-7 minutes, or until the asparagus is done, but still has a slight snap to it.  Add salt and pepper as you like.  Remove the vegetables and set aside.

Once the vegetables have been removed, keep the oil in the skillet and add about 1-2 TBSP of butter to the skillet.  Add the scallops.  Let them cook for about 3 minutes per side or until they are lightly browned all around.  Flip them over to brown on the other side as well.

Add the vegetables back into the skillet along with the scallops, then add the juice mixture and the cornstarch, if using, and mix everything together thoroughly.  Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.  Serve over either rice or pasta.  I served it over orzo, which is pasta that looks like rice.

Right before serving, I added some toasted coconut on top, to really make the flavors pop.  This dish is very tasty and delicious. Because of all the citrus juices and the toasted coconut on top, it had a very tropical and Caribbean flair to it.  Enjoy!

One more adventure/activity post, and then the kitchen will be open once again.   I love sharing my kitchen with all of you, but I also enjoy sharing our other adventures too.  I hope you don’t mind the occasional diversions.  I think it shows that yes, I really do live quite a busy and full life outside of the kitchen as well.  Life is good on many levels; what we eat is only one of many great things in our lives.

We were only in Hays over the weekend, but we sure managed to pack a lot into those few days.  Then again, we always do.  I am not one who likes to sit still or idle for to long.  The main reason for the trip was of course to celebrate Ollie’s 90th birthday, Ollie’s 90th,  however, we were able to do a lot of other things as well.

Larry’s sister Jean lives out on a farm, and they had a new litter of Doberman puppies that we just had to go visit and play with.  We love dogs, all dogs, not just ours, but others dogs too.  So of course we had to go visit with the puppies, along with the steer and the pigs (we did not get any pictures of the pigs though.  They were well hidden and did not want to be disturbed for the pictures to be taken).

The steer got a little jealous because the puppies were getting all the attention, so we had to go visit with him too.  As I said, the pigs could care less.  As far as they were concerned, we were bothering their nap time.

Kansas is prairie land, where the buffalo roam, or at least, where they used to roam freely.  Today, you find them mostly on farms.  There were four new buffalo calves at the buffalo farm.  Everyone was resting and didn’t pay any attention to us whatsoever.  The area had double bars, so I could not get any closer or get better pictures without the bars in between.

There was even a rare albino buffalo too.

After Ollie’s birthday celebration, a bunch of the “boys” decided to play a round of frisbee golf.  Paige went along to play with the “boys” too.  My sister-in-law Jean and I just went along to watch, but we ended up having a great walk around the course while the frisbees were flying.

Love was definitely all around.  In all my many trips to Hays, I have never seen this area before.  I am pleasantly surprised at how pretty is is here.  It is usually NOT this green and lush.

The gang of “golfers”.  Now this a motley crew if I have ever seen one, indeed.  🙂

I promise.  I will be back in the kitchen again, starting right now.  🙂

I know, I know.  I have been remiss and HAVE NOT been in the kitchen as much lately.  I will be back in the kitchen again today.  I promise.  But we like to go out and enjoy life too.  A LOT! And there are only so many hours in the day.

Larry and I have gotten to the point where we don’t buy each presents so much any more, but rather give each other experiences instead.  For my last birthday (in February), Larry got me gift certificates to go race the track at the Unser Indoor Racing track.  We just now had time to go.  What a blast!!!!!  We had so much fun.  We will definitely be doing this again!  In case you had not yet realized this about me, and I will fill you all in on a little secret of mine ….. I am an adrenaline junkie.  There!  It’s out.  I said it.  Yes, I crave anything that really gets my blood pumping.  This was most definitely a 45 MPH thrill around the race course too.

We got suited up just like this model, then headed for the cars and the track.

Before heading off to the starting gate, we viewed some of the real race cars that Bobby Unser raced in his day.

Here we are at the starting gate.  The engines are revving, and we are ready to go.

The flag waves us off and the race begins.  (This is not us racing).

As you can see, we had a blast and are raring to go again, SOON!

You can learn more about the Unser Karting by checking out their website at info@unserkarting.com.  Unser Karting is located at 7300 Broadway Denver, CO 80221 in North Denver.