The Face of Resilence

Thank you to Mary Silveria for once again capturing both flowers and Martha's Vineyard. As you may know from my blog, I love flowers. I love their faces, the feelings they instill when you see them, the colors and the way they brighten every space. Almost like a smile.

You also may know that sunflowers are my favorite. The way they stand tall, even in undesirable conditions. They face the sun and the light. They are optimists and they are strong. When I lived in D.C., I tried an experiment. I planted 10 sunflower seeds in a window box outside my window in the shower. Window boxes are not deep. It wasn't in the sunniest spot. But....one grew and flowered. That little beauty defied some odds and bloomed. Resilience.

Sometimes when you are faced with something difficult, think of the sunflower. Think of the fields you see all over the world. Think of the seeds that regrow. Think of the strength to face the sun in the rain and wind. Think of the unity and similarity among them, even though they vary in shapes, sizes and colors.  Take a deep breath, know that difficult times pass and soon you will feel only the happiness when you see...the sunflower. (Thanks, Hayley, for these beautiful shots!!!)

Put on Golden by Travis McCoy, featuring Sia and get cooking!

Last night I was craving a summer meal. Originally I was going to cook steak and roast some tomatoes but then I was paging through Bon Appetit and this popped out at me. It was so simple and very, very tasty. A hit with everyone. I served with pierogies.

Dry-Rubbed Flank Steak with Grilled Corn Salsa - Bon Appetit, September 2015
Dry Rub
2T light brown sugar
1T ancho chili powder
1T paprika
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 tsp English mustard powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin

Steak and Salsa
2T olive oil, plus more for grill
3 ears of corn, shucked
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, finely chopped (I forgot to use)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 lb flank steak

Dry Rub: Combine brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne, granulated garlic, mustard powder, coriander, and cumin in a small bowl.

Steak and Salsa: Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; oil grate. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until lightly browned all over, 8-10 minutes; let cool. (Please note: I just boiled my corn as usual for 4 minutes. I thought it tasted great that way too.)

Cut kernels from cobs and place in a medium bowl.  Add onion, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice to corn and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. Set salsa aside.

Meanwhile, coat steak with all of dry rub, packing on more than once, if needed, and drizzle with 2T olive oil to help rub adhere.

Grill steak, turning occasionally and moving to a cooler spot on grill as needed to control flare-ups, until nicely browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 130 degrees, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes.

Return steak to grill just to recrisp (I omitted because I was STARVING) exterior, about 1 minute per side.  Transfer back to cutting board and slice against the grain. Serve topped with salsa.

Enjoy and have a happy day, everyone!

School has started after an incredibly fast summer....REALLY??

Wow. It has been a long time, my blog friends. Too long. I somehow allowed too many simple moments to pass me by and instead experienced the fastest summer of my life. Many wonderful experiences occurred between Walt Disney World, my daughters' first two concerts, their first time at sleep away camp, wonderful, albeit brief, visits to PA, Boston and D.C., a weekend or two on Hilton Head, enticing beach reads, great and fun times with family and friends. Tough times too because life is never all good and no one can ever pretend it is. But I have to be honest in saying I didn't pause often enough to really soak in the moments. When I did stop, I saw this....

Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in your head and in the moment that you just go and you just move and you aren't really living in the present even though you appear to be. It is a trap because you experience life and all that is happening but do you really feel it? Do you really allow yourself to enjoy it fully in each special and simple moment? See, by sitting down and writing, I have to stop and think. I have to fully reflect on my present. I need to see my pup curled up near me sleeping in his Salty Dog bandana that he wanted Kelley to put on him. I need to focus on the cup of iced tea near me, unsweetened with lemon. Those who really know me, know how much I really love my iced tea. I need to focus on the fact that at 90 degrees, it is one of the cooler days this August. I need to close my eyes and listen to the sounds of summer. I think of my friends who are taking their children to college today and of my daughters that have just finished lunch at school and are in classes. I stop and notice everything going on around and inside me, and my shoulders relax. I take 3 deep breaths and I am here.

The times I enjoyed the most this summer were the spontaneous days - the ones where things just came up - a basic plan may or may not have been set but then ideas formulated on the spot and we just lived the day. I cherish those moments. Those were the very best. I am here.

Time to put on Locked Away by R. City and Adam Levine and get cooking.

Summer for me says lobster, blueberries, white sweet corn, really red, juicy tomatoes, cucumbers directly from the garden (not refrigerated), ripe plums, eating outside, being barefoot, ice cream (ok for me ice cream is a year round thing but you get my drift), the smell of food on the grill, the sound of my kids playing outside and a refreshing cocktail in my hand. This summer was the summer of the Moscow Mule. Even though school is in session, I have to remind myself that it is STILL SUMMER.

So, that said, I didn't cook a lot this summer. In part because I was traveling and in part because I was moving too quickly. BUT, one of my favorite dishes was from Bon Appetit in July, 2015. It was delicious but also very pretty, and INCREDIBLY EASY. You do need to like fennel to like this dish though. I do so I really loved it. Perfect on a hot summer day.

Shrimp Salad with Cucumber and Fennel, Bon Appetit, July 2015
2 lb. small shell-on shrimp (I used larger)
kosher salt
2 fennel bulbs, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick, fronds reserved
1 English hothouse cucumber, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 small red onion, very thinly sliced into rings
1T finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup (or more) (I chose more) fresh lemon juice
Coarsely ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup small dill sprigs

Cook shrimp in a large pot of simmering salted water until bright pink and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Drain and let cool.

Peel and devein shrimp (I bought mine peeled and deveined, tails on) in a large bowl. Add fennel, fennel fronds, cucumber, onion, and lemon juice and toss to combine. Drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Add dill and lemon zest and toss again; season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Top with more pepper, just before serving. Salad can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.

Enjoy and have a really happy day, everyone!