Muse

I've been distracted, excited. I even go to bed at night willing myself—daring—to dream about it.

Now, I see the scattered bits and pieces, free-floating and ephemeral, seemingly random even as they begin to gather, merge. It's taking shape; nebulous edges coalesce then cleave—sharp, defined. I can almost give it a name and try to define it.

I understand its inner conflict—oh, sadly so, I know it all too well. Still, I'm inspired to tell the story...even that ugly, unfortunate segue.

Or perhaps I am inspired because of it....

Time will tell.

~ Robin

The Invention Of The Time Machine

Right after man invented the television, I'm quite certain he must have gone straight to work on the remote control. After a bit of research, I've learned that the first television remote, "The Lazy Bone", was invented in 1950. It was an awkward device connected to the TV with a bulky wire that was never popular because people were always tripping over the darned thing. Back to the old drawing board....

The infrared TV remote that we all know and love to hate was finally perfected in the early 1980s.

Now, for over two decades, women have been wryly noting man's obsessive/compulsive fascination with his remote control. In fact, their husbands' behavior is so cliché, it's become a long-standing joke and has undoubtedly been the subject of several psychological studies involving billions in federal grant $$$$.

My own husband, Dan, is no exception to the psychosis. When we finally find time to settle into our chairs in the evening, he carefully arranges his devices so they're close at hand and promptly takes charge. Over the years, I've learned it's simply less contentious to just let him have the damned thing. I'm not all that fascinated by television, anyway... well, except during Ghost Hunters, Wednesdays from 7 - 10 PM EST on the Sci-Fi Channel. Dan's not an idiot. He's learned I'll fight like a crazed she-bear defending her cub to protect my right to see what *I* want one evening a week. Granted this small concession, the remainder of the week I graciously yield control of the remote control to him.

However, if simply sitting back to observe a man constantly flipping channels, fiddling with the volume and the "Mute" during commercials and scrolling up and down and back and forth as he scans the guide wasn't bad enough, now, with the invention of TIVO and the DVR, man has been given access to a fourth dimension—Time.



Thanks to the evil scientists at Dish Network, my husband now has the ability to back up and replay every little detail that catches his eye. Honestly, I never know if I'm in "Live Mode" or reliving a scene from our recent past. Sometimes he'll spend what seems an eternity scanning back and forth in time to finally locate whatever in the heck it was he wanted me to see. I worry that we may or may not ever make it back to the present. It's madness, I tell you!

Hey, wait! You know, I've just realized there might be some small benefit to the insanity after all.

When I'm running late for work, I can just explain to my boss, "Sorry! I thought Robin Meade was in 'Live Mode.'"

Being a man, I'm sure he'll understand—perfectly.

~ Robin

Just "Venting"

Although I've been pretty busy with a Christmas project this week, that's actually just a lame excuse. Fact is, I've run out of steam. Mind you, that's not a bad thing. For me, it's simply the way I write...or rather, the way I don't write.

You've seen or heard about Old Faithful at Yellowstone? Well, once every ninety minutes or so, the famous geyser builds up enough internal pressure, a massive irrepressible force seething just beneath the surface, until it suddenly erupts, spewing a great plume of steam high into the sky. On and on, the jet of steam escapes, violently at first then slowly, ever so slowly, that pent energy is gradually spent and the once-great geyser simply fades away into its vent.

Not to worry if you missed it because, regular as clockwork, it'll be back to erupt once more in about ninety minutes. Time and time again, it will be just as hot and just as magnificent as it ever was or ever likely will be.

After so long a time, I've come to realize I'm a bit like that geyser. I can go along for weeks or sometimes a month or two at a time, spewing whatever comes to mind all over the page here until, eventually and at last, I feel drained. I just don't have any words left to offer. Then I'll rest, all but exhausted by the effort.

However, I know the compulsion to write will always be there, perhaps not as urgently for the moment but slowly building over time until I'm full beyond capacity, ready to bust with the need to say something—anything—to get the words off my mind before my head explodes.

Steam Engine
Now—while I'm just sitting here catching my breath, waiting for the inevitable—if only I could devise a means to harness all that steam, you know, make it more productive, put it to work for me....

Ah, now that would be a marvel!

~ Robin

"Toss" out that iceberg lettuce!

I don't have a lot of time to write to you today before I leave for work. I've squandered my morning sitting out on the back porch with Maisy, watching the Leonid Meteor Shower. It was nice viewing, but—*Brrrr*—it's darn cold out!

So, as I sit here trying to thaw all the bits and pieces near and dear to me, I can practically guarantee the Geminids show (December 13/14) will have to go on without me next month. ;)

I did want to take a few minutes to talk about what is often the most neglected course with dinner—the salad.

We've sure come a long way from once-upon-a-time when we tossed a bit of iceberg lettuce in a bowl with a chunk of greenhouse tomato and drowned it all in a thick coating of Thousand Island dressing. But, seriously, who could blame us? Iceberg lettuce might be fine shredded as filler in a taco shell, but it's a sorry excuse for salad fixins given the alternatives you can find at the market today.

Last night, I was warming-up some leftover Golumpkis for supper. Now, I know folks usually grimace when you mention leftovers, but, believe me, cabbage roll-ups are even better on Day 2. Because my mom made these Golumpkis, I KNEW they were going to be delicious. However, since I didn't have another side-dish planned, I thought a nice salad would round-out the menu.

Although I'm a huge fan of fresh spinach, romaine and those tender baby greens most often labeled as "spring mix," my absolute favorite dinner green is "living" Butter Lettuce.

You can usually find butter lettuce sold in a large plastic clamshell. This special variety of loose leaf head lettuce is grown in water (hydroponic) and packaged with its root ball intact. It has a delicate mild-to-sweet flavor with a firm-crisp texture. I swear, it's so tender and delicious, you can even eat the stems. At the end of the day, you only need to toss away the root ball.



In fact, this lettuce is so special, it deserves a plate of its own. I served it here on a large glass dinner plate. As the leaves fan out in all directions, a little lettuce offers a lot of plate coverage.


The real beauty of this salad comes from what you use to compliment the greens. It's no secret that we eat with our eyes, so I try to decorate the plate like a painter's palette—with lots of color.

I almost always have carrots and fresh tomatoes in the vegetable bin, so that's a given, but don't stop there. Frozen sliced peaches are perfect to keep on hand because you only need to pull out a few at a time. Thaw and cut them into bite-size pieces right over the salad. Don't have peaches? Slice up a bit of cantaloupe melon. Just don't be afraid to risk something different. I also tossed on dried cranberries, chopped salad olives and pine nuts.

But the what really makes this salad amazing is crumbled Tomato-Basil herb Feta cheese. There's just something about the pungent flavor of the Feta that compliments the sweet fruits.

Finally, serve the salad with raspberry vinaigrette, a balsamic vinegar infusion or Italian. It's all good... oh, and you can just put that thick, heavy dressing right back in the fridge. This salad definitely won't want its living lettuce "smothered." ;)

~ Robin

The Man I Thought I Knew

Just when you think you know a guy....

We've been going to Clyde's Place, located in beautiful, downtown Carp Lake, once or twice a year for many, many years to hear itinerant entertainer and comedian, Wayne Faust, perform. Wayne is always a little risqué, always a little sassy and always a LOT of fun.

Last night, when we stopped in to enjoy his final performance before he moved on, Wayne mentioned that some of his music is up on YouTube (you know, besides the video I posted from his show last spring), so this morning while I was slumped over my first cup of coffee, I looked him up.

What I found absolutely blew me away. This was a side of Wayne I'd not suspected but probably should have.

For here I'd discovered another "Wayne Faust"... not the man I thought I knew.


~ Robin

Quick and Easy Beef Pepper Steak

Last night, neither Dan nor I were feeling great (We're sharing a head cold. Ain't love grand?), so although we usually go out to dinner on Friday night, I cooked, and we stayed home.

The occasion called for something that didn't require a lot of effort because I really did feel lousy. This "quick and easy" beef pepper steak was on the table in a half-hour, about the time it took to cook the rice.

What you'll need:

1# lean beef, sliced in thin strips
2 T Canola or olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, sliced in julienne strips
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced
1/2 sweet red pepper, sliced
1 large can stems and pieces mushrooms, drained
2 cloves of garlic, minced (or dry, granulated garlic to taste)
1 medium tomato, cored and cut in wedges
2 cups cold water
2 envelopes of McCormick's Brown Gravy mix
Salt and Pepper to taste
4 servings cooked long-grain white or brown rice

It really doesn't get easier than this. While your rice is cooking on the back burner, just brown the beef, onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic in 2 tablespoons oil until tender.

Add 2 cups of cold water, 2 envelopes of brown gravy mix and the tomato wedges. Continue to cook over medium heat (stirring frequently) until the gravy thickens, about 3 or 4 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over hot rice.

You can also use halved cherry tomatoes if you like, but do wait until the end to add them as they tend to get mushy if they're cooked too long. You want your tomatoes to still be somewhat firm when you serve the dish.

Don't care for rice? This recipe tastes great served over wide egg noodles. Also, while I wouldn't promote McCormick's Brown Gravy mix as a healthy dining option, it is worth noting that a 1/4 cup serving of their gravy is only 20 calories. You get the satisfaction of the comfort food you crave without totally blowing your diet. Yay! Quick as that, dinner is served.

BTW, I feel much better this morning; thanks for asking. :)

~ Robin.'

The Business of Mentoring Optimism

Last night I was reminded, not once but twice, of the empowerment to be found in words of encouragement—felt the warm glow of optimism as a light at the end of a very cold, dark tunnel.

First, I was touched by a column I happened to read that was written by the editor of our small, local newspaper. There he put aside his own pride in order to let the struggling families in economically hard-hit Northern Michigan know that they're not alone in their financial misfortunes. He shared his own story and his message that there is help out there if only you've the courage to now put aside your own pride and just ask for help.

Then at 9 PM ET, CNBC broadcast a special town hall meeting held at Columbia University. There to take questions and speak to business students from the school were two of the wealthiest and most influential business leaders of our age, Warren Buffet and Bill Gates.

[See the CNBC Transcript]
Several points they tried to hammer home really resonated with me. First and foremost, ethics is a lesson that is more effectively taught to our youngsters at home rather than as a course in a business school.

I'd like to add that I've found children learn best by example. If mom and dad think only about the business of the almighty dollar and the acquisition of personal wealth with scant regard for the ethical impact of their actions, Jr. probably isn't going to much care who he mows down while in hot pursuit of his own financial goals later in life.

We simply must advocate and nurture ethics and empathy in our children, because if they don't *get it* by the time they leave for college, they probably never will.

Also speaking on the spirit of capitalism and the subject of greed and the part it played in the recent financial crisis, Warren Buffet had to say:

"It certainly played a part. We have always had greed. That didn't get invented in the last few years. And greed, fear in the third quarter -- I mean, the American people were really panicked there for a while. And it affected their -- it started out on Wall Street but then spilled over into the general economy subsequently. But we're never going to get rid of greed. We're never going to get rid of fear. What we do have is a system, as Bill said, a market system where we have the quality of opportunity and the rule of law combined to unleash human potential in this country over the last couple of hundred years to the degree nobody would have believed possible a few centuries before that. There's nothing that's gone wrong with that system. Our economy was sputtering and still is sputtering some. But we've got the greatest engine ever devised. And it's just beginning. Greed will continue. Don't worry about that. What drives the American system is the quality of opportunity in a market system and the knowledge that when you get out of here [college], you're going to enjoy the fruits of the knowledge you have gained. And it will keep working."

When I finally drifted off to sleep last night, I felt very good about the promise and the future of our country and profoundly grateful for the everyday heroes among us with the courage to encourage.

~ Robin

Tombs for Tomes?

An article I read in the TimesOnline, The Internet is killing storytelling, brought up some very valid concerns.

"The Internet has evolved a new species of magpie reader, gathering bright little buttons of knowledge, before hopping on to the next shiny thing."

From Twitter, to Facebook and including our own beloved blogs, the art of true storytelling is being lost because readership has been lost. As readers, even if we do find time in our hectic lives to actually sit down and pick up a book, our ability to concentrate on a lengthy narrative has been compromised. Now, an entire generation has been raised to absorb news, information and recreational reading in micro-bits and pieces and "tweets." A 10k email is a considered a "tome" by Internet standards.

Our distressing literary A.D.D. actually validates opinions expressed in another article that I recently read (I'm such a little Magpie!), "Should You Write Short or Long Blog Posts?" Following the readers' comments, I noticed that most bloggers agreed that short posts—around 300 words—seem to have greater impact. However, no one was anxious to be held to a hard-and-fast "RULE" regarding the length.

Once upon a time, before the invention of the printing press took over the job for us, itinerant storytellers traveled far and wide, honing their craft as they spun amazing tales in exchange for a hot meal and a cot near the fire. One book I read, IRELAND—A Novel by Frank Delaney, captured the magic of an old-school Irish storyteller in a written story that I will never forget. What bittersweet irony!

But I wonder, is all this brewhaha over the death of the lengthy written narrative really so dissimilar to the slow decline and virtual demise of humanity's long-standing, oral storytelling traditions? Is the Internet really killing storytelling?

Heh. You tell me, because I've just maxed-out your 300-word limit here.

~ Robin

"Smelling" is Believing?

This morning on Twitter, I stumbled across a link to an interesting article in our local paper. In the article, a man and his family visiting Wilderness State Park at the end of July got more than they bargained for.

The man described riding his mountain bike along the Swamp Line Trail and turning onto Nebo Trail. At some point along his ride, he ran headlong into a "wall" of foul-smelling human body odor.

Apparently, the stench shook him up so badly that he contacted the rangers at the park the next morning and has also talked to local law enforcement agencies since then. He has made it his "mission" to prove what he smelled was a Big Foot. He and his family also report finding a giant, 16" long, footprint pressed into the pine needles near Glacier Boulder.

As I read the article, my first thought was that Swamp Line Trail doesn't connect to Nebo, at least not directly. Then as he described the overpowering human body odor smell, I had to smile.

Oh, that's just Wade!

(*ahem!* He's never been particularly fussy about his personal hygiene.)

Seriously, though... a Sasquatch?

Actually, what made this article blog-worthy was the fact that it also discussed cougar and wolf sightings in the area and provided a link to MichiganCougar.Com where they have archived almost 2,000 Michigan cougar sightings, including 74 in Emmet County.

Since several of the cougar sightings I know about aren't listed here, including my own, I have to assume their numbers are a very modest representation of the actual number.

Hmmm...so does that imply that there may actually be many, many more Big Foot "smellings" than the one reported in the article?

You know, just in case, I think I really should pick up a stick of Mitchum Power Gel for Wade before the tourists come back in the spring. ;)

~ Robin

Shopping w/ Amazon= 5 Stars!

Maybe I should feel riddled with guilt. Honestly. But I don't.

As I sat here this morning, *clicking* my way through my Christmas shopping list (Yes, even before I took the time to write to you...a girl's gotta have her priorities, after all!) I was lovin' Amazon. I really should buy stock in this company—they're amazing!

Let me tell you why:

First of all, I signed up for Amazon Prime last December. Yes, it costs some $$, but the more I shop with Amazon, the more I save in Free 2-Day shipping. Over the past 10 or 11 months I have easily saved way more than double that original membership fee. Additionally, if I just have to have something ASAP, their next day shipping is only $3.99.

I know this sounds like an advertisement for Amazon (and you're probably beginning to suspect that I HAVE bought stock in the company...) but I can't praise the way they handle their business highly enough.

I love the selection. I love having an opportunity to read the reviews on products written by other shoppers because those reviews can be crucial when trying to decide which brand to buy. I love being able to see a product's rating at a glance—1-5 stars, based on customer reviews.

I love to create shopping "lists." For instance, I created a special Christmas list just for my grandson. Each time I found a toy I thought he'd like, I saved it to his list. I actually started Collin's list a month ago, stopping back to shop now and then, editing the list from time to time if I found an alternate I liked better. I finally placed the orders this morning. His gifts will arrive on Tuesday (did I mention the 2-day shipping is FREE?), and I'll have my wrapping, ribbons and bows all done soon after that.

However, if I'm purchasing a gift and feeling particularly lazy, I love the fact that I can usually have the item gift-wrapped, complete with a personalized greeting, and shipped (FREE 2-day shipping!) directly to the recipient. This perk is particularly appreciated when I've procrastinated on birthday shopping—as usual.

Another reason I love shopping with Amazon is that fact that after I buy, if the price of my purchase goes down during the next 30 days, I only have to contact Amazon. I simply click a button and REAL, LIVE PERSON calls ME instantly! I let them know the item number and the new price, and they'll credit my account for the difference just as quickly.

Case in point:

I actually knocked another $300 off the price a Samsung 46" flat-panel HD-LCD TV we'd ordered by watching the price for 30 days. I must have called Amazon had Amazon call ME 5 or 6 times that month and had another chunk of money credited each time. How fun is that?!

Yes, I know Wal-Mart and K-Mart will do the same thing, but I challenge YOU to stand in their tediously annoying customer service lines each time you find a lower price. Believe me, if you don't have varicose veins now, you will.

Which brings me to the number one reason I love shopping with Amazon:

I HATE SHOPPING!

I hate running from store to store to store trying to find what I want.

I hate trying to navigate crowded aisles crammed with other shoppers who are all feeling just as frustrated and cranky as I am.

Most of all, I hate having to "settle" for what I can find among the limited shopping options available in Northern Michigan.

So, should I really feel riddled with guilt that I haven't spent all my Christmas gift shopping $$$ at our local stores?

Honestly?

Heck, NO! Not when I still spend the lion's share of my paycheck with local merchants on groceries, paper products, cleaning supplies, toiletries, gas, movies, apparel, dining-out and dozens of sundry items—EVERY WEEK, 52 WEEKS A YEAR.

Plus, I have the added satisfaction of (in my own small way) sticking it to Wal-Mart who, in turn, had stuck it to so many of our Mom 'n Pop merchants when they came to town, forcing many of them right out of business years ago because they couldn't compete.

Now, I figure Wal-Mart won't mind a little friendly competition from Amazon. ;)


~ Robin

Have a little cheese with that whine?

Last night, Dan and I attended a wine tasting at the restaurant where I work. As usual, I had to be careful not to over-indulge because, believe me, it's darn easy to do when the wine is...well, flowing like wine. Fortunately, they pair the intoxicants with some wonderful appetizers which helps take the edge off.

Last night was fun because we had five people join our table who weren't from town. They had absolutely no idea I work at that restaurant, so I was able to sit back and listen to their unguarded commentary on the food.

Throughout the evening, I only overheard one disparaging critique from a woman in our group who didn't like the... hmmm, I can't seem to recall just what it was that she didn't like. Selective amnesia? Heh. Must be something I drank. Anyway, I hope it will come to me later. I like to pass along the various feedback to Nick for his future reference.

I do remember that the whipped Hubbard squash with almonds that Nick and I baked in tiny puff pastry shells was a huge hit. He served them on a 6" plate drizzled with real Maple syrup. Yummy!

This was the first wine event that Nick's fiancee, Katie, has hosted since she passed the exam for her sommelier certification last week. I'm so proud of her! I know having to taste her way through so much wine in order to achieve that level of proficiency must have been absolute torture. ;)

Of course, I find that having to be up at the crack of dawn to go to work after attending one of these affairs isn't exactly painless. :/

~ Robin

Seeing Is Believing

Apparently, pictures really do speak louder than words.


On October 10, 2009, a motion-detecting game camera was triggered by a cougar near Bruce township in the Eastern Upper Peninsula.

Finally, FINALLY, the DNR has been handed irrefutable evidence from a verified location which proves what folks have been saying for years—that we have cougars living in Michigan!

Despite official reports stating that the last cougar in Michigan was killed near Newberry in 1906, I, personally, saw a cougar cross US 31 (within 3 miles of our house) as I was driving north to work one morning about six years ago. The big cat simply loped across the highway right in front of me. There was no mistaking this gianormous, tawny feline for a smaller bobcat or lynx as its long tail formed a gentle S-curve that stretched gracefully behind it.

I stopped the car to watch as it bounded effortlessly over a blow-down then disappeared into a tangle of new growth where loggers had clear-cut a section of woods several years earlier. My sighting was later validated by a friend who saw a cougar drinking from the lake in front of his home early in the morning on the same day, less than mile from where I had encountered it. Unfortunately, by the time he found his camera, the cougar had moved on.

When I mentioned my cougar sighting to a friend in the DNR, he admitted that the DNR had been fending-off cougar reports for years because once they acknowledge that we have cougars in Michigan, they are obligated to (spend big $$$) protect them. (And they wonder why we are tempted to suspect our government of a UFO cover-up? Sheesh!)

So far, the DNR only admits having cougars in the Upper Peninsula. However, it's only a matter of time before someone in northern lower Michigan is able to document the cougars we're seeing locally.

The growing popularity of trail and game cameras that sportsmen and wildlife enthusiasts are using will hopefully provide conclusive evidence once more.

~ Robin

Enlightened

After I went up to bed last night, I found myself flipping channels on the TV, looking for something—anything—to watch that wasn't baseball. The "Mom" list on our Dish Network Guide didn't seem to have much to offer until I happened to see a program on UCTV, Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet and the World.

It featured commentary by two notable gentlemen, although I only had a chance to see the segment with Dr. Robert Thurman, Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in the Department of Religion at Columbia University, and co-founder and President of Tibet House US. His talk covered quite a bit of territory, too much to regurgitate here, but I encourage you to watch this broadcast in its entirety on the UCTV website.

I've read several books written by the Dalai Lama, most recently, The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality.



I've often thought that our common perception which places science and spirituality (which is not synonymous with religion) at far different, diametrically opposed ends of a linear spectrum to actually be a misconception. Rather, I see the two philosophies as the conjoined ends of a circle—flawlessly and seamlessly entwined and in support of one another. I believe our connectedness to the Universe is a truth that will eventually be held up by scientific scrutiny.

The Dalai Lama is one of those rare individuals who has challenged the status quo with his willingness to embrace both in his quest for enlightenment. But he doesn't stop there. Through his travels around the world as an ambassador for the Tibetan people and in his books, he has done much to help open a dialog between the religious community and the academic science community. He also has the ability to express and share his wisdom on a level that even *I* can understand.

In the UCTV broadcast last night, I felt like Dr. Thurman had reached into my head, yanked out a jumbled mess of rambling, chaotic ideas and was able to organize and articulate those thoughts in a very logical, cohesive manner that actually made sense.

I eventually drifted off to sleep profoundly comforted by the knowledge that maybe—just maybe—I'm not so crazy after all.

~ Robin

Daylight Savings Time Ends

Spring forward. Fall back.

How many of us recite that mantra twice a year as we try to remember just which direction we're supposed to set the clock in the car... and the clock on the oven... and the clock on the microwave...oh, and God forbid you forget the coffeemaker!

Twice a year we make a round of the house to reset clocks. Some of our older, key-wound clocks can be a pain to set back one hour in the fall because they're intended to only have their hands moved forward, which basically means you have to go around... and around... and I get dizzy just thinking about it. Whew!

And how many of you still have one of those Audubon Society bird clocks? Well, come the first time change, you probably soon discovered just how tricky it is to keep the birds chirping at their appropriate hour. The device is absolutely sadistic. It drives me crazy trying to get my birds and bird songs coordinated. You know, despite how perky and cute the birds are, I just want to rip its little batteries out and burn the darn thing. Yet, they were all the rage a decade ago. Amazing.

Come to think of it, they were kinda like the singing Big Mouth Billy Bass—every family got one for Christmas.



Did you hear the woman in the background exclaim, "Who pushed the fish?!" Heh! Yeah, they are so annoying that Billy has kinda become the fish that everyone loves to hate.

Or how about the Ronco Pocket Fisherman? You remember, in the late 60s, early 70s, everyone got a Pocket Fisherman for a birthday, even if you'd never been fishing in your life...because you just never knew when you might be on the lake, and you'd sure be glad you had a Ronco Pocket Fisherman in your glove box!



But wait! There's more!



And this can be all yours for only $19.95 plus shipping and handling!

Yeah, I sure hate the new time change, don't you? [sigh]

~ Robin

Whitefish Roulade with Chesapeake Bay Seafood Stuffing

Since I was so nicely rested, compliments of Sunday morning's time change, I thought I'd put together something a little special for dinner last night—Whitefish Roulade with Chesapeake Bay Seafood Stuffing.

What you'll need:

2- 8 oz. fresh Whitefish fillets, "pinned and skinned" (pin bones and skin removed)
1 # fresh scallops
5 or 6 large shrimp, peeled and deveined.
1 can blue crab claw meat (usually found in your grocer's fresh seafood dept.)
1/2 c. celery
1/2 c. sweet onion
1/4 c. green bell pepper
1/4 c. sweet red pepper
1 clove fresh garlic
1 c. Ritz crackers, coarsely crushed
1 c. bread crumbs, plain
2 eggs, blended with a fork
1 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. white wine
Salt, Pepper, lemon pepper and Paprika to taste

Mince the onions, celery, peppers and garlic and saute in 2 Tbs. butter until lightly caramelized.

In a medium saucepan add the scallops, shrimp, crab meat and 1 c. water. Simmer until the seafood is about 3/4 cooked. Gently strain the seafood from the broth and set aside. Add the crackers and bread crumbs to the saucepan of broth; stir to combine, cover and set aside. When the seafood has cooled, chop the larger pieces into bite-size tidbits.

This Whitefish was swimming in the Great Lakes on Friday. The Whitefish harvest is in full-swing right now and arriving right off the boats to the fish house, fresh daily. I had Dan stop at Cam's Big Stone Bay Fishery, Mackinaw City, to pick up the fish on Saturday afternoon. The boys at the fish market were even kind enough to pin and skin the fish, saving me the trouble. I cut each 8 oz. fillet in half.

Place each portion on a piece of cling wrap and fold the wrap over the top of the fish. With the flat, broad-side of a meat mallet, gently flatten each fillet to 1/8" to 1/4" in thickness. Be careful not to pound holes through the fillet.

Add two eggs, 3/4 c. melted butter, white wine and the seafood to the cracker/crumb mixture in the saucepan. Stir to combine. Last night I used a nice Chardonnay for the recipe and served the rest with dinner—minus the glass I drank while I was working in the kitchen, of course! :D

Place a 1/2 c. scoop of stuffing on the center of each Whitefish fillet, roll and place seam-side down on a buttered baking sheet pan. Brush the top of each roulade with melted butter and season with salt, lemon pepper and parsley. Dust lightly with Paprika.

Spray a small casserole dish with non-stick coating (PAM) and fill with the remainder of the seafood stuffing. Bake uncovered @ 350˚ for 40 to 45 minutes or until done.

A few words about the presentation seen here: For this meal, I mashed potatoes, gently folded in some shredded, mild cheddar cheese and piped them through a large pastry bag with a star tip onto a maple cutting board. I cut a tomato into two "crowns", dusted them with shredded Parmesan cheese and granulated garlic, topped them with a button mushroom cap and placed them onto the board inside the lower "compartment" I created with the mashed potatoes. I placed the entire board in the oven on broil long enough to lightly brown the potatoes and cook the tomatoes.

While the potatoes were browning, I made a small batch of Hollandaise Sauce (Don't sweat the small stuff—use Knorr or McCormick's) and steamed asparagus in a separate pan. When the potatoes were done, I placed the asparagus spears between the tomato crowns and drizzled them with the Hollandaise.

Finally, I arranged the Whitefish Roulade in a second potato "compartment" on the board. I left room at the bottom of the board for a crusty baguette and two small ramekins—one for additional Hollandaise and a second with olive oil for the bread.

Serve the entire display on the board right at the table. Word of caution: Don't forget to pick up a fresh lemon at the store to cut and serve with the fish just because I did. *ahem!*

When you'd rather visit with your company, I love the fact that I can prepare most of this planked Whitefish dinner in advance—the Whitefish Roulade, the potatoes can be ready for the broiler on the board, etc. All you really need to do at the last minute is cook the fish, brown the potatoes and tomatoes while you warm the baguette and steam the asparagus. Serves 4 as shown; however, you can easily adjust portions (number of fish fillets, etc.) to accommodate more.

It's guaranteed to impress—and the stuffing is out of this world!

~ Robin

Sunday Drive Flashback

When we drove up to the Soo for breakfast last weekend, I was reminded of a similar Sunday drive Dan and I took about two and a half years ago. It was early spring, and although there were still traces of snow, it was a dazzlingly beautiful day. Oddly enough, just like last week, we had no sooner reached Sault Ste. Marie than heavy clouds moved in. (What is it about that town that just seems to attract bad weather?)

However, still game, we couldn't resist a little side-trip into Canada. We'd always wanted to visit Wawa. The hint of spring in the air was all the excuse we needed to go exploring.

So, for your reading pleasure from the original "Aunt Robin's Story Hour" archives, here is an excerpt from that entry.

Enjoy!

~ Robin

March, 2007

...Further down the long, winding road north, we discovered that Wawa is an astonishingly small, picturesque settlement sheltered by towering granite hillsides and a pretty lake dotted with colorful ice fishing shanties. I even found their radio station on our dial, although its Francophone commentary was a little hard to follow.

Most notably, they have a goose—a really BIG goose. We had heard that it’s good luck to kiss the goose in Wawa. Unfortunately, the snow surrounding the goose was still so deep, we couldn’t get near it.

The goose in Wawa, Ontario
March, 2007

Umm, I hope that not kissing the goose is bad luck….

It was very late afternoon by the time we approached U.S. customs, preparing to re-enter the United States at Sault Ste. Marie and head home. There you can see, firsthand, your homeland security $$$$ hard at work. Parabolic listening devices eavesdrop on your conversations as you approach the border. Bomb detecting, radiation sniffing devices surround your vehicle; cameras photograph you and your car (front and rear).

I don’t care how righteous you are; even a perfect saint would wonder if he’s guilty of some transgression as he cautiously pulls ahead to face the customs officer behind the bullet-proof glass.

As we wait our turn behind a short queue of vehicles, I suddenly remember we're driving my father's truck while our car is in the shop for repairs. This could be a problem....

"Dan! We're in Dad's truck!"

"So?"

"Dan, think about it. This is Dad's truck!"

He's quiet for a moment then goes pale as he begins to comprehend the implications.

My father is a retired career military man with strong militia... uh, sympathies. Now Dan and I were both wondering what kind of illegal arsenal he could have stashed behind the seat. Good lord, there could be enough firepower back there to arm a small, third-world nation. I fear I may wet my pants. No kidding.

Too late to turn and run for our lives, the customs official motions for us to approach his booth. One look at his stony, dour-faced countenance, and we're pretty sure he doesn't moonlight as a member of the local Welcome Wagon.

“May I see your driver’s licenses, please?”

(Note: Although this is phrased as a question, it is actually a command.)

Dan and I dutifully pass our I.D. cards through the window to him.

“Where are you from?” he asks, though we know he can clearly read our address on the licenses.

“Carp Lake, Michigan,” we respond in unison. Damn! I knew we should have kissed that darn goose....

“How long were you in Canada?”

“About six hours... sir.”

“What was your business in Canada?”

“We were out for a Sunday drive, sir.”

“Do you take your Sunday drive in Canada often?”

“Our daughter attended college here in the Soo. So, yes, we travel into Canada fairly often, sir.”

“Is her name Jamie?”

Our jaws drop.

“Whoa! You homeland security boys are goooood!” I couldn’t resist commending him.

Suddenly, Godzilla gets a cute little grin—complete with dimples—as he confesses, “I used to date her roommate.”

Wooooowooooooo! I think God—or maybe the goose—had just handed us a great, big, get-out-of-jail-free card.

~Aunt Robin