A Jeanne in the Kitchen

I gave you a little teaser yesterday when I mentioned we were having friends over for dinner, and that the theme for the evening was Mediterranean.  Mediterranean Spinach and Orzo Salad  It was a simple meal that was simply delicious.  Originally I was going to make something else, but Bill kept teasing how he wanted something with bacon.  So bacon it was.  Bacon wrapped shrimp that is.

The bacon wrapped shrimp was definitely the focal point of the meal.  The surrounding cast were the Mediterranean spinach and orzo salad, along with some pesto focaccia bread (I did not make the focaccia this time, though I easily could have.  Costco had to good of a deal to pass up), and a chocolate cherry coffee cake for dessert.  I could have sworn I had already given you the recipe for this cherry chocolate coffee cake, but I can’t seem to find it.  I guess that means I will just have to make it again so you can have the recipe too.  🙂

I had some leftover tomato-basil vinaigrette that was just perfect as a marinade for my shrimp.  The Chef’s Salad  As I was par cooking my bacon, I marinaded the shrimp in the tomato-basil vinaigrette for about 30 minutes.  If you marinate shrimp or other more delicate seafood in something with an acidic base for to much longer than 30 minutes, it will “cook” the fish, which will make it tough and chewy when you actually do cook the fish.

Par cook the bacon before wrapping it around the shrimp.  You do not want to over cook it.  You want it where it is still pliable with some fat, and not crispy at all.  If the bacon is crispy, you will not be able to wrap it around the shrimp.  So it still has to be pretty soft.   The reason for par cooking the bacon is because the shrimp will not take that long to cook, and the bacon takes longer.  You would either have under cooked bacon when the shrimp is done, or burned, over cooked shrimp when the bacon is done.  Neither of those is a good option. Cook the bacon on a griddle or in the oven so it does not curl up.  You want it to be as straight as possible, again, making it easier to work with when wrapping it around the shrimp.

Once the bacon is semi-cooked, let it cool for a bit and cut it in half.  One of the half pieces is perfect for one piece of shrimp.  Start carefully wrapping it around the shrimp, and then skewer them up.  Grill the bacon wrapped shrimp for about 3-4 minutes per side or until both the shrimp and the bacon are completely cooked.

Once the shrimp and bacon are cooked, slide them off the skewers and enjoy.  If there is a little extra sauce left over, heat it up and top your shrimp with it to add a little extra flavor.

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

We have had so many birds in our backyard lately.  I just love it.  We were sitting out on our deck eating lunch, and we had a red headed house finch who was thoroughly enjoying himself in the catnip and in the trees.  We couldn’t help but to take a few pictures of him.  We have gotten to the point where we just bring our camera out to the deck with us because there is always so much going on.

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

 

We are having friends over for dinner later and tonight’s dinner theme is a Mediterranean one.  I am not going to give away the whole meal just yet, but I will share this quick and easy salad I made earlier.  It’s in the fridge just chilling for later.  You will just have to wait to see what the rest of the meal is later.  🙂

This colorful salad is full of fresh ingredients.  It is a cool salad just perfect for those hot days.

 

Mediterranean Spinach and Orzo Salad

1 can or 2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups orzo

4 cups spinach, chopped and stems removed

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in 1/2

2 cans either garbanzo beans or cannellini beans, drained

1/4 red onion, diced fine

1/4 green onions, sliced thin

1/2-3/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped

2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped fine

2 TBSP lemon verbena, chopped fine, optional

1/2 cup olive oil

2 TBSP lemon juice

2 TBSP white wine vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

1 TBSP garlic

1-2 tsp Tabasco, or hot sauce

 

Bring the chicken broth to a boil, then add the orzo and cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until the orzo is completely cooked.  Drain completely and cool.

Unless I have a lot of nuts, I usually just toast them in a skillet with no oil for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Combine the cooled orzo, beans, spinach, tomatoes, nuts and onions.

Whisk the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Tabasco, garlic and seasonings and herbs together.

Toss the dressing together with the rest of the ingredients, mixing everything thoroughly.  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

I meant to grab garbanzo beans from my basement, but did not realize I accidentally grabbed cannellini beans instead.  Oh well.  I love them both, and both will work just fine.

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

 

 

 

 

Video #2 is now complete.  I just did a video on how to make a steak Caesar salad.  Here are the quick and easy recipes for the croutons and the dressing that I mentioned in the video.

Croutons

stale bread cubed

salt & pepper to taste

1 TBSP garlic

olive oil

dried parsley, optional

cayenne pepper or Cajun spice to taste, optional.

 

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

Any kind of bread will do, and you can cube it any size you like.  Use a serrated knife and cut your bread into bite-sized cubes.

Toss the bread cubes with all the other ingredients and place them in a single layer on a baking pan.

Bake for about 12-15 minutes, then stir the pieces around and continue to bake for another 12-15 minutes, or until the croutons are crispy.  Remove from the oven and enjoy in your favorite salad.  Feel free to play around with different spices and herbs too.  Have fun with them.

 

Easy Caesar Dressing

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 TBSP Dijon mustard

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

2 TBSP lemon juice

1/3 cup olive oil

 

And now the video that shows how to put everything together.  I used steak for this particular salad, but you can have the Caesar salad as is, or you can top it with chicken, shrimp or salmon too.

Hail Caesar!  Stay safe and stay well Everyone.  ‘Til next time.

 

I just love seeing all of our big, beautiful water birds.  They are just so graceful.  This year, we have seen a lot of egrets and cormorants, but not all that many blue herons.  Usually we see a lot of all of them.  The herons we’ve seen this year have all kept their distance too.  They have been very elusive.  But every now and then I get some good candid shots of them, though be it at a distance.  Thanks goodness for a good zoom lens.

 

The elusive blue heron.

 

The egret and the duck.

 

The cormorant just spreading his wings.

While you can, spread your wings and fly too.

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

Pork chops were next in line for the meat rotation.  As usual, I got busy doing other things and did not have time to really think of what to make for dinner, other than we were having pork chops for dinner.  So I had to think of something quick and easy, and of course, delicious as well.  No problem.  I had a ton of vegetables on hand, like I always do, so I made them in a simple Italian style, then served them over orzo and the pork chops.  Italian cooking, like Spanish and Mediterranean cooking, emphasizes using lots of fresh, hearty vegetables; a philosophy I whole heartedly subscribe to.  Not only is it a very tasty way of cooking, but it is also very healthy.

Italian Pork Chops and Vegetables

1-1 1/2 lbs pork chops

2 TBSP garlic – divided – 1 TBSP for the marinade and 1 TBSP for the vegetables

2 tsp basil – divided – 1 tsp for the marinade and 1 tsp for the vegetables

2 tsp oregano – divided – 1 tsp for the marinade and 1 tsp for the vegetables

2 tsp thyme – divided – 1 tsp for the marinade and 1 tsp for the vegetables

2 tsp marjoram – divided – 1 tsp for the marinade and 1 tsp for the vegetables

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

salt & pepper to taste

1/3 cup olive oil

2-3 TBSP balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced medium

1 zucchini, sliced

1/4 red onion, sliced

1-1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

 

First, make the marinade with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and herbs.  Let the pork marinate for at least 1 hour before cooking.  I grilled the pork chops, but you can cook them however you like.

While the pork chops are marinating, saute all the vegetables and garlic, except for the tomatoes, in olive oil.  I added extra herbs and salt and pepper as needed as they were cooking.  Cook for about 5-7 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the tomatoes to the mixture.  Let everything simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Once the sauce is ready, top it over your favorite pasta, then add the pork chops, and top again with more vegetables.  I used orzo this time because I wanted a lighter dish.  !Mangia!

This is a light meal that is full of flavor.  It’s a perfect choice for dinning al fresco along with some warmed ciabiatta and a glass or two of vino.  Red or white will do just fine.

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

 

We didn’t have to go very far to enjoy these beautiful birds.  They were literally just in our backyard.  We took these pictures while dining out on the deck.  Despite all that 2020 has thrown at us so far, I have to admit, Mother Nature is doing her best to ease the tensions and is providing us with some much needed beauty.

A little sprague perched up high in the tree.

A yellow goldfinch sitting on the catnip.  Our backyard is filled with both catnip and lemon verbena.

Our little goldfinch even brought a friend to play with.

Our red headed house finches have been stopping by quite regularly too lately.  Same bush, different day as the goldfinches.

We have seen quite a few hawks flying up above, but they are being quite elusive.  It’s been real difficult to get good shots of them, and they are always in flight.  Even though we see hawks all around, it is either when I don’t have my camera with me, or I can’t get to them in time.

And hawks of a different feather, flying right above my deck.  This is the corner of my house.  I took these from our deck and Larry was working from home that day, in the office.  He said the whole house shook and the windows were rattling.  We never found out why they were there.  We had heard they were making a rescue, but they would not need 3.  We think either someone important was flying in and/or there was something that called for the military, in which case, we will never know why they were flying right above us.

We even has a squirrel on the wire.

With all that is currently going on in the world, we all need to step back and enjoy the little things.

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

 

I have certainly had my very lean days, and I am NOT just talking about my waistline either, where money was very tight.  Eating leftovers was often times my only option if I wanted to eat at all.  There were times when I would eat the same meal for a few days straight because that is what I had.  But I get bored having them the same way over and over again.  So I recreate them as much and as often as I can.  Recreating leftovers has become a fun game for me.  How can I creatively recreate from what I already have?  How many ways can I recreate from what I already have?  HMMMMMM!  Let the games begin!  Obviously, I love leftovers, I just don’t always like them the same way as they were when they were first-overs.   This is why my alter ego, “The Queen of Leftovers” and I have become such close, tight friends, and will be remain forever friends as well.

My latest leftover recreation took a turn to the Caribbean when I used my leftover tomatillo salsa Pan-fried Cod with Tomatillo Salsa to make some Caribbean rice.  We go down to the Caribbean A LOT, for diving, and no matter where you are, the basic Caribbean diet is rice, beans and chicken.  Sometimes, if you are lucky, it is chicken, rice and beans.  In then the Caribbean it is said as a joke, but there really is some truth to it as well.  Usually, the first item mentioned will be the primary ingredient, so if rice and beans are mentioned first, there is very little chicken used, whereas if the chicken is mentioned first, you are using more of it.  We were lucky this time, and it was chicken and rice for us.   No beans this time.  🙂

The first of the leftover tomatillo salsa was used when we went to InVINtions and Tocabe.  Tocabe, The Native American Way  We used it on top of the bannock or fry bread.  YUM!  What a good combination.  But I still had some left.  Of course, not really enough to have on its own, but just enough to use it for some rice to spice it up.

I added some corn, red onions, tomatoes, red bell pepper and cilantro.  I diced the red onions, red bell pepper and tomatoes fine, and chopped the cilantro fine as well.  Then all of the vegetables were sauteed in olive oil for about 5-7 minutes, with a little salt and pepper added as well.

I already had some rice cooked, which was added to the corn mixture as well as the rest of my tomatilla salsa.

Once everything was mixed together, I let it all cook for about another 5-7 minutes to heat up the salsa and the rice.  Then I added the tomatoes and cilantro right before serving it and mixed everything together thoroughly.  I did not want either the tomatoes or the cilantro to break down.

Before making the rice mixture though, I made a simple Caribbean  style honey mustard vinaigrette to marinade the chicken in.  I marinated the chicken for about 1 hour before we grilled it up.

Zesty Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp basil

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 TBSP garlic

2 TBSP Spicy mustard

1/3 cup honey mustard dressing

1 TBSP honey

 

Mix everything together to use as either a marinade or a dressing for a salad.

Once everything was ready, I sliced the chicken to make some Caribbean pitas with avocado and served it with the Caribbean rice and a glass or two of a cool, crisp chardonnay.  Just because we cannot travel to any place exotic at the moment does not mean we cannot enjoy the exotic flavors from around the world.  🙂

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

 

 

I met a friend for breakfast at First Watch, The Daytime Cafe in Arvada today.  I had never been there before, but I will definitely go back again.  The name First Watch is a nautical reference to the first work shift aboard ship, which is an appropriate name for the restaurant since First Watch restaurants are only open from 7:00 AM to 2:30 PM

First Watch is a restaurant chain throughout the country, that originally started in Pacific Grove, California in 1983, by Ken Pendery and John Sullivan.  They are in 26 states, with about 300 locations and about 6000 employees.  First Watch bought out the Egg and I and Le Peep, two other morning restaurant chains.

The restaurants’ philosophy for serving fresh, in season produce is simple.  “We follow the sun and partner with the best growers possible.  Here at First Watch, we begin each morning at the crack of dawn, slicing fresh fruits and vegetables, baking muffins and whipping up our French toast batter from scratch. Everything is made to order and freshness is never compromised. We don’t use heat lamps or deep fryers — we use only the finest ingredients possible for the freshest taste around. When you arrive, we welcome you with a pot — not just a cup — of our Project Sunrise coffee, along with complimentary newspapers and WiFi Internet access.”

My friend Alice and I both enjoyed some delicious breakfast as we got caught up with each other and what’s been going on.

Alice enjoyed the Power Breakfast Quinoa Bowl, made with quinoa, Italian sausage, house roasted crimini mushrooms and tomatoes, kale Parmigiano cheese and eggs.  It looked really good and she thoroughly enjoyed it.

I went for a more traditional breakfast, and opted for the Inspired Italian Omelette, which was loaded with Italian sausage, house roasted tomatoes and peppers, fresh herbs and both Mozzarella and Parmigiano cheese.

We both cleaned our plates, so I guess that tells you we really enjoyed our breakfast, and apparently we were a lot hungrier than we thought.

As I said, there are about 300 First Watch Restaurants located around the country.  You should definitely go and try them out.  You will be very happy you did.  We went to the one in Arvada, Colorado, located at 7450 B West 52 Ave., #200.  You can phone them at (303) 439-2202 or find them online at firstwatch.com.

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