Seasonal Sundays (Week 17)

Hey all, is cooking driving you crazy or keeping you sane? It just might depend on the day, eh? If some spring-y recipe suggestions plus more tips and ideas in and out of the kitchen will help, well ... here you go.

~ Skip Straight to the Good Stuff ~

Welcome to Seasonal Sundays!

"How are you holding up?" That's my question for everyone, from close friends to the delivery people. And everyone seems ready with a direct, honest assessment.

So let me ask, how are you holding up?

The coming week will be our seventh in isolation, with at least another four to go. The time seems to pass slowly but it's unbelievable, really, that it's already been so long. The days blur, the timeline is fuzzy.

And is anyone else struggling with the risk of "re-opening" ... leaving our little safe zones, especially with what's effectively zero testing, zero tracing? It feels reckless, consequences be damned.

I've been "out" twice in the last two weeks, picking up prescriptions in a contactless environment. I was shocked, even now, so few masks, such lax social distancing.

How to measure six feet? When I was sewing, you could estimate fabric yardage by measuring it from the tip of your nose to the tip of your fingers: that's a yard of fabric, three feet. So to be six feet apart from another person, both would need to be the equivalent of that far apart. Is it enough? I have no idea but it's something.

But of course, someday, sooner or later, we must step back out into a world that will appear familiar and frightening both at once. Is the country ready? Am I ready?

Stay well. Stay safe. Stay strong.

About the Photo By Popular Request, a Little Insight into the Top Image: Spring yard work has been a saving grace these last couple of weeks, cool weather + feeling productive. Those weeds don't know what's hit 'em! One year, our front hall became a green house with starter plants, it gets good light all afternoon. We gave up raised beds a couple of years ago but this year, are experimenting with planting a few vegetables in upright straw bales. Maybe some of you are thinking about growing fresh herbs? Here's how I do it, Never Buy Fresh Herbs Again.

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PICK ONE

Pick One is for those of us overwhelmed by life's unending choices. If that resonates, then check out this one recipe and then call it a day. It's one that I think could make the most difference, the one I hope will become a regular in your kitchen, as it is in mine.

Super simple, super casual, super adaptable ... and filling, even for my (surprised) meat-motivated husband.

• THE RECIPE Red Quinoa Salad Your Way

Compliments!

"Since my Swedish Mom moved into a retirement home she doesn't bake anymore so I was happy to find your recipe. It's not the same as hers but it is equally good," wrote G Lindwood last week. Thanks for letting me know, my fellow bread maker!

THE RECIPE Swedish Rye Bread, slightly sweet, densely delicious

Something for the Soup Pot

It's been outright c-o-l-d this week, a big pot of soup hit the spot. This one's very Weight Watchers friendly!

• THE RECIPE Scandinavian Split-Pea Soup, hearty comfort food.

Cook. Eat. Repeat.

Here's my appeal for mealtime minimalism, the idea that you don't have to think up a new breakfast or a new lunch every day. It's a way to think less about food rather than more. It's maintains that the ritual of healthy satisfying staples can fill you up in a way that the new and the novel cannot.

• THE TECHNIQUE How to Microwave Asparagus

Back-Pocket Recipe

We all keep certain recipes in our virtual back pockets, right? We might not need them right this minute but recognize their usefulness in our recipe repertoires.

For anyone who's baking and has run out of Baker's Joy, the amazing baking spray especially for Bundt cakes. This substitute works great!

• THE "RECIPE" DIY Substitute for Baker's Joy

No Yeast? Make Cornbread

This one's sweet enough to be considered dessert? It's sweetened with honey so why not slather with honey butter? Sure!

• THE RECIPE Sweet Cornbread

Windows on the World

We find joy – or sheer distraction – where we can right now, eh?

Me, I'm trolling a Facebook group whose size has doubled to 1.2 million since I joined just a few days ago. It's so simple ... and so fascinating.

The pictures are coming in by the thousands ... just people from all over the world posting a single image from a window in their home, wherever they're locked down. So many views are extraordinarily beautiful ... think city lights, lush back gardens, oceanviews, mountain scapes, even a few kangaroos, elephants, giraffes, parrots and moose!

But they're all beautiful, in their own way, as are the messages and responding comments of love and support and solidarity.

• THE GROUP View from My Window on Facebook, just ask to join and start scrolling ... and then, find the view from your own lockdown, what you see, what soothes, what inspires, what consoles ...

Seasonal Showcase: Asparagus!

We were sooo happy to get a pile of asparagus in last week's Instacart delivery, we're doling it out a few spears at a time, making sure it lasts.

The big surprise? Wow, the post is still being updated with new pictures etc but wow, Asparagus Risotto, it extracts every iota of flavor from a pound of asparagus, even from the woody ends we usually toss into the My Most-Used Kitchen Tool, a Garbage Bowl or Compost Bowl.

• THE COLLECTION Asparagus Recipes
• THE FAVORITES Six Years of Favorite Asparagus Recipes

DON'T MISS THESE!

• Easy-to-Elegant Asparagus Soup
• Quick Pickled Asparagus
• Slow-Roasted Asparagus

Something for Breakfast, Lunch, Simple Supper ...

By all rights, I should have loved the simplicity and adaptability of frittatas, a sort of skillet omelet or a skillet quiche. But usually, the eggs are just too tough and well, egg-y.

And then I discovered the trick for silky, custard-like egg, soooo good and still super-simple and super-adaptable.

• THE RECIPE Never-the-Same-Twice Vegetable Frittata

Helpful Reads

THINKING AHEAD
• Our Pandemic Summer by Ed Yong in The Atlantic. The Premise: "The fight against the coronavirus won’t be over when the U.S. reopens. Here’s how the nation must prepare itself."
• Coronavirus in America: What the Next Year (or Two) May Look Like by Donald G McNeil in the New York Times. The Premise: "If we scrupulously protect ourselves and our loved ones, more of us will live. If we underestimate the virus, it will find us." New Numbers: Since April 7, coronavirus has killed more than 1800 Americans a day. Usual numbers for heart disease? 1774. Cancer? 1641.

IN THE KITCHEN
• 6 Tips to Extend Your Time Between Grocery Store Trips from Hungry Hobby
• How to Make Fresh Produce Last Longer from Simply Recipes

Who Says We Didn't See It Coming?

We are new subscribers to The Smithsonian, so old-fashioned, I know, but a print magazine that arrives vi, alors, the U.S. mail.

The March issue was a delight, long stories about Gene Stratton Porter (a naturalist who wrote my favorite book when I was a girl, Girl of the Limberlost); Florence Nightingale's influence on hand-washing (prescient, yes?); and more. I wanted to cut up the whole issue and mail stories to friends!

The April issue marks the magazine's 50th anniversary, highlighting covers; iconic photos; plus stories about mountain gorillas; hydro energy off the Canadian Maritimes; understanding how Asian elephants think; going "native" and "natural" to fight invasive species and sterile landscapes; and so much more.

It's a magazine to pass around, talk about, especially with older kids, other adults.

But what really grabbed my attention in April was one of eleven stories highlighted, just eleven in fifty years. The cover of that 2017 (yes, 2017) story? The Next Great Pandemic.

• THE MAGAZINE The Smithsonian Print Magazine, the best $12 I've spent this year
• THE NOVEMBER 2017 COVER STORY How the Horrific 1918 Flu Spread Across America
• THE 2017 STORY Is China Ground Zero for a Future Pandemic? by Melinda Liu. (Please note: by sharing this, I am in no way pinning what's happening in the U.S. now on China or anyone else other than ourselves. A virus can appear anywhere. After all, the H1N1 swine flu pandemic of 2009-2010 originated in the U.S.; it killed up to 575,000 people worldwide. Source: CDC.)



• "BOOKS WE READ AS GIRLS" Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton Porter, there are many editions and formats, including a free version on Kindle

What's New?!

THE RECIPE Greek Rice Salad with Artichokes & Feta

• THE RECIPE Shhh Banana Bread Delicious, low-fat banana bread

Just Updated!

• THE RECIPE Chicken Nachos Make it a party at the kitchen table

• THE RECIPE Perfect Lamb Chops How to cook lamb chops perfectly each and every time.

• THE RECIPES Easy Italian Appetizers, Red Pepper Crostini; Olivada & Olivada Appetizers; Parmesan Crisps

Text Me Back!

I'd love to hear from you. Comment, send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com, dot-dash in Morse code, build a fire for smoke signals, launch a message in a bottle, send a Christmas letter, get the dog to yip, toss me a note wrapped in a rubberband, write a message in the sky, scratch a note in the sand, listen to a seashell, whatever.

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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