Roses, for Me? You Shouldn't Have!

Oh, you didn't.  I can count on one hand the number of purchased bouquets that I have received in the last couple of decades.  I really do love flowers. But I'm not about to sit around waiting for someone else to send me bouquets. So what does this bouquet-loving lady do?

Every spring and summer, I cut bouquets for myself every week. I keep them on the dresser in my room, or in the kitchen next to the sink, or in the bathroom next to the tub.  I put my own home-cut bouquets in the places where I most want to look at them. It simply makes me happy to have flowers in my spaces.

Earlier this spring, I had lilacs and irises. Monday was the first day of spring that I could cut enough roses for a small bouquet. This week, I have a half-dozen pink roses to bring cheer to my daily activities. Such a frugal but beautiful thing to do for myself.

Sesame Oil Flavor for a Salad by Toasting Hulled Sesame Seeds

(this 10-oz bottle sells for $5.53 on Amazon)

I was making a favorite Asian chicken and noodle salad for dinner last night and realized that I've been out of sesame oil for eons. At $4 or so for a small bottle, sesame oil has not been on my active shopping list since the early 2000s. It adds so much flavor to this salad, though, so I knew I'd be sad without that extra depth of flavor. To get that same sesame oil flavor I toasted hulled sesame seeds in a dry skillet until golden brown.

1/4 cup of toasted sesames added just the amount of flavor that I wanted for a family-size bowl of salad.

I was also out of green onions.

This time of year, my chive plants produce an abundance of blossoms. In addition to making flavored vinegar with the blossoms, I also add pulled apart blossoms to salads, soups and to top casseroles, for a little oniony flavor.

I don't know if you ever buy sesame oil, or if you happen across a recipe which calls for it. You can get a similar taste from toasting your own sesame seeds.  I buy sesame seeds in 1-lb bags for about $3 per pound. Sesame seeds keep in the freezer for a very long time, BTW.