A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Whenever we go to the Wild Animal Sanctuary, certain animals just really stand out for the day. It just depends on their personalities on that particular day. When we went on Friday, the tigers were the ones who were talking to us the most. It would have been really cool if they had been roaring to us, but not this time. I love all the big cats, but I have a real special affinity for the tigers.

While we were talking to one of the volunteers, I showed him some of my pictures too. He paid me very high praise and said they were “like something he would see in National Geographic”. They’re not, but he still made my day saying that. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. 🙂

When I made my Siracha steak, Siracha Steak I had enough steak leftover for another meal. Because I had marinated it in the Siracha marinade, I really didn’t have much choice other than reusing it somehow with a similar sauce or dressing. So I turned it into a Siracha steak salad. It was still similar, yet different enough to not be the same thing.

I used the same basic marinade yet added a bit more rice vinegar and 2/3 cup of olive oil, to turn it from a marinade into a salad dressing. Next, I starting creating the salad.

I started off with a spinach base, then added some red onion sliced very thin, cucumbers sliced very thin, red bell pepper cut into thin matchsticks, shredded carrots, green onions, sweet 100 tomatoes cut in half, and topped it off with some easy candied cashews, since I used cashew butter in the dressing. And of course, the steak, sliced thin as well.

For the candied cashews, I just cooked them in butter and honey this time. I cooked them for about 5-7 minutes, then spread them out on a piece of parchment paper in a single layer to harden a bit.

And voila, another Asian steak salad was created, just like that. It was simple and easy-peasy and delicious. It doesn’t get much better than that. 🙂

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

Janet and Bob are on vacation, and they asked me to pick their tomatoes for them while they are gone. They said I can keep what I pick too, just saving a few for them later. I am NOT going to turn down free tomatoes, and Bob’s tomatoes are always so delicious too. As you can see, these plants are very healthy and very fruitful.

Yesterday was my first tomato harvest, with more coming too.

I only picked the ripe ones, leaving tons more on the vines that aren’t quite ready yet. I’ll probably go back and pick some more tomorrow.

This was my first day’s haul. There are 3 different kinds of tomatoes here. I forget what Bob called the larger reds, but there are also sweet 100’s and yellow boys too. I spilt this box with Mike & Lauren and my neighbors Hanna & Aziz and I still have plenty left.

Last week, Bob had given me another big bag of the sweet 100’s too. Believe it or not, those are almost all gone already. We love tomatoes and eat a lot, especially fresh garden-picked tomatoes. 🙂

I am making a tomato tart with the first batch. Tomato Tart I already have my dough made, now I just need to make the tart to go with the rest of dinner. Though this tart could easily be a complete dinner all on its own. 🙂 And I see some marinara sauce in the very near future too. 🙂

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

We took another trip to the Wild Animal Sanctuary (WAS) last night. We found it is better to go later in the day, when it is cooler. The animals are a lot more active when the temperatures are cooler. I will share more on the animals later, but today, I am going to focus on the birds. You wouldn’t think there would be so many birds at the WAS, but there are always tons of birds there. You all know I love my birds as much as I love ALL my animals. I got some great shots of the birds last night too.

There were tons of gulls all around. Yes, we have lots and lots of gulls here in Colorado. Surprise, surprise. 🙂

European Starlings like it out in Keensberg too.

And there were two kinds of Herons hanging out in the same pond. There was a Black Crowned Night Heron.

And a Blue Heron.

As always, we saw lots of animals, and loved them all. But I just thought I would show you some of the feathered friends they have there too for a change. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Make it better by talking to the animals too. 🙂 ‘Til next time.

We have Northern Flickers year round, but I tend to see them more in the cooler months of fall and winter. Starting yesterday, and at least for this upcoming week, we will have MUCH cooler weather, and our Flickers are loving it. And so am I. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. 🙂

The new location of Kingman Winery The New Kingman Winery has only been opened for a short period of time. Initially, it was only open on Saturdays and Sundays. But last night they were opened for business on a Friday, and had yet another fun band and food to celebrate. This was their first Friday opening at the new location. Of course we were there to help celebrate once again too. The goal is for them to start opening up more days during the week, but right now, they are starting off slow, opening up one more day at a time. Soon, they will be open most days of the week. 🙂

It was a fun date night for Larry and I. 🙂

The band this time was another local country band, The Chris King Band.

The band was having a lot of fun, and so was everyone else. There were two little kids that stole the show. Everyone was having a great time, enjoying the evening with good wine, good fun, and BBQ for those who wanted some. It was a family fun event.

There was a lot of dancing going on too. Mom gave me permission to post these. She and her whole family were up dancing and having a great time, as we all were. 🙂

Good wine and good fun always makes life more fun. Cheers!

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well, and enjoy some good wine too. ‘Til next time.

These photos were taken with my cell phone. I didn’t bring my big camera. But everyone was having so much fun I had to capture the moments and capture the smiles. 🙂

I have seen a lot of various winged creatures this season. So I thought I would share some of them with you too before the season ends.

And some different kinds of winged things that fly.

Have a great day and make everyday great. 🙂

Succotash originated with Native Americans in 17th-century New England, with its name derived from the Narragansett word msickquatash or the Narragansett word sahquttahhash, which means broken corn kernels. This indigenous dish featured corn, beans, and other local ingredients like game and nuts, and was shared with early English settlers. Over time, it evolved into the popular corn and lima bean side dish known today, becoming an affordable and traditional meal, especially in New England and during tough economic times like the Great Depression.

Like with most dishes and most variations of dishes, people cooked and ate what was easily and readily available to them. I love succotash, but this time I made my own version, and made it Mexican style. Peppers and onions are integral vegetables in Mexico and Central America. I always have peppers on hand and I was making my chipotle shrimp Grilled Shrimp with Chipotle Vinaigrette, which is Mexican or Southwestern, so I made my own version of a Mexican succotash to go with my shrimp. When cooking any ethnic foods, I like to stay in theme and prepare the whole meal in that ethnic flavor and style.

Mexican Succotash

Mexican cuisine utilizes a wide variety of vegetables, including staple ingredients like corn, tomatoes, and various types of peppers. Other common vegetables include onions, avocados, zucchini, and cactus (nopales). Many vegetables, such as tomatoes and peppers, are native to Mexico and Central America and were cultivated by its indigenous people. Cumin, oregano and cinnamon are used a lot in Mexican cooking as well.

1 cup corn kernels

1/2 red bell pepper, diced medium

1/2 green bell pepper, diced medium

1/4 red onion, diced medium

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 TBSP garlic

1 cup grape or sweet 100 tomatoes, cut in 1/2

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil and/or butter for cooking

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cumin

1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 tsp dried oregano or 1 TBSP fresh oregano, chopped

1 tsp dried thyme or 1 TBSP fresh thyme

fresh chives, chopped fine

Get a large skillet very hot, then add the olive oil and/or butter. Add the heartier vegetables and all the dry seasonings and herbs. If you are using fresh herbs, add then later, when you add the tomatoes. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the vegetables are al dente.

Add the tomatoes and the fresh herbs, if using, right at the end of the cooking process, and cook just long enough to heat them up. Serve hot.

This delicious Mexican vegetable medley will go well with anything you want to serve it with. It is a different variation of an old classic that has been given a south of the border flair. !Disfrutar!

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

My Belted Kingfishers have been back. They are flitting around from tree to tree, singing their songs along the way.

Have a great day and make everyday great. 🙂

Shrimp is a favorite in our house. We eat quite a bit of shrimp and because we eat a lot of shrimp, I am always on the lookout for new, delicious ways of preparing it. I came up with a delicious chipotle vinaigrette that I used to marinate the shrimp before grilling it to perfection.

Grilled Shrimp with Chipotle Vinaigrette

A chipotle vinaigrette? Yes indeed, and it was very good too. You can use this same vinaigrette for chicken or a salad too. It is a versatile sauce with a hint of sweet and a hint of spice. In a word – DELICIOUS! Of course I was creating and changing things as I went along. Would you expect anything different?! 🙂

1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 TBSP Prosecco or sherry vinegar – I used Prosecco

1 TBSP orange balsamic vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1 TBSP garlic

2 chipotle peppers with sauce, minced

salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

2/3 cup olive oil

1 TBSP honey

1 tsp cumin

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Whisk everything together until well it is emulsified. Add the shrimp to about 1/2-2/3 of the marinate, and let rest for about 30 minutes before skewering and grilling. If you are using chicken instead of shrimp, you can let it marinate for about 1-2 hours.

Place the shrimp on the grill when ready to cook, and let it grill for about 3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp is completely cooked.

I served it over wild rice and a Mexican succotash, with some of our very one chardonnay on the side. It was a perfect summer meal.

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