A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Churros are a type of Spanish pastry that are fried like donuts.  As with anything that has endured through the ages, in many parts of the world, there are many variations.  The basic churro is a fried dough that is shaped in a ridged-tubular shape, that is then rolled in cinnamon sugar.  In Spain, they serve it with a chocolate sauce, and in other parts of the world, it is often filled with a guava or fruit filling.

They are a few different theories of how churros came about.  Some say they were inspired by and descendants of the Chinese pastry youtiao.  Others say they were inspired by the ridged horns from the native Churra sheep of Spain and were created by the Spanish shepherds.  No one really knows.  The recipe and love for churros was brought to the New world by the Spanish in the 1500’s.  When they returned to Spain, they brought the cacao with them, and from then on, in Spain and other parts of the Spanish world, churros are dipped in a chocolate sauce.

My friend Elizabeth came over for dinner.  I made a big pot of green chili  Time for Green Chili that I served over arroz verde (green rice) and tamales.  And as you know, I love to make themed dinners, and that includes desserts, so I made churros.  It was a perfect combination.

Churros

3 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 1/2 cups water

1 tsp salt

3 TBSP brown sugar

2 egg yolks

canola or vegetable oil for cooking

sugar and cinnamon combined for rolling the hot churros in

 

Mix the flour and baking powder together and set aside.

Bring the water to a full, rapid boil, then add the salt and brown sugar, stirring constantly until they are fully dissolved.

Add the water to the flour mixture and combine well, mixing until smooth.

Add the egg yolks, one a time, and beat until completely mixed in and the dough is glossy and smooth.  If you have ever made a pate a choux, or eclairs, this is a very similar style of preparing the dough.

Let the dough cool, then spoon it into a piping bag.  Traditionally, these are made by squeezing the dough out of a churrera, which is a utensil fitted with a wooden plunger.  I have never seen one, and I certainly don’t have one.  I just used my pastry bag.  Usually, churros are ridged, but my star nozzle was not big enough, so these churros are just round.  Heat the oil to 375* F or 190* C and pipe the dough directly into the hot oil.  Use a knife to slice off each tip.  DO NOT over crowd the oil.  For best results, make it in small batches.

Let the dough cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Remove them from the hot oil and immediately roll them in the sugar and cinnamon mixture, then let cool slightly.

I decided not to serve my churros with chocolate sauce, but instead, served them with ice cream.  Either way, they are delicioso!.

Churros are best when served warm and fresh.

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

 

 

 

 

A couple of days ago, when my friend Suzanne and I got together, we started the day with a walk in her local park.  We tried to walk before the temperature started soaring, but by the end of our walk, we were both very hot and needed to take a break in a cool, shady area.  The park is a beautiful park. Nature Walks – The Playful Squirrels

There were babbling brooks running all throughout the park.

Bridges were everywhere.

And of course, there were a few ducks.  You already saw the squirrels that were out playing all over the park.

And there were sculptures.

All in all, Suzanne and I had a great day.  We thoroughly enjoyed our walk and our coffee stop at La Dolce Vita.  Helping the Locals – Part 1 – La Dolce Vita  But more so than anything, we enjoyed each other’s company.

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

 

I am very fortunate to have so many friends who are very artistic and creative.  Many of them live close by too.  My friend Vallee is one such artistic, creative person.  She is well versed in many different mediums.  Her latest artistic piece was a watercolor of a ship in a bottle.  She sent pictures of it out on Facebook, and as soon as I saw it, I just knew I had to have it.  It really spoke to me.

My dad was a career sailor, living a lot of his life sailing the seven seas.  He was a career Merchant Marine sailor.  The sea was his life and his first love.  (See where I get my love of the ocean and water from?)  Many years ago, while I was backpacking around Europe, I bought my dad a ship in a bottle, as a souvenir from Germany.  My dad has been gone now for 13 years, but I still have that ship in the bottle.  So when I saw Vallee’s picture, I just had to have it.  It makes me think of my dad.

Vallee’s original ship in the bottle.

Two ships in a bottle.

The new ship in the bottle is now proudly hanging on the wall in “my’dad’s room” along with many other ships and seascapes.  The two smaller seascapes are also originals from yet another artistic friend of mine, Carmen.

This is my favorite picture of my daddy.  I had actually bought him a ride on an old fashioned replica of a cutter ship that cruised up and down the coast of California, and we cruised it together.  He was completely in his element.  Ironically, it was gifted like a message in a bottle.  This picture has got to be at least 40 years old, so I apologize for the poor quality of the picture.  I tried to doctor it up as best as I could, but sometimes, you just have to work with what you have.

So not only was I helping a couple of local artists, but I also have great reminders of my dad, the forever sailor.  When he passed away, we gave him a sailor’s funeral, and scattered his ashes at sea.  He will forever be where he belongs and where he loves to be.

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

 

 

 

 

La Dolce Vita Coffee House in Arvada, CO is where Suzanne and I ended up after our beautiful walk in the park.  It is a small, family owned and operated coffee house that is full of beans (coffee beans), full of flavor and full of personality and serves locally made products.  It opened its doors to the public in 1993.  Not only do they serve up good coffees, lattes, teas, as well as other beverages too, but they also have a limited food menu too, offering both sweets and savory items, all made in house, from scratch daily, that will go down smoothly with a good “cup of Joe”.  The coffee cake has been passed down through the generations, and is a recipe from the owner’s great-great grandmother. On the weekends, La Dolce Vita is also a local hangout and hot spot for local musicians (prior to the lockdowns.  Hopefully the music will come back again soon).  La Dolce Vita means the sweet life, and how sweet it is too.  They are open and ready to serve.  They have seating both inside and outside, and there will always be a place just waiting for you.

Place your order from the baristas, and then enjoy your latte either inside or outside.  Both are very pleasantly decorated and comfortable places to chill and unwind.

 

The framed art on the walls is by local artists, and it’s all for sale too.

This beautiful artwork is part of the building itself, and can only be enjoyed while drinking and visiting indoors.  This little room stands alone, like none other.

There is even a little play area to keep the young coffee drinkers entertained while the adults enjoy their coffees and visits.

 

La Dolce Vita is located at 5756 Olde Wadsworth, Arvada, CO 80002.  You can call them at (303) 456-8919.  When visiting Old Town Arvada, stop by and say hi.  “The customer service is top notch, where you are treated like family and are sure to get a smile on the grayest of days.”

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

 

 

 

 

 

I had a fun day with my friend Suzanne.  We started off with a beautiful walk in the park near her house.  What a gorgeous park it was too.  It had beautiful babbling brooks, lots of flowers, frisbee golfers, and lots of playful squirrels.  The squirrels were just so darn cute.  They were running around and enjoying themselves all throughout the park.  As much as I love my lakes, it is is always a nice change of pace to discover new places too.  We started our walk in the cool of the morning, but towards the end, it was already quite hot.   After our walk, we headed over to a real cute little family owned cafe and cooled off with a sparkling juice and a good visit (Hang tight.  That will probably be coming your way tomorrow).

The squirrels were out having  blast.  How could I not take a lot of pictures of them?!  They were just having way too much fun.  🙂

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

This is the 3rd episode of my puzzle and dinner series.  This puzzle was all Larry.  We’ve learned we do NOT work well on puzzles together.  We have totally different styles of how we work them.  So, I sat this one out.  This puzzle was New York, New York.  For his New York meal, Larry chose a New York strip steak, and I came up with a New York kind of sauce to top it.

The puzzle master and his assistants, although they were often more of a hindrance than a help.  It’s a wonder this puzzle was able to be completed at all.  We kept finding puzzle pieces scattered all around the floor, under the rug, and even in the laundry room.  But surprisingly, Larry was able to complete the puzzle, and there were no missing pieces.

New York Strip Steak with Garlic Parmigiano Cream Sauce

New York strip steaks

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil

 

Completely coat the steak with the salt, pepper and olive oil and let it set for at least a couple of hours in the refrigerator before cooking.  Then cook to your likings.  We grilled the steak, but you can pan-fry it or broil it too.

 

The Sauce

1/4 cup butter

2 TBSP garlic

1-1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

2 TBSP flour

1 cup beef broth

1 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese

salt & pepper to taste

chopped parsley for topping

 

Saute the garlic and mushrooms together with the butter.  Cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Whisk in the flour and cook for an additional minute or two, or until the roux starts to thicken and is lightly browned.

Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to whisk everything together until everything is well incorporated and the sauce thickens.  If the sauce is too thick, add more cream.

Your sauce is now done and is ready to top your favorite steak.  We used New York strip steaks because I was doing a themed dinner, but you can use any kind of steak you like. You can also use this same sauce for either chicken or as a pizza sauce too, for something a little different.

This was really a simple dinner.  I just steamed some carrots and broccoli, and served our leftover scalloped potatoes with some warmed ciabiatta bread to go with the steak.  I had a smooth Malbec as my wine choice to complete the meal.  Mysteriously, it all disappeared in what seemed like a New York minute.

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

 

 

I just love walking around our lakes.  You never know who is going to stop by to us pay a visit.  Everyday is different and everyday has different guests.  Our walks are always  interesting and entertaining, no matter who comes out to play.

Our red-eared slider was back in the same spot, sunning himself on the same log as before.  I guess he is working on his tan.

Our cormorants were the stars of the day though.  They were just out having so much fun sunning themselves and swimming around.  I saw two today, one on lake 3 and one on lake 2.  They tend to be loners.  Though we see them quite often, I can’t remember ever seeing more than one at a time, or at least not more than one per lake.  Today was no different.

On lake 3.

 

On lake 2.

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

 

 

 

 

 

One of the best ways to use up leftovers is to put them in the soup, or the chili, or in this case, the jambalaya, especially when you only have little bits of this and little bits of that.  Way back in the day, when I was operating corporate kitchens, we did that all the time.  My sous chef and I were very creative when it came to recreating our leftovers; a gift I’ve always been blessed with.  🙂  Jambalaya is a food that is deeply rooted in its humble beginnings, and it was the poor man’s food for the very reason that everything leftover was thrown into the pot.  If you had a little bit of shrimp, or a little bit of sausage, or a little bit of chicken or pork, it all got thrown in together.  All you needed to do was add some rice, peppers, garlic, onions, and spices, and voila; you now have a pot full of delicious jambalaya.  But don’t be fooled by all these little bits.  All these little bits add up to A LOT, so you better have a bit pot.  Every time I make a pot of jambalaya, it is always just a little bit different, depending on the little bits I have leftover at the time.  The point is, don’t fret about not having certain items.  Just use up what you have and enjoy.  The next time you make it, it will probably be different anyway, so feel free to let those creative juices flow.

We had friends over for dinner, and Larry had been hungry for jambalaya for quite some time, so it was the perfect opportunity to make a big pot of it.  Our friend Shannon is gluten free, and coming up with Southern appetizers was a bit of a challenge, because everything I came across, though they all sounded fantastic to me, all contained gluten.  The safest choice for an appetizer was chips, salsa and guacamole, which are always winners, not matter what you are serving.  I already had my roasted tomato and jalapeno salsa, so I just needed to whip up some guacamole to go with it.  Roasted Tomato and Jalapeno Salsa  The carrot-cheddar muffins were not gluten free, Carrot-Cheddar Corn Muffins but at least everything else was.  Shannon, like the rest of us, was able to eat to her heart’s content and enjoy the meal too.

Today’s Version of Jambalaya

1 chicken breast, cubed in medium sized pieces

2 Andouille sausage links

1/2 lb-1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 red bell pepper, diced medium

1 green bell pepper, diced medium

1 onion, diced medium

2 jalapenos, diced fine

2 TBSP garlic

2 cans chicken broth

2 large tomatoes, diced medium or 2 cans, with the juice

1 1/2 cups rice

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp sage

1 tsp marjoram

salt & pepper to taste

1 TBSP Tabasco sauce, or to taste

cayenne pepper to taste

olive oil

 

 

Par cook the sausage enough so you can slice it.  Remove it from the heat and let cool.  Cook the chicken, then remove it and cool.  Cook the shrimp, then remove it and cool.

Saute the peppers, onion, jalapenos and garlic in olive oil for about 5-7 minutes.

Add the rice and saute it for about 1-2 minutes.

Add all the rest of the ingredients, including the meats and combine well.  Cover the dish and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 40-45 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone and the rice is cooked.

Laissez le bontems roulez!  Just like how they make it out on the bayous.  I GAR-UN-TEE, you’re going to love it.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer is quickly coming and the temperatures are rising, so we have been doing our walk-abouts in the cool of the evening rather than when the temperatures are soaring.  Apparently all our animal neighbors are liking the cooler weather too.  Everyone was out.

We saw both types of our turtle friends, the snapping turtle and the red-eared slider out sunning himself on a log.

The duck families were out and about.

The goose families were out.

But my favorite visitor of the day was our elusive blue heron.  We haven’t seen to many this year at all, but they are always very welcomed visitors, anytime they want to show up.

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

We are having some friends over for dinner later on, and I wanted to get my baking done before it gets too hot.  We are having jambalaya for dinner but I wanted something a little different than corn bread to go with it.  All it took was a little trip to my library and in just one book, and one try, I found exactly what I wanted to make – carrot-cheddar corn muffins.  I’ll make some honey butter to go with them too.  YUM!

Carrot-Cheddar Corn Muffins

1/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs, separated

2 TBSP dark molasses

 

Dry Ingredients

1 cup flour

1/2 cup + 2 TBSP cornmeal

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground corinader

2 TBSP sugar

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup grated cheddar cheese, or other soft, good melting cheese

 

Preheat the oven to 375* F or about 190* C.

Spray a muffin pan or a corn-stick pan with cooking spray

 

Mix all the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Mix the melted butter, milk, molasses. and egg yolks together.

Beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Add the carrots and cheese to the dry ingredients and mix together well.  Then add the milk and molasses mixture, and mix well again.

Once everything is combined, gently fold in the egg whites until everything is fully incorporated.  Then fill your muffin pan with the mixture and bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the muffins are set and are lightly golden brown.

Let the muffins cool before removing them from the pan.  You can eat these as is or slather them up with some honey butter.  They are good for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or anything in between.  Enjoy!

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