When something is a labor of love, the elbow grease necessary
for its completion doesn’t seem so tiring. That’s how I feel about
cooking and writing. After eight years of writing Jenny’s Kitchen,
I retired in 2003. Amazing how the past six years has flown by.
When something is a labor of love, the elbow grease necessary for its completion doesn’t seem so tiring. That’s how I feel about cooking and writing. After eight years of writing Jenny’s Kitchen, I retired in 2003. Amazing how the past six years has flown by. During that time, I rarely went a month without someone saying, “I still have your recipe for (fill in the blank)” or, while picking out artichokes at Safeway, “I miss your column.”
Well, I’ve missed it, too. Reading that last column from December 2003, I remembered Dispatch reader Mrs. Cadei, who volunteered her house for the Christmas cookie drop-off for the homeless. Mrs. Cadei has died since then but I can still recall her cheerful smile and generous heart. I remembered Terry Wolfe, who has always had such good and practical recipes. I smiled at my erstwhile wish that football commentator John Madden would come and cook with me in my kitchen (please note that he still hasn’t shown up, though I continue to test his recipes).
Back then, my girls were 10 (playing rec basketball and bashing a royal blue snare drum as often as possible), 15 (playing field hockey at Presentation High School) and 19 (in college in Chicago). Our youngest is now 16 and planning a trip to southern California with the Gilroy High School choir, the middle one is pursuing nursing at Cuesta College and our oldest is a deputy sheriff (who likes to bake desserts) married to a chef who has very good credentials from Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago and Manresa in Los Gatos. He’s currently at Maggiano’s at Santana Row, and I’ll try to share some of his recipes with you, too. With kids, time flies, even when you’re paying attention.
Despite the fact that there are only three of us left at home, I still cook dinner four nights a week and we like to feed a big crowd on Sunday as often as possible. For the past six years, I have been working for the Farm Bureau, political lobbying for landowners and running my residential design business. In May, I cut down on my political lobbying and started recipe testing again. So, after some goading from my husband/the editor, Jenny’s Kitchen is back in business.
For those of you new to The Dispatch, this is a sharing column. Please don’t think I come up with everything on my own. I unabashedly steal from good sources like restaurant chefs, cookbooks, friends and magazines. And readers send in their favorites. In the beginning of my column few people e-mailed, so I’d receive envelopes in the mail with recipes written on the back of grocery lists. I’d still love to get letters but e-mails also work.
I’ve got a small store of recently tested recipes, I’ve convinced my husband to contribute occasional recipes for his “big pieces of meat” and I can’t wait to hear from you about what you’ve been cooking for your family. You can reach me at Jenny’s Kitchen, c/o The Dispatch, P.O. Box 22365, Gilroy CA 95020 or jd****@****ic.com.
Crock pot easy
My younger sister, Britta, has a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old at home and she has just returned to work after maternity leave. Getting everyone off to daycare doesn’t leave much time for dinner planning, but she discovered some great recipes during her time off from teaching that I’m sure will come in handy. We both have made this recipe several times. The burritos are delicious and the ingredient list is short.
Britta’s Chicken Burritos
4 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
2 cups salsa
2 cups water
1 cup rice
6 tortillas, warmed
3 cups shredded cheese
Lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, etc.
– Put chicken, salsa and water into crock pot on low for 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred with two forks, adding some cooking liquid if needed to keep the meat juicy. Keep warm.
– Measure 2 cups of remaining liquid (add water if necessary) and put into saucepan with 1 cup rice. Bring to a boil, then cook on low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender. (Alternate method: Put 2 cups liquid into glass bowl with 1 cup rice. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender.)
– In the center of each warmed tortilla, place shredded chicken, rice, cheese and any other burrito fixings that you like. Roll and serve.
Not low-cal but very quick
This pasta features sausage and cream, so I can’t put it into the “light” category. However, the flavors really meld into something fantastic and the addition of spinach redeems the fat content somewhat. Try it with a light red wine or a nice, crisp glass of Chardonnay. After experimenting with this recipe a few times, I’ve found that you’ll want to drop the pasta into the boiling water at the same time you start the sauce. The sauce takes no time at all to cook, so they’ll be ready at about the same time.
Pasta with Sausage, Basil & Mustard
1 pound penne pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced, seeds removed
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 heaping tablespoon grainy mustard
Pinch crushed red pepper
2 cups spinach
1 cup thinly sliced basil
Parmesan cheese
– Boil a large pot of salted water and cook penne pasta as directed on package; keep warm.
– Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet; add sausage and cook over medium high heat until browned. Add red bell pepper and cook 1 minute.
– Add wine and simmer until reduced by half. Add cream, mustard, crushed red pepper and simmer 2 minutes. Add spinach and cook 1 minute. Stir in cooked pasta and basil. Top with Parmesan and serve immediately.
Good use for French herbs
For Christmas, I gave my youngest sister, Annika, Herbes de Provence and some recipes for dishes that use this great spice mixture. Herbes de Provence is a traditional spice blend that features herbs grown in southern France during the hot summer months. The mixture varies according to manufacturer, but it always contains lavender and some of the following: savory, thyme, rosemary, fennel, basil, tarragon and/or mint. The bright flavors are perfect for chicken and roasts.
Quick Roast Chicken with Mustard & Garlic
4 pounds chicken parts
4 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon salt
– Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix all ingredients except chicken. Coat chicken on all sides with marinade mixture, then sprinkle skin side with more Herbes de Provence.
– Set skillet over high heat and cook chicken until it starts to brown. Transfer skillet to oven and roast chicken 30 minutes, skin side up.
– Serve with a bright green salad or artichokes, and a slice or two of French bread.
FUTURE FOOD: Have a good soup recipe? Please share for the “Winter Soup” column coming up next week.
