A Jeanne in the Kitchen

I will be busy in the kitchen, making preparations for tomorrow, so there will not be a formal post today.  However, I just wanted to send a message of thanks to everyone.   I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving to be shared with those you love and hold dear.

I know this post is out of my normal range of posts, however, I wanted to share this beautiful scarf with all of you.  It was made by Michelle Miller.  She is one of my “blogging” friends and she is so talented.  Stop by and check out here website Blessings By Me@michellemiller1978 .   If you hurry, she just might have time to make something special for you as a holiday gift.

Please focus on the scarf and Lucie, not the tired chef who just got home from swim practice.  🙂

We eat a lot of chicken.  It is so versatile, and it seems like the possibilities are endless when it comes to cooking with chicken.  When it’s cold out, I love something delicious, straight out of the oven to “warm the cockles of my heart” as my dad used to say.  Last night was a perfect night for a hot dish out of the oven too.  I made chicken stuffed with chorizo, spinach and mushrooms, and topped it with a red pepper coulis for dinner.  I served it with wild rice and asparagus topped with mushrooms, garlic, onions and red peppers.  It was a very colorful dinner, with the reds, oranges and greens of the season.

I roasted my pepper first, so I could let it sweat and cool before peeling it.  I just place directly on the burner of my gas stove and then got it completely blackened.

Once the pepper is completely blackened, place it in a plastic bag to let it sweat for at least a half hour.  The blackened outside will just peel right off very easily after it has cooled.  Once all the peeling has been removed, rinse it off to remove any additional peeling that remains. Cut off the top and remove all the seeds by just sliding your fingers in a downward motion, and all the seeds will slide right off.

While my pepper was cooling, I made the filling for the chicken.

Chorizo, Spinach, Mushroom Stuffing

4-5 mushrooms, sliced thin

1 TBSP garlic

1 shallot, minced

about 2 cups baby spinach, with stems removed, chiffonade

salt and pepper to taste

1 lb ground chorizo

olive oil

In a hot skillet, add the chorizo first, and break it up, and cook for about 5 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients, and saute until the sausage is completely cooked.

Once everything is completely cooked, set it aside and let it cool.  If needed, drain off the excess oil.

Look at the size of this chicken breast.  Can you believe this is ONLY 1 breast?  Wrap the chicken in plastic wrap and pound it out with a meat tenderizer until it is only about 1/4-1/2″ thick, so you can roll it.  Make sure to pound it out on a cutting board so you do not ruin your counter tops or island surface.  You might have to re-adjust the plastic wrap so the chicken is completely covered when you are pounding it out, otherwise you will destroy the meat.

Once the chicken is flattened, add the stuffing mixture and fill the center, but leave about 1/8-1/4 inch around the edges free.   Then roll it in a tight spiral, making sure to fold in the edges, like you are rolling a burrito.  Regardless of what stuffing you use, the procedure is the same.

Place the rolled chicken breast(s) into a baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray and roast at 375*F for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked.

Roasted Red Pepper Coulis

1-2 whole red peppers (you can use any color pepper you want)

1 TBSP garlic

salt & pepper to taste

2-3 TBSP olive oil

Roast the peppers until they are completely blackened on the outside.  You can do this on a grill, in the oven, or as I do, directly on the burner of my gas stove.  Unless I am roasting a lot of peppers at the same time, I usually just place them right on my burners.  Once the peppers are completely blackened, place them in a plastic bag to let them sweat for at least 30 minutes.  Once they have cooled, just slide your fingers over the skin, and it will peel right off very easily.  Cut the top of the pepper off, and remove the seeds.  Again, they will just slide right off with just your fingers.

Place everything in a food processor, and blend until you have a thick liquid.  This can be served either warm or at room temperature, although I prefer it warm.  Top it over your meat and serve.

Because the red pepper coulis is a mild, light sauce, and it was served over chicken, my wine choice was a nice rich, buttery, oakey chardonnay.

WOW!!!!  I have been nominated the Sunshine Blogger Award, once again.  Thank you so much Sadje, from Keep It alive.  I am very honored.   I am very happy to see that so many people are enjoying my blog, A Jeanne in the Kitchen, found at ajeanneinthekitchen.com.

Who is you favorite Music Artist and name three things you like about them?

This is a really hard question for me to answer because I have such a wide range of music that I love and listen to.  It really kind of depends on my mood at the time.  I love all kinds of music, as long as it is GOOD music.

How old were you when you do you first Creative Writing or Graphic Design (Drawing)?

I have been writing all my life in some way or another.  One of my degrees is a BA in English Literature.

Why and How Long have you been on WordPress Blogging?

I started my blog, A Jeanne in the Kitchen in March of 2018.  So I have only been blogging for a few months.

What is your favorite Holiday, if any to Celebrate and Why?

My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving.  It is about getting together with loved ones and appreciating and being thankful for what you already have.

If you were on the dance floor. What’s your best dance move?

I love to dance, but do not dance much anymore.  I grew up with the fun music of the 80’s, so all those dance moves that were popular then were what I did my best to dance to while out on the dance floor.

What inspires you to write?

I think writing is just something I need to do.  It comes from deep within.  I have a need to express myself in whatever creative outlet I can, and writing is just one of many forms of my creativity.

Do you find it challenging to write through adversity?

No, in fact it is the opposite.  Writing, particularly through adversity, is kind of my cathartic release.

If were offered an opportunity to live in a different country and write for a year. What place would you choose and why?

The gypsy in me would love this opportunity.  Australia would make the most sense, since I have so many family and friends there, but I would make the most of the opportunity no matter where I was.  I would look at it as an adventure, and I love adventures of all kinds.

What is you favorite color?

I actually have 3 favorite colors – green, blue and purple.  They are the colors of the ocean and I have always had a deep love for and connection to the oceans of the world.

Do you still enjoy using handwriting your work?

Always.  I am a tactical learner.  Writing things out helps me think.

When is your favorite time to of day or night to create your work?

Because of the way my schedule is, I usually do most of my writing during the day, in the early morning, but my creative muse strikes at all hours, and when she appears, I have to follow her lead, whenever that time happens to be.

There are so many deserving bloggers out there, but I had to narrow it down to only 11.  In my book, we are all winners.  Good luck to everyone. My nominees for this award are:

1.lillyevechristie

Swedish meatballs aren’t from Sweden.  Yep, you are reading this correctly.   Swedish meatballs are well loved and enjoyed the world over, and with Sweden being in the name, it is easy to think that Sweden is where they originated.  Nope.  They actually originated in Turkey.  In the early 1700’s Sweden lost a war with Russia, and King Charles XII, who was the King of Sweden at the time, was exiled to the Ottoman Empire, near Bender Moldova, for five years before being allowed to return back home to Sweden.  When he was able to return home, he brought back a few foods and recipes as a gift from the Empire to the Swedish people.  He used food as a way to strengthen the relationships between Turkey, the Ottoman Empire and Sweden.   Some of the foods and recipes he brought back with him were stuffed cabbages, coffee, and the meatballs or kofte, as they are known in Turkey.   These kofte were served with a brown gravy made from sour cream and evolved into what is now known as Svenska Kottbullar in Sweden, or Swedish meatballs to the rest of the world.

Swedish Meatballs

1/2-3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

2-3 TBSP butter

olive oil

1 small onion, chopped fine

1-1 1/2 lbs ground beef, or a combination of both ground beef and ground pork (2/3 lb of beef and 1/3 lb pork)

1 egg

1 TBSP brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp allspice

1/8 tsp ginger

2 1/4 broth, either chicken or beef

3 TBSP flour

8 oz sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350* F or 175* C

Mix the breadcrumbs and the heavy whipping cream together and let sit for about 10 minutes.

While the breadcrumbs and whipping cream are setting, saute the onions in half the butter for about 10 minutes, or until they are lightly golden and translucent.

Mix all the spices, ground beef, sauteed onions, brown sugar and the egg together, incorporating everything together well.  Then add the breadcrumb mixture and mix well again.

Once everything is completely mixed together, form the meatballs, about 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 in size.  Cook the meatballs in the rest of the butter, mixed with a little bit of olive oil.  Cook the meatballs until they are browned on all sides.  The middle will still be pink, but they will cook more when you place them in the oven.

When the meatballs are ready, place them in a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and add about 1/4 cup of broth.  Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for abut 40 minutes.

Whisk the flour into the butter and oil that is left in the skillet, then slowly add the remainder of the broth.  Mix everything together well, making sure to really incorporate all the meat drippings into the mixture.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes.  When everything is well incorporated together, turn the heat off and add the sour cream and salt and pepper as needed.

Add the meatballs to the gravy and serve over either cooked pasta or mashed potatoes.

I served my meatballs over cooked pasta, with some green beans and an herb bread.  I chose to go with a rich, oakey, buttery chardonnay because the sauce is more or less a white sauce.  Enjoy.

I have been busy getting ready for the upcoming holidays that are quickly coming upon us and have not been spending as much time in the kitchen these last few days as I normally do.  You know, there are so many other things that need to be done at this time of the year, on top of all the cooking and baking.  There are Christmas cards, which is what I have been busy working on these last few days, cleaning, presents, decorating, etc.  Because I have been busy with all of these other preparations, I am going to leave you with a few more quotes from the pros of the both in the kitchen and words of prose.  But have no fear, Jeanne will be back in the kitchen, cooking up a storm again, in no time.

A crust eaten in peace is better than a banquet partaken in anxiety.

~Aesop~

Cuisine is when things taste like themselves.

~Curnonsky~

When we no longer have good cooking in the world, we will have no literature, nor high and sharp intelligence, nor friendly gatherings, nor social harmony.

~ Marie-Antoine Careme, “the King of Chefs, and the Chef of Kings” ~

We may live without poetry, music and art; We may live without conscience, and live without heart; We may live without friends, we may live without books; But civilized man cannot live without cooks.

~Owen Meredith (Edward R. Bulwer-Lytton)~

The power of networking and making friends is invaluable, no matter what you do, or what your line of work.  You meet so many wonderful people when you open your doors and your heart.  So many good and unexpected things come your way when you are responsive to all the positives that are out there, just waiting to be discovered.  When I first started my blog, “A Jeanne in the Kitchen”, I had no idea what I was doing, let alone any expectations for what the future might hold.  I still don’t really, but in just a few short months, I have been graciously welcomed into the world of blogging, and many new doors and new possibilities have opened up and presented themselves to me; things I never knew I wanted, but now value and appreciate.  I thought my culinary career had ended a long time ago, but now, it seems like it is once again flourishing.  I have “met” so many interesting and wonderful people, some of whom I feel a real connection to, and even call friends.  One such person I have connected with, is David Richman, Founder and CEO of Cheforward, LLC, who saw my blog and has been following me.  He has taken me under his wing, so to speak and is now helping me grow.  Chef Richman’s company Cheforward, LLC sells beautiful serving ware to the restaurant and catering industries.  Today, I was very pleasantly surprised with not one, but two packages filled with some of his beautiful pieces.  They are meant to be used for serving, and believe me, they will be used for just that, but they are also beautiful pieces of art as well.  This wonderful surprise came just in time for me to use at my annual Holiday party that will be coming up in just a couple of weeks.  Here are the gorgeous pieces that were waiting for me when I came home from work this afternoon.

Aren’t all these pieces just gorgeous?  And these are just a few of the beautiful items that can be found at Cheforward, LLC.  Go on their website cheforward.com to see more of what they have to offer.  Thank you so much, Dave Richman.  This was a very kind and generous gift.  All of these pieces will be well used and well loved every time they are used.  They will make their grand debut at my annual Holiday party, in two weeks.  Now I have to think of some really good foods to serve on these that will do them the justice they so deserve.

The Middle East is where many different cultures from three different continents all come together and meet.  It is the melting pot for South Eastern Europe, Western Asia and the Eastern parts of North Africa.  There are many different countries within this region of the world as well, but most of the culinary influences hail from three countries – Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.  These three countries make up what is known as the Fertile Crescent. Though these three countries all share a common language and have the same cultural heritage, they all three have their own unique and distinct personalities.  These regional distinctions are also found in the foods from these areas.  Lebanon is famous for its wide array of mezze or little dishes, similar to tapas in Spain.  Jordanian recipes are renowned for the meat dishes, and the Syrians are best known for their piquant or spicy dishes that are meant to be eaten with breads.   “The cuisines of Lebanon, Syria and Jordan are generally regarded as Arab food at its best”, The Food and Cooking of the Middle East.   Dinner had bits and pieces of all three of these Arabic regions.  It was full of flavor and full of color.  We had grilled shrimp marinated in lime juice and cilantro, that I served with roasted pumpkin with pomegranate and pepita seeds, cous cous and pita bread with hummus.  I completed the meal with a crisp chardonnay that had hints of apples and melon.

Shrimp with Cilantro and Lime

15-16 large shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined

2 TBSP lime juice

1-1 1/2 TBSP garlic

salt and pepper to taste

3 TBSP olive oil

1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped in a rough cut

Mix everything together and marinate the shrimp for about 1/2 an hour and chill.  I skewered the shrimp and grilled them, but you can also pan-fry everything together as well.

Save the marinade.  Once the shrimp is cooked and ready to serve, heat up the marinade and top the cooked shrimp with it.  YUM!

Roasted Pumpkin with Pomegranate and Pepita Seeds

3 lbs of pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cubed

1/4 cup olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

2 TBSP lemon juice

2 TBSP honey

pomegranate dressing (optional)

1 shallot, minced fine

1 bunch of parsley, chopped in a rough cut

1/3 cup toasted pepita seeds

1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp allspice

Preheat the oven to 450*F

Toss the pumpkin cubes with half the olive oil, salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice.  Roast for about 20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender, stirring after about 10 minutes.  Once the pumpkin is cooked, remove from the oven and let cool.

Once the pumpkin has cooled, toss it with the pepita seeds, pomegranate seeds and parsley.  Mix together the lemon juice, honey, olive oil and pomegranate dressing, if using.  I had some left over pomegranate dressing and used that for some extra flavor.   Then toss everything together and serve.   I really like this dish served warm, but you can eat it cold too.

I love all vegetables, and we eat them all the time.  As I have said many times, I eat vegetables with my vegetables, and more so than not, I serve multiple vegetables at a time.  I guess my love for vegetables comes from growing up in Southern California, where fresh vegetables are in abundance all year round.  There is also a very large Hispanic population, and therefore a large influence on life in Southern California  in general, which also probably plays a large role in my love of vegetables and good Mexican food.  A good friend of mine had told me, not so long ago, that I “was more Mexican than American”.  I was also told, many years ago by one of my chefs who used to work under me, that “mi corazon esta Mexicana, no esta Americana”.  Although, biologically I do not have any Latina blood in me, this is probably true, to a certain extent.

Traditional Mexican cuisines are a fusion of Mesoamerican and Spanish foods that have been blended together over time to give them their own unique personalities.  The diet of the Aztecs consisted of mostly chilies, beans, tomatoes, herbs, vanilla, avocado. papaya, pineapple, achiote or annatto, squash, sweet potatoes, turkey and fish.  I love all of these foods, and we eat them all quite often.  When the Spanish came to the New World, they introduced olive oil, almonds, beef, chicken and pork, which we eat a lot of as well.  What is popularly known as Mexican food here in the United States, is actually more of a Tex-Mex type of food, and is completely different than what is traditionally served in Mexico.  Authentic Mexican food is all about the freshness of the ingredients, so a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits, mixed with a variety of herbs and spices, as well as many variations of queso blanco or white cheeses, are things most commonly found in and used when preparing Mexican dishes.  The yellow cheeses we see used in Mexican foods here in the United States, are from the American influences, and are not traditionally used in Mexico.

Garlic and onions are two of the most popular ingredients and flavors used in Mexican cooking.  Most savory Mexican recipes use at least one of these ingredients, if not both, as do I, in almost every recipe.  Traditional Mexican cooking also uses a wide variety of herbs and spices as well.  The most popular herbs used in Mexican cooking are Mexican oregano (not the Greek oregano), basil, cilantro, mint, sage, and thyme.  Spices that are mostly used in Mexican cooking are cumin, coriander, allspice, cacao powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, achiote or annato seeds, and epazote.  Epazote is used mostly when cooking beans, and is used to help correct digestional problems that often come about when eating too many beans.  But it has to be used sparingly because eating too much can also be toxic.

I have all the basics of Mexican cooking right here.  I have a variety of peppers, squash, tomatoes, garlic, onions, sage, thyme, oregano, cilantro, cumin, and red pepper flakes.  I also used my queso blanco and some pinons or pine nuts.

Once everything was cut, I sauteed all the vegetables and spices together until they were soft and tender.  I added the fresh herbs right at the end so they would not loose their flavors.

After everything was cooked and the herbs were added, I transferred it all to a baking dish coated with cooking spray, then topped it with mozzarella cheese (you can use any cheese you like) and pine nuts.  I baked it uncovered at 375* F for about 30 minutes, or until the cheese was all melted and a little crusty and the pine nuts were toasted.

Esta mui fresca, mui delicioso y saludable.  !Desfruitas!