kelliem: plates of food (plates)
2008-04-23 10:21 am
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Spring cooking

I've discovered a simple and very yummy new spring vegetable dish. Take six brussels sprouts and six spears of fresh asparagus. Quarter the sprouts and cut the asparagus into 1" pieces (make sure to cut off the woody bottom parts). Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the vegetables, sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, and sautee until the asparagus is bright green and the sprouts have begun to brown in spots. (This serves one person.) I had it with a salmon filet crusted in panko bread crumbs, black sesame seeds and wasabi powder, all the above served over some Japonica rice and it was mmmm-mmmm good!

Monday was kind of chilly and I wanted something warm & hearty, plus Kham had been asking to try lentils after seeing the Alton Brown show featuring them, so I tried a new dish. I sent the leftovers with Kham to a get-together and apparently it went over like gangbusters and I've been asked for the recipe, so I thought it would be easiest to post it here so they can grab it.

Vegetable Lentils with Sausage recipe behind the cut )

Finally, a couple of Springy shots from my indefatigable cell-phone camera:


(Yes, this is the same building I posted a picture of last week with snow on the ground. Springtime in the Rockies, take two.)


A male Cassin's Finch at the feeder in the back yard. Photo taken through two layers of very dirty kitchen window, so it's not the best, but I didn't want to scare him off by opening the back door for a better shot.
kelliem: icy lakefront sunrise (Default)
2008-04-17 08:20 am
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More springtime in the Rockies, and a Poetry Month contribution

This morning I noticed that a couple of our local Red-Shafted Northern Flickers have created matching condominiums in a topped-off cottonwood in front of the house. Look closely and you'll see the beautifully symmetrical entry-holes, one in each trunk:

Now I need to see if I can get a picture that includes a Flicker! I've tried several times to get a snap of one at our feeder but the darned things fly away before I can, every time!

And here are a couple more spring snow images. First, the courtyard between the building where I work and the next one this morning:



And then some daffodils in the snow:


The second one reminds me of a poem I read once...

Spring Snow
by Arthur Sze

A spring snow coincides with plum blossoms.
In a month, you will forget, then remember
when nine ravens perched in the elm sway in wind. continued behind the cut )