A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Lately, it seems as though I have been going through a lot more leftovers than normal, which is strange, because I don’t remember cooking all that many things that would leave a lot of leftovers.  But, apparently, I did.  I have also been making more things that I have already presented you with, and I don’t want to “bore” you the same old, same old.  🙂  Also, Larry is fighting some kind of bug, so he does not have much of an appetite at the moment either, which means i am not coking as much.  NO, it is NOT the coronavirus or COVID19.   So, I will leave you with some breakfast related quotes today instead.

 

Popcorn for breakfast!  Why not?  It’s a grain, like grits, but with high esteem.

~ James Patterson, best selling author ~

 

Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.

~ Adelle Davis, American author and nutrionist~

 

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon.

~ Doug Larson, American journalist ~

 

Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast.

~ Oscar Wilde, Author ~

 

A recipe has no soul.  You, as the cook, must bring the soul to the recipe.

~ Thomas Keller, chef and proprietor of The French Laundry, Per Se, Bouchon, Bar Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery, and Ad Hoc. ~

 

WOW!!!!! Two weeks in a row I am following Sheree’s request for the “Friendly Friday Photo Challenge”.   As many of you know, Sheree is are very own, from

View from the Back

Friday Photo Challenge – art unexpected by Sheree

This time Sheree is asking for pictures of art.  Art is most definitely in the eye of the beholder, and is very subjective.  Once again, I accept.  These are pictures of some of my “art” done by me.  Now whether or not the qualify as art is another story.  The older I get, the more I am discovering some of my very latent and hidden artistic talents.  Regardless of the quality of my “art” I have fun with it, and that is really all that matters.  🙂

There are no deadlines for any Friendly Friday Photo challenges.

 

Paintings by Jeanne

 

Glassworks by Jeanne

 

Needlework by Jeanne

As you can see, I am willing to try just about anything.  I enjoy working with my hands and always have.  It doesn’t matter if I am cooking, painting, working with glass or doing needlework, or any other medium.  I just love working with my hands and being creative.

My kitchen is always pretty well stocked, with just about anything you can think of.  But the MOST important ingredient in my kitchen is OLIVE OIL, followed closely by garlic.  I use it for everything.  It is in every dish and almost every recipe.  And I use it quite generously too.  I would be having panic attacks if I ran out of olive oil, or garlic for that matter.  I buy my olive oil in the 2 pack gallon-size at Costco.  That usually lasts about a month, if I am lucky and use it a little less generously than normal.  Fortunately, Costco is very close, so on those rare occasions when I am cutting it close, I can secure “my fix” in no time.

When I am cooking with olive oil, I use just the regular virgin olive oil.  But when I am using it for a dipping sauce, I usually go for the extra virgin style.  I KNOW, you are going to think me quite “gauche” because I poor my Costco oil into a smaller container that I can use more readily.  I am NOT an olive oil snob by any means of the imagination, but there are certainly some brands that are better than others. I keep it right by the stove so it is never more than arm’s length away when I need it.  We actually bought this extra virgin brand in Spain when we were there.  There is no better olive oil than what you can find all through out the Mediterranean countries.

Olive oil is the juice of the olives after they have been pressed.  It has been around since the beginning of civilization.  Olive oil originates from the Mediterranean regions of the world.  Maybe it started in ancient Greece or ancient Rome, or somewhere else in that area.  No one really knows for sure, but the whole Mediterranean region has relied on olive oil for 1000’s of years.  It is obviously used in all the kitchens, but it has also been used for many, many other things as well.

Olive oil has been used in many different religious ceremonies too.  It is used to light the Menorahs in Judaism. Olive oil also has religious symbolism for healing and strength and to consecration—God’s setting a person or place apart for special work. This may be related to its ancient use as a medicinal agent and for cleansing athletes by slathering them in oil then scraping them.  It is used in, and mentioned, extensively in Islam and in the Qu’ran.  The Catholics and Orthodox Greeks use it for baptisms and for the ordaining of priests and rabbis in the Jewish faith.

Olive oil is used for health and beauty products too.  It is in everything from soap to shampoo to body lotions to make up.

Olive oil is also loaded with many health benefits too.  It is claimed that olive oil in the diet will 1) help relieve pain; 2) can help alleviate anxiety and depression; 3) will strengthen the immune system; 4) will help with stroke prevention; 5) helps fight osteoporosis; 6) helps prevent skin cancer; 7) enhances beauty; 8) helps fight diabetes; 9) and improves brain function, just to name a few of it’s claimed healing properties.

To the ancient Greek traders, olive oil was a very important commodity.  It was the back bone of the import/export trade in ancient times because it has always been so highly valued and so versatile to so many.  Olive oil has always been a part of the old world, but it was not introduced to the new world until the late 1600’s.  The ancient Romans can lay claim to the increases in olive oil production, which they started back in 200 BCE.  Today, the Mediterranean countries are still the major producers of olive oil, which are responsible for 95% of the world’s olive oil production, although it is also produced in South America and California too, as well as other dry and arid places around the world.  Today, it is estimated there are roughly 800 million olive tress growing and producing throughout the world.

There are three main varieties of olive oil.  They are the 1) low quality olive/pomace oil that has 2% or less acidity.  These are not usually labeled as olive oils and definitely need to be refined before consumption.  These oils have a higher smoke point and are better for cooking with.  2)  Medium grade olive oil, which has an acidity rate of 1-3% acidity rates.  Most general olive oils fall into this category.  And 3) Extra virgin olive oil, which is the highest standard of oil and has over 3% acidity rates.  The extra virgin olive oils are the most flavorful of the oils too.  These oils have a very low smoke point and will burn easily.  These are best when used for dipping sauces or dressings or pouring directly over your foods.  Extra-virgin olive oil is made from pure, cold-pressed olives, whereas regular olive oil is a blend, including both cold-pressed and processed oils. Any cold-pressed oil that doesn’t meet extra-virgin standards is then refined to get rid of undesirable impurities, giving the oil a more neutral flavor and lighter color.

 

 

 

As much as I want to cook new and different items ALL the time, sometimes, I have to make things more than once.  We do have our favorites we like to eat as well as being adventurous.  We can’t always eat something new.  You have seen many variations of my stuffed chicken.  It is definitely one of those favorites that I make quite often, plus it is a good way to use up some leftovers too.  This time I used the rest of my artichoke and olive tapenade for my filling.  Filet Mignon with a Lemony Artichoke and Olive Tapenade

I served my chicken with a roasted pepper coulis, wild rice (also leftover) and asparagus topped with mushrooms, and a light, fruity white blend to balance out and complete the meal.  I also finished up the last of my olive bread.  A Batch of Tuscan Olive Bread

Since I have made this many times, I am not really going to give you a recipe.  I will just walk you through the process instead.  There really isn’t a specific recipe anyway.  As you know, I try to reuse and recreate my leftovers as often as I can.  It has become a fun game for me.

Start by wrapping the chicken in plastic and using a meat tenderizer to flatten it out.

Once the chicken has been flattened to a thickness you can roll and work with, dip it in an egg wash and a breadcrumb coating, then add your filling.  This time, I used mozzarella cheese and my artichoke and olive tapenade.  Then roll the chicken together and secure with either toothpicks or string.

Carefully place the rolled chicken into a hot skillet with either olive oil, butter, or a combination of both and brown it on both sides.

Preheat the oven to 375* F.

Spray a baking pan with cooking spray.

Carefully place the rolled chicken pieces in the baking pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked and the juices come out clear.

While the chicken is cooking, make your sauce, if using one.  One of my favorite, easy-peasy go-to sauces is a roasted pepper coulis.  You can use any color peppers you like, but I prefer the red, orange and/or yellows.  Roast them until they are completely charred, then place them in a plastic bag and let them sweat for about 30 minutes.  Carefully rub off the charred skin, rinse and remove the seeds.

Place the roasted peppers in a food processor along with some garlic, olive oil, salt & pepper and process until everything is pureed and you have a sauce.  I used 2 peppers, and added 1 TBSP garlic, about 1 tsp each of both salt & pepper and about 3-4 TBSP of olive oil.

When everything is ready, plate it up and enjoy with a glass or two of your favorite wine or other beverage of choice.  This is just good old fashioned, delicious comfort food.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

You have all probably figured out we love Mexican food here at our house.  We eat a lot of it, on a fairly regular basis too, so I am always looking for new recipe ideas.  Enchiladas are pretty easy to make, and can be either layered or rolled.  I do both, mainly just to mix them up a bit.  They can also be filled with just about anything you want too.  The only limiting factor is your imagination.  Chicken Enchiladas with Spinach and Mushrooms  I made this same basic recipe, only I used some smoked pork instead of chicken and I made my own smoked tomatillo salsa rather than an enchilada sauce from the store.  Both chicken or pork work very well and both are very good.

The roasted tomatillo salsa is super easy to make and only requires 4 ingredients, one of which is water.

1/2-3/4 lb tomatillos, peeled and roasted

2-3 roasted chipotles peppers in sauce

1/2 cup water

`1 tsp salt

 

Preheat the oven to 500* F.

 

When the oven is at temperature, place the tomatillos in the oven and roast for about 20 minutes, or until the tomatillos are soft and blackened.  Turn them over after about 10 minutes to make sure they cook evenly.

Once the tomatillos are ready, place them and rest of the ingredients in a food processor and process until it becomes liquid.  That’s all it takes to make this delicious, smoky salsa that is full of flavor.

I layered my enchiladas this time.  As I mentioned before, you can use whatever you like for the filling.  There are no rules.  Use what you like and use what you have.  I was trying to use of my leftover smoked pork.  I still have some, since I only used about half of what we had, so I have to come up with yet another delicious way to use the rest of it up.

For my filling this time, I used spinach, mushrooms, red peppers, garlic and onions.  Saute everything for about 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked.

Once the vegetables are done, add the pork and mix thoroughly.  You only need to cook this long enough for the pork to heat up since it was already cooked.

Once the filling is ready, remove it from the heat and set it aside.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375* F.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread some of the salsa evenly over the bottom of the baking dish. Then add your tortillas.  Cover the tortillas with salsa, then evenly spread your filling over them.  Add cheese of your choice and repeat until the pan is full, ending with a layer of cheese on top.

Place the tray of enchiladas in the oven and bake uncovered for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese forms a light “crust”.  Sprinkle with the toppings of your choice, like cilantro, tomatoes, sour cream, avocados, and/or green onions.  Let the enchiladas cool for about 10 minutes before cutting, and serve them up with your choice of side dishes.  I served mine with arroz verde or green rice and some sauteed squash and mushrooms.

This is my kind of meal.  It was simple and easy, I got to use up some leftovers, and it was mui, mui delicioso!  !Que Bueno!

We started off the day with our fabulous brunch at EAT! Food and Drink When You’re Hungry – Go Out to EAT! and just kept on going from there.  After brunch we had a little respite before making it a full day of events.  The next thing on the agenda was to pick up Janet, Bob, Nadeen, and our niece Cora, and off we went to do some indoor skydiving at IFly.  We all survived and are ready to fly again.  Most of us had all done it before, but it is still always a lot of fun.  Maggie was our instructor who safely navigated our flights.

While we were in the neighborhood, and we had a wine pick up to do anyway, we made a quick stop at InVINtions, A Creative Winery, and one of our local favorites.

After a taste or two of wine, we ventured across the parking lot for some Middle Eastern food at Sahara.  Wining, Dining and Dancing  We have been there a few times, and love the food and the belly dancing.  We thought that would be a good way to end the day.  Cora had never seen the belly dancers and for Nadeen, it was like a little bit of home for her.

Look at all the attention to detail.  These tables are just gorgeous!

We let Nadeen do the ordering for everyone.  She did a great job.  We enjoyed everything she picked out for us.  Nadeen and the owner of Sahara, Moe Ettachfini.

We started off with a few appetizers – hummus and pitas, falafels and stuffed grape leaves.

Next came the main courses.  We all shared and had lots of little bits of everything.  Once again, we were very full by the time we had finished eating, and once again, everything was delicious.  Nadeen ordered us a beef shwarma, a chicken dish, a lamb dish and a vegan/vegetarian option for Cora.  We loved it all.  She chose well.

After feasting, came the belly dancer.  She did a good job and we were all very entertained by her prowess.  (I apologize for the poor quality of these pictures.  Larry was a little preoccupied and was focusing on other things).

All the girls -the young, the thin, the beautiful, the “more experienced girls” and the fat one, me.

If you are looking for a fun and festive way to spend your evening, Middle Eastern style, Sahara is the place to go.  Sahara is located at 9636 East Arapahoe Road, Greenwood Village, CO 80112.  You can contact them at either (303) 790-4707 or on their website http://www.moroccanfooddenver.com.

 

 

 

 

EAT! Food & Drink is a new restaurant in Broomfield, CO.  EAT! Food & Drink is “Broomfield’s newest brunchery.”  It has only been on the scene for about 10 months.   In that short time they have already made quite a name for themselves, and are already getting quite a good following; and they only are just getting started.

I had never heard of EAT! Food & Drink until just a few days ago, when General Manager, Brittany Bartlett and Owner, David Frieder reached out to me to come in for brunch.

The lady who runs the restaurant, Brittany Bartlett, and her head server, Ken.  They took such good care of us.  You can tell by the big smile on Brittany’s face that she really loves what she does.

The man with the vision of creating EAT! Food & Drink, David Frieder.  He said he wanted to open a “brunchery’ because he is an early bird himself and he wanted to have a great place to eat with great, fresh food for all the other early birds out there too.

Thank you Brittany and David for inviting Larry and I to join you.  We were so impressed by all the fabulous food, the great service and the beautiful and inviting ambiance.  The house was packed and the joint was jumpin’.

Everything at EAT! Food & Drink is made from scratch and in house as much as possible, and it is super fresh and super delicious!  Things that are not made in house, are grown and produced from local vendors as much as possible too, which is a win/win for the whole community.

The menu is full of so many fabulous and unique dishes, featuring many classic brunch items as well many new ideas and/or classics with a new and delicious twist.  For instance, you can have Just Good French Toast, made with brioche toast and served traditionally with pure Vermont maple syrup or, you can have Very French Toast, which is a thick brioche toast served with a creamy creme brulee custard sauce, seasonal mixed berries and a home-made caramel syrup.  Both sound fabulous, but personally,  I would go for the Very French Toast.  Don’t even think about counting calories on this one, just go for the gusto and enjoy!  Or if you prefer something more like eggs Benedict, you could have the regular eggs Benedict, or some that are piled high with braised short ribs on a rosemary ciabatta or eggs Benedict with an Argentine flair, made from Argentine chorizo that is then smothered in the home-made green chili.  This was my choice.  OMG!!!!!  It was so good!  EAT! Food & Drink is famous for its green chili.  I confess, I DID NOT eat everything on my plate.  I gave a lot to Larry and I left some of the bread and hash browns.  I was saving room, even if only just a little, for something else.

Larry chose the Nice to Meet You Scramble, that was loaded with bacon, sausage, chorizo, and cheddar-jack cheese and the house green chili.  Most definitely a meat lover’s delight.

The menu options are all so enticing and they range from sweet to savory, with traditional breakfast type foods, to things more along the lunch line.  And if you want a libation or two to go with your brunch, there are plenty of creative choices of those available as well.

Not that you will have much room left for dessert after finishing brunch, because the portions are HUGE, but there are some very delectable dessert options that are also there to tempt you.  We were SOOOOOOO full after our fabulous brunch, but how could we resist the churro donuts with the creme brulee custard sauce?  We just had to try those too.  We split one and brought the other one home with us.  OMG!!!!!   It was warm and fresh, with a light coating of just the right amount of sugar and cinnamon, and it just melted in our mouths.

We had a fantastic day at EAT! Food & Drink, meeting Brittany, David and Ken, and of course filling up on some food that was absolutely scrumptious!  We are already planning on another trip to EAT! Food & Drink with friends in the very near future.

EAT! Food & Drink is open every day from 6:00 AM -3:00 PM.  They serve breakfast, brunch, lunch and cocktails.  Eat! Food & Drink is located at 520 Zang Street, Unit N, Broomfield, CO 80021.  I would call for reservations, just to make sure you don’t get left out, at (303) 728-9990 or you can contact them at http://www.EATatEAT.COM.  Bring your appetite and bring your friends.  This culinary experience is best when shared with others.

 

 

 

 

Although we still have a sheet of ice in the backyard, it won’t be there for much longer, especially since the weather yesterday and today will be in the 60’s.  With all the snow we’ve had this month though, weather in the 60’s is like beach weather, and that means salad weather.  I knew I was going to have shrimp for dinner, but I wasn’t quite sure how I wanted to prepare it, then I saw a recipe for a shrimp and corn salad, and that was just the inspiration I needed.  I now knew what we were going to have for dinner.

Shrimp and Corn Salad with Lime Vinaigrette

We both like hard boiled eggs on our salads, so most of our salads include an egg for each of us.  Larry likes cheese on his salads and I don’t.  I like avocados on my salads and Larry does not.  So again, as always, these are just options and suggestions.  Use them if you like, don’t use them if you don’t like them.

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/3 cup lime juice, divided

1-1 1/2 cups corn

1/2 red bell pepper, diced fine

1/4 red onion, sliced very thin

1 /2 cup tomatoes of your choice – I used a variety of the small tomatoes

1 TBSP garlic

1 TBSP honey

red pepper flakes to taste

lettuce

avocado and cheese, optional

hard boiled eggs, optional

1/2 cup olive oil + 2 TBSP for cooking

 

Roast the corn with a little red pepper flakes in olive oil for about 5 minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside.

Poach the shrimp in the wine and about 2 TBSP of lime juice for about 5 minutes, or until the shrimp is completely cooked.

Mix the corn, tomatoes, onions and bell pepper together thoroughly.  I also added some chopped herbs that I needed to use up.

Whisk the remaining lime juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, and red pepper flakes together for your dressing.

Arrange you salad over a bed of lettuce, add your dressing, and voila!  Dinner is ready.  You can also have this salad as a side dish and combine everything together without the lettuce too, if you prefer.

 

We buy a lot of foods in bulk and then freeze them for later.  I never know just what Larry is going to bring out of the freezer, so unless I am planning something specific, I come up with menu ideas on the fly.  This time around, Larry pulled out some filet mignon.  Filet mignon is SUPERB all on its own, and does not really need anything else to make it delicious, but where’s the fun in that.  As you know, I love to create.  Besides, Larry had said along time ago that I could not possibly go through all my recipes in my cookbooks, and I am doing my absolute best to prove him wrong.  Since then, I have accrued many, many more cookbooks too.  It is definitely a challenge, but I think I am completely up to the task.  While going through my culinary library, trying to come up with something new for dinner, I came across a recipe for a lemony, artichoke tapenade to top the steak.  Well, of course I had to make the recipe my own by adding or deleting things or by making other changes along the way.

A tapenade is a type of spread, traditionally made from chopped olives, capers, and anchovies.  It originated in Marseille, in the Provence region of France, in 1880.  From there, the recipe spread all through the Mediterranean region of Europe and North Africa.  The French name for capers is tapena, hence the name tapenade.  Today, there are many different varieties of tapenades.  Tapenades are most often used as either a spread for breads or as a stuffing for meats.  I used it as a topping for my filet mignon.  I did actually serve my filet with wild rice too, just the the recipe suggested, as well as some mushrooms cooked in a creamy wine sauce, olive bread A Batch of Tuscan Olive Bread and a delicious cabernet sauvignon.  The Celebrations Continue

This tapenade is so easy to make and it taste so good too.  I am already thinking of new possibilities on how to use the leftovers.

 

Lemony Artichoke and Olive Tapenade

1 can artichoke hearts, drained

1 shallot, minced

1/3-1/2 cup mixed olives, pitted

1/4 cup Peruvian peppers.

1 TBSP lemon juice

1 tsp lemon zest

1 TBSP garlic

2-3 TBSP olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

 

Chop the artichoke hearts and olives well, then mix together and combine thoroughly with all the other ingredients.  That’s it.  Easy-peasy.  Not everything I make is hard or complicated.  In fact, a lot of what I make is not, although as you know, I certainly can do those more complicated recipes and meals too.  This tapenade can be served either chilled or at room temperature.

For the filet mignon, all I did was season it with salt, pepper and olive oil and let it sit for about 3 hours before grilling it.  Once the filet was done, I topped it with the tapenade and dinner was served.  DELICIOUS!

 

Sheree from View from the Back has issued a photo challenge for for sea creatures and something fishy.  This is the first time I have accepted one of these photo challenges, but as most of you know my other passion outside of the kitchen is scuba diving.  And when I dive, I always have my camera with me.  You just never know what you’re going to see.  The underwater world is full of life.  It’s beautiful, colorful and often times quite exotic.  The underwater world is a world like no other.

This is KC.  She is a nurse shark that loves to be pet. This is in Grand Cayman.  I am the one with no bling  and plain nails.  She was so sweet.

Belize

Aruba

I have SOOOOOOO many more photos, from all over the world, but I don’t want to overwhelm you with my other passion; at least not all at once.  I took all these photos (with the exceptions of those of me), and many, many more.

 

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