Welcome to My Reading Corner

As the day ends, I can curl up in my reading corner

and enjoy a good book with a spot of tea. (Earl Grey is a favorite.)

Welcome to my reading corner in the corner of my bedroom.

I adore pink and I love, love, love my pink jacquard chair!

 I had it custom made originally for my living room in a previous home.

It has now made its way into my current bedroom.

This tole painted little table I found many moons ago at

an antique store.  I can't even remember where.  It has

the prettiest hand-painted pink roses on it with a gold trim.

And, it folds up when I need it out of the way.  

How cool is that? Yep, I just love it! 

For my spot of tea tonight I have chosen a Pink Dogwood

Depression Glass cup and saucer made by the MacBeth-Evans

Glass Company from 1929-1932.  If you look carefully, you can

see the dogwood flowers circling the cup and the saucer.

On top of my lamp shade I have a pineapple finial that I found

at Lowe's.  I just replaced the one that came with the lamp.  

Lowe's has many to choose from but I like using

pineapples in my home because pineapples are a symbol of hospitality.

The iron plant stand I found at a local nursery and the fake 

like-real plants came from Ikea.

My current read was recommended by a dear friend and fellow foodie.

It is The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry.

Thank you for joining me in my reading corner but, if you will

excuse me, I'm going to start reading before my tea gets cold! 

I'm thrilled to be joining some new linky parties this week.

Please join me at:

Wow Us Wednesdays at Savvy Southern Style

Home and Garden Thursday at A Delightsome Life

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Show and Tell Friday at Romantic Home

Potpourri Friday at 2805

Funky Junk Interior's Saturday Nite Special

Have a great week! 

Fondly,

~ Karen

My Pesto Salmon with Julia's Braised Rice!

I try to eat fish a couple of times of week for the benefits

of the Omega 3's.   Supposedly, they contribute to every inch of 

our beautiful bodies - from our hearts to our minds!

Keeping that in mind, one of my favorite fish to eat is salmon.  

But not every day am I able to pop in and buy a fresh piece of fish!

Costco sells these nifty individually wrapped salmon portions in a bag 

on their freezer aisle. Depending on how hungry you are (and if you are 

sharing it, how hungry they are), you can get two meals out of one.

Or, okay, one meal and the other half is lunch for the next day 

(crumble cooked salmon, then add capers, chopped red onions, 

and a sprinkling of olive oil and champagne vinegar. Yum!).

But, I'm feeling pretty hungry tonight so I'm eating it 

all - and not sharing! It's just me! 

This is one of my old stand-by meals I can make in a pinch because I usually have

both the pesto in the frig and the salmon portions in the freezer at all times. 

The salmon defrosts fairly quickly but its always best to think ahead and 

place in the frig to thaw in the morning before you head out!  

As you can see, I just use purchased pesto and plop some 

down on the baking dish, sit the rinsed and patted-dry salmon on top,

 then slather a little more on its top.  Bake at 350 degrees for exactly 

30 minutes (less if you get a thinner piece).  As it bakes, the olive oil from

the pesto sort of melts in the heat adding the wonderful taste

of basil to the salmon.  As it bakes, put together a 

couple side dishes, set the table, pour the wine, and

Voila! There you have it!

One of the easiest and tastiest salmons you will ever make!

I accompanied the salmon with buttered brussels sprouts

(also from the freezer) and another stand by - Julia Child's 

Braised Rice.  I can easily make it from memory and change 

it up now and again.  Her Braised Rice - Risotto (French Style) recipe 

is in her cookbook, Julia's Kitchen Wisdom, "Essential Techniques and 

Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking".  This recipe is also in her 

cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking but the recipe is a 

little easier to follow in her Julia's Kitchen Wisdom. Just so you'll 

have it, here is the recipe.  I know you'll love it and it has a 

much nicer flavor than the boiled rice we grew up with.

Braised Rice - Risotto (French Style)

Source: Julia's Kitchen Wisdom, by Julia Child

     Saute 1/4 cup of finely minced onion in 2 tablespoons of butter to soften. Stir in 1 cup of rice and cook, stirring with a wooden fork [!!], for 2 to 3 minutes, until grains look milky.  Stir in 2 tablespoons dry white French vermouth and 2 cups chicken stock, add 1 imported [!!] bay leaf, and bring to simmer.  Season lightly. Stir once, lower heat, cover, and cook as for basic boiled rice. [I just love Julia Child!]

So - Enjoy - and Bon Appetit! 

Please join me this Friday and Monday at:

Fondly, ~ Karen

Kosher Salts Are Not the Same!

Its been a number of years since I rid my kitchen of iodized table salt
and started using a course kosher salt. I even stopped putting a salt
shaker on the table top.  If food is seasoned correctly before it hits

the table, I don't think extra salt is even needed and I think most people
have gotten away from adding salt to their prepared food at the table.

 But did you know kosher salt is not kosher?  It gets its name because it is
used to make meats kosher.  The large crystals allow it to absorb more
moisture so it's terrific with curing meats.  Although I do also use sea
salts, and finishing salts such as gray salt and pink Himalayan salt, I more
commonly use kosher salt in my cooking.  I do because it has a milder
flavor, the flakiness of the course granules sticks onto and absorbs into
the food better, and because it doesn't have any additives - so I
thought! I learned recently that there are differences in kosher salt.  
Not all kosher salts are created equal and, yes, believe it or not, some
do contain additives.  I'm usually pretty good at reading labels
but I never thought I needed to for salt! For instance,

the Morton brand kosher salt is one of the more popular
 brands because it is more readily available at our grocery stores.

As you can see on the label, it contains "Salt, Yellow Prussiate of Soda

 (Anti-caking agent)".  It actually contains an additive to prevent its 

clumping. I have heard of anti-caking (aka anti-clumping) agents used
in some pre-shredded packaged cheese, but never salt!

I was recently told about the Diamond Crystal brand and I found a box at 

my local Smart and Final store.  As its label reads, it only contains "SALT".  

Also, if you compare the sodium levels of the two brands, the 

Diamond Crystal has 280 mg sodium and Morton has 480 mg sodium.  

(both sodium levels are based on a 1/4 teaspoon serving size)

I enthusiastically made the switch and Diamond Crystal

is now in my pantry.  Who would have thought?

What kosher salt is on your shelf? 

Fondly,
~ Karen

End of Summer Panzanella

As summer ends, sadly, so do my tomatoes.

Like they are right on cue, my tomato vines are 

slowly shriveling up, giving up the last of their jewels.

Yes, I have enough for one last dish...

Grilled Sourdough Panzanella

This is a terrific tasting bread salad and the bread is grilled for

extra flavor.  I used a mixture of tomatoes: my pineapple and green zebra 

heirloom tomatoes along with some store bought, 

vine-ripened cocktail tomatoes.  The cocktail 

tomatoes are larger than cherry/grape tomatoes

but smaller than regular tomatoes and they are still on their vine.

I varied their cut sizes to make it more interesting.

I cut a few in wedges, a few in halves, and a few quartered.

The vinaigrette is a bit tangy and the capers are 

a nice addition.  I decided not to add the mint.  

This salad is best served right away.

Grilled Sourdough Panzanella

Source: Fine Cooking

Serve 4 to 6 - Yields about 6 cups.

4-1/2-inch-thick slices (about 8 oz.) from the center of a round 

     sourdough loaf (a boule)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (divided)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 small shallot, sliced into thin rings

3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 small clove garlic, coarsely chopped

1-1/2 lb. ripe, meaty tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 3-1/2 cups)

1 small English cucumber, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1-1/2 cups)

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint

2 Tbsp. capers, drained and rinsed

     Heat a gas grill with all burners on medium.  Brush the bread with 1/4 cup of the oil and season it with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper.  Grill the bread on both sides, checking frequently, until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side.  When the bread is cool enough to handle, cut it into 1/2-inch cubes.

     In a small bowl, soak the shallot in the vinegar for 10 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the shallot to a large bowl, reserving the vinegar.  Sprinkle the garlic with 1/4 tsp. kosher salt and mash it to a paste on a cutting board with the side of a chef's knife.  Whisk the mashed garlic, the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 tsp. kosher salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper into the reserved vinegar.

     Toss the bread cubes, tomatoes, cucumber, basil, mint, capers, and vinaigrette in the bowl with the shallot.  Season the panzanella to taste with kosher salt and pepper and serve. 

Wishing all of you a happy ending to summer!

I will be linking up this week with

Thanks for stopping by!

Fondly,

~ Karen