A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Sandy  and Sheree from View from the Back have issued the Friday Photo Challenge.  I love these.  They are so much fun.

Today’s challenge is photos of 3 of your favorite things.  I actually have 4, one of which you are all already VERY familiar with – COOKING!  I am pretty sure you are all aware of my other favorite things too, in no particular order:  1)  Swimming, 2) Scuba Diving and 3) Animals, especially all of my own fur babies.

1.  Swimming  – I was born in the water and have been swimming my whole life.  I will swim in anything that is wet.  Not only do I think swimming is a great sport and a great way to exercise, but I also think it is an essential life skill.  I tell people all the time that if you do not know how to play other sports, no big deal.  More than likely, you will not die.  BUT if someone does NOT KNOW HOW TO SWIM, they could die.  EVERYONE needs to know how to swim, even if it is only the basics.

 

2.  Scuba Diving – We have been diving for about 12 years now.  Larry likes to dive and claims to be “an underwater tourist”.  I am the dive-aholic.  I have taken my diving very seriously and am a certified rescue diver, working my way up to being a Master Diver.  Currently, I have about 350 dives, and counting.  The underwater world is a world like no other.  It is so beautiful and mystifying.  We dive all over the world.

Grand Cayman

Belize

Aruba

Roatan

Cozumel

I have PLENTY more diving pictures, from all over the world.  Have no fear about that.  🙂

 

3.  The Fur Babies – You have met all of my fur babies, Lucie, Vinnie, Otis and Nicodemus.  They are most definitely our children, and we love them just as any parent would love their 2-legged children.  They are all spoiled, well loved and filled with personality.

Lucie and Vinnie

Otis and Nicodemus, the Puma (Otis) and the Panther (Nicodemus or Nicky)

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

 

We have been feasting on all of Larry’s delicious smoked meats all week, but we needed a bit of break from meat, meat, meat.  It was time for something fishy.  We pulled out some cod and I got creative once again.  I pan-fried the cod and topped it with a cool, refreshing tomatillo salsa.  This cool, citrusy salsa is so easy to make and only requires a few ingredients, although typical me, I kept tweaking it until it was just right.

For the cod, I just lightly coated it with some flour, salt and pepper and then pan-fried it in canola oil until it was golden brown.

Tomatillo Salsa

12 tomatillos, husks removed, cored and diced fine

1 TBSP garlic

1/2 cup of tomatoes, diced fine

1/4 cup green onions, sliced

about 20 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade or chopped fine

about 20 lemon verbena leaves, chiffonade or chopped fine, optional

1/3 cup olive oil

2 TBSP soy sauce

2 TBSP lime juice

salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp red pepper flakes

 

Mix everything together and chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.  This will go very nicely with chicken and pork too.

Lemon verbena, also known as lemon balm, has COMPLETELY taken over my back yard, so I love to incorporate it and use it as much as I can.  I could literally put it in EVERY single dish I make and I would still have a ton left over.  I love it though.  It is so lemony and fresh and just makes everything smell and taste so good.  It goes very well with basil too.  Lemon verbena and basil really compliment each other.

Once the salsa was ready, I cooked the fish.  Easy-peasy.  I just lightly floured it and pan-fried it until it was golden brown and opaque, or cooked completely and the inside flesh is white.

This salsa is of Caribbean origin, so to give them meal even more of an Island flavor, I served it over red beans and rice.  It was a cool, refreshing Caribbean delight.  I enjoyed it with a cool, crisp, citrusy Chardonnay.

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

 

Flowers and plants have become part of my blog.  They just have to be there.  When the world was first shut down, and there were shortages of EVERYTHING, I was having a difficult time finding fresh flowers all the time and I wanted something for Easter.  So I found this adorable little succulent plant in a painted rabbit planter.   

He was a such a lovable little rabbit and I loved my little rabbit too.  But sadly, he had an accident and did not survive it.

My shark ate my rabbit.  And he’s smiling about it too.  Can he believe how cheeky he is?

Oh well, I guess better the rabbit than me.  I dive with sharks all the time.  “Sharks are friends”.

You got to have fun right?!  Stay safe and stay well everyone.  Don’t let the sharks bite.

Life is an evolution.  In order to grow, we need to branch out, take some risks and get out of our comfort zones.  I have always said I am forever a work in progress.  I am constantly in motion.  My life before COVID-19 was pretty busy, but all that changed when the world was shut down.  My life as a swim coach and water aerobics instructor is on hold, indefinitely.  None of the pools are opening up, so not only can I not swim for myself, but I can’t teach or coach either.  No one is swimming at the moment, and a lot of schools and colleges are cancelling their sports programs, which means it is time to re-evaluate things and come up with anther plan of action, at least temporarily.

The other day, our friend Jonathon came over for a short visit and we were talking about this and that, and one of the questions he raised was “what do I want to do”.  HMMMMMM!  I gave it some thought, and came up with a couple of long-term ideas that I am going to present to all of you.   I am always open for suggestions.  I value your input and suggestions, so please let me know your thoughts, and if you have any insight on the “hows” I would be forever grateful for those as well.  I know a lot of you have experience with these things, whereas I am just a novice.

• I love to teach and share information.  I love to do this with people of all ages.  So one of the things I thought about was to take “A Jeanne in the Kitchen” on the road, so to speak, and to start teaching cooking classes to cooks both new and old.  I was thinking of doing this both in the Boys and Girls’ Clubs and for the older, more seasoned communities as well.
• As an extension of teaching cooking classes, I also thought about doing some instructional videos, maybe on YouTube, or something like that.
• Then there is always the idea of  “A Jeanne in the Kitchen” cookbook.  That idea has been in the back of my mind since day one.  I certainly have plenty of recipes to fill a cookbook or two or three, or more.

All of these would require a lot more research and learning on my part, which I am certainly willing to do.  At the moment, I have plenty of time on my hands.  In fact, that is the problem; I have TOO MUCH TIME on my hands.  I am NOT one who likes to rest on my laurels or to sit around idly.  I need to be in constant motion.  I need to be constantly challenged.  Not only do I like to share information and to teach, but I also LOVE to learn.

So, please give me your feedback.  I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

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

 

 

 

 

The Great Bloggers’ bake-Off and Summer Picnic is coming your way soon. Are you ready to show off your summer baking and picnic fare? Let us all see what’s been baking and cooking in your kitchens. Send your recipes, pictures and stories to crushedcaramel@gmail.com and enter our fun contest.

I love sunflowers.  They are so beautiful.  They are like little bits of the sun shining brightly here on earth.  I love this quote from the movie Calendar Girls, by Helen Mirren too.  It just kind of says it all.

Here in Colorado, sunflowers are in full bloom, both in our gardens and in the wild.  I am seeing sunflowers everywhere.

In the wild.

Sunflowers that have been “tamed” in the gardens, although I don’t think you can ever fully “tame” a sunflower.  Maybe that’s why I love them so much.  I too am a wildflower that flourishes best when left alone.

The sunflowers in my garden are just beginning to bloom.  They are are little more shy than some of the others though, so it is taking them longer to open up.

As beautiful as all these sunflowers are, they are nothing in comparison to what I saw today.  I was supposed to meet a friend for breakfast, but our wires got crossed and she had to cancel.  I did not get the message until I was already where I was supposed to meet her.  But it all worked out, as things usually do.  If I had received her message I would not have discovered this absolutely AMAZING sunflower garden.  Other than the streams and fields of sunflowers in Nebraska, this is the most spectacular array of sunflowers I have ever seen, and they were in someone’s front yard, for everyone to see.

Their whole yard was nothing but sunflowers, with the exception of one little tiny patch of purple.

Stay safe and stay well Everyone.  Let the sunshine in.  ‘Til next time.

 

 

We have a ton of meat to go through from when Larry last had the smoker out, so I am creatively coming up with some new and tasty ways to use it all.  Our 4th of July Feast  This time, I was getting creative with his smoked turkey breast.  I came up with a delicious crepe cake recipe using the turkey, along with spinach and mushrooms.  When I told Larry I was planning on making crepes, he expected them in the normal, rolled up way.  He was more than a little surprised when he came home and found them made as a savory crepe “cake” instead.  But it was pleasant surprise.

Turkey, Mushroom and Spinach Crepe Cake

The Crepes

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/3 cup water

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

2 TBSP melted butter, plus more for cooking.

2 tsp chives

 

Mix the flour, salt and chives together and set aside.

Mix the eggs, milk, water and melted butter together thoroughly.  Then mix in with the flour.  Cover and let the batter sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before using.  When ready to make the crepes, heat a small skillet and add a dollop of butter before adding the crepe batter.  Then quickly swirly the batter in the pan to fill the pan and cook for about 1 minute.  Carefully flip the crepe over and continue to cook for another minute, or until the crepe is golden brown.  Repeat until all the batter is cooked and the crepes are all made.  Sundried Tomato Crepes with Chicken, Corn and Red Peppers

When the crepes are made, set them aside and make the filling.

Spray an 8″ cake pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.

 

The Filling

1 1/2 lbs of diced turkey or chicken, cooked

1 shallot, diced fine

1 TBSP garlic

1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms

3 cups fresh spinach, stems removed and chiffonade or chopped

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp cayenne pepper

salt & pepper to taste

2 TBSP butter

4 TBSP flour

1 1/2 cups milk

1  cup chicken broth

4 oz pepper jack cheese, or light cheese of your choice

 

Saute the mushrooms, spinach, shallots and garlic together, along with the herbs and seasonings.  Cook for about 3 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked.  Once they are cooked, removed them from the pan and set them aside.

Add the butter and the flour and cook to make a roux.

Whisk in the milk and the chicken broth until smooth and creamy.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 3-4 minutes.  Add the cheese and mix in thoroughly and let the cheese completely melt into the mixture. If the sauce is too thick add more milk as needed.

Add the vegetables and the diced turkey and mix everything together well.

Let the mixture cool for a bit.

Preheat the oven to 375* F or about 200* C.

Add one crepe to the cake pan, then add a layer of the filling.  Repeat until all the crepes have been used.  Top it all with a layer of the filling.  Bake for about 30 minutes.

Let the crepe cake cook for a few minutes before slicing.  Then serve with your favorite side dishes.  I served it with red beans and rice and cool, crisp chardonnay.  C’est tres manifique!  Bon Appetit!

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

 

 

It’s coming your way very soon! Are you ready? Send in your best summer time recipes to crushedcaramel@gmail.com.

Life around the lakes were “hopping”.  We saw a lot of our feathered and furry friends out and about.  They were all hanging out and cooling off, enjoying the cool of the evening after a hot, hot day.  Even though we saw a lot of our “friends” the ducks and the bunnies are the stars of the day.

The lone duck.

At the water’s edge.

Instead of “sittin’ on the dock by the bay” they are sittin’ in the grass by the lake.

Their were a lot of ducks out today, but there were also a lot of bunnies out too.  Usually we only see one or two, but we saw a bunch today.

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

 

We are still enjoying Larry’s smoked meats, and will be for quite a few meals to come.   We had the burnt ends this time, with some Brussels sprout salad Brussels Sprouts Salad with Chicken  (minus the chicken) and some speckled potato cakes made from some leftover mashed potatoes.

These potato cakes were crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.  The just melted in our mouth with every bite.  I threw in all the little bits of vegetables I had into my leftover mashed potatoes and, voila!  Speckled potato cakes were created.  I find I am at my most creative when “The Queen” pays my a visit and we are just trying to use up little bits and pieces of things that aren’t enough for a meal, but I don’t want to throw away.  I just HATE throwing away food, so I always do my best to find other ways of recreating with what I have left, especially if it is only little bits and pieces of this and that.  The Queen and I make a good pair.  We always come up with some fun and delicious ways to use up all the leftovers.

Speckled Potato Cakes

2 cups cooked mashed potatoes

1/4 red onion, diced fine

1/2 jalapeno, diced fine

2-3 TBSP corn

1/4 bell pepper, diced fine, any color is fine

1 egg, slightly beaten

3/4 flour

salt & pepper to taste

canola or vegetable oil for cooking

 

Dice all the vegetables into a fine dice and saute in olive oil until tender, about 5-7 minutes.  Add the salt & pepper.  Then let them cool for a few minutes before adding to the potatoes.

Add the vegetables to the mashed potatoes along with the egg and the flour and mix together thoroughly.  You want a thick, firm dough.  If you need more flour, add a little bit at a time until the dough gets to your desired thickness.

Divide the dough into equally sized balls and flatten them out with your hand on a piece of parchment paper.

Place the potato cakes in the refrigerator for at least one hour before cooking, to allow them to set.

Heat your oil to 350* F or 180* C and then carefully place the potato cakes into the hot oil.  Cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until they are golden brown on each side.

These crispy-creamy potato cakes are now ready to enjoy either on their own or served as a side dish to something else.  They are the perfect balance of crispy and creamy and will just melt in your mouth.

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