A Jeanne in the Kitchen

Guacamole is a favorite and goes with anything Mexican. It’s been around since at least the 14th century, and was a favorite food of the Aztecs. The Aztecs, who lived in Southern Mexico where avocados grow naturally, are thought to have created the dish, which they called ahuacamolli, a Nahuatl word that translates to “avocado sauce”. The original recipe included avocados, tomatoes, and chilis, but over time the Spanish added their own ingredients, like onions, cilantro, and lime juice, and the Spanish pronunciation changed the name to “guacamole”.

I make mine in the Spanish way, with lime juice, onions, cilantro, jalapenos and tomatoes, as well as a little garlic, oregano and cumin too. As with anything though, there are many different ways to make it. Almost all guacamole recipes vary in one small unique way or another, but every familiar recipe contains a few necessary staples: a dash of lime to taste, onions, tomatoes, perhaps some chilies for spice, and of course, plenty of avocados. Ingredients commonly added to guacamole today, such as garlic and cumin, came first from southern Asia to Europe, then to America through the Columbian exchange. The Persian lime, now a staple to many a guacamole recipe, originated in southern Asia, was produced in large scale in the Middle East, and reached Western Europe around the time of the crusades. Finally, in 1493, it was introduced to the Americas by Columbus on his second journey. Some people put sour cream in theirs. Some people just mash up avocados and leave it at that. This is how it was originally made by the Aztecs.

I actually use both red onions and green onions in mine. In fact, when I make my pico de gallo, I just add some to my mashed avocados, since I use a lot of the same ingredients for both. Then I just mix everything all together, place the avocado pits on top and chill it until ready to eat. The reason for the avocado pits is they help prevent the avocados from turning brown, just like the acidity from the lime juice does.

The way I make my guacamole is just how it is made in both Spain and many parts of Mexico. The last time Larry and I went to Cozumel, we took a Mayan cooking class at Ix-Kool, Ix-Kool and the only difference between my guacamole and theirs was that I do not mix mine with their traditional mortar and pestle. I grew up in Southern California, where there is a very large Hispanic population and lots of fantastic Mexican food. This is just how I’ve always made it. I didn’t know that it is actually the way the Mayans and Spanish have been making it for centuries.

Larry doesn’t eat guacamole. I LOVE it, but I don’t make it for just me. I make it when I am serving Mexican food for others. It almost always disappears very quickly too.

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

We sit out on our deck as much as we possibly can. We are often joined by a wide variety of birds too. This time, we had a Cassin’s Sparrow visiting us from one of the trees in our backyard.

At first he had a friend with him, but for the most part, it was just our friendly little Cassin’s Sparrow in the tree by himself. I am glad we had a chance to visit with him, since soon, he will be leaving Colorado, moving on to his winter residence.

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

Despite a “little minor” setback like slicing my finger, Accidents Happen game night and the Taco Bar still took place as planned. It was a bit challenging to cut with my hand being all bandaged up, but somehow I managed. Fortunately, I did most of the cutting before my accident happened. My injury did get me out of washing all the dishes though. Larry did all the dishes for me. So I guess there was a positive that came out of my injury. 🙂

I offered a little something, OK, a lot of something, for everyone. Lauren provided the makings for vegetarian/vegan tacos, Elizabeth C. (I have two friends named Elizabeth) brought a fruit and marshmallow salad, and I provided everything else.

I marinated steak and chicken all day, that we grilled right before everyone started coming over. I had both corn and flour tortillas, so people could choose what they wanted.

I made arroz verde or green rice. It is just rice mixed with green onions, jalapenos and cilantro. I was going to make frijoles Cubano but due to my current incapacities, I just heated up some black beans instead. There were no complaints, so I guess it was an OK choice. 🙂 Then I had all the Mexican sides that complete a taco bar, pico de gallo Pico de Gallo, guacamole, cheese or queso, pickled onions Pickled Onions and crema, or sour cream, and of course, chips.

Yes, I keep the avocado pits to place in the guacamole. They help to prevent it from turning brown.

I made flan for dessert. Los Postres

After dinner, we had a little break in between courses, for a round of games. Then we brought out Elizabeth’s delicious fruit salad, took another breather with more games, followed by the flan and games for the rest of the evening.

We ate until we had no space left for anything else, o no spacio para nada mas. Then we laughed for the rest of the evening. It was another fun and successful evening shared with friends; the best way to live life.

Live life to the fullest. Even the ordinary can be fun. Just add friends and laughter, and everyone will have a good time, no matter what. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.

We all know accidents can and do happen all the time, any where. But they seem to be even more prevalent in the kitchen. You can slip and fall and you will get cuts and burns. That’s just a given. With enough time, things will happen. Most will be minor, but some will be a lot more serious. Some will even land you in the ER. I have definitely had my share, and yes I have been to the ER a few times too, though it had been a while; until yesterday. I guess I was due.

We are having a small get together tonight for game night and a taco bar. I was making what I could in advance. Fortunately, I had the food already made and was in the process of storing it before I had my accident.

I sliced my finger and almost severed the top of my finger off and I also severed one or more of my small venal capillaries at my finger tip. It bled profusely. I did all the things I was supposed to do, and followed the RICE rule, with the exception of the REST portion. Rest will come later. The RICE Rule is:

R= rest

I= ice

C= compression

E= elevation

I ran my hand under cold water; I wrapped it in towels with ice, applied pressure, and kept it elevated. The bleeding wouldn’t stop. After about 30 minutes, I decided I needed to get myself to the ER for stitches.

I ended up needing 5 stiches. The ER doctor did a great job, but she is concerned that because I severed one or more of my venal capillaries, that I may have also severed one or more of the many nerve endings in my finger tip as well. We will know more later, in 10 days, after I get my stitches out. Until then, I will be bandaged up. I don’t want to bust open my stitches or risk infection. It doesn’t hurt, but that is part of the problem. It doesn’t hurt. It should. I don’t really feel much at the moment. Hopefully that will change.

I know you are all wondering how I cut myself, and so badly. Surprisingly, it was NOT with a knife. I cut myself with the serrated cutting portion of the plastic wrap box. It is clearly marked CAUTION: SHARP BLADE too. The weird thing is that it fell out of my hands and as I was trying to catch it, it sliced right through my finger. Had it been a knife, my instincts would have kicked in, and I would have let it fall to the floor, like we are taught to do. But I guess I thought I would catch it right and everything would be OK. I guessed wrong! Believe it or not, these serrated edges are actually where most of the cuts come from in professional kitchens. And they do in home kitchens as well.

Is this going to change my plans? Of course NOT. I may be slowed down and inconvenienced a bit, but the show must go on. The game night and taco bar will still take place as planned. I’ll rest when I can, but don’t expect that to happen anytime soon. 🙂

My lesson to all of you is DON’T try to grab these sharp objects if they fall. Let them fall. It will do far less damage than if you cut yourself and end up in in the ER! Better safe than sorry! ‘Til next time.

Not long ago, we had a little baby bunny trapped in our basement window well. He was so cute, but very scared. We were prepared for a challenge when it came time to getting him out, but he just hopped right into the box we brought down, and we released him back to the wild. Easy-peasy. We were able to get a few pictures of him first.

Usually we see quite a lot of bunnies all around, but this year, we haven’t seen many at all.

Prairie dogs, on the other hand are quite prolific. We see them all around, everyday. I know some think of them as pests, but they are still cute and full of personality. I like seeing the prairie dogs.

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

Low country boil. What is it? Where does it come from? These are great questions. They are also debatable. Some say a low country boil is Cajun or Acadian. Others say it comes from the “low country” of South Carolina or Georgia. Though it is hotly debated on where it originated, no one can dispute that it was influenced by many cultures that were prominent in the South during the early years of The United States. It has Spanish, French, Native American and African roots.

A low country boil is a one-pot meal with potatoes, vegetables, corn, Andouille sausage, seafood and whatever else could be caught. It was often enjoyed at large gatherings or celebrations and was a favorite food of the slaves. Today, it is enjoyed by all. It is a simple, poor man’s food and is meant to be fuss free. Everything is all cooked together in the one, large pot. Nothing else is needed, though it is often served with coleslaw, fried okra and/or corn bread. Shrimp is one of the main ingredients, and shrimp were most often found in the “low country” waters, hence the name, low country boil.

The name, low country boil, is just one of many names that this delicious one-pot meal goes by. It is also known as Beaufort Stew, Beaufort Boil, or Lowcountry Boil, though it is more commonly known as Frogmore Stew.

I made a low country boil last night and served it with fresh corn bread and honey butter on the side, with a glass or two of a cool, crisp Pinot Grigio. My Creole Aunt Gloria would have been so proud of the way it turned out. It was authentically Cajun/Creole/Acadian.

The differences in the three styles, Cajun, Creole and Acadian, are very subtle indeed, with a lot of crossover. The main differences are in the seasonings. For Acadian dishes, herbs and seasonings are used to bring out the full taste of the main ingredients, and not to highlight the tastes or characteristics of the seasonings. “If the flavor of any of the seasonings, herbs or spices stands out, the dish is considered a failure” (p. 8 -Cajun Cuisine, Authentic Cajun Recipes From Louisiana’s Bayou Country).

Low Country Boil

As with any dish that is popular in many regions and areas, there are always many variations. And that’s OK. But you have to have shrimp, Andouille sausage, corn and Cajun or Creole spices. Those are a must. Anything else is just a bonus. I added “the Holy Trinity”, which is green bell pepper, onion and celery, to mine as well as garlic and crab. I used the crab that was already packaged and taken out of the claw. It was much easier to eat, and MUCH cheaper. Because I used the crab that was already cleaned, I added it at the very end of the cooking process, right before serving it. If you want to use the crab legs, add it sooner to let it cook about 5-7 minutes longer.

When cooking authentic Cajun/Creole or Acadian foods, there is never any measuring involved. It all comes from feel and from sight. It comes from the heart, NOT the cookbook or by measurements.

Andouille sausage, sliced at an angle

red potatoes, cleaned and quartered

crab, either crab legs or crab that has already been cleaned from the shell

corn on the cob, cut or broken into large chunks

1 onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 TBSP garlic

2 stalks celery, rinsed and sliced

Cajun/Creole seasonings generously to taste

salt to taste

Herbs de Provence, optional

water

oil

Get a very large pot very hot. Add just a little olive oil and saute the potatoes, peppers, onions, celery, garlic, sausage and seasonings for about 2 minutes.

Add 6-8 cups of water and bring to a full, rapid boil. Allow to boil for about 10 minutes. Then add the corn and boil again for an additional 5-7 minutes.

If you are using crab legs, add them at this point, and boil for an additional 5-7 minutes. Add the shrimp, with the shells and boil again for 3-5 minutes.

I used crab that was already taken out of the shell, so I added it right before serving. Serve in a large bowl to make sure you get as much of the flavorful broth as possible.

This dish is delicious, but MESSY. Have an extra bowl for the shells and corn cobs, and make sure to have LOTS of napkins on hand as well. Good eating is an art. Just like mastering any art or skill, it requires lots of practice. 🙂

Have a great and make everyday great. Stay safe, stay well and laissez le bontemps roulez. ‘Til next time.

The other day I gave you some insight into the life of a chef from Chef Anthony Bourdain The Nasty Bits, Continuing My Journey With Anthony Bourdain. Today, I am offering some more insights into the culinary world, in the words of other chefs.

I see it all the time. So many young people go to culinary school thinking they are going to be the next “celebrity chef” not knowing what it really takes to get there. So many people don’t want to put in the time and effort needed to make it to the top.

I hate to admit this, but it is so true. I cringe when I see others cooking. Sometimes, I just have to walk away. 🙂

Do what you love.

This is the truest of all. Food is what brings people together and connects us all.

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

It’s sunflower season right now. So many beautiful sunflowers of all kinds are in full bloom, displaying their bright, sunny colors. There are many different sunflower varieties too. Here are a few we have blooming right now.

This is one of many of my own sunflowers from my backyard. Our sunflowers are growing like crazy right now.

This one is not from my yard, but from one of my neighbors. I just think it is absolutely gorgeous. It stood well over 6′ tall.

Another big, tall sunflower. This one must be about 10′ tall.

The word Sunflower is from the Greek word Helianthus, Heli means sun, Anthus means flower. Sunflowers turn towards the sun and look like the sun. Ancient cultures worshiped them, and mythical stories called them Sunflowers. The reason why a sunflower’s young bud and bloom follow the sun is to gain as much energy from the sun as it can to grow big and strong. And when the bud has blossomed the sun warms the pollen to entice bees, butterflies, and other small beasties to pollinate it. Pollination is the main goal of sunflowers, pollination produces seeds. Thousands of years ago sunflower seeds were one of the main food sources for South Americans.

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

Asparagus has been around almost since the beginning of time, going back at least to the 1st century. As with all vegetables, the first asparagus was discovered in the wild. A wild asparagus has thin shoots, thinner than a pencil, and is much different than the asparagus that you find in the stores. There are records of it growing in ancient Greece and Rome. Egyptians over 2,000 years ago cultivated asparagus for medicinal reasons and legend has it that it was so revered they offered it up to gods in their rituals.

Asparagus gets its name from the Persian word “asparag” which means
shoot or stalk. In English speaking countries, at first it was called “sparagus” meaning sparrow grass. Asparagus comes in white, purple and green. In the United States, green is the most popular version. In the Mediterranean countries and other parts of Europe, white is the preferred choice. The white and green asparagus are the same plant only the white parts have been buried in about 6 inches of soil so the sun cannot turn it green. Purple is found mostly in Italy.

Asparagus is a favorite in our house. We eat it on a regular basis. It goes well with everything and can be prepared in many different ways. I prefer the thinner stalks to the fatter, chunkier stalks. I think they are a lot more tender, but then, maybe that is just me. It’s all a personal choice and preference. This time I roasted it in a lemon pepper sauce and topped it with cherry tomatoes and a little Parmigiano cheese. !Delicioso!

Lemon Pepper Asparagus and Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 400* F or 205* C.

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed

1-2 TBSP lemon juice

1 TBSP lemon balsamic vinegar

1-2 TBSP olive oil and/or lemon olive oil

1-2 tsp sugar

2 tsp garlic

1-2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

coarse salt to taste

1 cup mixed cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1/3 cup Parimigiano cheese

Combine the lemon juice, oil(s), vinegar, salt and garlic together. Gently toss the asparagus spears into the mixture, then spread out in a single layer on a baking pan.

Top with a few grinds of the black pepper and top with the tomato halves. Roast for about 10-12 minutes. I like using the mixed cherry tomatoes because it makes the dish very festive and colorful.

Top with the Parmigiano cheese and serve alongside your favorite entree. It’s simple, easy-peasy and delicious. It goes with everything too. I promise, you’re going to love it.

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

We have Cassin’s Finches, Rosy Capped Brown Finches and House Finches that love to call our area home. They are all close cousins and look pretty similar, but do have some subtle differences, so I always have to double check which one is which. Because they all kind of change from year to year as well, it makes it even more challenging to know which one is which. But when in doubt, I always go back to my bird books to see which one I am looking at. Last night as we were eating dinner, dining al fresco on our deck, we were joined by a little Cassin’s Finch in one of our trees. He was just being friendly and wanted to say hi.

This is a Rosy-Capped Brown Finch. The beak and coloring is slightly different and so is the body shape.

And a House Finch.

See how similar they all look? This is why it is so confusing. As similar as they are, they are also all different too.

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