SPRING BLESSINGS ... (SIBERIAN SQUILL 'Scilla siberica')

Blessings in life are often small and overlooked ...

Scilla siberica (Siberian squill or wood squill) 

... a sure sign of spring!

APRIL LOVE (Spring Fever)

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"

Mark Twain (Tom Sawyer, Detective.)

SIMPLE PLEASURES

“I adore simple pleasures. They are the last refuge of the complex.”

~ Oscar Wilde

Cheers to thawing April Lake!

(Hubbard Lake, MI)

SAYING GOODBYE TO WINTER ~ VERNAL EQUINOX

"Behold, my friends, the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!"

~ Sitting Bull

Vernal Equinox

(Hubbard Lake, MI)

For lo, the winter is past,

the rain is over and gone;

The flowers appear on the earth,

the time of singing has come

and the voice of the turtledove

is heard in our land.

The fig tree puts forth its figs,

and the vines are in blossom;

they give forth fragrance.

Arise my love, my fair one,

and come away.

~ The Song of Solomon, 2:11-13

WON'T BE LONG NOW ~WITH 'THOUGHTS OF SPRING' (LENTEN-FARE: HONEY SALMON and ROASTED CAULIFLOWER)

"No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow."

  ~ Proverb

HONEY DIJON SALMON

~  delicious Lenten offering with Roasted Cauliflower and healthy baked Sweet Potato for color and flavor

1  lb. salmon (trout or like fish)

1/4  cup extra-virgin olive oil

3  Tbs. honey

3  Tbs. Dijon Mustard

2  cloves minced garlic

3  Tbs. fresh lemon juice plus zest

1/2  tsp. coriander

cayenne pepper to taste

dill weed to taste

freshly ground pepper to taste

• Combine oil, honey, mustard, garlic, lemon juice plus zest, coriander, cayenne, dill, and ground pepper. 
• Pour over salmon and marinate for 30 minutes or longer.
• Bring to room temperature and grill on high for 7 minutes or, depending on thickness, until done to liking.

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Separate head of cauliflower into florets. Spread florets on roasting pan sprayed with Pam. Drizzle florets with good olive oil and toss until coated. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and coarse salt to taste. Roast at 425º for 25-35 minutes until golden brown.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS ... SEIZE THE DAYLIGHT!

"Tempus fugit" 

(time flies)

'Kaleidoscope Clocks'

FAREWELL FEBRUARY (PRIMROSE-FLOWER the MONTH) ~ HONEY PECAN CRUSTED SALMON (LENTEN-FARE)

"The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size."

-  Gertrude S. Wister

PRIMROSE

(FEBRUARY FLOWER of the MONTH)

HONEY PECAN CRUSTED SALMON

~ a delicious Lenten (anytime) treat

(compliments of ~ divadicucina.com)

2  salmon filets

coarse salt & freshly ground pepper

paprika

2  Tbsp Dijon Mustard

2  Tbsp honey

2  Tbsp melted unsalted butter

1  tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1/2  cup finely chopped pecans

1/2  cup finely chopped fresh parsley

• Preheat oven to 400º.
• Rinse fish and pat dry.
• Place skin side down on parchment or foil lined baking sheet.
• Whisk together mustard, honey, butter and Worcestershire.
• In small bowl combine pecans and parsley. Spoon a tablespoon of sauce in with nuts and combine. 
• Brush remaining sauce onto salmon filets. Press sticky pecan mixture to the top of filets.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes or until thickest part of fish flakes.

"A million tomorrows shall all pass away 'ere I forget all the joy that is mine, today." 

~ Randy Sparks

January Sunset

(Hubbard Lake, MI)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

"We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."

  ~ Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Tourtière

This has been an amazing year connecting with my blogging/FB friends (have met dear ones in person and goal to meet more). Reaching out has filled my ♥ with appreciation/love, knowing our 'cyber souls' must shine ...

My 'Home Baked' sign is a gift from dear Liz Watkin ... we are 'kindred souls from across the sea' ... how touched to receive this thoughtful gift! And I could go on ...

In gratitude for remarkable/inspiring people in my life ... I am indeed a 'rich' woman!

Let the 'New Year' spark us all to reach out ... a gift that fills our hearts with riches that $$ can't buy.

CHEERS! (RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR ~ OYSTER STEW)

"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us." 

~ Hal Borland 

CHEERS!

OYSTER STEW

~ a 'rich' holiday tradition for Christmas or the New Year ... delicious recipe adapted from Simply Recipes, a great site and one that cooks much like I do ...

1  pint freshly shucked oysters (such as bluepoint)

5  Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4  cup flour

2  minced celery stalks plus leaves

1  minced sweet onion

2 minced garlic cloves

1  3/4  cup milk

1/4  cup cream (or all milk if you choose but once a year the cream is good)

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2  cup minced fresh parsley (reserve a tad for garnish)

Crisp crumbled bacon for garnish (optional)

Oyster crackers

• Strain oyster juice thorough fine sieve. Remove grit and reserve juices. Rinse oysters under cold water and set aside.
• Melt butter in stock pot over medium heat. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Reduce heat and cook mixture, stirring often, until color of coffee-with-cream. Stir in celery, onions and garlic and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add oyster juice and any juices in reserved oyster bowl. The flour in roux will absorb liquid and turn into a paste. Slowly add milk/cream, stirring to incorporate as you pour in. Add cayenne to taste. Heat soup to steamy over low heat (below simmer) for 10-15 minutes. 
• Add oysters and cook for another 2 minutes or until edges begin to curl. 
• Season with salt, freshly ground pepper and minced parsley. (If too thick, add more milk/cream). 
• Serve garnished with fresh parsley, crisp crumbled bacon, and oyster crackers. (4-6 servings) 

THOUGHTS ON THE END OF ANOTHER YEAR ...

"But what minutes!  Count them by sensation, and not by calendars, and each moment is a day." 

~ Benjamin Disraeli

NOVEMBER IS WINDING TO AN END ~ WHERE DID THE YEAR GO? (SWEET AUTUMN SALMON ~ ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS, SWEET POTATOES & CRANBERRIES)

"Old Time, that greatest and longest established spinner of all! .... his factory is a secret place, his work is noiseless, and his hands are mutes." 

~ Charles Dickens

My beloved Grandfather clock speaks ...


SWEET AUTUMN SALMON

~ This fish is good!

2  lbs. salmon fillet
1  Tbsp. sweet butter
1  Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2  Tbsp. soy sauce
2  Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1  Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 cloves minced garlic
fresh (or dried) thyme to taste
freshly ground cracked pepper

• Rinse and pat dry salmon.
• Combine butter, honey, and brown sugar and melt together in small pan. 
• Add soy sauce, Dijon mustard, olive oil, garlic, thyme and pepper. Pour over fish and marinate 30 minutes or longer.
• Grill over hot coals for 8-10 minutes - depending on thickness and preferred salmon doneness. Leftover marinade can be heated well and served over fish.

ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS, SWEET POTATOES & CRANBERRIES

~ a yummy autumn/holiday side dish sure to please all 

(compliments of Danielle @ http://eatingcuriously.com/)

1  lb.  Brussels sprouts

2  sweet potatoes (cut in small wedges)

1  1/2 cups of fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2  large sweet onion (cut in small wedges)

2  Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1  1/2  Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

1  Tbsp. maple syrup

1/4  tsp. cinnamon

coarse salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

• Preheat oven to 400º.  Spray large baking sheet with oil.
• Stem and halve Brussels sprouts and place in large bowl. Add wedges of sweet potatoes, onions, and cranberries. 
• Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt & pepper. Toss with veggies & cranberries.
• Spread all evenly on baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, flip/stir and return to oven for another 15 minutes.

MAPLE LEAF MOSAIC ~ (MAPLE APPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE)

"Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer and oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all."

~ Stanley Horowitz

MAPLE LEAF

'Artistic'

MAPLE APPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

~ Delicious autumn flavor ... the maple syrup infuses both the apples and the cake (FOOD & WINE) 

1  cup pure maple syrup 

3  Granny Smith apples ... peeled, cored and cut into eights or smaller

2  cups all-purpose flour

1  tsp. baking powder

1/2  tsp. baking soda

1  tsp. salt

3  large eggs

3/4  cup buttermilk

1  Tbs. pure vanilla extract

1  1/2  sticks, unsalted butter, softened

1  1/3  cups sugar

• Preheat oven to 350º. Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan (I used a 10-inch springform pan). In a large saucepan, bring maple syrup to boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat until very thick and reduced to 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes. Pour thickened syrup into cake pan. Arrange apples in the pan in 2 concentric circles, overlapping slightly. 
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In glass measuring cup, whisk eggs with buttermilk and vanilla. In bowl of standing electric mixer fitted with paddle (or use a hand mixer), beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in dry and wet ingredients in 3 alternating batches until batter is smooth; scraped down the side of bowl.
• Scrap batter over apples and spread it in an even layer. Bake cake for 1 1/2 hours, until golden on top and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool on a rack for 45 minutes. 
• Place a plate on top of the cake and invert the cake onto a plate; tap light to release the cake. Remove the pan. Let cake cool slightly, then cut into wedges and serve with creme fraiche or rich vanilla ice cream. (12 servings)

'Kaleidoscope'

WELCOME OCTOBER ~ ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

"The sweet calm sunshine of October, now

    Warms the low spot; upon its grassy mold

The purple oak-leaf falls; the birchen bough

    drops its bright spoil like arrow-heads of gold."

~ William Cullen Bryant

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

~ awesome Autumn fare, perfect while tomatoes are still in abundance

(slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Soup

3 lbs. plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

2-4 'unpeeled' large cloves garlic

1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 tsp dried

1/4 tsp. (or more to taste) dried crushed red pepper

4 cups organic chicken or vegetable stock

Topping

4 slices rye bread

(toasted until hard and lightly buttered on one side)

1 Tbsp. grated raw red onion

1 cup (or more) coarsely grated white cheddar

• Soup: Preheat oven to 400º. Wrap garlic cloves in tight foil packet. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil. Add foil packet of garlic to tray. Roast until tomatoes are brown and tender (garlic will be very tender), about 1 hour or longer depending on thickness of tomatoes. Cool slightly. (Can be made ahead, refrigerated, and reheated before finishing recipe.)
• Unwrap garlic packet and peel or squeeze garlic from peel. Transfer garlic, tomatoes and any accumulated juiced to a blender or food processor and pulse machine on and off until tomatoes are a chunky puree. Transfer tomatoes to medium pot and add thyme, crushed red pepper and stock and bring t a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.
• Topping: Preheat oven to 350º. Arrange four ovenproof soup bowls or crocks on large foil-lined baking sheet. Float toast slice in each bowl, buttered side up and divide grated cheese generously over top. Top with grated red onion. Bake on tray for 15-20 minutes, until cheese on top is bubbling and brown at the edges. (If desired and needs more browning, preheat broiler and finish for a minute or two under broiler.) Serve immediately. (4 servings)

Note: Easily doubled ... the soup is delicious and stands on its own.

WELCOME SUMMER!