Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

I never know what I am going to see when out walk-about. Most of the times I see birds, or squirrels, or ducks or geese, or some combination thereof. But every now and then I see something totally unexpected. This time I saw two dragonflies mating. At first, I thought a dragonfly had captured something. Boy was I ever surprised when I actually noticed what they were up to. Now that’s NOT something you see everyday. And they were exhibitionists about it too. Not only did they not move to someplace more private, but they were purposely staying on the same path I was on. They wanted me to take pictures of them. And though I felt like a voyeur, I did take pictures of them.

So just in case you were ever curious, now you know. Life is full of curiosities, but that’s what makes it so interesting. Life is never dull. Just open your eyes to see all that is going on around you, and you will be amazed. You just never know what you’re going to see.

It was yet another ducky day. I saw not one, but two groups of duck-a-lings. The first group had six babies, all swimming along with mom, and the second group had eight babies, many of whom were off doing their own thing.

Mom definitely had her wings full with this group. 🙂

Have an absolutely ducky day. 🙂

Here in the United States, we often confuse cottage pie for shepherd’s pie. But in Scotland, where the dish originated, there is a difference between the two. Only one main difference though. Both dishes are made with browned with onions, peas, and carrots, and then covered with a layer of potatoes (often mashed) and sometimes topped with cheese. A cottage pie is made with ground hamburger while a shepherd’s pie is made with ground lamb. When you think about it, it makes sense. What do shepherd’s protect? Sheep of course. What is a very popular source of meat in the British Isles? Lamb.

Shepherd’s pie, like so many treasured dishes and recipes, comes from humble beginnings. A favorite comfort food in Irish and Scottish pubs and homes, the humble shepherd’s pie – a savory baked dish traditionally consisting of mutton or lamb topped with mashed potatoes – was first documented in Scotland in 1849. Its predecessor, the cottage pie (typically distinguished by using ground beef rather than ground lamb, though the two terms have frequently been used interchangeably) was first documented in England in 1791. It got it’s name “cottage pie” because it was food for the poor cottage residents throughout the British Isles. In both cases, however, the concept is the same – a frugal yet hearty dish constructed largely from leftover meat and simple ingredients. And after potatoes were first introduced to the UK and Ireland, the affordable, durable starch caught on as the perfect topper for this baked dish. The dish was originally made as a means of using leftover roasted meat, particularly lamb or mutton, combined with vegetables and topped with mashed potatoes. It was a frugal and practical way for shepherds and rural communities to make the most of their available ingredients and avoid wasting any leftover meat. The mashed potato topping served as a convenient and economical way to stretch the dish and create a hearty and satisfying meal.

We had ground beef down from the freezer. Our weather has once again been wacky, and with it being cooler once more, it made for a perfect night to have something warm and straight out of the oven for a warm and comforting meal. I decided to make a cottage pie. I made it in the traditional manner, sticking to my British, Scottish and Irish roots, though as usual, I changed it slightly by adding mushrooms and garlic. I love mushrooms and can easily eat them in everything, and usually do too. And as far as garlic goes, no dish is complete without garlic. 🙂

Cottage Pie

As I mentioned above, the only real difference between a cottage pie and a shepherd’s pie is beef vs. lamb. Here in the United States, though, most people use ground beef, but call it shepherd’s pie instead of cottage pie.

2 lbs ground beef

2-3 carrots, diced fine

1-1 1/2 cups frozen peas

1/2 onion, diced fine

4-5 mushrooms, sliced

1-2 TBSP Worcestershire Sauce

salt & pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups beef broth

2 TBSP flour

2 TBSP tomato paste

1 TBSP fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary

1 TSBP fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried thyme

1 TBSP garlic

mashed potatoes

cheddar cheese, or cheese of your choice

Preheat the oven to 375* F or 190* C.

Spray individual ramekins or a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. I have used both, and both are fine. It just depends on how you want to present it. This time, I used the individual ramekins.

Cook the potatoes, and mashed them to a creamy consistency when they are done.

Mix the ground beef with salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce.

Combine the beef broth, chopped herbs, flour and tomato paste in a separate bowl.

In a very hot skillet, add a little butter and olive oil, then saute the vegetables, salt & pepper until the onions are translucent and the vegetables are softened.

Add the ground beef and cook until done.

Add the tomato mixture and combine well. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Once everything is done, spoon the meat mixture into the prepared ramekins. Add a layer of the mashed potatoes, and top with cheese. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until a light crust has formed on the potatoes.

This is a whole meal in and of itself, so no need for much else on the side. I served it with some warmed bread and a smooth red blend, and called it a very satisfying meal.

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

It was my lucky or should I say, ducky day! I saw 3 sets of goslings, AND my first family of ducklings, or “duck-a-lings” for the season. WHOOOOO HOOOOO!!!! Many years ago, my niece’s daughter called the baby ducklings “duck-a-lings”, and I just fell in love with that term. So now I say it all the time too.

My goslings are already growing up and are not so little any more. They are still so cute though. 🙂 They are getting a lot of personality now.

And now for my first “duck-a-lings” of the season. Mom already had them in swim lessons too. They were sticking pretty close to mom, but were thoroughly enjoying their day. Dad was right there too, helping mom out with their new brood of six.

Mom is counting to see if everyone is there.

Look how proud she is.

Mom has all her ducks in a row.

I hope your days are just ducky. 🙂

Compound butters, or buerre composse, are a chef’s secret weapon for ensuring great taste with their dishes. They intensify the flavors without requiring too much extra effort. They add depth to the flavor profile and counterbalances more acidic flavors while making every meal feel and taste like a premium experience. They work for anything, and just about every dish as well. Compound butter, or finishing butter, is a type of butter that is mixed with herbs, spice blends, and other ingredients that give it a savory or sweet flavor, depending on the ingredients you use. The term compound butter encompasses countless recipes and flavor profiles, with endless possibilities.

Back in my culinary school days, I remember when we were learning about compound butters and how to make them. Again, Chef Averseing had ideas that he wanted us to use, and I had my own ideas. So while the rest of my class was making something else, I went into the walk-ins and started pulling out other ingredients to use for my own compound butters. Once again, Chef Andre would say, “Non, non, non Jeanne, this is not it”. And after I had made was I making, he would once again say, “Jeanne, dis is good”. I heard these phrases quite a lot in my days of studying under Chef Andre. 🙂

I use compound butters all the time, a lot of times without even realizing it. I don’t always make them ahead of time, but I do make them when I add butter as a finish to my sauces. The results are basically the same. This time, I actually did make my compound butter ahead of time. I made a toasted hazelnut-lime butter, with some fresh lemon verbena picked straight from my backyard. I served it over my pan-fried cod. It was a perfect pairing.

Every spring, my backyard is completely taken over by lemon verbena. I don’t mind one bit though. It smells so good, and I try my best to use as much of it as I can, though, every year, I get more and more. I will NEVER be able to use it all up, but that doesn’t mean I stop trying. I add it to everything when I can. 🙂

Hazelnut-Lime Butter

1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted

2 TBSP lime juice

1 stick or 1/2 cup softened butter

1-2 tsp lime zest

1/4 cup lemon verbena, optional

Place the hazelnuts, lime juice, lemon verbena and lime zest in the food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely chopped.

Add the butter and pulse again until it is all mixed together.

Wrap it in plastic wrap and seal tightly, then store in the refrigerator for up to a month. You can use it for all kinds of dishes and recipes.

This time, I used it to top my pan-fried cod. For the cod, first I patted it dry with a paper towel, then coated it with some flour, salt, pepper, and Peruvian chili lime seasoning. In a very hot skillet, I added some of the hazelnut-lime butter, olive oil and a little lime olive oil and cooked the fish for about four minutes per side, or until golden brown on the outside and white and flaky on the inside.

When the fish was done, I topped it with more of the hazelnut lime butter, and served it with my Mexican vegetable frittata Mexican Vegetable Frittata, roasted potatoes and some warmed ciabatta, with a glass or two of a Spanish white on the side. Delicious and perfect for a lighter spring meal.

Recipes are guidelines. They give you the basics. It is up to you to be creative and to fill in the blanks and to add your own personality and personal touches. 🙂 Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

So many flowers are blooming right now, in all shapes and sizes and colors too. Spring is really blossoming at the moment, and all of her beautiful colors are popping up all over the place.

These are just a few. I have lots more to share. All in good time though. 🙂 Color your world beautiful, today, tomorrow and everyday. 🙂

What is the difference between a Spanish omelette and a frittata? What is the difference between a torte and a frittata? What is the difference between a frittata and a quiche? I am finding a lot of overlap, without coming up with a lot of specific answers. But from the best that I can tell, a frittata is a quiche without a crust. Frittatas, omelettes, Spanish omelettes, tortes and quiches are all egg-based dishes with fillings that make for a hearty and delicious meal any time of day. There are four main differences between a frittata and a quiche. They are the presence of a crust, the egg-to-dairy ratio, the vessel that they’re baked in, and where they are cooked. But this still does not really help much, considering I baked my frittata in a quiche or tart pan, just like I would bake a quiche. Confusing, I know, even for me. If anyone can really explain the differences to me, I am all ears and would love to hear your thoughts. All I know is that the recipe I followed (well, sort of. Of course I changed it.) called my dish a torte, though it looks more like a frittata, or a crustless quiche to me. But whatever name it goes by, it was very good.

Mexican Vegetable Torte

The original recipe only called for zucchini. I love zucchini, but I love so many vegetables, and I felt this recipe needed more than just zucchini. So I added mushrooms, and green bell peppers, and of course garlic as well. Bottom line, make it with whatever vegetables you like. Mix and match with whatever you want and call it whatever name works for you. What you call it doesn’t matter. What matters is how it tastes. 🙂

1 1/4 lbs sliced zucchini

4-5 mushrooms sliced

1 shallot, diced fine

1 small green pepper, diced fine

1/2-3/4 TBSP garlic

1-2 jalapenos, diced fine

3 eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup milk

salt to taste

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup grated light or white cheese

1/2 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

Spray cooking spray in a torte or quiche pan.

Preheat the oven to 350*F or 180*C.

I knew before making my torte I was going to add mushrooms and garlic, but when I was at the store, the produce manager and one of his assistants were talking about these tiny, baby green bell peppers that they weren’t sure if they would be able to sell or not, or at least not at their marked price. I overheard their conversation and asked about it, so they offered me a deal, 2 for 1. How could I resist? I bought four and one went into my torte. It was a great addition to my torte too.

Saute the vegetables in a little bit of olive oil and butter until they are soft.

Combine the eggs, milk, flour, baking powder, salt, cayenne pepper and cheese together and mix well. I changed the recipe again, here too. My original recipe did not call for milk or for baking powder, but instead called for self-rising flour. I do not really care for self-rising flour, so I added the baking powder to regular flour. I also thought the mixture was too thick and needed a little milk.

Allow the vegetables to cool slightly before adding them to the egg and cheese mixture, then mix together well.

Evenly spread the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the center is set, and the top is a light golden brown.

You can enjoy this on its own for breakfast, lunch or a light snack, or you can serve it as a side dish to your favorite entree. I served it along side some cod with roasted hazelnut and lime butter, but more on that later. 🙂

As I always say, it’s OK to play with your food. I do it all the time. 🙂 Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

We have a few different swallow species here in Colorado. Some stay more in the mountain areas, while some like to visit the “lowlands” more. Here we see Barn Swallows quite often. They like to visit us from April-October. I love seeing them. I love their bright, contrasting colors of blue and rust. I almost always see them perched up high on lampposts. Often times because they are so high, it is hard for me to get good shots. But every now and then I get lucky.

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

I hope you all enjoyed your Cinco de Mayo festivities. We had a quiet, low-key day, though I did make chicken enchiladas Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Tomatillo Sauce and guacamole Old World/New World Fiesta for the day. And we still had some leftover Spanish rice and vegetables which I added to the meal. So we had yet another simple, but tasty Mexican celebration meal. We didn’t really celebrate though. We really do eat like this quite often. I just made a point of making Mexican food for the day.

You can make everyday special and celebrate all the little things in life that make life so good, everyday. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

My turtles, both the Red-Eared Sliders and the Snapping turtles, are out sunning themselves these days. I am seeing quite a few turtles out and about, just enjoying their days in the sun. Some of them even look like they are smiling too. At the moment, my Red-Eared Sliders are the ones who are really out and about. The Snapping turtles haven’t fully exposed themselves yet, but I do still see them. They are still testing the waters.

Be like the turtles, and come out to enjoy the sunshine. 🙂