Honey Glazed Salmon

On Monday, I cooked dinner that consisted of Honey Glazed Salmon, Corn on the Cob, and Asparagus.  It was so popular that it was requested again today.  I added Couscous to it this time and I do believe that just made even better.

Take a look at the plate presentation.

For the Couscous:

• Follow the directions on the box.

For the Corn on the Cob:

• Put water in a large pot.
• Bring water to boil.
• Place corn in the boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes.
• Turn off the burner and server.

For the Asparagus:

• In a large skillet, put a bit of extra virgin olive oil, butter, and a tablespoon of minced garlic.
• Heat until the butter is melted.
• Put in Asparagus and Sliced Almonds.
• Saute until Asparagus starts to soften.
• Reduce heat to low and cover with a lit so it can steam for few minutes.
• Use your own judgement as I tend to like my Asparagus a little softer while you may like it a bit firmer.

For the Honey Glaze Sauce on the Salmon:

• Five tablespoons of soy sauce (regular or reduced sodium your choice).
• Two and a half tablespoons of honey.
• Two tablespoons of rice vinegar.
• One tablespoon of minced garlic.
• Mix together in a small bowl until the honey dissolves.
• Save for the Salmon.

The Salmon:

• Turn the oven on broil and ensure the top rack is about 5 to 6 inches away.  I put ours on the highest location and that works well.
• While the oven heats, skin the Salmon and rinse in cold water.
• Pat dry with paper towels.
• Cut Salmon into 4 or 5 pieces.
• Place aluminium foil on a broil pan or baking sheet.
• Spray with Pam.
• Place the Salmon pieces on the foil with what was the skin side up.
• Salt and pepper the bottom of the Salmon pieces.
• Take a teaspoon of the Honey Glaze Sauce and place on the bottom of the Salmon pieces.
• Flip the Salmon pieces over.
• Salt and pepper the top of the Salmon.
• Distribute the remainder of the sauce over the top of the Salmon pieces.
• Place in the oven on the top rack for 5 to 6 minutes.
• Flip the Salmon pieces over.
• Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes.
• Flip the Salmon pieces back over.
• Drizzle some more honey on the top of the Salmon pieces.
• Place back in the oven for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove from oven.

Plate presentation:

• Take a scoop of Couscous and place on the plate.
• Take some of the Asparagus and place beside the Couscous.
• Take one Corn on the Cob and place beside the Asparagus.
• Take one of the Salmon pieces and place on top of the Couscous.
• Take some of the Sliced Almonds from the Asparagus pan and place on top of the Salmon.

Serve and enjoy.

New Cool Background

Hey everyone. I haven't posted in a while.

Check out my cool background. These are two of my favorite catchers. The one on the left is my son Anton and the one on the right is my son Chris.

Steelers Win... Pirates Win...

Good day for us Pittsburgh sports fans...

Steelers win 15-9 over the Falcons in overtime. A 50 yard rushing touchdown...

Pirates win 3-1 over the Reds scoring all three in the top of the ninth with two outs and two strikes on the batter. Way to go Clutch...

Superstitions

Well, it is Friday the 13th and that always brings thoughts of superstitions. It does for me at least. I am not afraid of Friday the 13th as my Aunt Jennifer was born on a Friday the 13th so I always looked at those days as good days. She never looked at it as a bad day or that bad things would happen. So why should I?

I tend to think I'm not superstitious but on the 4th of July our friend Suzi said I was and she had noticed it when we were watching the Super Bowl (Steelers vs Cardinals) at their house. Why she waited so long to point it out I have no idea. But she noted that when I would get up and move to a different seat or head to grab a snack or use the restroom, I would eventually within a minute or so of something going against the Steelers in the game, be right back to where I was sitting when things were going there way. I thought back on that and I believe she is correct. I do that every time I watch the Steelers play. I'm sitting on the recliner with the feet up, the Steelers are doing well. I move to the couch and the Steelers start stinking up the TV screen. I hop up and move back to the recliner with my feet up and they start playing better again. Pretty much all the time. I'm not saying I'm the cause of their success. What I am saying is that I am superstitious that way.

I wish that would work with the Pirates. Nothing I do seems to help them play better and win.

When I get dressed, I always put my left sock on first, then my right sock, then the left shoe, and then the right shoe (after I have put my pants on that is). Some might think this is habit, but I believe it is superstition. The last time I did the opposite (temping fate) I ended up hurting my foot. Of course I was digging a hole to plant a tree and stepped into it but maybe that wouldn't have happened if I didn't switch up how I put on my socks and shoes. So back to left, right, left, right. I don't tend to be too concerned about left leg, right leg when putting on my pants.

I'm sure there are other things I do that some may call habit that may be or am are they habits because I'm superstitious?

Jean-Luc is Home

Jean-Luc is back from Brazil.

The plane landed around 1:20 AM. After Jean-Luc, Jane (Carla's cousin), and Victor (Jane's son) went through customs on the gate side of the airport it was around 2:30 AM before we finally greeted them. Then we headed to the baggage claim area and waited, waited some more, and even waited some more. Finally their luggage came out the carousel as there were only about 5 people left waiting to get their bags.

We made our way to the van. Loaded up the back and headed for home.

We finally got in around 4:00 AM. After Carla gave Jane and Victor a quick tour of the house everyone went off to bed after a long day.

Merritt Island Sr Little League

Jean-Luc went to his first practice today. It wasn't too bad. Myself and one of the other coaches were unable to hit fly balls consistently and Jean-Luc had to step in and do it for us. Thank you Jean-Luc. Of course he hit maybe ten fly balls and then he had to go practice pitching and it was up to me again. I'm way out of practice. Hitting the grounders for infield practice is so much easier.

Teenager vs Food

Well, it had to happen sometime. Jean-Luc finally had eyes bigger than his stomach. This morning at breakfast he actually had to push the plate away with some food left. He said "you won this round food."

Little League (R) 2010

Well the 2010 Little League (R) baseball season is here. Christopher is on the Pirates. Anton team name changed from the White Sox to the Red Sox. Jean-Luc's team is also the Pirates for now. The name may change as the coach is not sold on it. It is the team he was on last year but they had a different manager then.

I haven't been much help on the field. It has been freezing cold down here in Florida (but a lot warmer than my family up in the more northern states - TN and PA). Lots of rain the past couple weeks as well.

No practice tonight or flag football games. RAIN

Jury Duty: Doing my civic duty

Well, this week I did my civic duty and went to Jury Duty. The Moore Justice Center in Viera is the only county courthouse in Brevard county where you only have to go for one day if called.

I was fortunate enough to get put on a jury panel and get picked to sit on a criminal trial. Total time missing work - 2 days. Total time for trial and deliberation - 5 hours.

From 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM on Wednesday, we heard all the witnesses and both the prosecutor and defence attorney rested their cases. We started up with closing arguments at 10:30 AM and finished with deliberation at 11:45 AM. The verdict was guilty. The judge excused the jury as she sentence the criminal to 90 days in the county jail, followed by 9 months probation and court ordered AA meetings that the judge is sure he will not attend.

Lets Go Buccos!!!

Ok. Enough of me bad mouthing the Pittsburgh Pirates management.

The season is not over yet.

Lets go Bucs! Lets go Bucs! Lets go Bucs! Lets go Bucs! Lets go Bucs!

Facebook

I have finally created a Facebook account (a few weeks ago) and it has been most interesting. I have been out of high school for 25 years now and I haven't spoken to anyone I graduated with in about 16 years. I have now reconnected with quite a few of my school mates. One even lives here in Florida and we have had lunch a couple times already.

Thank God for the Steelers and the Penguins

So far this season, the Pittsburgh Pirates have traded all but three of their opening day starting position players and only one from last year. Nothing against the new guys - McCutchen is playing well and I do like Jones bat. If I were a betting man, which I'm not, I would bet that Ryan Doumit will be out of Pittsburgh before the deadline tomorrow.

Traded or gone since last season:

Good luck Freddy, Jack, Adam (traded again to Atlanta), John, Tommy, Ian, Nate, Nyger, Xavier, Jose, Ronny, and Jason.

My cousin thinks it is all a new marketing program by the Pirates to sell more programs at the stadium. I would not doubt it one bit.

Edited for corrections.

Pittsburgh Pirate management is at it again

Well, today the idiots in charge of the Pittsburgh Pirates traded Adam LaRoche to Boston. It appears to me that the Pirates are a feeder club for Boston. I certainly hope that the Pirates get World Series rings this year if Boston happens to win it all.

All-Star Practices

The All-Star practices are going well. Scrimage game last night against the 10 year old All-Stars. Went okay. Not great. Just okay.

Anton makes the MILL All Stars

You read it hear first. Anton is a member of the Merritt Island Little League 10-11 year old All Stars!!!

The Honey Do List

From the top of the list from the home office - well at my home in sunny Florida - the Honey Do List.

Sprinklers
For those of you who have them, cutting the grass away from them sucks. I feel sorry for you but for me - AWESOME. I have completed this task. Ok, one side note, I do need to go to Home Depot to get a new replacement sprinkler head. One of them is broke. And I didn't do it.

A/C
Carla's Car was taken to Meinike with the help of Chris Bergau (who picked me up) and Suzi Rice (who took me to get it) and all is hopefully right with the world. The car was a little low on coolant and they topped it off. There must be a slow leak or something. Time will tell.

The Second Floor of our House This unit was on it's last legs in April when my parents came to visit. Sorry Mom and Dad. But fortunately it was not the middle of summer and they didn't roast upstairs in the guest room. It is getting replaced on Monday (tomorrow).

Defrost Little Fridge
The small refrigerator that I have had since college (OMG it is old) needed to be defrosted. I opened it up and to my surprise SCORE - five beers I forgot I put in there. It will be a good afternoon watching the Pirates online (I won't be drinking all of them). The fridge is outside defrosting. Must pay attention to the afternoon down pours and bring it in under cover if necessary.

Christmas Stuff
After celebrating Christmas every day for the so far this year, on Friday, i finally took the tree down and put all the Christmas stuff away. My Mom and Dad can verify that it was still up in April. We had it hidden being a Chinese screen and if we didn't point it out people didn't really notice.

Organize Kids Clothes
Um.. not so much. One job around the house I really, really dislike. Maybe even more so than working in the yard.

Fix Boys Bikes and Carla's Bike
This one was easy. I took them to the bicycle repair place up the street and had them fix them. All appear to be in proper working order for the moment and no flat tires.

Clean Kitchen Grout
Um.. not so much. I was given the name of a supposedly very good grout cleaner by one of my work mates (thanks Jeff) and I will look for it at Home Depot when I go get the sprinkler head.

Chris - Dr for his limp
Just over a month ago our littlest - or should I say youngest as he isn't so little any more - was goofing around with his older brother at the baseball fields and fell and hurt his hip. After limping and whining for a few days, Carla took him to the doctor who had us get an xray. Nothing broken probably just a deep bruise. Well a month later, he is still limping around. The limping when he walks has gone away this week. He was running during the baseball clinic the other day and he looked like he was in pain. So off to the doctor again for another checkup. He was surprise he was still limping and suggested watching it a little longer and then taking him to an orthopedist if it is not better. Someone more specialized than he was for that type of injury. So I'm watching him. Seems to be doing okay but I haven't made him run for any distance since Monday. Will have to do that soon to see how it looks. Otherwise, get a copy of the xray and find the orthopedist he recommended.

Fix Master Bathroom Toilet Flushing
About eight months ago, I replaced the flushing unit in the master bathroom toilet. It is not the usual ball and chain flusher, no it is something different that was all they had at Home Depot. It has something called a leak guard that stops the water from running if the tank empties from a leak. Well, occasionally the leak guard catches at the top of the flush and the tank never fills back up. So you go to flush and nothing but water starting to fill the tank. Wait a minute and flush again and it works fine. So I did a little shifting of chains the other day and it has worked perfectly since. I do hope it works when Carla gets home or I may get flushed (just kidding).

Go To Dentist
I have my 6 month checkup tomorrow. I added this one to the list.

Will I ever be glad to get back to work next Thursday. I love my wife even more now than I did when she left to go to Brazil for two weeks. She works hard here while I'm at work. For those who don't know she has a full time job and works out of the house. The boys keep here busy as well as all the other stuff I listed.

Latrobe Brewery back in business

Good for Latrobe...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09162/976713-100.stm

Looks like Iron City is going to move its production to Latrobe.

Tired Little Guy

I took the boys to the baseball clinic last night. The rain held off until it was almost over. So it ended 10 minutes early. Two more clinics left. Wednesday and Friday for Chris and Wednesday and Thursday for Anton.

We got home last night after a quick stop at Dairy Queen on the way home with Jack and Julius around 8:45. Chris went straight to the bedroom and within minutes he was sleeping.

I would like to say it was all the running he did at the clinic but I think it was more the swimming today at day camp.

Carla and JL in Brazil

Carla and JL are now in Brazil and from her blog and Skype calls they both seem to be enjoying themselves.

JL even made some girl friends as they were fascinated by his blond hair. He gave them his email address. Unfortunately, he doesn't speak Portuguese and they don't speak English. Jane was there to translate for them.

Days after McLouth

Day 2 updated - Pirates are now 1 - 1. Can't figure out how to hit the ball when Mike Hampton pitches against them.

Day 2 - so far so good. Pirates are now 1 - 0 after trading Nate the Great to the Braves - boo hiss.