A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Sometimes I almost like recreating leftovers more than I like preparing the “firstovers”. It’s become a fun game to me to see how I can recreate leftovers into something completely different than how I originally made them. I had some leftover filling from my pumpkin and sausage tortelets Spinach, Pumpkin and Sausage Tortelets but not enough to make more tortes, so I turned them into crepes instead. I also had just a little bit of pumpkin puree left, which became the base for the sauce.

I decided blue corn crepes would go well with the pumpkin and sausage and would make it a bit more rustic.

Blue Corn Crepes

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/3 cup water

2/3 cup flour

2/3 cup blue cornmeal

salt to taste

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 TBSP melted butter

Mix the flour, cornmeal, salt and cayenne pepper together and set aside.

Combine the egg, milk and melted butter and whisk together. Then mix in with the flour mixture and stir just until everything is well combined. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.

When ready to make the crepes, get a small skillet very hot, then add about 1/2-1 TBSP butter. Add about 1/3 cup of the batter into the skillet and immediately swirl around so the batter entirely covers then pan in a very thin layer. Cook for about 1-2 minutes, then carefully flip the crepe and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. Continue this until all the batter is cooked and the crepes are made.

Once all the crepes are made, start filling them. For this recipe, I rolled the crepes. Add about 2 TBSP of filling then tightly roll the crepe and place the filled crepes into a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

After the crepes were all stuffed, I made the pumpkin cream sauce.

Pumpkin Cream Sauce

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup heavy whipping cream

salt & pepper to taste

1/3 cup dry white wine

1-2 TBSP butter

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

Mix everything except the butter, together and heat in a small skillet. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and continue cooking for about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly so nothing burns. Add the butter at the very end as a finish.

Once the sauce is done, carefully pour or spoon it over the crepes.

I add a little cheese on top and then finished it with the rest of the sausage and pumpkin filling.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the center of the crepes is hot. Serve them up how you like. I served mine over some couscous with a crisp, citrusy chardonnay on the side. C’est manifique! C’es si bonne!

Savor the day and enjoy it all. Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.

There are still a lot of beautiful fall colors to see. They are changing once again though, and are showing more of the oranges, reds and rusts now, rather than the yellows, golds and greens. All the other colors are fading too, and soon will be dormant for the season. Once the cooler weather and the snows hit, our colors will be gone.

Often when people come over for dinner they think I make big elaborate dinners all the time and ask if that is how we always eat. A simple answer would be NO! In fact, most of the time, it is just the opposite. We eat a lot of quick and easy simple meals when it is just the two of us, although I do make more elaborate meals too. It really just depends on my mood, what I have on hand at the time, and how much time do I have to prepare dinner. Larry is pretty easy to cook for. He eats just about everything, though he prefers a lot of the more simple, basic meals.

I made an easy-peasy chicken and veggie skillet meal the other day that was a big hit. But then anything over pasta will always be a winner for me. I could eat pasta dishes 7 days a week and easily be happy.

Chicken and Veggies in A Skillet

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cut into thin strips

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3-4 sweet peppers, sliced thin

1 onion, sliced thin

1 TBSP garlic

1 lb asparagus, cut into pieces about 1-1 1/2 inches in size

1/2 cup sherry, brandy or chicken broth

2 TBSP butter

olive oil

red pepper flakes to taste

Add the salt & pepper to the chicken pieces and cook in a hot skillet with the olive oil until the chicken is completely cooked.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the heat and add all the vegetables and garlic except for the asparagus. Add more olive oil and butter if needed. Cook for about 3 minutes. Then re-add the chicken to the mix.

Add the asparagus and continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Once everything is cooked, removed it all from the pan, then add the sherry or brandy or chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the skillet. I used brandy this time because that what was readily available to me. Bring to a boil and cook for about 1-2 minutes or until the the liquid is reduced to about 1-2 TBSP. Return the chicken and vegetables to the skillet and coat with the remaining liquid. Add the butter and red pepper flakes, if using, and adjust the seasoning if needed, then mix together thoroughly. Serve either by itself or over rice or pasta. Add a fruity, citrusy white wine, some warmed bread, and your meal is complete. Easy-peasy and delicious; just the way I like it.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.

More golden colors of this fabulous fall season we have been enjoying this year.

Enjoy them while you can. They are going, going, and will soon be gone.

As I have mentioned a few times, I love anything pumpkin, Lamb and Pumpkin Pies. I still have a lot of pumpkin to use and I still have a lot of pumpkin recipes to try, or at least be inspired by, as well. So that means I am still making more delicious pumpkin dishes. ‘Tis the season after all.

Not only did I create a new pumpkin sensation, but I think I also coined a new term, “tortelets”. I was inspired by an actual recipe, as I so often am, but as usual, I made it my own and personalized it. I made it my own in a few ways. I made it even more of a savory dish and added chorizo sausage for one, and instead of making it as one large torte, I made them as individual tortes, or my new term, tortelets.

This is an Italian inspired dish, as so many of my dishes are, though I really love foods from all parts of the world. It is safe to say, I just plain love food, no matter what its origins. 🙂 I made these for a potluck meeting I was attending, which was the initial reason for making them as individual tortelets instead of one torte, but I think I will continue to make them this way because I like them better. They are easier to eat and to serve this way.

Spinach, Pumpkin and Sausage Tortelets

2 lbs pumpkin, peeled, seeded and either shredded or cut into matchstick size pieces

1 onion, diced fine

1 TBSP garlic

1 cup spinach

salt & pepper to taste

1/4 cup olive oil

butter

1 lb ground chorizo sausage

1 cup cooked rice

9 eggs

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp marjoram

bread crumbs

1 cup shredded Parmigiano cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

pepita seeds, optional

Preheat oven to 350* F or 180* C.

Spray muffin pans or a 10″ springform cake pan with cooking spray

Saute the vegetables and seasonings in the olive oil and butter combination for about 5-7 minutes or until the pumpkin is softened and the onions are translucent.

Add the chorizo, mix in thoroughly and continue to cook until the sausage is completely cooked.

When the sausage mixture is completely cooked, add the rice and combine well.

Mix the two cheese together in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the bottom of the muffin pan with bread crumbs, then fill the cups about 3/4 full with the filling.

Whisk together the eggs and cream with a bit more salt and pepper and pour over the sausage and vegetable mixture. Top each tortelet with a little bit of the cheese mixture and add pepita seeds if you like. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the eggs are solid and the center is thoroughly cooked. If you are making it as one torte, cook for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the center is completely cooked.

These can be eaten either hot or at room temperature. They were a big hit at my meeting, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed them. Because they are individual tortelets, they travel very well, which makes them a great addition to a fall potluck or gathering. Enjoy! I know you will. 🙂

Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.

Some of the trees are still proudly displaying their fall colors, though more and more are beginning to shed their leaves. I am seeing more sights like this that trees still in full color right now. It won’t be to much longer.

Pumpkin season is in full swing, and I have a lot to use, so you will be seeing quite a few pumpkin recipes in the near future. I love pumpkin season, and I take full advantage of it too.

It was another chilly night where warm comfort food was just what was needed. I had more lamb that I needed to use, so I decided to make a lamb and pumpkin pie, similar to a beef pot pie. I made it with a cornbread crust instead of a regular crust, which really livened it up even more. It was delicious and it hit the spot. It was just what we needed.

You can make this as one big pie and spoon it up but I prefer to make them as individual pies. I think they are a lot easier and make for a better presentation this way.

Lamb and Pumpkin Pies

Meat Filling

1-1 1/2 lbs lamb cut into chunks about 1 in in size.

2 cups pumpkin cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 red bell pepper, diced medium

2-3 sweet peppers, sliced thin

1/2 onion, diced medium

1 TBSP garlic

1 cup corn

1/2 cup couscous

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 cup beef broth

Cornbread Topping

1/2 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup flour

1 TBSP sugar

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

2 TBSP olive oil

Preheat oven to 400* F or 200* C

Spray your ramekins or pan with cooking spray

Cook the lamb, vegetables and spices in a hot skillet with the olive oil for about 7-10 minutes, or until the lamb is cooked and the vegetables are softened.

Add the beef broth and couscous. I used the Israeli pearl couscous. Stir everything together well. Then spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekins.

While the lamb and vegetables are cooking, make the cornbread topping. Combine the cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder. Whisk the egg, milk and olive oil together then add to the flour and cornmeal mixture. Stir just until everything is thoroughly combined and is moistened. Then evenly spread on top of the meat and vegetables.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the crust is golden and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle. Serve immediately. This is best when eaten straight out of the oven, when it is nice and hot.

I served it with some of my pumpkin egg bread, Pumpkin Egg Bread and a bold red blend on the side. Because of the cornbread crust, it really didn’t need any extra bread, but I had it and decided to use it. A good fall salad would be a perfect choice for a side dish.

This is a delicious, hearty meal that will definitely take off any chill that comes your way.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.

A good portion of the colorful and beautiful leaves have now fallen, leaving the trees naked for the rest of the season. However, some still remain. Most of the remaining leaves are now the golds, oranges and reds. I am enjoying them for as long as I can. 🙂

I was all excited about getting my new camera to replace the one that died. Good-Bye Old Friend, Hello New

But as it turns out, we are not well suited for each other. Yesterday was the first time I took it out walk-about with me, and I was really disappointed with it. Because I love nature shots, I need something with a much better zoom capability than this one offers. What I got was something that is better for taking portraits. I don’t like taking a lot of pictures of people, unless I am at a people event, like Trunk or Treat. Trunk or Treat

I have decided to send this new camera back to Canon. I am replacing it with something similar to what I had, only better. So, I will be back to the cell phone for awhile until I get my next new camera. Live and learn. 🙂