Wednesday, May 30, 2012

FAREWELL 'SWEET MAY' (GARDEN STROLL)

"In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful." 

 ~ Abram L. Urban













"Show me your garden and I shall tell you what you are."

~ Alfred Austin

Monday, May 21, 2012

TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS ~ RICE NOODLES with SHRIMP & CILANTRO

"Between two worlds life hovers like a star, twist night and morn, upon the horizon's verge."

~  Lord Byron 


MAY GARDENS OF OVERHILL
(Bloomfield Village)





















From morning to night, ever-changing perennial gardens
(Bearded Iris, Wildflowers, Hosta, Rhododendron, Azalea, Ferns)


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RICE NOODLES with SHRIMP AND CILANTRO

This yummy colorful Pad Thai variation skips bean sprouts, eggs, and peanuts in favor of fresh red pepper and cilantro ... a favorite 'simple supper' at both home & cottage (slightly adapted from Fine Cooking

8  oz.  1/4 in. wide dried rice noodles (pad thai)
2-3  limes (1 juiced and 1 sliced in wedges)
2  Tbsp. light brown sugar
2  tsp. soy sauce
1  tsp. fish sauce
1  lb. peeled and deveined large shrimp
3  generous Tbsp. peanut oil
1  tsp. ground coriander
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1  cored, seeded, and finely diced red pepper
1  cored, seeded, and finely diced orange or yellow pepper
1  seeded and finely diced large jalapeno
1-2  finely diced large shallots
1/4  heaping cup fresh cilantro

  • Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add noodles, lower heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally until noodles are just tender, 5-7 minutes. Transfer to colander and run under cold water to cool slightly. Drain well.
  • In a small bowl, combine lime juice, sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce; set aside. In a medium bowl, toss shrimp with 1 generous Tbsp. of the oil, coriander, freshly ground pepper and pinch of coarse salt.
  • Heat remaining 2 Tbsp. of oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add peppers and shallots, sprinkle with pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. 
  • Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until it turns pink and almost cooked though, about 2 minutes. Add lime juice mixture and cook, stirring, until shrimp is cooked through, about 1 minute more.
  • Add noodles and half of the cilantro; toss until noodles heat through and pick up the sauce, 1-2 minutes. 
  • Serve topped with remaining cilantro and lime wedges on the side for squeezing.  (3-4 servings)  

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WEEKEND 'ROCK GARDEN' PROJECT 
(Hubbard Lake)










Blessed to share time between 'Two Different Worlds' ... thankful for the beauty of each.