A Jeanne in the Kitchen

We did it! We got the house all decorated for Christmas. The house is as done as it is going to get. All the “kids” helped too. Now we are ready for the season’s festivities. Let the celebrating begin. 🙂

I love Santa Claus and I collect Santas. I have for many years. I think I love the magic, fun and frivolity he brings to the season. As we were unpacking our Santas, Juneau decided she needed to see what was going on too.

Otis was watching from under the tree.

Nicky was supervising as we were decorating.

We worked hard for most of the day, but we got everything decorated and festive. All the lights are up, the trees are decorated, and Santas are everywhere.

Our tree in the living room.

The small tree in the art niche above the stairs.

And our big, main tree in the family room.

Even the banisters are lit up.

While decorating, Larry even found time to smoke some more meat. When it came time to putting it all away, Dorrie was more than ready to help Daddy, hoping he would drop it for her. She was pouting earlier, while we were setting up, because we were not giving all the attention to her. But when it came time for the meat, she was all in.

We’re all ready. Let the celebrating begin. Let’s ring in the season. 🙂

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas everyone. ‘Til next time.

I told you about our Thanksgiving spread, The Day After Thanksgiving. Today, I am going to start with dessert first. I did not make a traditional pumpkin or pecan pie, like I usually do, but instead made a pumpkin pecan bundt cake.

The idea of this delicious cake came to me from one of our own, The Reluctant Poet at https://thereluctantpoetweb.wordpress.com/. Thank you for this delicious idea. I added the pecans, which I think made the cake even more festive. 🙂

Pumpkin Pecan Bundt Cake

Preheat the oven to 350* F or 180*C.

Spray a bundt cake pan with cooking spray.

3 cups flour

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 can pumpkin puree

1 cup canola oil

3 eggs

3/4-1 cup chopped pecans

Combine all the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Mix the sugar, oil, eggs and pumpkin together, then add 1/2 of the flour mixture and mix together well, then add the remaining portion of the flour and mix again. Fold in the chopped pecans and evenly spread into the prepared cake pan.

Bake for about 1 hour or until the cake is done, and a toothpick that is inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let the cake cool completely before removing from the pan and decorating. I like just simple cake decorations, so I just whipped up some cream, added a dash of nutmeg on top and then added some chopped pecans.

The cake came out delicious. It’s so moist and full of flavor. It is a perfect cake for fall and for Thanksgiving, or anytime you feel like something with a fall flavor.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

Thanksgiving is over, and now it is time to get ready for Christmas. Larry got all the outside lights up and they look so pretty, especially with the accents of fresh snow.

We love our big tree in the front yard, especially at this time of year.

Our back deck is it up nicely too. I just love this look. It looks so surreal, especially with the snow.

Today’s project is to decorate the inside of the house. Larry brought all the Christmas decorations up from the basement, and we got started, but we both had to take a break. Everything will be done by the end of today though.

Though I much prefer live Christmas trees, we haven’t had a live tree in years. All the inside trees are artificial. Our big main tree is about a 20′ tree. It’s got to be about 20 years old. We inherited it from one of Larry’s brothers about 15 years ago. We got most of it up and “fluffed”, but still have to top it off. But as I said, everything will be done by the end of today. We have no choice. It has to be. Our party is Saturday. Then our whole house will be festive for the season.

We did get our HUGE Costco poinsettias yesterday, and those are already brightening up the house. We got the one extra large poinsettia and four smaller ones, that are still pretty big too.

All the fur babies are very curious about what’s going on, and are doing their best to “help” decorate too.

The outside is done, and the inside is still very much a work in progress at the moment, but I will show you the end results once we are done decorating.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. 🙂

Happy Holidays. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving. I know we did. It was a small celebration, but a celebration none-the-less. I made the traditional Thanksgiving menu, with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, cranberry chutney, vegetables and dessert. Lauren brought over some vegetables and a cranberry rhubarb sauce as well, that were also very tasty. Of course you will all get more details. 🙂

The turkey was the star of the meal. It came out perfect. I brined it overnight, then spread garlic-herb butter under the skin and coated it with olive oil before roasting it. This is one of my favorite ways to cook a turkey. 🙂 The meat was juicy, tender and full of flavor and the skin was nice and crispy. PERFECT!

Now, it is time to start getting creative with all the leftovers. 🙂

I am NOT a shopper, except for food, so I do not partake in all the Black Friday shopping frenzies. But just because Thanksgiving is now behind us, and I am not out shopping, does not mean I have time to relax. No, no, no. Au contraire my friends. Today, we are decorating the house for Christmas. We have no choice. Next week, we have our annual Christmas party. If you’re in town, all are invited. 🙂

So Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Holidays to all, from my house to yours. Have a great day and make everyday great. Let the holidays begin, and may they be joyous and festive for all. ‘Til next time.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is not about gifts to buy, but about the gifts we have been given. It is all about giving thanks and being grateful for the bounties we have. It is about being with loved ones. Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for everything you have and celebrate the simple things: family, friends, health, and happiness. 

The concept of Thanksgiving can be traced back to the Holy Bible, where it represents a fundamental aspect of God’s people. In both the Old and New Testaments, Thanksgiving emphasizes gratitude and praise to God for His many blessings. The biblical interpretation of Thanksgiving refers to: Devotion. Sacrifice.

Thanksgiving, at its core, is an expression of gratitude, a virtue that resonates deeply in spiritual teachings across various faiths. Gratitude is not merely a courteous acknowledgment of blessings; it is a profound recognition of the divine benevolence that permeates every aspect of our lives.

To give thanks for just being and able to receive support, as well as give support, to those you love as well as those in need. Thanksgiving = Grateful — hence the ability to share/give with nothing in return.

I know I have many reasons to be thankful, not just today, but everyday.

I wish you all a very Happy and safe Thanksgiving. Be thankful for what you have today, tomorrow and everyday. God Bless.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the United States. It is my favorite holiday. It’s all about being thankful for what you’ve got and being with loved ones, whether they be friends, family or both. I am only doing a small Thanksgiving dinner this year, but I still need to clean and prepare. Soon I will be busy in the kitchen and cleaning the house, getting ready for tomorrow’s festivities. But I wanted to share a few light-hearted and funny Thanksgiving thoughts with you first.

“I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage.” Erma Bombeck, American Author.

A Vegetarian’s turkey dinner.

Our lakes are getting quite a few visitors for the holidays. ‘Tis the season after all. Yesterday, when out walk-about, I noticed a new goose visiting with my Canadians and the Cacklings. It was a family reunion just in time for the holidays, since they are all cousins. It was a Greater White-Fronted Goose. We’ve had a couple visit our lakes before, but we don’t see them too often.

The holidays are time to get together with loved ones, relatives and even distant cousins. Even the geese know that. Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Our Barn Swallows are leaving us for the season, but we will return again in the spring. We must have a few that really like it here though, since some have decided to stay longer than their friends. Usually they leave us towards the end of September, but I am still seeing a few of my dark blue and rust feathered friends hanging around, even this late in the season.

Have a great day and make everyday great. 🙂

I love curry. I know it is one of those flavors you either love or hate. I personally love anything curry. There are many types of curries, from many different countries. I like them all, but my favorite curries are Thai and Indian curries. I like the sweeter & spicy curries best. But if curry is in the name, chances are I am going to like it, no matter where it originates. 🙂

We had pork chops down for dinner and I wanted to change them up a bit, so I decided to make them with a curry sauce and vegetables this time.

The word curry comes from the Tamil word kari, which means “sauce”. It is a cultural blend of spices that has been around for centuries, since about 3300 -1300 BCE . Curries from the Middle East and Asian countries became popular during the early years of the spice trades going back and forth from Asia to the Middle East along the spice routes, then spread to England and beyond in the 18th century.

The possibilities of how to cook with curry are endless. I am volunteering to gladly accept the challenge of trying as many different varieties as I can. 🙂

Curried Pork Chops

1 1/2-2 lbs pork chops

coarse salt & fresh ground black pepper

1 can coconut milk

2 TBSP honey

1-2 TBSP coconut balsamic vinegar, optional

1-2 TBSP lime balasamic vinegar or lime juice

1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 TBSP ginger

1 TBSP garlic

2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1 shallot, sliced very thin

3-5 pieces garlic, sliced very thin

2-3 carrots, sliced

1-1 1/2 cups cut green beans

Pat the pork chops dry with a paper towel, then season with the coarse salt & pepper on both sides and press into the porkchops.

Steam the carrots and green beans until tender.

Combine the coconut milk, honey, vinegars, garlic, ginger and/or lime juice and seasonings and mix together well.

Get a large skillet very hot and add olive oil and butter, then sear the pork chops for about 3 minutes per side, until completely browned. Cook until done, or the internal temperature reaches 145*F and the juices run clear. Once the pork is cooked, remove and keep warm. Drain off the excess oil and discard.

In a smaller skillet, add a dash of oil and the sliced shallots and garlic and caramelize until browned. Make sure to stir often. Once they are done, remove from the heat and set aside.

Add the coconut-curry mixture to the larger skillet, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and re-add the pork chops.

I served it over lemon rice, with the steamed green beans scattered on top, and finished with the caramelized shallots and garlic. And served it with a cool crisp chardonnay on the side. You can do the same sauce and use chicken, fish or shrimp too.

Even if I am just cooking for Larry and I, I still like to make it with a nice presentation. Food always tastes better when it looks pretty. 🙂

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

My lakes are filling up with a lot of Canadians these days; Canadian Geese that is. They are flying in for the holidays, getting ready for their long, seasonal stay. I got some good shots of them flying in.

Coming in for the landing.

And settling in for the winter.

The water is just right. Come on in.

Come stay for awhile. Enjoy the scenery. Have a great day. 🙂