Simple Saturdays

How many of us have simple Saturdays? How many of us allow ourselves to snuggle deep under the covers and sleep late...or if you swing the other way, rise early and enjoy the sunrise with a warm cup of coffee? How many of us make time to read a book, craft, watch a movie, sit in the sun, soak in a tub, bake a cake, putter in the garden, or do whatever activity it is that makes your soul smile? 

If you are like me, your Saturdays are similar to any other day, full of lists of things that MUST.BE.DONE.NOW. There are always chores and errands and sometimes even work to rob us of a simple Saturday. And it does rob us. We need things to make our souls smile. We need a reprieve from the chores and errands and work. We need quiet happiness found in what is basically nothing at all. At least, I do. 

Today (Saturday) held a super full schedule for me. I jumped out of bed and dashed to the grocery store first thing this morning. It was there that asparagus caught my eye. It was there that the notion of claiming just a few moments of a simple Saturday took hold for me. Yes, I still had loads to do, and I wasn't going to drop the ball on that to-do list. I just wanted a few moments of quiet stillness with the sunlight dancing over a plate of roasted asparagus topped with a runny egg. Whole wheat toast on the side, and a mug of tea to wrap my fingers around as I gazed out the window. Simply the breakfast of a simple Saturday to reinforce me for the jam-packed day ahead. No, it wouldn't be a simple Saturday, but it could be a Simple Breakfast On My Plate.

Simple Breakfast

asparagus

olive oil

kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

egg(s)

Preheat oven to 400.
Toss asparagus with olive oil, kosher salt, and fresh cracked black pepper.
Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 5-10 minutes (depending on how many spears and how thick they are...thicker spears are better for roasting).
Meanwhile, in a nonstick pan drizzle a little olive oil and heat.
When the oil is hot, break egg into pan and immediately turn heat to low.
Cook slowly until the whites are completely set and the yolks begins to thicken, but are not hard.
Arrange roasted asparagus spears on a plate.
Slide egg on top of asparagus and break the yolk.
Season with fresh cracked black pepper, a sprinkling of salt, and a grating of Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy the simple moment of breakfast.

Roasting

Temperatures are in the high 90s and even boiling into the 100s these days. Humidity levels make us feel like we are breathing water. We are roasting, literally. And, even though I should be focusing on cool, no-cook meals to keep our energy levels up for all of the farm work, yard work, roofing, painting, glazing, and sweating we do each day, I am roasting dinner. 

I know that it isn't very environmentally conscious to turn down the A/C to Brrr! and the oven up to Hot!Hot!Hot!, but I can't help myself. The call of Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin is too strong. The sweet, but savory glaze baked onto the moist and tender pork and paired with hearty potatoes and almost candied carrots sing a siren song that I can't resist regardless of the summer heat. I am roasting, and Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin is On My Plate.

Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin

2 cups baby carrots

12 baby red potatoes, halved

1/2 cup spicy brown mustard

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon garlic pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pork tenderloin (12-16 ounces)

Preheat oven to 425F.
Bring carrots and potatoes to a boil in a large saucepan; cook until just about fork tender, but not soft.
Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, combine mustard, honey, mayonnaise, oil, and garlic pepper in a bowl.
In a roasting pan, coat the pork with half of the mustard mixture.
Toss the carrots and potatoes with the other half of the mustard mixture and spoon around the pork in pan. 
Roast uncovered for 35-45 minutes, or until meat thermometers reads 160 degrees.
Stir the vegetables once while cooking. (Serves 4)

In Favor of Butter

There are some people that are shocked at my unashamed use of butter. They question the saturated fat content, bring up the issue of heart disease, and try to lure me to the world of artificial fats. Sorry. I am not going there. I love my butter.

I grew up with margarine. I don't remember real butter ever appearing on my mother's table (not to say that it might not have from time to time; the huge tubs of Country Crock are just ingrained in my brain). I was fine with margarine and even continued to use it when on my own. Then, I finally tried real butter. Nothing compares. Instead of the slabs of fake saltiness spread on my toast, just a little smear of real butter offers a perfect creamy flavor. Its richness sets baked goods apart. Real butter is the real deal for me.

That isn't to say that I just grab sticks of the stuff straight from the fridge and chow down. Ew. Everything in moderation is really the key to a healthy lifestyle. I try to eat a balanced diet of whole grains, lots of fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins. I indulge in ooey gooey treats from time to time, but I do try keep the number of doughnuts and Klondike Bars that I eat to a minimum. Really, I believe it is about moderation and not making any one item of food a villain. All life and all foods (except possibly marshmallow fluff...GAG) are to be enjoyed and savored. I truly do savor butter.

Someone else that absolutely savors butter is Paula Deen. That lady has more than earned the title of Butter Queen of the Food Network. I don't often watch her show, but I can't recall a time that I haven't seen her rolling a stick of butter from its paper wrapping into her mixing bowl. She is absolutely in favor of butter, which is what makes it so funny that when I finally decide to try one of her recipes, IT DOESN'T INCLUDE BUTTER. Truly. I was just as shocked as you.

I had salmon fillets defrosting and remembered that I had seen a couple of different Food Network chefs make Salmon Burgers. I wasn't searching for butter or Paula when I stumbled onto her recipe, but it seemed to hold promise and most importantly, used ingredients that I had on hand. After chopping the salmon and combining it with the peppers, onions, and soy sauce, the aroma from my mixing bowl tempted me to dig in right then. Instead, I formed the patties and fried them up in a little olive oil on my grill pan. Of course, I had to sample one right away without the Sesame Mayonnaise. Delish. Piling the patties on toasted whole wheat buns with the recommended sauce, lettuce, and tomato was flawless. Even a devoted butter lover like me can be incredibly happy when I have Salmon Burger with Sesame Mayonnaise On My Plate.

Salmon Burgers with Sesame Mayonnaise

Salmon Burgers

1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds salmon fillers, finely chopped

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

olive oil

8 toasted whole wheat buns

8 lettuce leaves

8 slices tomato

Sesame Mayonnaise

1 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

In a medium bowl, combine peppers, panko, garlic, and salmon.
Add beaten egg, soy sauce, lemon juice, and salt, tossing gently to combine. 
Form mixture into 8 patties.
Lightly coat a grill pan with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
Grill patties, 5 minutes per side, or until desired degree of doneness. 
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all Sesame Mayonnaise ingredients. 

Spread sauce evenly over toasted buns. 

Top each with a lettuce leaf, tomato slice, and salmon patty. 

Cover with tops of buns.(Serves 8)