A Jeanne in the Kitchen

What are the holidays without music, right?! There is something very special about holiday music too. As you would expect from me, I have a very eclectic range of music that I love to listen to, and that includes holiday music as well. I love the old classics just as much as I love the new fun stuff, as well as the hard rock versions. I love all kinds of music and listen to everything. It really just kind of depends on my mood at the time. But I have to say, Christmas Eve in Sarajevo, by Trans Siberian Orchestra or TSO, is one of my absolute favorite Christmas songs, although I do have a lot of others that I enjoy tremendously as well. This is a modern version of Carol of the Bells. This song is best enjoyed when played LOUD!

We have seen TSO a few times. They are VERY talented musicians that combine rock with classical music. And their light and pyrotechnic show they put on is outstanding as well. They are truly an experience for ALL the senses and they are at their absolute best when seen and heard live.

I love the snow, and particularly during the holidays. The snow just makes the holidays and Christmas even more magical than they already are.

Here we are “dashing through the snow, on a one-horse open sleigh” …… OK a two-horse open sleigh, up in Breckinridge. These two big beautiful Belgian draft horses took us on sleigh ride through the hills. It was so beautiful.

I have still been doing my walks and still enjoying all there is to see. That is about the only thing we can do right now. I just did not want to inundate you with too many posts and pictures all at once. I have been bursting at the seams too, because I have seen some beautiful things once again and have met some new “neighbors” that I’ve been wanting to introduce you to. So, I just had to share another Nature Walks series with you. I am under the impression you all like them as much as I like sharing them with you.

I was planning on walking again today, but I just looked out my office window and once again, the snow is beginning to fall. It’s just a light little snow at the moment though, so I may still go for a walk later. 🙂 –

As always, there are plenty of geese on the lakes. This one was coming in for the landing.

We still have plenty of ducks too,

including this new friend, a Barrow’s Goldeneye.

There are still plenty of prairie dogs, bunnies and squirrels out and about too.

I even saw a floating pumpkin. This is not something I see everyday.

There were more Northern Flickers.

And the ever evasive blue jays. It has been so difficult for me to get any pictures of them. They fly away before I can get them in my focus. But I did manage to get this one.

And yet another new friend, a Belted kingfisher.

I will continue with more of the Nature Walks series after my 25 Days of Christmas Challenge. Enjoy!

I made a quiche with my leftover Christmas ham Video #20 – A Christmas Ham with an Apple-Ginger Cider Glaze and I decided to make a good soup to go with the quiche. Soup and quiche is always a good combination, especially on a cold, wintery day. I found a recipe for an Italian sausage and pumpkin soup that I just had to try, and I am really glad I did too. The Italian name sounds much more exotic and romantic than the English version, but, io non parlo Italiano – Zuppa di Zucca con la Salsiccie.

The recipe is from an Italian cookbook, and it is Italian, but it also called for Italian sausage. I didn’t have Italian sausage this time, and didn’t really feel like going to get some. But I did have some spicy elk sausage that worked just perfectly. The point is, like I have said many times, use what you have. Recipes are really just guidelines. Improvise how you like. Make them your own. Be creative.

Italian Sausage and Pumpkin Soup

1 lb sausage – your choice

2 TBSP garlic

1/2 red onion, diced fine

1- 2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup chopped pumpkin or squash

1 TBSP fresh sage, or about 2 tsp dried sage

1 tsp thyme

1/2 cup sherry or Marsala wine

6 cups chicken stock

1 can pumpkin puree

salt & pepper to taste

1 cup uncooked pasta

olive oil

Cook the sausage then remove from the heat and let cool. Slice into thin slices. Return the sliced sausage to the soup pot, add olive oil and all the vegetables. Saute for about 5 minutes.

Once the vegetables have softened a bit, add the sherry or Marsala and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Then mix in the pumpkin, chicken stock and seasonings.

Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 40-45 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the pasta, and bring the pot back up to a boil. Reduce the heat once again and simmer for about 10 minutes. Do not add the pasta earlier or it will soak up all the liquid and will turn to mush.

You can always add more chicken stock if need be too. Serve as soon as the pasta has completely cooked.

!Mangia e Buon Appetito!

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

Visiting with Santa was a big part of my childhood. My “little sister” Kathy and I would go every year. Kathy and I have known each other our whole entire lives. We grew up right next door to each other and are exactly 1 year apart. This is one of those magical times.

Love ya Kat. Merry Christmas.

The “Queen of Leftovers” has been busy at my house these last few weeks. As you all know, The Queen and I are best friends. She brought her magic leftover wand to my house again, and has really been shaking it all about lately. With the way I cook, you would never know I am actually an only child; you would think I grew up in Larry’s family, as the youngest of 9. Working in restaurants and catering for over 35 years added to the fact that when I cook, which is basically all the time, I cook for large amounts of people too. I have this morbid fear of running out of food. We have actually done that on a couple of occasions at some catering events I’ve worked (I was not the Chef in charge though, so I don’t take the blame. At those times, I was only the Sous Chef. It was SO embarrassing!) I haven’t learned how to cook for just the two of us, and at this late stage, I doubt it’s going to ever happen either. 🙂

This latest leftover meal was completely comprised of using up what was already cooked and in the fridge, with the exception of my vegetables. I had some leftover spinach and artichoke dip that got turned into stuffing for for some chicken. That was served atop some leftover couscous, and everything was dressed with the remainder of my lemon vinaigrette. Add a Little Lemon I waved my magic leftover wand, and … voila! A magical meal was made.

I coated the chicken with some herbs and olive oil and seared it, then I made a pocket for the filling. I added some garlic and roasted chilies to the artichoke dip, then filled my pockets.

Not wanting anything to go to waste (not waist, especially mine), I poured the juices from the pan on top of the chicken, covered it in foil and baked it in the oven at 375* F or about 190* C for about 45 minutes.

And the finished product is plated and served. Since I am a saucy kind of girl, I poured the remainder of my lemon vinaigrette on top of the chicken and added a bit of parsley. If you didn’t know any better, would you think this meal was all from leftovers? 🙂

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays. Stay safe and stay well Everyone. ‘Til next time.

I have always believed in Santa Claus, and I still do. I love Santa Claus, St. Nick, Father Christmas, and all the other names he goes by. I have been collecting Santas for many, many years.

This is my newest addition to the Santa family.

But my favorite Santa is as old as the season, or almost. He was my parents’ Santa and I grew up with him. He ALWAYS gets a special place and he will always have a special place in my heart.

You all know how much I hate throwing away food if I can help it. When I made my twice baked potatoes, Video #20 – A Christmas Ham with an Apple-Ginger Cider Glaze I had just enough leftover potato filling to use for making some potato bread. Plus, it was still a cold, chilly day, so it was yet another perfect day to have the oven on and do some baking. I made a Hungarian potato dill bread. It was a dense, hearty bread that was filled with flavor. Not only did it have the flavor of the dill, but when I made my twice baked potatoes, I used butter, cream, cheese and green onions as well, so the bread took on all those flavors too.

Hungarian Potato Dill Bread

2 1/2 cups of cooled mashed potaotes

2 tsp dry active yeast

1/2 – 3/4 cup warm water, divided

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp salt

1-2 tsp dried dill, optional

Mix the yeast with 1/4 cup of the water and let set for about 10 minutes, or until it becomes frothy.

Mix the flour, salt and dill together. Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture, mixing in just enough flour to make a spongy paste. Cover with a towel and let rest for 20 minutes.

Combine the rest of the flour into the spongy paste, and add the additional water as needed. Mix in the potatoes and combine everything thoroughly. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and work everything together, and knead the dough until it forms into a soft ball. Cover and let rise for 2 hours.

This is a thick, dense dough, and will not rise as much at first because of the density of the potatoes. However, once the bread is in the hot oven, the moisture from the potatoes will escape, allowing the bread to dramatically expand.

After the first rise, punch the dough down and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Shape the dough into a round loaf. Place the loaf on a lightly floured baking sheet and let rise again for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425* F or about 220 *C.

Dust the loaf with flour then score the top. Scoring the bread with deep slashes allows the bread to rise and expand as it bakes without tearing or cracking the sides or bottom of the bread. The deeper the slashes, the more the bread will open when it is baked, giving the bread a minimum crust area.

Once the oven is at temperature, before putting the bread into the oven, spray the oven with water to create steam. Then quickly put the bread into the oven. Spray the oven again at least 2 more times within the first 10 minutes of baking the bread.

The steam can be brought into the oven a few ways. I like to spray water directly onto the walls of the oven. You can also place a bowl of ice water, with ice cube, into the oven as it heats, or you can use the oven bricks and spray them with water. The steam helps create a crispy crust on the outside. The moisture helps soften the crust during the initial baking stages, that allows for the dough to fully rise which creates a thin, crisp crust. The moisture also help caramelize the sugars, which helps in the browning process.

Bake the bread for 1 hour or until it is golden brown and the bottom is hollow when tapped. Cool the bread completely before cutting.

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

Christmas is for the kids; kids of all ages. We were at a Lacrosse game that was collecting teddy bears to donate to kids’ charities. This was a teddy bear toss game. All the fans brought teddy bears to the game, and during one of the intermissions we threw them all out into the arena. The players gathered them all up and the teddy bears were all donated to local children’s hospitals.

It was a cold wintery day. We were having company over for dinner, and it was a perfect day to cook a ham. It was a also a good time to make another video. This video is about making a Christmas ham with an apple-ginger cider glaze. If you do not have ginger cider, no worries. Apple juice or cider and apple sauce will work just fine. I served my ham with some twice baked potatoes, roasted vegetables and another salad with my spiced pecans, pomegranate seeds and lemon vinaigrette. Add a Little Lemon We had some smoked cheeses and crackers for appetizers and the leftover of my caramel apple cake for dessert. Caramel Apple Cake It was a simple meal, shared with our friends Julia and Bruce (yes our very own Julia). And for all, it was a good night.

Apple-Ginger Cider Glaze for Ham

1/2 cup apple butter or apple sauce

1/2 cup ginger cider, apple cider or apple juice

1/4-1/2 cup molasses

1/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup tightly packed brown sugar

1 TBSP Dijon mustard

Mix all the ingredients together in a sauce pan and cook over a medium flame until all the sugar dissolves and the sauce starts to thicken. When ready, either pour it over the ham or brush it over the ham, making sure to completely coat the ham with the sauce. Put the ham back in the oven to continue to cook for about an hour or until the internal temperature of the ham reaches about 160-165*F or about 90*C. Reserve some of the glaze to pour over the ham once it has been sliced and is ready to serve.

As always, if you like what you see, please subscribe to my YouTube page and share it with your family and friends as well.

Stay safe and stay well. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays. ‘Til next time.