Cathy Burnham Martin's Blog, page 41

Woah!

 

“It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything.”

— Joseph Stalin (1878 – 1953)
Soviet politician and revolutionary; former Premier of the Soviet Union

National Wine Day

For me, a glass of pinot grigio on ice with some raspberries. Oh, and a side of fresh, salty chips. Ahhh… perfectly balanced “meal.”   LOL! Need I say more?

National Asparagus Day

 

For those who love fresh veggies, fresh from-the-garden asparagus is a perfectly splendid Spring delight.

 

 

 

 

 

Asparagus spears serve as a beautiful accompaniment to meats and fish.

 

 

 

They are also delightful in a stir-fry with other veggies or a protein such as shrimp or poultry.

 

 

Or… one of my favorites… wrap them in bacon and crisp them up on the grill for a splendid appetizer.

For National Asparagus Day, I share my recipe for Souper Simple Asparagus Soup. Enjoy both the strained “fancified” version or the heartier cheesy variation.

Souper Simple Asparagus Soup
1 sweet onion, peeled & chopped
2 T butter
1 lg bundle fresh asparagus spears, cut small
2 c chicken bone broth or stock
Salt & white pepper, to suit your taste
¼ c half-and-half or heavy whipping cream
Sauté onion in the butter for a few minutes over med heat, just till it softens but does not change color. Stir in the asparagus; cook and stir for 3-4 more minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer and let cook another 10 minutes. Blend (immersion or covered container) till smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Blend in the cream. Serve, garnished with a few asparagus cuts or tips. Makes 4 servings.

 KISS Tips: For an elegantly smooth texture, you can pass the soup through a sieve before serving. Or, if you enjoy cheese, add up to 1 c shredded Muenster, Monterey Jack, or other melty cheese just before adding the cream. Add some hearty croutons to your garnishes.

Love and Forgiveness

Image by Scott Broome

“When women love us, they forgive us everything, even our crimes; when they do not love us, they give us credit for nothing, not even our virtues.”

— Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850)
French novelist & playwright

Kindness Counts

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.”

— Lucius Annaeus Seneca aka Seneca the Younger (c 4BC – 65AD)
Iberian Peninsula-born Stoic philosopher of Ancient Rome

National Memo Day

Image by Chris Curry

 

Note to self:

Choose to be better and do better every day… today, tomorrow, forever.

Do Not Despair

“In all things it is better to hope than to despair.”

— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)
German poet, playwright, & novelist

Why Not?

“The next time you’re in a meeting, look around and identify the yes-butters and the why-notters. The why-notters move the world.”

— Louise Randall Pierson (1890 – 1969)
American author

Stay Strong

 

“A strong mind always hopes and always has cause to hope.”

— Polybius (c200 – c118 BC)
Greek historian of middle Hellenistic period

National Pack Rat Day

Do you tend to hoard or collect or squirrel away some unneeded items? I do… particularly old photos, letters, scrapbook items, and family mementos. Today is our day… National Pack Rat Day… Or we could flip it around to National Rat Pack Day and save items that reflect Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr, and Dean Martin. Just sayin’.