A Jeanne in the Kitchen

If you like paella and jambalaya, then you will probably like this dish as well.  All three dishes are very similar.  All three are rice dishes cooked together with meats, vegetables, and bold, spicy seasonings.

Instead of cooking my chicken with the rice, I used Larry’s smoked chicken.  He’s Smokin’ Again  I had kalamata olives, but I really wanted green cavatappi olives, though to no avail.  I went to three different stores trying to find them but none of them had them, so the kalamata olives it was, which are still very good.  They just gave a different flavor to the dish.  Oh well.  Hopefully next time I can find some cavatappi olives, if not, it’s not the end of the world.  I am going to give the recipe for cooking the chicken with the rice, but you can always substitute cooked chicken like I did too.

Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Rice

6 6-oz chicken thighs

olive oil

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

 

Mix the spices together along with 2 TBSP of olive oil and completely cover the chicken with the rub.  Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight to let the flavors soak in.

 

8 oz ground chorizo

1 onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1-2 TBSP garlic

1 1/2 cups rice – I used a combination of both wild rice and white rice for something different

3 cups chicken broth

3 whole tomatoes, diced or 1  14 oz can of diced, cooked tomatoes

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup green olives

2 TBSP Peruvian peppers or pimentos

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil for cooking

 

Saute the peppers, onions and garlic for about 3 minutes.

Add the chorizo and cook completely.

If you are cooking the chicken with the rice, then at this stage, remove the vegetables and chorizo and set aside.  Brown the chicken in the same pan.  If you are not cooking the chicken with the rice, omit this part.  Once the chicken is cooked, re-add the vegetables and chorizo to the pan with the chicken.  Add the spices, rice and chicken broth and mix everything together thoroughly.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 35 minutes, or until the rice is cooked.

I still used all the same spices I would have used if I was cooking the chicken with the rice, I just added them later, rather than coating my chicken with them.  This is when I added my chicken to the dish.  I also added my Peruvian peppers at this point too.

When the rice is cooked, add the olives and mix everything together thoroughly.  Remove the bay leaves and discard.  Let the dish set for about 10 minutes before serving and top with cilantro leaves.   My lemon pepper cornbread with honey butter went perfectly with this dish.  Lemon and Pepper Cornbread There were all kinds of flavors going on.  There was a spicy smokiness combined with the fresh, lemony flavors of the cornbread and the sweetness from the honey butter.  In a word – YUM!  I served a crisp, citrusy white blend as my wine choice, but a red or a pinot noir would also go nicely with the meal too.

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the few good things coming out of all this current craziness is that we are doing our daily walks around our lakes.  I always take my camera with me.  Sometimes I see some really cool things, and other days I don’t see anything at all, but I always have my camera at the ready, just in case.

We are so blessed to have so many cool birds, turtles, prairie dogs, rabbits, fish, etc, etc., etc. right in our own backyard.  I have yet to see any coyotes or foxes this season, although we do hear the coyotes nightly.  Coyotes and foxes tend to come out more at dusk rather than daylight.  Here are the pictures from our latest walk-about.

A Townsend Solitaire, perched up high, literally, in a tree in our backyard.

A dove on the deck.

In the 13 years we have lived here, this is the first actual fish we’ve seen come out of our lakes.  He was a pretty good sized fish too.  Our lakes are catch and release.

But then … we saw this huge catfish come out of the same lake.  He was about 20-25 lbs.  The young fisherman was so proud of his big catch.

At one of the other lakes, we saw medium sized turtle out for a leisurely swim …

Followed by a larger, different kind of turtle.  This one is a snapping turtle.

We always have a few birds socializing around the lakes.  This is a red-winged blackbird.

He decided we were OK and invited a couple of friends over, including a sprague.  We kept it under the social distancing limit of 10 and under.

A curious oriole hiding in the reeds.

But the best sighting of the day was a family of geese out for a swim.  These are our first goslings of the season.  They are just so darn cute.  They are just a couple of days old.

 

 

 

 

So when life gets you down, just remember, there is so much to be thankful for.  Let the little things into your life.  Little things really do matter.  Little things make life a lot better.

 

 

 

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

Most of us who live in the United States are very familiar with Cinco de Mayo or the 5th of May.  Usually it is celebrated with friends in grand style, with a fiesta or party.  But this year it is just another day.  No parties, no fiesta, and no celebrations.  Last year, I went all out and made a bunch of traditional Mexican foods that were “non-traditional” foods most Americans eat for Cinco de Mayo.  Los Fiestas para Cinco de Mayo  This year, we were very low-key and I almost forgot it was Cinco de Mayo.  I did end up making something Mexican to honor the day, but it was really kind of accidental.  It certainly wasn’t planned, like usual.

We had some leftover fried cod from when we had fish & chips that I turned into fish burritos.  I meant to make them into fish tacos, but I only had the larger tortillas instead of the smaller ones I use for tacos, so they became burritos instead.  Fish Tacos

I just love it when I can creatively use up my leftovers.  I got to use the rest of my fish and some of my corn and tomato salad and added some cheese, rice, salsa and avocado, as well as a carrot slaw I made.  Fish tacos and burritos are usually pretty healthy to begin with, but because I had so many vegetables, they were even healthier.  Just like with any recipe, make it your own.  Add what you like and mix it up.  Every time I make fish tacos, they are always a little different, mostly because I make them with whatever leftovers I have on hand at the time.

Usually I add a cabbage slaw to my fish tacos, but I did not have any cabbage, and with times being as they are at the moment, I couldn’t just run to the store for cabbage.  I did have carrots though, so this time I made a carrot slaw.  I just made a small amount.

Carrot Slaw

2 large carrots, shredded

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped fine

2 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP lemon juice

1 TBSP honey

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

 

Shred the carrots either in a food processor or by hand with a shredder.  Add the cilantro and mix together well.

Mix all the other ingredients together.

Combine everything together, adding only enough of the oil and lemon juice mixture as needed.  If you have extra, save it for something else.  You do not want to make the carrots mushy by adding to much liquid.

When you have all the ingredients you want to use to make your tacos/burritos, heat your tortillas and start layering them up how you like.  Then roll them up and enjoy.  !Desfruitas!

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

 

 

The other day, when Larry was busy smokin’ his meats, He’s Smokin’ Again one of the things he smoked was a big pork shoulder.  That took about 10 hours to cook, but once it was done it came out so good.  It was very moist and tender, and full of flavor.

After it cooled, we pulled it and shredded it.  We will be eating it in many ways.  We put some in the freezer for later and gave some away to a friend of ours when he came over for a quick, impromptu lunch.  One of the ways I served it was by making it into a salad with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette.  The weather is getting warmer, so salads are making their way back into our menus once again.  It was a delicious salad that was perfect for a warm day.

It was a quick, easy salad, AND I got to use us some leftovers, which as you all know, makes me of so happy.  🙂  For the salad, I used red leaf lettuce, 1 heirloom tomato, shredded cheddar (for Larry’s salad), green onions, shredded pork and my leftover peppers and mushrooms then topped it with some roasted pepitas (for mine).  The dressing was super easy to make too and went very well with the salad.  I served it with a cool, citrusy white blend.  A perfect light dinner out on our beloved deck, on a nice Spring day.  Life is good.

 

 

Sun-Dried Tomato Vinaigrette

1/3 cup of sun-dried tomatoes in oil

1 tsp black pepper

salt to taste

1 TBSP garlic

1 shallot

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup olive oil

1 tsp sugar

 

Mix everything together in a food processor until is is well blended and the tomatoes and shallot are ground up.

This is good as a salad dressing or you can also use it as a marinade for meat too.  It’s easy-peasy and delicious.

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

 

I love onion rings, but I do not eat them all that often.  When Larry smoked all his meats, onion rings just seemed like the perfect side to accompany the meat.  He’s Smokin’ Again  And sure enough, they were a great match for the steak, but then no big surprise, since the recipe was in one of my steak books.  🙂 Again, easy-peasy and only a few simple ingredients to make these perfect onion rings.

Onion Rings

1 large onion, peeled and slice crosswise

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp salt + more to add immediately after cooking

1 /2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

vegetable oil for frying

 

Combine all the dry ingredients and mix together well.

Pour the buttermilk into another bowl.

Slice the onion crosswise then carefully separate the rings to make them individual rings.

First, dip the rings into the flour mixture and completely coat, shaking off all the excess flour.  Then dip the onion ring into the buttermilk and thoroughly coat.  Shake off the excess, and dip back into the flour mixture once again, shaking off all the excess flour.  Continue until all the rings are coated.  Place the coated onion rings on a sheet pan.

Pour vegetable oil into a skillet, to about 1″ in depth.  Get the oil to 375* F or 190* C.  Once the oil is hot enough, carefully add the coated onion rings into the hot oil.  DO NOT put the onion rings in before the oil gets to temperature or they will soak up the oil and will become greasy and limp.  They will not crisp up. Do not over crowd the skillet either.  Add the onion rings to the oil in small batches.  Cook for about 1 1/2 minutes, then carefully flip the rings over and continue to cook for another 1 1/2 minutes, or until they are golden brown and light and crispy.

When the onion rings are crispy and golden brown, place them on a plate lined with a paper towel and add salt while they are still hot.  These are best when served immediately, while they are still hot.  These are perfect.  They are light and crispy and just melt in your mouth.  Go ahead.  I dare you.  Can you eat just one?  I know I sure can’t.  🙂

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been nominated for another Sunshine Award  This latest nomination comes from Dee at retrodee.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  In these dark and gloomy days of late, it is very nice indeed to have a some sunshine to bring some much needed light to our lives.  If you have not checked out Dee at retrodee, you definitely should.  She takes us back into happier, more innocent times, when life was much more simple and easier to understand.  It is a very fun blast to the past.

The rules:

1. Thank the blogger who nominated you in the post and link to their blog
2. Answer the 11 questions asked of you
3. List the rules and include the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post
4. Write a new list of 11 questions for your nominees
5. Nominate 11 bloggers for the Sunshine Blogger Award

Dee’s Questions to me:

1 What’s your favorite spice?

Tough one.  I LOVE all kinds of spices.  I love big bold flavors of all kinds.

2. Who is your favorite character of all time? (can be from anything)

Again, a very tough question.  I have so many interests.  I guess it really just kind of depends on my mood at the time.

3. Do you believe in Aliens?

Yes, I do.  I think it is awfully selfish to think that we are the only life forms out there in this big, vast universe, or multiple universes.

4. Do you use social media and which is your favorite platform?

Well, I am on Facebook, and it is definitely a love/hate relationship.  The only reason I am really still on it is for my blog at this point.  I am not on any other social media platforms.

5. Do you remember your dreams the next morning?

Sometimes, but mostly not.  I am not a big sleeper, which means I do not dream much either.

6. What is your favorite charitable cause?

I have a lot.  Anything with animals or the ocean or helping Veterans.

7. Do you collect anything?

COOKBOOKS.  I have well over 600 and counting.

8. Do you use curse words on at least a semi-regular basis?

OMG!!!!!!  I need to have my mouth washed out with soap numerous times a day.  My dad was a sailor and I worked in restaurants for many, many years.  I like to say I speak restaurant with sailor mixed in.  🙂 🙂 🙂

9. Would you like to go back in time and live in the 1950’s?

Absolutely!  I think we all need to slow down and live in more innocent times.

10. What’s your favorite Elvis song?

It’s hard to choose just one.  He put out so much good music.

11. As a blogger, what do you think of the “reblog” feature on WordPress? Is it just better to write a new post on a previously covered subject?

I depends on the blog and the subject matter.  Usually I do not reblog, but I will if I am really moved by the blog and what it says to me.

 

I am not very good at singling people out for nominations because I think there are so many great blogs out there.  They are all different and unique and each one offers something special.  So I will open this open to anyone and everyone who wishes to participate.  It’s a great way to get to know each other, plus it brightens up our days.

My questions to all of you:

1.  How have you been affected, if so, by this COVID-19 nightmare?
2. What have you learned?
3. What is your favorite thing about yourself?
4. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
5. If you could travel through space and/or time, would you?
6. What has influenced you the most?
7. What is your favorite type of music?
8. What is your favorite type of food?
9. Are animals pets or family?
10. Beach, mountains or dessert?
11. What is your favorite time of year?

 

I look forward to hearing from you.  Let the sun shine in and may your days be sunny and bright.

Larry has been busy smokin’ out in the yard again.  NO, NO, NO!  It’s not what you think.  He was smoking meat, and lots of it too.  He did a 10 lb pork roast, some ribs, a beef roast and some chicken breasts.  When he uses the smoker, he likes to make it worthwhile and does a big batch of meat all at once.  Believe me, we will not be going hungry anytime soon.  🙂

The pork roast was first in the smoker.  It took about 10 hours for this to smoke up just right.

Then Larry added the ribs, chicken and beef to the smoker.

This smoke job was Larry’s best effort yet.  Everything came out so good.  It was all full of flavor and very tender.  To really enjoy these bold smoked meats, we needed some bold and hearty side dishes to go with them.  We chose to eat the beef roast for dinner.   I sauteed some peppers and mushrooms and made some delicious, crispy onion rings  and my lemon pepper corn bread Lemon and Pepper Cornbread to go with the meal, finished with a fruity red grenache-syrah blend.

The meal was a smoker’s delight.

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

I have said many times, there is much more to me than just cooking.  Although cooking and food have always been passions of mine, I have many other things I am passionate about as well.  Photography, guitar and music in general, SCUBA DIVING and swimming and … WINE!!!!!! With having wine as a passion, and there is always a ton of wine in our house, that means there is also a ton of wine corks too.  I love to repurpose things as much as possible, and I have always had a very creative side to me as well.  I have made many things with wine corks in the past.  They are fun, unique and challenging to work with.  My latest creation was a heart of wine (corks).  This presented a few challenges and took more time than I expected, but right now, time is all we have.  The corks just did not want to cooperate, but in the end, we came to an agreement, and things worked out.  It actually came out pretty good, if I do say so myself.  In fact, I liked it so much that once I figured it all out, I made another one to give as a gift.

As you see, I have plenty of corks.  This was the practice run.

Making the pattern and determining how many corks I needed.  Corks come in many different styles.  Some are decorated and labeled, while others are plain.  For this one, I used only the plain ones that were similar.

The most challenging part of this project was that the corks did not want to stick together.  I used wood glue, since after all corks are made from wood, but the glue took much longer to dry than expected and the corks kept shifting around.  I finally found that I had to firmly, but gently hold the corks together for a bit before adding another one. Then I repeated until I filled my heart.

After fighting with the corks to stay in place and the glue to stick, I finally won the battle and got everything to fit and lock in place.  You want as tight a fit as you can get in order to hold the corks in place.

After fitting everything together, I sealed it all once more with Mod Podge, which is another type of glue that also makes it shine and adds luster.  I covered the entire top with the Mod Podge glue.  With the new layer of glue on, now I just had to let it sit and dry.  Because it was so fragile at first, I didn’t touch it for about 2 days, just to make sure the glue was completely dried.  The glue dries clear.

Now that it was dry, I needed to figure out a way to hang it.  I found some cute, heart decorated ribbon that was a perfect addition.  I had two very small nails that I carefully hammered into the ribbon and the corks.  You do not need a lot of ribbon; just enough to make a loop.

And now, my heart of wine hangs on the wall in my kitchen nook.   This one was full of trial and error, but after working out the kinks, I quickly made another one that I will be giving as a gift.

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

 

Leftovers were the menu choice for dinner, but I didn’t not have any bread to go with the meal, and I am most definitely a bread eater, and like having some kind of bread with my dinner.  I found a really interesting and different recipe for cornbread that was a perfect match for our leftover scallops with ham.  Spanish Scallops with Ham and Ahi Tuna

I love cornbread, but I never thought about adding lemon to it.  Now that I have though, it is a definite do-over.  You can even mix it up a bit and add orange or tangerine instead of the lemon, if you like.  These have a fresh lemony and peppery kick.

Lemon and Pepper Cornbread

3 cups milk

4 tsp black pepper or 3 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp cayenne pepper

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1 1 /2 sticks butter, melted

1 TBSP lemon zest

2 TBSP lemon juice

3 1/2 cups flour

2 1/2 cups cornmeal

2 TBSP baking powder

1 TBSP salt

1 1/2 cups corn kernels

 

I did not realize HOW much this recipe was going to make, so I ended up giving some of it away to Priscilla.  Besides, it gave us a chance to meet up for a bit too.  If you do not want to make this much, cut the recipe in half.  It makes 18-20 servings.

Preheat the oven to 375* or 190* C.

Spray your pans with cooking spray.  I had a fun cornstick cast iron pan that I used, as well as a 12 muffin pan and 2 mini loaves.

Mix all the dry ingredients, except for the sugar and the lemon zest, and the corn together and set aside.

Beat the eggs and sugar together until they form soft peaks, for about 4-5 minutes and set aside.

Add the milk and the butter to a saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Cook long enough for the butter to melt completely.

After the milk and butter cool a bit, add then add the lemon juice and lemon zest and about 1/3 of the dry mixture and mix well.  Then add about 1/3 of the egg mixture and fold in.  Continue until all the ingredients are mixed together thoroughly.  You are going to have a very thick dough.  Add the dough to your pans and spread evenly.  I used a combination of pans and you can too.

Bake for about 20 minutes, or until your bread is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.  These are best when served hot with either butter or honey butter.  YUMMY!!!!!

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