How to Grill Salmon

A few people have asked me recently how we like to grill our fish. It's probably one of my favorite meals, and very easy to prepare.

First, I prefer a charcoal grill. I know, I know, it's not nearly as easy as lighting the propane, but for pure flavor, it's how I really enjoy it.

Create a makeshift aluminum pan from heavy-duty foil. I am far too thrifty to buy one every time, and the skin will stick to the pan bottom, so for pure ease of clean-up, this is the way to go.

Lay the fish, skin side down, in the pan.

Silver salmon spread with homemade spiced peach preserves.

Season (here are a few ideas):

• spread with butter, sprinkle Johnny's seasoning, drizzle with honey
• apricot or peach preserves
• mix mayo, Dijon mustard, capers, salt and pepper, and fresh parmesan

Add about 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan to keep the fish lovely and moist

Grill for approximately 15 minutes. Check for doneness easily with a fork. When fish "flakes" apart...it's ready to enjoy.

Eat.

Salmon and Squash

When God created the salmon, I'm almost certain he had this one in mind. Tonight we ate the little Silver (Coho) that I caught this weekend. We ate the WHOLE THING. Because, with a little butter, Johnny's seasoning, honey, and the grill, it was amazing.

Joe wants to make sure I give credit where it is due. He tied the line and fileted the fish. But I caught it. So it's mine. And I deserve most of the credit. Right?

And I made acorn squash for the first time. I think it must be the easiest side dish ever.  Not the best picture, but I couldn't resist showing it off.

Acorn Squash:

Cut it in half, scoop the seeds, and bake face down in a 350 oven for about 30 minutes to soften.

Place one half in a small casserole or baking dish and fill the cavity with some butter and brown sugar. The put the other half on (like a lid) and put it back in the oven for another 30 minutes.

And you're done.

Why haven't I made that before? And it was cheap. 59 cents. Nothing is 59 cents anymore!

Zucchini Bread

Here's my recipe for the moistest and most flavorful zucchini bread ever. I have adapted this one a few times, and today's was just about perfect.

Oven @ 350
Grease two 9x5 bread pans (or four small pans for gifts!)

 

In a medium bowl, mix:

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp nutmeg

 

In the mixer, mix well:

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp real vanilla extract

1 cup coconut oil (or 1/2 cup coconut oil & 1/2 cup applesauce)

 

Then stir in:

1 8-oz can crushed pineapple

2 cups shredded zucchini

 

Add the dry ingredients.

 

Bake 50 minutes for large loaves, 35 minutes for small loaves.

 

Zucchini bread ~ ambrosia!

 

Over the years I have learned a few tricks.

 

First, when given the gift of zucchini from friends' gardens, I shred it and freeze it in 2-cup portions. It's too easy to let things go to waste if I don't!  Then I can just pull it out all winter long as needed.

 

Also, for the oil, you can substitute applesauce. I like the half and half option.

 

Today's batch had yet another substitution: pineapple apricot freezer jam from another friend in place of the crushed pineapple. Yum. Yum. Yum!

 

Be creative! As long as you have your proportions right, the flavor is always different and delicious!

Addendum: Here is the quote of the day on the right side of the blog:
The soul's joy lies in doing.
Percy Bysshe Shelley

Very fitting.

Ironstone

I found two of these ironstone dishes at an antique store in Snohomish.  I thought it was a nice combination of my enjoyment of the solidity and heaviness of the ironstone and Joe's love of the outdoors.

 

 

Nature Sightings

Yesterday late afternoon, while we were fishing on the Stillaguamish River, there were two kingfishers chasing each other up and down the south side of the bank. I love those little birds, their big heads and short bodies are so distinctive in the air, and had a good opportunity to really listen to their calls. Flirts!

An osprey spent a few minutes circling above us. I am going to assume that he had better luck getting fish than we did.

Minerva

This little girl has really filled a spot in our hearts. She is an avid sock-hunter, laser light chaser, cat tree climber, and all around independent kitty.  We loves her.

The "Fruits" of our Labors

Here is the final product from our day on the river. Good start for the freezer and pantry stock up....

 

...except for the fish in the bowl. Joe is going to eat that now. I haven't tried the canned, but we brined the fish for the smoker for about 18 hours in salt and brown sugar. Oh. My. Goodness. It's delicious. I learned a few things along the way, like that because pink salmon is pretty oily, after you brine, you should drain the fish on a towel for a couple of hours. If I had done this I wouldn't have been up at 0100 pulling this off the smoker and processing it in the bags.

 

I'm really looking forward to canning a few more things this fall. Apples are next! I haven't done this in years and needed the encouragement to get my hands back in it. So thanks to Joe's cousin Craig for canning the salmon with me.

 

 

Being Outside

I love to be in the woods. By the lake. On the river. At the beach. Fishing. Hiking. Camping. Sitting in a lawn chair.

One of the reasons I fell in love with Joe was not just his passion for the outdoors, but his ability to share that joy with others. The child-like glee he exhibits when he gets a fish on the line. The crazy out-of-breath-with-excitement phone message he left me when he got his huge buck a couple of years ago.

Today, we fished from his cousin's boat in the Snohomish River. We all got our salmon limits (12 in the boat). But here's what else we saw...

Quite a few blue herons. Such graceful beauty.

One of the herons had a decent sized fish, which was quickly snatched from him by a bald eagle. The eagle sat on the edge of the river and ate it up, while the heron watched from a sand bar. Its probably my imagination, but I think he looked very dejected. It was a good fish.

The stand-out prize of the day goes to a young 2-3 point buck whom we watched as he finished his swim across the river. I actually caught sight of his antlers and didn't immediately register what I was seeing. As he came to the river's edge, he scrambled out and, after picking his way around a bit, headed almost straight up into the brush. That was a sight.

Everywhere I have lived has had it's own unique beauty. The Pacific Northwest really stands out on days like today.

Chihuly: a Photo Retrospective (doesn't that sound posh?)

My first encounter with the glass work of Dale Chihuly was at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha. There I was able to see close-up the amazing artistry of what was then a newly installed piece.

Here are my photos from that day.



Small piece in the gift shop. Alas, I do not have $8000 to spend.


A couple of weeks ago, I spent a wonderful time in Seattle with some of my very lady-like friends. On a gorgeous Saturday, we hit the Seattle Center and the Chihuly Garden and Glass Exhibit. Not cheap at $19, but worth every penny.


This "bowl" is about 2 feet tall. Note the layers of glass and the 3-D effect.


I had seen the chandelier style of his art, but was struck by the different glass work that Chihuly has done.

Loved the crab. He's about 6 inches tall. Quite a departure from the bright colors I am used to from Chihuly.



My favorite exhibit. The colors and the artistry literally made me speechless.

It was fun to people watch at the exhibit. They were all doing the same thing I was. As I entered one room, I was struck by the immensity, the beauty, the intricacy, and the artistic vision that creates such wonders. At one point, I looked at a friend and told her I wanted to sing "Pure Imagination" from the Willy Wonka. 

  

One of the many colored "chandeliers" hanging from the ceilings.

Then, I would turn my head, get a glimpse into the next room, and gasp. Every room did this to me. 

A closer look.

Large, probably 2 1/2 feet across, bowl. Stunning colors.

A glimpse at the Needle through the floral chandelier.

Rock candy.

I'm not sure that I want to know what these little black suckers are escaping from under this log into the purple forest.

Hold your breath
Make a wish
Count to three

Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of
Pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination

We'll begin
With a spin
Traveling in
The world of my creation
What we'll see
Will defy
Explanation

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Wanta change the world?
There's nothing
To it

There is no
Life I know
To compare with
Pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Wanta change the world?
There's nothing
To it

There is no
Life I know
To compare with
Pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly
Wish to be

More gift shop goodies.

If anyone is looking for birthday gift ideas, I think this one only ran $6500.

Apartment Therapy Style Cure: Day One

I am participating in Apartment Therapy's month of Style Cure. Essentially, this means I am gutting a room and making it not just full of hand-me-downs and a catch-all, but re-making it to represent me. The room I am tackling (an appropriate word since I will need a linebacker's muscles to do this) is what is supposed to be my guest/reading room. What it is currently is a repository for all the stuff that doesn't have a home elsewhere. I will post a picture this weekend, much to my shame, just to keep me honest.

The first task of the "cure" was a self-interview. Sort-of an introspective what-kind-of-crazy-nut-are-you? style-wise quiz. Because what I discovered is that I like a bit of everything. How I answered this was listing the first things or persons that came into my mind. Hardly scientific, but odd.

1. List your favorites in each category

Actor: Sean Connery. Loved him in Darby O'Gill (when he had amazing hair) and in Hunt for Red October (in which he didn't). Oh, that voice.
Actress: Melissa McCarthy. Chubby and hilarious? You're my girl.
Artist: Dale Chihuly. Just saw more of his work in Seattle. Inspiring. And Fredrick Childe Hassam. I've enjoyed him since seeing his work at the Joslyn in Omaha. The grays and greens are just lovely.
Writers: Harper Lee, JK Rowling, CS Lewis
Music: No preference. It changes daily.
Restaurant: I love good food and good service. Honestly, I don't have a favorite.
Automobile: 1972 Jeep CJ5 or a 1970s Jaguar
Movies/TV: Princess Bride, Law and Order, Dr Who, or anything by Joss Whedon
Clothing: pencil skirts, tank tops, big earrings
Furniture pieces: mid-century dressers, IKEA, vintage dinnerware

2. Choose three words to describe your personal style
Vintage, outdoorsy, eclectic

3. Think back over the homes you've lived in, both as a child and as an adult. Which rooms would you choose as your favorites and how would you describe them.

Childhood: The livingroom I had in high school. High ceilings, wood paneled walls, rock fireplace, cozy and inviting.
Adulthood: My last kitchen. Modern appliances and vintage dinnerware and bright colors.

4. Who do you consider a role model?

My friend Erin. You know who you are. 
What three adjectives describe the qualities that you most admire in this person?
Loving, generous, godly

5. Every home has areas that are "just right". Which three spots or things in your home do you feel are beautiful and feel proud of, right now, as is:

This stinks, as the only spot I love right now is my black and white photo wall.

6. A month from now, at the end of the Style Cure, how would you like your friends to describe your home?

Welcoming, a good mix of masculine and feminine, tidy, and personal

What has this taught me? I think I am bi-polar. Or perhaps this mix of likes is normal. Probably. Either way, my goal is to transform my reading room into a place that I want to spend time, to curl up with a book, and a place that when friends come to spend the night, they recognize my influence and taste.