Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

Saltimbocco is an Italian classic that features veal, prosciutto, and sage. I use chicken instead of veal. I don’t make it too often, but we love it when I do. All we know for sure is that this classic is Italian, but where in Italy is debatable. Some people claim it comes from Rome, whereas others say it came from elsewhere in Italy, like Brescia. We may never know, but all that really matters is how it tastes. The name “saltimbocco” means it jumps in the mouth, and that it does too.

I had bought my prosciutto for something else that never ended up being made, so I decided to make chicken saltimbocca instead. I already had the pasta made, so I just whipped up a quick batch of pesto, sauteed some mushrooms and onions and cut up some cherry tomatoes. Then I made some garlic and herb cheese bread to complete the meal.

I marinated the chicken in the pesto for about 3 hours before pan frying it. I pan-fried it for about 3 minutes per side, to brown it before adding the sage and prosciutto.

While the chicken was cooling a bit, I sauteed some mushrooms and onions, first in the butter and oil I used to cook the chicken, then added a bit of white wine to deglaze my skillet.

I added a whole sage leaf to each chicken piece then carefully wrapped it with a piece of prosciutto.

Each place was then placed on top of the mushroom and onion mixture and I steamed it for an additional 5-7 minutes to finish cooking the chicken.

Once the chicken was fully cooked, it was time to serve it up. Presentation is everything, so of course I made it look pretty. Pasta first, with a little pesto on top, then mushrooms and onions. Chicken saltimbocca came next, with more pesto on top. To finish it off, I added a sprinkling of cherry tomato halves all around, then added the garlic cheese bread. A cool crisp Pinot Grigio was the finishing touch, and VOILA! It was dinner al fresco.

Buon Appetito! !Ciao!

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

Hundreds of years ago, long before Europeans had set foot in the New World, tomatoes grew wild in the Andes of western South America. The indigenous people cultivated them, eventually bringing the plant northward through Central America and into Mexico. When the Spanish arrived in the early 16th century, they found the inhabitants growing a food crop called “tomatl” in the native language.

Tomato seeds were brought from Mexico to Spain by those early explorers. From there the plant spread to Italy by the mid-1500s where it began to be incorporated into regional cuisine. Over the following decades, tomato plants were cultivated throughout Europe, but primarily as an ornamental plant.

In the early 1700s, the tomato returned to the Americas with European colonists. At that time it was still grown primarily as an ornamental plant in the northern colonies but grown for its fruit in southern regions. Its popularity continued to increase.

Thomas Jefferson reportedly grew tomatoes in his vegetable garden at Monticello and enjoyed eating the fruit. It wasn’t until the early 1900s that tomatoes’ popularity became widespread throughout the United States.

Today, tomatoes are grown around the world and are a star of international cuisine. They are grown in home gardens and on commercial farms and everything in between.

They are eaten raw, served cooked in a variety of dishes and processed into products that line our supermarket shelves. Tomatoes are the most popular home-grown vegetable crop in the country.

I love tomatoes. We eat tomatoes almost daily. And I love eating all kinds of tomatoes too. Heirlooms are by far my favorites tomatoes. But did you know there are more than 10,000 tomato varieties. There is NO WAY I could try them all, but I am more than happy to give it my best shot.

Here are some of America’s favorite tomato varieties. I have definitely eaten all of these and many more too. These are some of my favorites too. I currently have tomatoes on the vine, Compari tomatoes, tiny tear drop tomatoes, and grape and sun tomatoes in my kitchen as we “speak”. I always have a wide variety of tomatoes on hand.

Beefsteak Tomatoes

Best for: Sandwiches, salads, sauces and grilling

Named because of their large size and meaty texture, beefsteak tomatoes should be your go-to tomato for topping a juicy hamburger or layering onto summery sandwiches. These tomatoes are also easy to slice and won’t get juice everywhere, so they’re perfect for picnics.

But you don’t need to use all your beefsteak tomatoes between bread. Beefsteaks are also good for salads, grilling and even making sauces. Simply put: These are great all-around tomatoes.

Heirloom Tomatoes

Best for: Salads and baked goods

Looking for a tomato that is anything but basic? Try heirloom tomato varieties.

“Heirloom” doesn’t refer to one specific type of tomato. It’s a general term for varieties of tomatoes that have been passed down between gardeners for generations. They vary in size, shape, color and flavor. If you don’t spot them at your grocery store, look for them at farmers markets or smaller garden centers that deal in specialty produce. Learn about the purple dots on tomato leaves.

To really let the unique characteristics of these tomatoes shine, eat them raw with just a sprinkling of salt. You can also try a marinated tomato salad or show off pretty slices with this heirloom tomato tart recipe.

Tomatoes on the Vine

Best for: Sandwiches, salads and salsas

You’ll often see clusters of tomatoes on the vine sold at the grocery store. These medium-sized tomatoes are versatile. You can slice them up for sandwiches, cut them into wedges to add to a green salad or dice them to make fresh salsa at home.

Cherry Tomatoes

Best for: Appetizers, snacks, salads and roasting

These tomatoes get their name not only for their cherry size, but also for their sweetness. Despite being tiny, these tomatoes can do a lot. They’re perfect to use in appetizers and salads, or even just for snacking.

Cherry tomatoes can also be roasted, grilled or baked to bring out even more of their sweet qualities. This cherry tomato flatbread is a great example of how versatile these tiny gems can be. But you don’t need to stop there! Try more tasty cherry tomato recipes.

Plum or Roma Tomatoes

Best for: Canning, sauces, tomato paste and roasting

Known as plum tomatoes, you might also see these oblong tomatoes labeled as Roma tomatoes. Big on sweetness but also acidity, they have a lower moisture and water content than most other tomatoes, so they work well when canned, thrown on the grill or used in a fresh tomato soup. These tomatoes are also the star of our best-ever marinara sauce (you’ll need 12 pounds of these babies!). Find out when you should use marinara vs. tomato sauce.

You don’t need to stop at sauces. Plum tomatoes are also our Test Kitchen’s first pick when it comes to making homemade bruschetta.

San Marzano Tomatoes

Best for: Sauces

San Marzano tomatoes are a variety of plum tomatoes. They have a sweet flavor and are low in acid, which makes them a great candidate for pasta sauces. They do cost a bit more than other tomato varieties, but they are worth splurging on if you’re making a great homemade spaghetti sauce like Nonna used to make.

Grape Tomatoes

Best for: Appetizers, snacks, salads and roasting

With their small size, thin skin and sweet flavor, grape tomatoes are similar to their cherry-sized cousins. Anytime you see a recipe with cherry tomatoes, feel free to sub in this varietal instead.

Grape tomatoes make for delicious snacks, or use them in salads and appetizers like these Caprese skewers—they’re super easy to put together and always a hit!

Purple and Black Tomatoes

Best for: Sandwiches and salads

You may have seen dark-hued tomato plants popping up at your local garden center. These almost-black and purple tomatoes are a particular heirloom variety that has gained popularity over the past few years. Cherokee Purple is one of the more popular strains and produces large, dark fruit, though you can also find cherry-sized purple tomatoes like Black Cherry and Black Pearl.

These tomatoes are best eaten raw, so slice a few up for BLTs or try them in salads.

Pear or Teardrop Tomatoes

Best for: Appetizers, snacks and salads

Pear tomatoes, much like cherry and grape tomatoes, are tiny and sweet. This varietal has thin skin, which makes it great for salads and snacking. While these tomatoes are commonly seen with red skin, you’ll also find yellow and orange pear tomatoes at your local farmers market or grocer.

Green Tomatoes

Best for: Frying, pickling and baking

Green tomatoes are just unripe tomatoes. Gardeners are often left with a glut of these tomatoes at the end of the season when the weather is too cold to ripen the last of the fruit on the vine. You don’t have to wait until the end of summer for green tomatoes, though. You can pick them anytime you see green fruit on your plants.

Green tomatoes are firm and not as juicy as ripe tomatoes, which makes them great candidates for breading and frying—who doesn’t love a fried green tomato? You can also pickle green tomatoes and include them in chowchow or green tomato relish.

I know people who ONLY like one kind of tomato, and that is all they will eat. If they try a different variety, they think it is “bad” because it has a different taste to what they are used to. No, no, no. Far from it. Every tomato variety has its own unique and delicious qualities. These are just a small sampling of different kinds of tomatoes available. If you like tomatoes, be bold and adventurous and try as many different varieties as you can find. There is definitely many ways to peel a tomato. 🙂

Many thanks to our very own the Reluctant Poet at https://thereluctantpoetweb.wordpress.com/ and Jacqueline Weiss and Lisa Kaminski at Pinterest and Taste of Home https://www.tasteofhome.com/ for these delicious tomato ideas.

Make your day delicious and add a tomato, or two or three. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

We see lots of Double Crested Cormorants all throughout the spring and summer months out on our lakes. They love our lakes, and I love seeing them on our lakes. They are so beautiful, and their gorgeous jade green eyes are just mesmerizing.

I see them hanging out on this pipe quite often. This is our 3rd lake.

I love seeing them air out their wings. That’s when you realize they are actually fairly large birds.

Most of the time, I only see one at a time, but every now and then I see multiple cormorants just hanging out together.

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

Kebabs, aka kababs, are Middle Eastern, most likely originating in Persia, and may date back even further than the 9th century AD. With any good recipe, the idea traveled and before long kebabs were all over the Mediterranean and beyond. The word kebab derives from a Persian term for the dish that passed into both Arabic (as kabāb) and Turkish (as kebap). Today, kebabs of all kinds are enjoyed all over the world.

When Noah and I made our Greek chicken meatballs in Lemon cream sauce Greek Chicken Meatballs in Lemon Cream Sauce we also made some vegetable kebabs to go with it.

When making vegetable kebabs, you want to use hearty vegetables and you want to cut them into large pieces. They need to be firm enough to be able to skewer and to stay on the skewer while cooking. You can use any kind of marinade you like too. I make kebabs quite often, and most of the time I marinade my vegetables, and meats, in some kind of vinaigrette. This time we grilled them on my inside grill, but they are perfect for grilling outside too.

Vegetable Kebabs

I have metal skewers that I use most of the time, but I also use the wooden skewers too, especially when making them to go. When using the wooden skewers, soak them in warm water for about 15 minutes before using. This will make them easier to work with and there will be less splintering.

1 each red, yellow, orange and green bell pepper, cut into large chunks

1-2 zucchini, cut into large chunks

1-2 yellow crookneck squash cut into large chunks

1 red onion, cut into large chunks

8-10 mushrooms, rinsed and left whole, with some of the stem still left in place

1/3 cup olive oil

1 TBSP Dijon mustard

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP red wine vinegar

1 TBSP honey

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

1 TBSP fresh thyme, chopped or 1 tsp dried thyme

1 TBSP lemon verbena, chopped, optional

salt & pepper to taste

Combine all the vegetables and toss together.

Combine the oil, mustard, vinegar, honey, herbs and seasonings together. Then add to the vegetables and toss. Let marinate for about an hour at room temperature before skewering, to help tenderize and flavor the vegetables.

Carefully skewer the vegetables, without stabbing your fingers, then place on a hot, oiled grill and cook for about 8 minutes on one side then carefully turn them over to cook for an additional 8 minutes or so on the other side.

When the vegetables are tender and complete with grill marks, they are ready to eat and enjoy with whatever you want to serve them with.

There are so many different options. This is just one recipe. There is always more than one way to cook something, especially something that has been around for centuries, and is enjoyed all over the world. Anything with time and travel will morph into different variations.

Noah was really into making the vegetable kebabs and was having fun. It was only after everything was made and he was eating that he revealed he was not a big vegetable eater. I always send him home with what he makes, and this was no exception, even after learning he is not a vegetable eater. But Noah’s mom and I are good friends, and I know she loves vegetables, so I know they were still eaten and hopefully enjoyed by his family, even if not by him. 🙂

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

Every spring and summer, we always see so many egrets. I see them in the trees. I see them in and around the lakes, and sometimes, I even get some good shots of them flying above. They are so graceful. I never get tired of seeing them. I just love them.

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

Noah and I have been doing a lot of international cooking. I am teaching him to cook the way I like to cook. We’ve done American, Spanish, Mediterranean and now Greek. This time we made some Greek chicken meatballs with a lemon cream sauce, served over orzo. We also made some marinated vegetable skewers to go with it, along with some pita bread and hummus. It looks so Greek to me.

Part of what I am teaching Noah as well, is to get your mis en place ready. Then we start with what takes the most time to make and make everything else. It’s still a work in progress.

Greek Chicken Meatballs with Lemon Cream Sauce

The Meatballs

1 1/2 lbs ground chicken

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP lemon zest

3/4 cup panko crumbs

1 TBSP paprika

1/3 cup dried onions

1 egg

1 1/2 TBSP fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried

1 1/2 TBSP fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried

salt & pepper to taste

1 TBSP chopped parsley

1 TBSP lemon verbena, optional

Mix everything together and make the meatballs. I like making smaller meatballs because they tend to cook more evenly and are easier to eat.

Get a large pot or skillet very hot, and add olive oil and butter, then carefully place the meatballs in the oil and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until browned. Cook the meatballs in batches and do not over crowd them.

Remove the meatballs from the heat when they are done and set aside to keep warm.

The Sauce

3 TBSP butter

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup green olives, or mixed olives, sliced

2 tsp lemon zest

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 TBSP oregano

1 TBSP thyme

2 egg yolks

salt & pepper to taste

lemon verbena, optional

Mix the chicken broth, garlic and lemon juice together. Add to you skillet. Whisk in the flour until it is fully incorporated into the liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook, for about 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the olives, seasonings and butter and mix thoroughly. Add the egg yolks and stir constantly until it is all fully mixed in. If you do not stir constantly the eggs they will scramble. We do not want scrambled eggs in the sauce.

Re-add the meatballs and some of fresh herbs and cook just long enough to heat them up.

Spoon up the sauce and meatballs over the orzo and top with more of the fresh herbs. Bon Appetite!

Noah ate every bit and loved every bite. You will too. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

I don’t see them too often, but every now and then, especially if I look at the water’s edge, I can see some of our Spotted Sandpipers dancing around. Because I don’t see them that often, I get excited when I do see them.

I always have my camera with me when out walk-about. I just never know what I am going to see on my adventures. Sometimes I don’t see anything, and sometimes I see all kinds of things. But at least I am always prepared. 🙂

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

Who doesn’t love potatoes? I think potatoes are one of those universal foods that everyone loves. I know I love potatoes and could easily eat them everyday. Potatoes are so versatile and go with everything. And there are so many different ways to cook them too.

When I made my Asian steak Asian Steak, I was looking for side dishes to compliment my steak. We all know steak and potatoes is a well-loved staple, but I wanted something a little different than just regular, plain potatoes. I came across a recipe for potatoes with peppers and mushrooms, but of course I added onions and crisp chilies too, making it even better.

Pan-Fried Potatoes with Red Peppers, Mushrooms and Onions

The key to getting crispy pan-fried potatoes is to par-boil them first for about 7-10 minutes.

3-4 small to medium potatoes, peeled and diced in a medium-large dice

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

1-1 /2 cups sliced mushrooms

1-2 tsp crisp chilies, optional

1 TBSP garlic

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp paprika

chopped parsley

olive oil and butter for cooking

Par-boil the potatoes for about 7-10 minutes, then drain. Get a large skillet very hot, then add the oil and butter and saute the onions, peppers, mushrooms, garlic and seasonings for about 3 minutes, or until they begin to soften.

Add the potatoes and the chilies, if using, and continue to cook for an additional 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

When the potatoes start to turn golden brown and the edges are crispy, the potatoes are ready. Top them with the chopped parsley and serve alongside your favorite entree. You can enjoy these potatoes any time, for breakfast, lunch or dinner, with just about every dish too. Or you can enjoy them all on their won too.

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

Our turtles love to sun themselves. Sometimes they are just on the surface of the water, so they are keeping cool too, and sometimes they are out on the rocks, getting the full warmth of the sun.

This is one of old Snapping Turtles. You can tell by his size he is an older turtle. We have some Snapping Turtles that are over 100 years old. I have no way of knowing, but I am guessing this guy is probably about 60-70 years old.

These are our Red-Eared Sliders. They are much smaller than the Snapping Turtles.

Since I was highlighting our turtles, I had to show this little Box Tortoise we saw while in Kansas too.

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

When it gets hot, we eat a lot of cool, refreshing salads. I tend to use a lot of my leftovers for my salads too. When I made my Asian steak Asian Steak I used less than half the steak I cooked, meaning there was still a lot left to use for something else. It was yet another scorcher of a day, so it was another salad for dinner night. Asian steak salad too. 🙂 I served them with my pork egg rolls, again made entirely from leftovers. Pork Egg Rolls

Same steak two different ways.

I didn’t change too much. I made more of the marinade, which I used as my dressing and layered all my ingredients onto a bed of Romaine lettuce. My salad was made of Romaine lettuce, a yellow heirloom tomato, some leftover carrot salad, red bell pepper, cucumber, green onions and fried wonton strips. Of course, Larry’s salad had cheese. He wouldn’t listen when I said cheese is NOT usually an ingredient used for Asian foods. 🙂 Mine had avocado slices.

Sometimes reinventing something is just a matter of rearranging it or “packaging” it a little differently. 🙂 As I always say, be creative and “play” with your food.

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