QUEEN ANNE'S LACE

~ Queen Anne's Lace

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Queen Anne's Lace

HER body is not so white as
anemone petals nor so smooth--nor
so remote a thing. It is a field
of the wild carrot taking
the field by force; the grass
does not raise above it.
Here is no question of whiteness,
white as can be, with a purple mole
at the center of each flower.
Each flower is a hand's span
of her whiteness. Wherever
his hand has lain there is
a tiny purple blossom under his touch
to which the fibres of her being
stem one by one, each to its end,
until the whole field is a
white desire, empty, a single stem,
a cluster, flower by flower,
a pious wish to whiteness gone over--
or nothing.

~ William Carlos Williams

(1883 - 1963)

(POET'S CORNER)

http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/index.html

SPRING BRUNCH ~ MOREL QUICHE & RHUBARB BREAD

~ Wildflower garden

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MOREL QUICHE

~ A spring brunch recipe from Between the Lakes (A Collection of Michigan Recipes)

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4 oz. diced lean bacon

1 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup sliced wild onions or scallions

1 Tbsp. butter

4 cups cleaned & dried morel mushrooms

1 egg white

1/2 cup diced Gruyere cheese

2 cups scalded and cooled half & half

3 eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp. white pepper

freshly grated nutmeg

butter for sauteing

Pate Brisee

• Cook bacon in saute pan until almost crisp. Drain and set aside.
• Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in pan and add wild onions. Saute until translucent and set aside.
• Melt 1 Tbsp. butter. Add a batch of mushrooms and saute just until tender. Set aside.
• Repeat with remaining mushrooms, adding 1 Tbsp. butter for each batch.
• Roll Pate Brisee into a circle. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, trimming and fluting the edge. Pierce with fork tines and brush with egg white.
• Layer bacon, onions & mushrooms in pastry. Sprinkle with cheese. Whisk half & half into eggs in a mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour over the cheese. Bake at 375-degrees for 35 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serve warm. (6-8 servings)

Pate Brisee

1/2 cup softened butter

2 cups sifted flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 - 3/4 cups water

Lightly rub butter into flour & salt in a bowl with fingers, then by hand. Make a well and add gradually add water, stirring with index finger moving to outer edge to incorporate flour. Form into ball and let rest for up to 2 hours.

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RHUBARB BREAD

~ Favorite old 1984 R.S.V.P. Bon Appetit adapted recipe from The Catnip Mouse, a tearoom in Riverton, Connecticut.

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1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2/3 cup oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups diced uncooked fresh rhubarb

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. grated orange peel

1 Tbsp. room temperature butter

• Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans. Line bottom and sides with waxed paper.
• Combine brown sugar and oil in large bowl and beat well. Mix butter, milk, egg, vanilla, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Add to brown sugar mixture and blend thoroughly. Gently fold in flour, rhubarb and nuts. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.
• Combine sugar, orange peel and butter in small bowl and blend well with fork. Sprinkle over batter.
• Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pans, then turn onto racks. Remove waxed paper before serving.

SPRING SUPPER (on a record breaking hot evening) ~ GRILLED SHRIMP SALAD with BASIL VINAIGRETTE

GARDENER'S NOTE: When planting basil in the herb garden, pinch tips to encourage growth then use in your favorite fresh basil recipe.

~ Friends in the wildflower garden

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GRILLED SHRIMP SALAD with BASIL VINAIGRETTE

~ Fast, refreshing and easy supper for a summer-like spring evening

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2 lbs. peeled large raw shrimp (fresh or thawed frozen)

1 1/2 lb. asparagus spears (or trimmed fresh green beans)

1/2 lb. crumbled cooked bacon

1 1/2 cup crumbled feta or shredded Parmesan cheese (reserve a bit for garnish)

3/4 cup toasted pine nuts (reserve a bit for garnish)

8 (12-inch) wooden skewers

Basil vinaigrette:

1/2 cup chopped fresh sweet basil

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

4-6 minced shallots

3 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. Lawry's Seasoned pepper

pinch of coarse salt

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

• Soak skewers in water while preparing salad.
• Combine ingredients for Basil Vinaigrette, whisking in olive oil a bit at a time until blended.
• Combine shrimp with 3/4 cup of vinaigrette in plastic bag and chill for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
• Meanwhile, blanch asparagus (or green beans) in boiling salted water for 4 minutes. Drain and plunge into ice water. Remove, pat dry and chill.
• Remove shrimp from marinade and thread onto skewers.
• Grill over medium-high with lid down for 2 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink. Remove from skewers and toss with asparagus (green beans), bacon, feta or Parmesan cheese, toasted pine nuts and remaining 3/4 cup Basil Vinaigrette. Sprinkle with additional cheese and toasted pine nuts. Serve on chilled plate surrounded by spring flowers from the garden.

GRILLED VIDALIA ONION & STEAK SANDWICH

~ Downy Yellow Violet

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GRILLED VIDALIA ONION & STEAK SANDWICH

~ Delicious spring combo from Cooking Light

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Steak:

3/4 cup cola

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 Tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground chipotle chile pepper

4 crushed cloves garlic

1 crushed bay leaf

1 (1 1/2 lb.) trimmed flank steak

Dressing:

3/4 cup minced arugula

1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise

Remaining Ingredients:

Cooking spray

6 (1/2-inch thick) slices Vidalia onion

6 (2-oz.) Kaiser rolls

12 (1/4-inch thick) slices tomato

• To prepare steak, combine first 7 ingredients in large zip-lock bag. Add steak, seal and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours, turning occasionally. Remove steak, reserving marinade. Pour marinade into microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 2 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil. Set aside.
• Prepare grill.
• Combine arugula and mayonnaise for dressing; set aside.
• Coat grill with cooking spray. Grill steak 8 minutes or until steak is medium-rare or desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Grill onions for 4 minutes on each side, basting occasionally with marinade. Grill rolls, cut side down, for 2 minutes.
• Slice steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Spread 2 Tbsp. dressing on bottom of each half of roll. Divide steak, tomato, and onion evenly. Top with remaining half. ( 6 servings )

~ White Violet

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IN HONOR of MOTHER'S DAY ~ MOTHER'S SWEET BAKED BEANS

~ Anne

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MOTHER'S SWEET BAKED BEANS

~ This French Canadian recipe has been handed down for generations but tastes different, depending on the measurements of the cook.

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2 lbs. dry navy beans

1 - 1/2 cup white sugar

(1/2 cup brown sugar optional for the last 1/2 cup)

1/2 cup Crisco (lard in original recipe)

2 Tbsp. Coleman's dry mustard

2 tsp. salt

(1/2 lb. salt pork ~ optional)

• Carefully sort for stones or discolored beans. Wash well and soak in cold water overnight.
• Drain beans and cover with cold water. Bring to boil and simmer, skimming off foam, until skins begin to burst when blown upon. (Time varies depending on freshness of beans.)
• Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Transfer beans to baking dish and cover with bean juice, reserving remaining juice if needed during baking. Combine beans with sugar, Crisco, dry mustard and salt. If desired, cover with salt pork.
• Bake 3-4 hours, adding additional bean juice if needed to keep beans from drying out. Enjoy as is or top with homemade chili sauce.

~ Forget-me-not

( Myosotis scorpiodes )

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Gardener's Note: Prevalent along Michigan's rivers and streams, this dainty blue wildflower from the Borage family signifies spring. Its name, perhaps derived from its unpleasant flavor and smell, or a lover's lament shouting, "Forget-me-not", as he toppled down a steep riverbank fetching the beckoning flower for his fair lady.