'APRIL LOVE' ~ AS THE GARDEN GROWS

"Every spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment."

~ Ellis Peters

"Now every field is clothed with grass, and every tree with leaves; now the woods put forth their blossoms, and the year assumes its gay attire."

~ Virgil

SPRING VACATION (A Southern Fantasy)

"If you come home as happy as you leave, you have had a good vacation!"

Sunrise 

(Surfside Beach, SC)

Mr. Ho-Hum's Twin Sister and Cousins

Charleston SC

Fabulous Old Magnolia

Leaving Charleston (after a brief lunch)

Savannah, GA

(dream meeting with dear blogging friend,

'sweet' Cherry (In the Garden and More)

Mercer Williams House Museum

Awesome Savannah

(too beautiful to leave)

Sunrise on the Plantation

(Amelia Island, Florida)

Fernandina Beach, Florida

Florida House Inn

The oldest survivng hotel in the state of Florida

(Fernandina Beach, Florida)

Another dream come true ... meeting dear blogging friend

 Anna Lopper from High Point, NC

Blessed to be greeted home by my beautiful ever-changing spring garden, bursting in all its glory ...

(almost 2 weeks ago ... so behind ... but catchin' up)

“Those that say you can't take it with you never saw MY CAR packed for a vacation!”

WELCOME SPRING ~ YOSHINO CHERRY BLOSSOMS

‎"Break open a cherry tree and there are no flowers, but the spring breeze brings forth myriad blossoms." 

~ Ikkyu Sojun

Yoshino Cherry Blossoms

"Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made, and forgot to put a soul into."  

~ Henry Beecher, Life Thoughts, 1858

FRIDAY NIGHT FISH FEAST (NAT CHERRY MONTH) ~ SESAME BROILED GREAT LAKES WHITEFISH with CHERRY SALSA

Great Lakes Whitefish: The Great Fish

Michigan is surrounded by the largest freshwater system in the world, commonly known as the Great Lakes. With 6 quadrillion gallons of water, this amazing ecosystem is home to many species of fantastic fish, including the delicious and versatile Great Lakes whitefish.Michigan fishermen are out every day, early in the morning, on the pristine waters to bring back the freshest, best-tasting wild-caught whitefish for your plate. By choosing Michigan whitefish you are assured the most flavorful fish: packed with Omega-3 fatty acids that make it a powerhouse of nutrition."

~ Great Lakes Whitefish

~ Icy Sunset

(Great 'inland' lake ~ Hubbard Lake)

SESAME BROILED GREAT LAKES WHITEFISH with CHERRY SALSA

~ This delicious whitefish recipe, adapted from Great Lakes Whitefish, is paired with another of Michigan's finest offerings, cherries, making this 'trial & error' combo a recipe even 'fish haters' might find hard to resist.

____

4 Tbsp. melted unsalted butter

juice and zest of 1 fresh lemon

4 fresh (or thawed) whitefish fillets

sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

6 Tbsp. sesame seeds

fresh lemon wedges

• Preheat broiler and broiler pan.
• Meanwhile, combine melted butter with lemon juice and zest. Sprinkle fish on both sides with salt & pepper to taste and butter-lemon juice mixture. Place on broiler pan.
• Broil 5 inches from heat source, 6-12 minutes per inch of thickest part of fillet, basting once or twice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and continue to broil until seeds are golden brown, 1-2 minutes. To check for doneness, fish should be opaque and flake easily with pricked with fork. Serve topped with Cherry Salsa, lemon wedges and a bottle of 'award-winning' Michigan wine.

_____________

CHERRY SALSA

  

~ This spicy recipe is compliments of the Cherry Marketing Institute

1 1/3 cups frozen unsweetened tart cherries

1/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1 Tbsp. seeded and chopped jalapenos

1 finely chopped clove garlic

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp. cornstarch

• Coarsely chop frozen tart cherries. Let cherries thaw and drain, reserving 1 Tbsp. cherry juice. Combine thawed or fresh cherries, dried cherries, onion, jalapenos, garlic, and cilantro in medium saucepan; mix well. Combine reserved cherry juice and cornstarch in small bowl; mix until smooth. Stir into cherry mixture. Cook stirring constantly over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened. Let cool. Serve with fish (grilled poultry, roast pork or with tortilla chips).

CELEBRATE 'HEART MONTH' (Dicentra spectablis) ~ GINGER CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

"Beauty is not in the face; Beauty is a light in the heart." 

     ~ Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931)

 Bleeding Heart

(Dicentra spectabilis 'Gold Heart')

________

GINGER CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

~ Heart healthy meal everyone will enjoy

_____

3  (4-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breasts

3  Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

3  cloves crushed fresh garlic

3  Tbsp. Tamari or organic soy sauce

3  Tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar

2  Tbsp. honey

1  Tbsp. sesame oil (spicy or regular)

1-2  tsp. red pepper flakes

1 tsp. cornstarch

4  tsp. extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil

1 1/2  cups thin matchstick sliced carrots

2  cups julienne sliced red, yellow or orange pepper

1  cup matchstick sliced snow peas

1  cup fresh bean sprouts

1  (8 oz.) drained and diced water chestnuts

3/4  cup sliced green onions

1/2  cup toasted sliced almonds

Bibb lettuce leaves for 6 servings

• Cut chicken into thin strips.
• Combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar, honey, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and cornstarch. Pour over chicken while prepping vegetables.
• Heat wok or large skillet. Pour in oil and heat. Remove chicken from marinade and carefully add to pan. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Pour marinade over chicken. Add carrots, peppers, sprouts, snow peas, water chestnuts, and onions. Cook 3 minutes or until sauce slightly thickens, stirring often. Add almonds.
• Spoon 1/4-1/2 cup chicken mixture into lettuce leaf and roll up.

Gardener's Note: This brilliant 'old-fashioned' bleeding heart POPS in a shade garden . Surprisingly hearty with long lasting blooms, its sunny leaves will glow throughout spring and summer.

'IMAGINATION'

"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere."

~  Carl Sagan

'Abalone Abstract'

'NIGHT & DAY' (Hubbard Lake, MI)

“The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures.”

~  Rabindranath Tagore

February Day

'Night and Day'

(Hubbard Lake, MI)

February Eve

“Do not say, "It is morning," and dismiss it with a name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a new-born child that has no name.”  

~  Rabindranath  Tagore

 

FAREWELL HONORING JANUARY 'NATIONAL SOUP MONTH' ~ FRENCH RED ONION SOUP

"Nature has undoubtedly mastered the art of winter gardening and even the most experienced gardener can learn from the unrestrained beauty around them. "


~  Vincent A Simeone

Winter Garden

(Blooomfield Village)

FRENCH RED ONION SOUP

~ A slightly different tasty take on the 'classic' ... red onions and red wine (fine herbs) instead of white onions and white wine ... 

4  Tbsp. unsalted butter

2  Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

6  large red thinly sliced red onions

pinch of sugar

8  cups organic beef broth/stock

1  cup red wine

rosemary and thyme fresh or dried to taste

coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

brandy or cognac

8  slices of Gruyere (swiss or favorite) cheese 

8  slices of good/firm bread like sourdough, 

trimmed to fit opening of soup crock

Extra-virgin olive oil

• In large stockpot, melt butter and olive. Sauté sliced onions until well coated, cover and cook on low for 25 minutes or until soft.
• Sprinkle onions with a bit of sugar. Raise heat and sauté, constantly turning, 30 minutes or so until well caramelized.
• Add wine and stirring, deglaze bottom of pan. Bring to boil and add beef stock, herbs, salt & pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add generous glugs of brandy. Return to high heat, lower and simmer a bit for 3 minutes. (At this point you can either continue or cool and refrigerate ... actually, better to do ahead but again heat soup before continuing on with recipe). 
• When ready to serve: Preheat oven to 350º. Place bread slices on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes until firm. Ladle soup into individual serving oven-safe crocks and top with bread. Place cheese over bread, place in oven heat for 10 minutes or until cheese has melted. If desired, place under broiler to finish or brown cheese. (Note: take care ... this is very HOT!) 

   

"January is the quietest month in the garden.  ...  But just because it looks quiet doesn't mean that nothing is happening.  The soil, open to the sky, absorbs the pure rainfall while microorganisms convert tilled-under fodder into usable nutrients for the next crop of plants.  The feasting earthworms tunnel along, aerating the soil and preparing it to welcome the seeds and bare roots to come."

~ Rosalie Muller Wright

 Editor of Sunset Magazine, 1/99

'LIFE IS LIKE A GOOD BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH' (ORIENTAL POPPY)

‎"Life is like a good black and white photograph, there's black, there's white, and lots of shades in between."

~ Karl Heiner

Oriental Poppy

(Papaver orientale)

'BARE BONES OF WINTER' ~ BEEF CARBONNADE

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure in the landscape - the loneliness of it - the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it - the whole story doesn't show."

~ Andrew Wyeth

Bare Bones of Winter

(Hubbard Lake, MI)

BEEF CARBONNADE

~ Hearty rich Belgian beef stew with sweet caramelized onions and dark beer, perfect for a cold winter's eve ...

(The Silver Palate Cookbook)

1/4 pound bacon

2 very large yellow onions, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, peeled and thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 cup unbleached flour

1 Tbsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

3 pounds beef stew meat (chuck is best), cubed

vegetable oil (optional)

2 cups imported dark beer

chopped parsley (garnish)

1. Coarsely dice the bacon and saute in large skillet until crisp and brown. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve.
2. Add onions to skillet and cook in rendered bacon fat until tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover skillet, raise heat, and sprinkle onions with sugar. Toss and stir until well browned. Transfer onions to strainer set over a bowl and let stand while you prepare the beef.
3. Stir flour thyme, salt, and pepper together on plate and roll cubes of meat around in mixture until well coated. Shake off excess and set cubes on another plate.
4. Press onions gently with back of spoon to extract as much cooking fat as possible. Transfer fat to a kettle. Add in vegetable oil if not enough for proper browning of beef. Be sparing or carbonnade will be greasy.
5. Set kettle over high heat; when very hot, add 6-8 cubes at a time to brown properly. Turn heat down slightly and cook until browned on all sides. Transfer with slotted spoon to clean plate and proceed with the browning untilall meat is done.
6. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
7. Pour beer into kettle and stir browned bits on bottom with spoon. Return beef cubes to kettle along with bacon and sauteed onions. Bring to simmer on stove. Cover and set on middle rack of oven.
8. Cook 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally until stew is thick and meat tender.
9. Taste and correct seasoning. Turn into heated serving dish, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately. (6 portions)

Note: Serve carbonnade egg noodles tossed with butter and poppy seeds, sauteed apples, black breads and good dark beer.

'THE POWER OF LOVE' ~ PEACE LILY (Spathiphyllum wallisii)

"We look forward to the time when the Power of Love will replace the Love of Power. Then will our world know the blessings of peace."

~ William Ewart Gladstone

PEACE LILY

(Spathiphyllum wallisii)

Common name		Peace lily
Botanical name		Spathiphyllum species; most commonly Spathiphyllum wallisii
Other common names		Madonna lily
Family		Araceae
General description		An evergreen perennial herb, often grown as an ornamental, also very popular as a container plant.
Flowers		The flowers are fleshy white to cream sheath or bract, called a spathe, surrounding a spike of fragrant, closely packed minute flowers.
Leaves		The leaves are bright green, lance shaped, shiny, up to 30cm long and clustered at the base of the plant.
Fruit/Berries		The fruit are inconspicuous white berries.
Other		The sap is clear.
Symptoms		This plant, if eaten, can produce a tingling or burning sensation, followed by swelling of the lips, mouth and tongue. Contact dermatitis may also occur in sensitive individuals.
Toxicity category		2, 3
Warning		Seek urgent medical attention if lips or tongue become swollen or if there is difficulty breathing or swallowing.

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

~ Mother Teresa

'CLICK. BOOM. AMAZING!' (Phalaenopsis Orchid) ~ HEARTY MINESTRONE SOUP

“Click. Boom. Amazing!”

~ Steve Jobs

Phalaenopsis Orchid

(Confidence texture)

____________

HEARTY MINESTRONE SOUP

~ Delicious hearty offering for a chilly winter day

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

2 coarsely chopped onions

4 minced garlic cloves

1 cup chopped celery plus leaves

8 cups shredded cabbage (shortcut use coleslaw mix)

3 diced potatoes (redskins/small Yukons, or sweet)

2 cups chopped zucchini

2 cups chopped carrots

1 - 1 1/2 cups chopped green beans or frozen Italian green beans

1 - 2 cans stewed tomatoes

1 - 2 cans rinsed cannellini beans

2 - 3 quarts organic chicken broth

2 Tbsp. crushed dried basil

2 tsp. crushed dried oregano

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

10 oz. fresh chopped kale or spinach (or 10 oz. frozen chopped)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

(1/2 cup small pasta or arborio rice ... optional)

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• Heat oil and butter over medium heat in large stockpot. Add onions and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes.
• Add garlic, celery, and cabbage and continue cooking until wilted. Add potatoes, zucchini, carrots, green beans, stewed tomatoes, cannellini beans, chicken broth, basil, oregano, salt & cracked pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 40 minutes.
• Add spinach or kale, fresh parsley, and pasta/rice (if desired). Cook another 10-15 minutes or until pasta/rice tender.
• Adjust seasonings. Ladle in bowls and top with finely shredded Parmesan. Serve with good crusty bread.

Phalaenopsis Orchid

Purchase with 'confidence' ... Phalaenopsis Orchids are hardy beauties

Plant Care for Phalaenopsis Orchids