SEPTEMBER 16, 2012–APRICOT SHRIMP SKEWERS

I made APRICOT SHRIMP SKEWERS (pg. 183) back in September.

Try to remember the days of September. . .

“Try to remember the kind of September when life was slow and oh, so mellow. Try to remember the kind of September when grass was green and grain was yellow. Try to remember the kind of September when you were a tender and callow fellow, Try to remember and if you remember the follow.

Try to remember when life was so tender that no one wept except the willow. Try to remember when life was so tender that dreams were kept beside your pillow. Try to remember when life was so tender that love was an ember about to billow. Try to remember and if you remember then follow.”

Enjoy Julie Andrews while reading this post.

September is a wonderful month–all the bounty of summer, warm days, long evenings with a hint of cool, and the order that school brings back to a household.

But before we begin, let’s start some ice cream.  We just made vanilla and added fresh fruit toppings.

The secret to these kabobs is an apricot-jalapeño glaze.  Start by roasting some jalapeños.  Hold them over your gas burner or grill until the skin blisters, then put them in a sealed plastic bag.  The steam bath helps remove the skin.

The glaze is made with about 1/2 cup of apricot jam (preserves), 4 roasted and chopped jalapenos, and 1/2 cup of water to thin.

Now I love shrimp, but my kiddos wrinkle their noses when and stare at me with pleading eyes when they are served shrimp.  “PLEASE don’t make us eat it!!”, their eyes beg.  Or they will just say it out loud.  SO, I am making several shrimp-less kabobs for the kiddos.  Theirs will have pork.  Mine will have shrimp and pork and more shrimp–with apricots inbetween.

Except the “apricots in between” will really be peaches.  Because peaches are ripe in September here in Michigan and drip with wonderfulness.

Make a Kabob Station, and skewer up.  Brush each kabob with the apricot/jalapeño glaze.

Kabobs are a favorite around here, so we made a tray full.  They reheat in foil in the oven or in the microwave for super easy leftovers.

Last May, The Hunni began building a grill.

This picture was taken last May.  Here the kiddos are helping with the concrete slab. (That day I made roated cauliflower, crash potatoes, and pot de crème.)

And here is the grill framed for the concrete slab on top.  (That day I made tres leches cake, cauliflower soup, and basic chicken salad.)  That was last May.  Let me show you what the grill looked like in September.

 Ta Da!  Not perfect, but perfect enough for this family.  The Hunni would like to add a wooden door to hid the gas tank, and there are metal hooks in the mortar for a shelf under the grill.

And since we are in the backyard, let’s take a look around at some of the things I have growing.

Yellow flowers.

Aloe Vera.

Purple flowers.

But mainly we are growing kids.  Little Man changes every week.

The Apricot + Pork + Peach + Red Onion Skewers just finished, so let’s head inside to eat.

Here is Little Man’s seat.  I re-upholstered a kid’s chair I found at a thrift store.

Although I adore these Sweet Seats, they are a bit pricy for me, so I just had to make my own version.   .

Kabobs, salad loaded with avocado and regular white rice.  And vanilla ice cream with fresh peaches for dessert.  I love September.  All of the bounty of summer, but without the chaos of summer vacation.

–rebecca