*** Random Thoughts
My word. This pollen. How much of it can be in the air? Answer: A LOT. A WHOLE LOT. Everyone in my house, pretty much everyone I know, is sneezing and carrying on.
Pollen, dander, and sneezing aside, I’m in a happy spring lull, enjoying the warm days and cool mornings. This here is what you call selective memory: I’m forgetting that summer is on its way, long white-hot afternoons that wrap you in hot, damp, wool when you step outside. Resolutely not thinking about that. I’m enjoying the blue skies and fresh strawberries, the ferns hanging outside the kitchen window and the sweep of green grass in the yard. Yesterday we planted a small vegetable garden that I am so excited about: eggplant, squash, peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers.
The Husband gave me a lucky bamboo plant for Easter and it is STILL ALIVE. So I'm totally ready for a garden.
Best,
Keetha
You can follow my blogs! Just click “Follow This Blog” to sign up and you’ll receive alerts when new posts are up.
*** Great Quotes
"The world's favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May." - Edwin Way Teale
"What is so sweet and dear
As a prosperous morn in May,
The confident prime of the day,
And the dauntless youth of the year,
When nothing that asks for bliss,
Asking aright, is denied,
And half of the world a bridegroom is,
And half of the world a bride?"
- William Watson, Ode in May, 1880
My wedding anniversary is this month; this quote seems especially appropriate for May.
*** Fun Food Idea
Because I know how good it is for me, I'm trying to eat more fish. For the longest, fish meant "fried catfish." Every now and then, it still does. More often, we grill, smoke, or broil salmon or tuna.
Fish is ideal for weeknight meals because it generally doesn't take much preparation and pretty much anything goes with it - white rice, brown rice, pasta, salad, green beans, broccoli.
This is my kind of go-to dish: Provided we have salmon in the freezer, this is an easy one to make as we usually have the other ingredients on hand in the pantry. Score!
Balsamic-Glazed Salmon Fillets
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon white wine
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
6 (5-ounce) salmon fillets
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray.
Add a bit of olive oil to a small saucepan and sauté garlic over medium heat until soft, about three minutes. Add remaining ingredients, except salmon and oregano, and simmer until slightly thickened, about three more minutes.
Put the salmon fillets on the prepared baking sheet. Brush filets with the glaze and sprinkle with oregano. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 14 minutes or until fillet flakes with a fork.
Serves 6.
Any leftover salmon can be flaked into a bowl of cream cheese and stirred well. Add a few capers, a bit of lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste for a dip.
In the Kudzu Kitchen:
We hosted supper club last month and served shrimp and grits over Asiago cheese grits with caramelized onion.
Yum and yum.
*** Pass It On
If there’s someone you think would enjoy this newsletter, please forward this issue in its entirety. Email me at kudzuuu at gmail dot com to subscribe.
*** Hit the Highlights - a few choice blog posts from last month:
They write the songs
House story: The Child’s Room
Back roads
World Catfish Festival. Love it!
House story: My home office
Be the first in your neighborhood to know when fresh blog posts are up! Click on “Follow This Blog” to the right, about midway down the page. You’ll be alerted when a new content is posted. It’s fast and no cost, of course.
*** Shameless Bid for Commerce
“Keetha DePriest Reed's "More Culinary Kudzu: Recollections and Recipes from Growing Up Southern" is part cookbook, part collection of wonderful essays on food, family and growing up Southern and altogether great fun…
I would very highly recommend "More Culinary Kudzu" to anybody who enjoys good food and good writing as well as to anybody who wants to find out more about the South. As for me, I only have one question left - how do I get invited to one of their family reunions?” – review by ReaderViews.com
*** Recommended Reading
Requiem, Mass. by John Dufresne
and The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw are two good ones.
All the books I read last month are here.
*** Adorable Thing My Child Said
Him: What should I be when I grow up?
Me: Whatever it is that makes you happy, that you look forward to each day.
Him: Okay, these are my options.
Me: Honey, you have tons of --
Him: Just...will you help me decide?
Me: ...
Me: Okay.
Him: Option 1 - a computer doctor; Option 2 - an electrician; Option 3 - cell phone maker.
Me: A computer doctor. I bet there are lots of sick computers that need your help.
Him: You think so?
Me: You bet.
There’s this, too.
*** Mississippi Writers Guild
The Mississippi Writers Guild sponsors writer workshops, conferences, writer retreats and reputable writing contests. Membership dues are only $40.00 per year. This year's conference is August 6-7, 2010 in Vicksburg.
The Mississippi Writers Guild is a non-profit association of writers from all over the state and is a growing part of Mississippi’s literary art landscape.
*** Calendar
Sunday, May 9 – Mother’s Day
Sunday, May 30 – Wedding anniversary
*** Reminders and Unsubscribe Info.
If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, simply send an email with “unsubscribe” in the subject line to kudzuuu at gmail dot com - we’ll miss you but won’t harass you about staying or coming back.
2010 © Pecan Street Press. All rights reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment