Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

I have a feeling this is going to be a very pretty spring. It is still early spring, and already everything is blooming up nicely. There are so many blooms all around, and everything is already so bright and colorful. I am loving it now. I can’t wait to see everything in full bloom and bright colors.

Here are some of our latest blooms. All of my trees are filling out nicely. Unfortunately, they are also wreaking havoc on my allergies though, but it is all worth it. They all look so gorgeous and colorful.

Have a bright and colorful day, today, tomorrow and everyday. 🙂

I don’t really need a reason to have a party. If there is not a holiday or significant reason, I’ll create something. I love to entertain and I love to cook and feed people. My Australian “brother” (long story) says “she’s a feeder” and he is absolutely right. 🙂

I am having another get-together this weekend, for about 15-20 people. The reason … Well, there really isn’t one, other than I just wanted to do something special for my neighbors, Hanaa and Aziz, who are always so thoughtful and helpful.

I think you can probably tell by my cookbooks, what kind of party I am hosting this time. 🙂

All of these books have FABULOUS recipes and ideas, but for this particular party, I am making everything from these two books only. My menu is already planned, and my shopping list is made. I have even started preparing some things that can be prepared in advance. But you will have to wait just a little bit longer to see what exotic delicacies will be served. A little anticipation is a good thing. 🙂

There will be plenty more opportunities to use the other books. Larry always says there is not enough time for me to cook everything from all the cookbooks I already have, but I am doing my best to prove him wrong. The only problem with this is that, you NEVER have your last cookbook. There is always another one that captures your attention, that you just have to have. 🙂

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

Colorado has three species of phoebes, but the ones I see most often are the Says Phoebe. They usually stay around visiting from March-October. They like to sing their little s’wee or s’yew songs. I have been seeing quite a few Says Phoebes lately too. Usually I find them perched atop something so they can look out and peruse their territory.

I was following and watching this one little bird fly from place to place and he allowed me to catch him at all of his locations. I think he liked having the paparazzi follow him. 🙂

If you are patient enough, there is so much to see. All you have to do is open your eyes and let nature come to you. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

I know you probably think we eat fancy meals every day, but we don’t. We actually eat a lot of simple, easy meals too, especially if it is just for the two of us.

The other day, I bought some “lobster”, which is really the imitation lobster, once again made from pollock, just like the krab. In all honestly, I can’t really tell much difference between the two, though there is definitely a difference between real lobster and real crab. That being said, the imitation versions are both very good. At first, I was going to add the “lobster” to my ceviche, but it had enough shrimp in it and didn’t need anything more. So I made a lobster salad instead, and then made lobster melts with it. We enjoyed them with French fries out on our beloved deck and had a very pleasant, relaxing lunch.

Lobster Salad

This was just a simple, easy-peasy little salad that is perfect for anytime you are looking for something quick to make or to take with you when on the go. Anything goes, but since the lobster flavor is very mild, you want to keep the spices and flavorings of the salad mild as well.

1 package lobster, diced small

1/4 red bell pepper, diced very fine

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 tsp lemongrass curry or mild curry, or to taste

1/4 cup green onions, sliced thin

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Mix everything together and chill. Easy-peasy. I like to mix my mayonnaise and spices together separately so the flavors are well blended. Also, this allows you to use only as much of the mayonnaise mixture as you need, without drowning out the salad and the flavors of the other ingredients.

I made my sandwiches open face sandwiches, but this is just a personal preference. Once ready to make the sandwiches, I buttered one side of the bread and put it buttered side down in a hot skillet to grill it. Then I added some jalapeno jack cheese on top, though you can use any kind of mild cheese you like, covered it and let the cheese melt. Once the cheese was melted and the bread was lightly golden and crispy, it was time to add the lobster salad and avocado slices.

This is a perfect idea for a quick and easy-peasy lunch. With warmer weather coming, I much prefer to be outside, enjoying the sunshine, than inside cooking over a hot stove, so simple and easy-peasy is always welcomed. 🙂

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

Spring is in full swing now, and I am seeing more and more Northern Flickers out and about. I will never complain when meeting up with these gorgeous feathered friends. The males are so handsome with their red crested throats. The females are pretty too, though their colors are much more muted.

This one looks like a female.

This is the male. I tend to see more males than females. I guess because the females are busy attending to their nests.

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

Larry is a HUGE hockey fan. He still plays hockey too. Yesterday was the day for the college hockey finals. He and some of his hockey buddies wanted to watch the game and cheer on our local team, DU or Denver University. DU won, 2-0. Erik and Shannon hosted the gathering at their house, and they have 2 giant screen TV’s where the game was viewed on both screens. Larry volunteered us to make most of the nibblies. So we co-hosted the game.

It was just a small gathering, but I still managed to provide a good, healthy hockey feast.

I made a big fresh fruit platter, which was greatly appreciated. All the fruit was so juicy and sweet.

I also made a charcuterie platter with a bunch of different cheeses and sausage, and a variety of crackers and spreads as well.

And I made yet another version of my shrimp ceviche, this time adding some red pepper and pineapple.

The pineapple was a fun edition that made it a little more tropical and very cool and refreshing.

Larry even contributed as well. He made a buffalo chicken dip. I have no idea what his recipe was and I know he didn’t take pictures. (This is a stock photo). All I knew was I was NOT going to touch it at all. There were way too many ingredients I don’t like involved in this dish. 🙂

Our team won and we made a good dent in all the nibblies, and everyone had a good time. All in all, yet another fun day in the books. We do our best to make them all good times and good days too. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great, even if just gathering with friends to cheer on your favorite team. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Metzger Farm was once a family farm, but is now an open space area open to the public. It is literally just a hop, skip and a jump away from my house, down the hill from us. It was a beautiful day for a nice walk so Lauren, a couple of other friends of hers and I all enjoyed the sunshine and the sights together. While Lauren and her friends were walking around and catching up, I was taking in the sights and capturing as much as I could with my camera. I saw a lot of great stuff.

Most of the things were at quite a distance, and though my camera has a great zoom, it can only do so much. So I apologize for the graininess of some of my pictures. I cleaned them up and edited them as best as I could.

We saw all kinds of things on our walk. There were Heron nests all over the place, way up high in the trees. They are big nests because they are big birds. I got lucky and even saw three Herons in the nest, taking care of their young ones.

One,

Two,

Three.

There were lots of magpies all around too, but I couldn’t really get a lot of good shots of them.

There was a new bird for me too, a Western Meadowlark. He was so beautiful and was singing his little heart out with his beautiful little songs.

There was a Mourning Dove just resting in a tree.

There were even some Red-Eared Slider turtles out and about. At first I only saw the one, but after walking all around, as we were leaving, he had invited some of his friends to come out and by the time we left, there were five all out sun bathing and enjoying the beautiful day.

As you can see it was a great day, especially for the camera. I just love days like this. I was taking everything in, and shooting as much as I could with my lens. These all came out, but there were many things that did not. That’s OK. I will capture them next time. 🙂

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

What a beautiful day. It wasn’t too hot and not cold. The temperature was in the mid 70’s. The sun was shining brightly. It was a beautiful spring day, and a perfect day for a delicious spring salad. I saw some bright red strawberries at the store and right then and there thought they would be perfect in a cool, strawberry and chicken salad.

I started off with a bed of fresh baby spinach. Then sprinkled a few thinly sliced red onions, thinly sliced cucumbers, asparagus, green onions, and sliced strawberries on top. I put all that together while the chicken was grilling.

I made a strawberry vinaigrette that was both my dressing for the salad and my marinade for the chicken.

Strawberry Vinaigrette

1 1/2-2 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed

black pepper to taste

1 cup olive oil

2/3 cup Prosecco or white wine vinegar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1-2 TBSP honey

Put everything in the food processor and blend until it is well blended together. Use some as the marinade for your chicken, and let the chicken marinate for at least 2 hours before cooking. Save the rest of the vinaigrette as your dressing for the salad.

Then I toasted up some almond slivers and boiled a couple of eggs.

When the chicken was cooked, I sliced it into thin slices and laid it on top of the vegetable bed. Then I topped it all with the almond slivers and chopped hard boiled egg, and some Feta cheese for the cheese lovers.

I served with some warmed ciabatta and a glass or two of a buttery chardonnay, and it was the perfect spring dinner, especially since we all enjoyed it out on the deck on a beautiful spring evening.

Enjoy the small things in life. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Everyone knows how much I love my fur babies. And I think most everyone knows I make a lot of their food too, which I will be doing again today as well. I make the dogs’ food, but NO WAY will I make the cats’ food. Cats need extra nutrients and vitamins, and it is way to cost prohibitive to make their food. People are always asking me what types of “people” food can dogs have and what can’t they have. So I thought I would share some doggie do’s and don’ts with you today.

Juneau and Dorrie looking pretty, and healthy out in the yard.

Remember, the type of foods you give to your pet can either heal or harm them. Dogs and cats, which are carnivores and predators by nature, require a species-appropriate, meat-based diet. Unfortunately, a lot of people either forget this or don’t know it, but dogs and cats NEED meat and protein. They are carnivores, NOT vegetarians. Making a dog or cat vegetarian is NOT a healthy choice for them, and is not natural for them either.

Dogs can eat most things, and NEED a lot of protein in their diet. A diet high in protein and low in fat is ideal. For the most part, they can eat most of the same things we do, only in moderation. But there are some foods dogs CAN’T have. These foods could kill them. Dogs CANNOT eat chocolate, raisins, grapes, tomatoes, macadamia nuts, almonds, onions, garlic, alcohol, coffee or caffeine.

When you take a stroll down the pet food aisle of your local grocery, you will likely be overwhelmed by the numerous cat and dog food choices available – dry, pouched, canned, kibbled, moist, semi-moist… the list goes on. Many pet parents think they’re making the right choice when they buy these attractively packaged products that promise the highest quality foods for their furry pals. Even the most well-meaning pet parents fall into this and other marketing traps.

But don’t be deceived – it’s all part of the pet food business, which is an extension of the big food and agricultural industries that produce nutritionally deficient, overly processed junk foods. Their number one priority is to make money… not to ensure your pet’s health. Sure, there are a handful of ethical companies producing human grade, fresh, non-GMO, organic pet foods out there, but they can be hard to find and often times, cost prohibitive. The cheapest way to know exactly what is in your pet food and treats is to
make it yourself. If you choose to make your pet’s food, it’s very important you follow a recipe that has been tested to be nutritionally complete. Balance is key to ensuring that your home-cooked meals will nourish your pet and not
end up destroying his health. This means that the food you make must contain all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients your dog or cat needs. Here are some basics for starting the process of making your dog’s food.

1. You have TOTAL control over what goes into your pet’s food. You can adjust
   the ingredient list, making sure that there are no additives or preservatives going into your pet’s body. Plus, your pet can enjoy high-quality organic meats, and not the rendered proteins found in many processed pet foods.

2. Your pets will enjoy fresh foods that can be catered to their special nutritional requirements. You can select the right vegetables, herbs, and other spices that have the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, omega-3s, and medicinal properties that your pets need.

3. It helps you save money in the long run. You can stock up on large quantities
of meats and vegetables when they’re on sale, then prepare, package, and freeze the treats ahead of time. Another good idea is to pair up with friends who want to provide their pets the same high-quality treats – you can divide the expense and treat preparations among yourselves, or better yet, bake with a friend!

And here a re a couple of easy-peasy doggie recipes your fur babies will love.

Chewy Parsley Liver Cubes

Liver and other organ meats are an essential part of the natural diet of wild canines and felines. Here’s a tasty way to serve it to your domesticated pooch or kitty.

1 lb. beef liver, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
Procedure:

1. Dry the liver slices by blotting them with a paper towel, and then
   dust them with parsley.
2. Transfer the liver to a greased cookie sheet, and bake for 30
   minutes at 325°F.
3. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, flip the liver slices, and
   then bake for another 20 minutes.
4. Once the liver is cooked, transfer to a cooling rack. Once cool, cut
   into bite-sized cubes.
   Store in the refrigerator and consume within one week. If stored in the
   freezer, this can stay fresh for up to three months.

Fishy Beef Bites

A perfect blend of fish and beef, this protein-loaded snack is a scrumptious treat for your dog or kitty. Now I would not recommend serving it like this, though the dogs will certainly devour it within seconds, but you get the idea. 🙂

1 cup ground meat – it can be either turkey, bison, venison or beef

1 (7 1/2 oz) can wild salmon, drained

1 sweet potato, cooked and mashed

1 egg

Preheat the oven to 350*F or 180*C. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Mix everything together and spread out onto the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for about 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes. Carefully flip the contents out and re-pan it on the other side. Bake again for about 20 minutes. Then let cool and and cut into into bite-sized morsels. If you are giving this to the cats, you need to cut it a lot smaller than when giving it to the dogs.

My girls haven’t tried either of these yet, but I’m sure they will soon. They do love their treats, especially if mommy makes them. These and so many more recipes can be found on Pinterest, or you can always talk to your vet about some fresh ideas too.

I don’t make Juneau and Dorrie’s wet food nearly as often as I used to, or as often as I should. Lately, they have been having a lot of canned food, which we call “McDonald’s”. We mix their wet food in with their dry food at dinner time. For breakfast, they get dried food mixed with jerky treats and depending on who feeds them, cheese as well. Mommy gives them a little cheese in the mornings. Daddy doesn’t, but then daddy gives them cookies in the mornings and mommy does not. Regardless of who feeds them, you can tell they are well fed and well loved.

All four of my fur babies, on “their” couch. You can see they have personalized it quite a bit, which to most of us, myself included, means they have ruined it. It is up in the office, and no one but us can see it. But as you can see, they are all quite comfortable.

Otis (tan puma), Nicodemus or Nicky (black panther), Juneau (malamute) and Andorra or Dorrie (English cream golden)

Love your fur babies. They love you no matter what. Give them the best and shower them with lots of love. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe, stay well and keep your fur babies safe and well too. ‘Til next time.

They say when you see Robins out and about it is a sign that spring is on the way. Well, spring is definitely here, and I have been seeing a ton of Robins all over the place, and that is perfectly OK with me too. 🙂

This guy looks happy.

This guy, not so much. He looks angry.

He looks much happier here.

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