Two's Day

Every week, Taylor and I have a Two's-Day.  We have something that we do together, just us.  Sometimes our week is so busy it has to be just a short breakfast and cup of coffee before we start our day.  Sometimes we are both doing something (knitting, homework, reading, etc) but we're still together.  Sometimes we take a nap together.  Sometimes we watch a movie.  But it's always something. Every week.  It's good for us :)

Before we were married, a good professor and priest friend told us "Don't let yourselves grow apart."  He told us that for all the busy-ness they have to contend with in every other aspect of their life, it's very easy for couples now'days to grow apart without realizing it.  Just three and a half years into marriage, I can see what he meant.  It's not that you don't love the person anymore, but when "life" (so-called) demands so much of your time and energy, it's hard to, for instance, take an interest in what your spouse is doing, how their day was, what they've been up to lately.  It's not that you don't care, but that you forget to ask. "So do things together, make a point of growing closer every day," he told us.

Especially with T starting law school, we both affirmed that it was important to keep up our Two's-Days together.  In fact, at a friend's suggestion, we take time each day to just sit together and "shoot the breeze."  It's nice :)

Last night was pretty busy.  I was getting some gifts out the door and in the mail, and T was busily doing homework (and practice midterms, YIKES!).  But I made a nice dinner (which was so tasty, I have to tell you about it!) and we sat down together on the couch, watched a short movie while we ate, and then spent some time catching up.  It was very cozy and dreamy and drowsy.  We soon decided it was bed time (zzzzzz)... but it was still a delightful dinner with my own Sweet P'Taylor!

Now, about that dinner... just FYI, you can almost always substitute butter for any of the olive oil in my recipes :) That might come in handy for this one!

I had some swordfish steaks I wanted to use.  So I looked up recipes online for broiled swordfish--super easy way to do fish (and everything, as you will see).  Marinate the steaks in lemon juice (with a couple tablespoons of soy sauce) for 15-20 minutes.  Any longer and the acidic lemon juice will start to "cook" the fish.

Meanwhile, thinly slice one onion (or one large scallion) and scatter on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.  Slice one or two potatoes (I used one gold potato and one sweet potato) very thin--less than 1/4" if you can manage it--and lay the potato slices on top of the onions.  Drizzle it all with olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and paprika.  Broil for 5 minutes (watch carefully so the potatoes don't burn).  Turn potatoes over and drizzle with a BIT more olive oil, more spices if you want, and broil for another 5 minutes. Keep warm in a serving dish.   [I love love love doing potatoes this way--it's so quick and so tasty and it makes me smile to think I can have lots of soft, delicious potatoes in 10 minutes.]

If the fish is done marinating, place it on the same baking sheet you used for the spuds and drizzle with a little olive oil (yes, only a little--you don't want a too-oily dinner).  Broil for 10 minutes or so.  Gently turn the fish over and cover the top with bread crumbs and some more oil.  Broil for 5 minutes (until fish flakes easily with a fork).

While the fish is resting and the potatoes are keeping warm, broil the kale.  Yes--kale!  I never knew you could broil greens, but these turned out super-well!  Break or chop the kale into bite-sized pieces (as you would for a salad) and toss in a bowl with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and a bit of garlic (powder or a minced clove).  Spread the kale on that same baking sheet and broil carefully for 2 minutes, stir it around, and broil another 2 minutes.  Be sure not to over-do this.  When the edges of the kale just begin to turn brown, take it out and serve it all up.  The broiling/roasting really brings out a buttery flavor in the kale and it was crispy, too, from the dry  heat.  We gobbled it up!