THE VILLAGE VOICE

"There is no instinct like that of the heart." ~ Lord Byron HERB CRUSTED CRANBERRY/CHERRY SALMON ~ A delicious crunchy meld of herbs , antioxidant lemon, tart cranberries & sweet dried cherries combined with 'heart-smart' salmon ____________ 1 1/2 lb. salmon filet 1/2 cup chopped fresh cranberries 1/4 cup chopped dried Michigan cherries 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary 1/2 cup panko crumbs zest of 1 fresh lemon 3 Tbsp. melted butter sea salt & freshly ground cracked pepper to taste Preheat oven to 375º. Rinse and pat salmon dry. Place skin side down on foil lined baking sheet sprayed with Pam. Season with salt & pepper. Combine chopped cranberries, cherries, onion, thyme, rosemary, lemon zest, and panko crumbs. Blend in 2 Tbsp. melted butter. Pat mixture evenly over salmon. Drizzle with remaining butter. Pop in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until salmon is opaque in c...

“O fairest flower, no sooner blown but blasted, Soft silken primrose fading timelessly.” ~ John Milton INDOOR PRIMROSE GARDEN Although the primrose flower is native to areas of Europe and Asia, they can be found growing in abundance throughout the Midwest and Northwest regions of North America. Primulaceae , or the primrose family, contains around 24 genera of popular garden and wild-growing plants. There are a number of different varieties of primrose flowers; however, most gardeners place them in two distinct groups: the bog and woodland flowers, which prefer moist, rich soil, and the rocky area flowers, which do well in dry areas. These flowers are generally planted for ground cover and may be seen growing as single-headed flowers or in large clusters. Their colors range from the traditional yellow to white, purple, pink, and occasionally even coral hues. The oils of the primrose flower are commercially cultivated in at least 15 countries. This is understandable as it has become a...

"Bread feeds the body, indeed, but flowers feed also the soul." -~ The Koran BLACK FOREST CHEESECAKE ~ 1985 favorite retro-dessert ( Bon Appetit ), perfect for February (National Cher ry Month) Cherry Topping: 1 lb. (thawed) frozen unsweetened cherries 1/4 cup kirsh 1/4 cup Morello cherry syrup ( or sour cherry syrup ) Chocolate Crust: 8 12 oz. chocolate wafer cookies 6 Tbsp. (3/4 stick) well-chilled butter, cut into 12-in. pieces Chocolate Filling: 1 1/2 cups whipping cream 12 oz. coarsely chopped semisweet chocolate 16 oz. (room temperature) cream cheese 3/4 cup sugar 4 (room temperature) eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup chilled whipping cream 2 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. kirsch Chocolate curls For topping: Soak undrained cherries and kirsch in small bowl 6 hours. Thoroughly drain cherries in strainer set over medium bow, shaking occasionally, at least 2 hours. Reserve liquid. Add enough Morello cherry syrup to cherry liquid to measure 1 cup. Pour 6 Tbsp. in...

"Every rose is an autograph from the hand of God on his world about us. He has inscribed his thoughts in these marvelous hieroglyphics which sense and science have, these many thousand years, been seeking to understand. " ~ Theodore Parker Treasured 1st Edition "Oh, my luve ’s like a red, red rose, That ’s newly sprung in June; Oh, my luve ’s like the melodie That’s sweetly played in tune." ~ Robert Burns 'Carefree Beauty' Shrub Rose "Won't you come into the garden? I would like my roses to see you." ~ Richard Brinsley Sheridan "The rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the heart." ~ unknown "What's in a name? That which we call a rose By any other name would smell as sweet." ~ William Shakespeare "The rose speaks of love silently, in a language known only to the heart." ~ unknown "When love first came to Earth, the Spring spread rose-beds to receive him." ~ Thomas Campbell ...

"Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises." ~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca JAPANESE PAINTED FERN LENTEN ROSE (Helleborus Orientalis) FERN HOSTA ~ LADY FERN Annabelle Hydrangea COLEUS 'Chocolate Mint' FERN AUTUMN FERN AUTUMN FERN HOSTA (Click on photo to enlarge)