In the Hospital

I am being treated for  small bowel obstruction and gastritis. I haven't had so much fun since childbirth. Anyway, I will be back soon, I hope.

July Cooking -- Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus

Parmesan-Crusted Asparagus 

This recipe comes directly from The Splendid Table and is indeed splendid. 

This recipe works best with 1/2-inch-thick spears. Work quickly when tossing the asparagus with the egg whites, as the salt will rapidly begin to deflate the whites.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds medium-thick asparagus, trimmed
• Salt and pepper
• 3 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (11/2 cups)
• 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon honey

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with vegetable oil spray. Using fork, poke holes all over asparagus. Toss asparagus with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let stand for 30 minutes on paper towel–lined baking sheet.

2. Meanwhile, combine 1 cup Parmesan, panko, melted butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne in bowl. Transfer half of Parmesan mixture to shallow dish and reserve remaining mixture. Using stand mixer fitted with whisk, whip egg whites with honey on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour egg white mixture into 13-by-9-inch baking dish and toss asparagus with egg white mixture. Working with 1 spear at a time, dredge half of asparagus in Parmesan mixture and transfer to baking sheet. Refill shallow dish with reserved Parmesan mixture and repeat with remaining half of asparagus.

3. Bake asparagus until just beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and continue to bake until cheese is melted and panko is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Transfer to platter. Serve.

July Thoughts

The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

― Francis of Assisi

July Poetry

"A break in the heat
away from the front
no thunder, no lightning,
just rain, warm rain
falling near dusk
falling on eager ground
steaming blacktop
hungry plants
thirsty
turning toward the clouds
cooling, soothing rain
splashing in sudden puddles
catching in open screens
that certain smell
of summer rain."
-  Raymond A. Foss, Summer Rain

Goals for the Week of July 23-29, 2017

Spiritual 

     Reading

     Meditation 

Physical 

     Healthy Snacks

     Water

Quilting -- Scrap Quilt

Reading

     A Thousand Days by Arthur Schlesinger

     Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life by Sari Nusseibeh

     The Underground Railroad by Colton Whitehead

Cooking

     Saturday -- Scrambled Eggs, Canadian Bacon, Toast

Sunday-- Subway

Monday-- Baked Fish, Carrots/Thyme, Corn on the Cob

Tuesday -- House of Pies 

Wednesday -- Spaghetti and Meatballs 

Thursday-- Leftovers 

Friday -- Out  

Home

     Lawn maintenance 

     Autumn Door Wreath

Personal 

     Frida Kahlo Exhibit

     Resistance

Around OakMeadows and

Around OakMeadows 

It is peach and melon season! Nothing better than biting into a juicy fragrant peach or a slice of icy cold watermelon. I love peach pie or peach jam but the fresh fruit is best of all!!

I am bereft. My darling swallows have left for their Central American home.  We watched them raise 20+ babies this year. If you have never watched baby birds gather up their courage and learn to fly, you have really missed a treat. While it will be nice to be able to clean off my porch, I will miss their chatter and their graceful flight until next spring. 

I learned this week that a dear friend from high school days has been diagnosed with mesothelioma.  I don't know what stage it is but in general, mesothelioma has a very bad prognosis. He and his wife have been married almost as long as JMM and I. Such a difficult road. 

That's about all the news from OakMeadows.  I'm still upset about the idiotic border wall but I understand that their is a legal process underway to stop it. As John Muir said, You shouldn't have to fight your government to protect the land. 

Just when you think it can't get any worse

That orange bastard in the White House is staking out the beginning of the idiotic border wall right through the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge and my beloved National Butterfly Center. I didn't believe it until I saw photos of the stakes at the Butterfly Center and then read about it in both the Texas Observer and LA Times. I suppose the Trumpophiles think it will solve the immigration and drug problems and if he says it, they will knock themselves out believing it.  Unbelievable. Horrible. That despicable, disgusting man and his party.