I have created this site to help people have fun in the kitchen. I write about enjoying life both in and out of my kitchen. Life is short! Make the most of it and enjoy!
I love the mystery and the unexpected surprises I get when I am out walking around with my camera. I just never know what I am going to see, or if I am going to see anything.
I had just started my walk when I saw some huge squadrons of pelicans flying directly above me. There must have been about 50 or so pelicans flying back and forth. Either I am just getting lucky more often, or my photographic skills are improving, or perhaps it is a bit of both, but I am getting some great shots of birds in flight these days.
Don’t be afraid to branch out and try new things. You never know what could happen. Stay curious, stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.
I rarely reblog, but sometimes, the information is just to good and has to be shared. This is some very good, useful information from our very own Carol from https://carolcooks2.com/, We all need to make substitutions from time to time, and it is good to know what you can change around when needed. Thanks Carol.
Welcome to Friday Food Reviews where I will be covering a different food or product each week and looking at… what are they? where do they grow, what can we substitute them for in a recipe, are they safe to eat, how to store them, how to use them, cook them, anything connected to that food. or product..all the why’s and the wherefores…it will, of course, be mainly my own opinion or a known fact…good or bad…there may even be a tried and tested recipe…or three…
This week it’s…Common Food Substitutes…
I have lost count of the number of times I have gone to make a recipe or one of the grandchildren asked if they can make something and you realised you have either run out of something or realised that it’s something you can’t eat or wouldn’t use again…that’s when you start to think of a substitute something which…
I fell in love with the beautiful red-winged black bird almost as soon as I moved to Colorado. They are so colorful and have a very melodic song they like to sing all the time too. They also bring back a very happy memory with my dad as well. I remember he and I looking out the window as I was showing him the beautiful colors of this gorgeous bird and both of us were totally captivated by its magic.
These beautiful birds are often elusive and have been hard for me to get good pictures of, until recently. I hope you like them as much as I do. I’ve noticed they love to hang out in our reeds a lot, though they are really everywhere.
Capture the beauty of the day, no matter how large or small. Have a great day Everyone.
Bread. The beautiful creation made from ground flours or grains that is then baked or fried. Sometimes it is leavened, or made with products to make it rise, and other times it is made flat or unleavened. There are endless possibilities and recipes for the delicious food that is known as the food of life. Bread is known as the food of life because throughout the Bible, bread is a symbolic representation of God’s life-sustaining provision. When Jesus told the hungry crowds that he was the Bread of Life, he was teaching his followers that He alone was their true source of spiritual life, both in this present world and in the everlasting life to come.
The latest archeological finds show that bread, in some form or another, has been around for around 30,000 years. Breads are the oldest foods around that do not require foraging or hunting. It has been an essential part of human history and formed early human societies. Bread is alsoa gift from God: when Moses fed his people in the desert with food which fell from heaven, and during the last supper, when bread became the body of Christ. When Jesus multiplied the bread to feed the crowd, bread became a sign of sharing. It also symbolized the Word of God which nourished the crowds.
Bread was central to the formation of early human societies. From the Fertile Crescent, where wheat was domesticated, cultivation spread north and west, to Europe and North Africa, and east towards East Asia. This in turn led to the formation of towns, as opposed to the nomadic lifestyle, and gave rise to more and more sophisticated forms of societal organization. Similar developments occurred in the Americas with maize and in Asia with rice. Bread is a universal food: today there is no country in the world in whose culinary tradition there is not some form of bread. From Mesopotamia to the tables of the whole world, bread has been the symbol of culture, history and anthropology, of hunger and wealth, of war and peace.
Bread is thought of as pure, honest food. We are automatically drawn to fresh, homemade bread. It makes us smile and it satisfies as few other foods can. It brings people together and connects us to both our past as well as the present, and it also connects us to other people. There is something very special and significant about “breaking bread” with others that binds us together like nothing else can. We eat some type of bread at least once every day, as do many other people around the world. Bread often takes center stage at any special occasion or holiday tables anywhere you go.
Breads can be very simple or they can be very complicated. But the main ingredients are very simple. The basics are either some kind of flour of crushed grains, liquid, which is usually water, a dash of salt, sometimes sugar, and yeast if you are leavening the bread.
If you want your breads to rise, you need yeast. Yeast is the essence of bread. It is what makes it rise and also what gives it its distinctive flavor and aroma. Yeast is able to work its magic with the help of liquid, flour and a little salt. Then you need to add the right temperatures, precise measurements and the simple art of kneading or “stirring down” the dough to create your masterpiece. Your yeast is a variable, that is affected by the weather, temperature and humidity, and as I have found out, altitude as well.
Flour provides the main structure of bread. The specific structure and characteristics of the bread will be determined by the type of flour used. Different types of flour have different amounts of gluten. Gluten is a protein that helps give bread its elasticity and strength. Bread flour, followed by all purpose flour, tend to give breads the best volume and texture. Whole wheat flours are more dense and have less gluten, which will make the breads more dense and they will not rise as much.
The liquid used in bread is usually water, although you can use other liquids as well for different flavors. Water dissolves and activates the yeast and allows it to be mixed and incorporated into the flour. For best results, the liquid should be lukewarm, at between 105* and 115* F. If it is too cold, it will slow or stop the yeast action and if it is too hot, it will destroy the yeast.
Adding sugar to the dough helps the bread to form a golden crust and adds flavor to the dough. Though beneficial, it is not a necessary ingredient.
Adding just a bit of salt controls the yeast action by slowing down the rising time and allowing the flavors of the dough to develop. It also adds to the dough’s structure by strengthening the gluten. You always want to add salt to the mixture. It will NOT work if you don’t.
There are three main kinds of bread in the world; those that rise highest so are baked in pans, breads with a medium volume like rye and French breads, and those that hardly rise at all called flatbreads. They are all very tasty and very good. All have been served and enjoyed at my table many, many times, and will continue to be a staple in my house for many more years to come.
Break bread together and enjoy it with family, friends and loved ones. It’s hard to remain enemies when you’ve broken bread together. This means that sharing a meal is often about more than just food; it’s also about coming together despite the past. To “break bread” also means to have a meal with someone, by breaking off pieces of your loaf of bread to ensure that everyone is fed. This term occurs in numerous places in the New Testament, where it sometimes means to share bread and other times to distribute food to others.
Enjoy your breads and break your breads with others. Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.
All of my old “friends” are beginning to come back and I love it. This time, it is my old friend, the Blue Heron. He is hiding out in the reeds. Today was my first spotting of his annual return, and it always makes me so happy to see him. I think the Herons are so elegant and majestic. You don’t realize how big they are until you see them up close.
Rarely do I get good shots of them in flight, but every now and then I get lucky.
Have a great day Everyone. make the most of each and every day.
Bread is the food of life, and I certainly LOVE my breads. All kinds of breads. I could easily live on bread alone, if there was enough butter of course. Not only do I love eating breads, but a close second is making all different kinds of breads too. My latest bread making adventure came in the form of a cheesy, peppery wreath.
Like with so many good bread recipes, this was a simple recipe, with simple ingredients. The secret to making good breads though, is patience. The dough needs to rise before it can be baked. So make sure you have the time to put into it and let your dough rise at its own pace before making it.
The recipe called for Parmigiano cheese, but at the time I was making it, I didn’t think I had any. I did have Monterey Jack though, which worked just fine. And, of course AFTER my bread was made, I discovered I DID have Parmigiano cheese. Lots of it too. Anyway, my point is, use what what you have and try something different.
Cheese and Pepper Wreath
1 1/4 cups lukewarm water (105-115* F)
4 1/2 tsp active dry yeast, or 2 packages
2 TBSP sugar
1 1/2 tsp black pepper, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 tsp salt
3 1/2-4 1/2 cups flour
1 TBSP fresh sage, chopped fine, optional
1 egg
1 cup cheese
egg white for brushing on top
Combine the flour, cheese, sage, salt and pepper together and mix well. The amount of flour is going to vary depending on where you are. Start with 3 1/2 cups and add more later if needed. I only needed the 3 1/2 cups, and the dough was nice and soft.
Sprinkle the yeast on top of the water and gently mix together. Add the sugar. Let set for about 5-10 minutes, or until it becomes frothy.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg and the yeast mixtures. Start from the center and work your way out, and incorporate the flour mixture with the egg and yeast mixture.
Keep working at it until everything is combined and forms into a soft dough.
Add the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead it all together until it forms into a ball and the surface is smooth and elastic.
Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough into the bowl. Cover and let rest for about 45 minutes, or until it doubles in size.
When the dough is ready, divide into 3 equal portions and roll out into long ropes, about 28 inches long.
Then carefully braid the bread strands together.
Carefully mold the braided dough into a round wreath and connect the loose ends together. Cover and let rise again for an additional 40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375* F or 200*C.
Once the dough has risen again, brush it with the egg whites and sprinkle black pepper all over the dough.
Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. If you like, you can spread some melted butter on top of the bread immediately after removing it from the oven. This makes it even more flavorful and moist. Allow it to cool for a bit, and then enjoy. I love the peppery finish to this bread.
Yesterday was one of the fabulous days for walk-abouts. There was so much to see, the sun was shining brightly, it was nice beautiful weather, not to hot and just cool enough to be very comfortable. My camera was taking so many pictures, and of course, I want to share as many of my shots with you as I can. As I mentioned yesterday, I met a new goose, the Greater white-chested goose, Nature Walks – A New Goose, but I also saw turtles, quite a few Common Grackles, Mallards and Canadians, as well as more Snowy Egrets. I got a lot of great shots of all of them, but I can only share so many at a time. Patience, my friends, patience. All in due time.
Today, I am going to share more pictures of the egrets with you.
Find something beautiful in everyday. There is always something to see. Have a great day.
Olive oil is a staple in my kitchen. I go threw tons of olive oil in my kitchen. I always have it and I use it daily, for everything. It is not only a staple in my kitchen, and maybe yours too, but it has been a staple in people’s households for many 1000’s of years, before the time of Christ.
Olive oil was discovered and began to be used thousands of years ago in the classical era when various Mediterranean civilizations (Phoenicians, Greeks, and Romans) began to grow olive trees and extract juice from the olives.
Olive oil is produced in many dry, arid places around the world, but it is said that the olive oil produced in Spain is among the best. Spanish olive oil is considered to be olive oil royalty, although I am sure the Egyptians, Greeks and the Italians might argue and disagree.
Olive oil is very versatile and is used for far more than just cooking. Originally is was produced as the oil for lamps and was used for religious ceremonies. But its uses go far beyond that. Here are a list of other uses for olive oil I bet you never knew about, and I am sure there are many more creative uses that I am not mentioning. Bottom line, olive oil goes way beyond its uses in the kitchen.
Olive oil was the original “viagara” and is used as a booster or enhancer for those intimate moments. It is thought to boost the blood flow and circulation.
It is used as a detangler for your messy or hard to control hair.
It is used as a moisturizer for your skin and helps slow down the aging and wrinkling processes.
It helps fade and erase stretchmarks during or after pregnancy.
It helps to ease and lessen the pains of constipation.
It is an anti-inflammatory.
You can use it for a natural shaving aid.
It helps keep your immune system healthy and intact.
It helps improve your mental state.
It helps in preventing skin cancer as an after sun protector.
It helps protect you from the harsh reactions to radiation.
It is a great make-up remover.
It helps reduce blood pressure.
It is great when used as a massage oil
It moisturizes and conditions your hair too.
It is used in soaps.
Be good to yourself and indulge in all the goodness of the olives and their oils. You deserve it.
It was such a beautiful day. So much to see today. AND …. I even met a new goose. My new goose and now new friend, is a Greater white-fronted goose. I am like a kid in a candy store. I just love meeting “new friends” and seeing all the beautiful things I see. I am so fortunate and blessed to have so much beauty right in my own backyard.
Larry has been itching to smoke another big batch of beef, and of course when we do that, we have to have friends over to help us enjoy the fruits of his labor. So we had a little casual get-together with our friends Eric and Shannon. Unfortunately though, I think the smoker has died. We inherited the smoker from one of Larry’s brothers when he bought a new one, and it was already old then, and we have had it for a few years. I think it smoked its last bit of meat though, and it is now time for Larry to buy a new one. It has lived a good long life. But when the smoker doesn’t work, put it on the grill. It’s always good to have a plan B.
Larry did an excellent job on the meat. It came out just perfect. It was seared perfectly on the outside and deliciously tender and juicy and medium rare on the inside. It literally just melted in our mouths.
But we cannot live on meat alone. Of course we had side dishes too. I made some spinach mushrooms, garlic, shallots and tomatoes for a Tuscan topping, or side, along with some roasted potato rounds and a very springy Mediterranean salad. Shannon brought some gluten-free brownies for dessert. We went gluten-free for the evening. As you can see, it was just a simple little dinner enjoyed by the four of us.
For the salad, I used some red leaf and green leaf lettuce, mixed with artichoke hearts, tomatoes and hearts of palm and toasted almonds. I tossed it all together with a fresh, lemony vinaigrette. YUM!
Lemon Vinaigrette
1/3 cup olive oil
2-3 TBSP lemon olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice
2-3 TBSP lemon balsamic vinegar
1-2 tsp garlic
1 shallot, minced fine
salt & pepper to taste
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
Whisk everything together until well blended and set aside until ready to use. I usually do not put my dressings on my salads until just before I am ready to serve them.
We love getting together with friends and family. We really don’t need any excuses to do so either, but it always makes it fun to create a reason to share good food with good company. Food, after all, is meant to be shared.
A Jeanne in the Kitchen 