Salmon on the Grill

So often, I look at my children and wish they could be little again.  They are growing up so fast!  Twelve-years-old is such an interesting age.  Sometimes I look at my son and swell with pride.  He's becoming such a fine young man.  So mature.  So tall.  So like his Daddy.  And then. . .

WHAP!  He just whacked his brother with a light saber.  And the moment is gone!  Not really, though.  I am very proud of all my children's accomplishments, even though some days I miss the smaller versions of them.  I asked my youngest if he would please stay little, just for me, and without hesitating, he answered, "No way!  I'm going to be 6!"  Then he grew more thoughtful and said, "Well, Mommy, that means I'd have to stop having birthdays.  I think only God can do that, and I'm pretty sure He won't!"

As I'm feeling nostalgic for their younger years, though, I can also be quite thankful that I no longer have to bathe 4 people besides myself every day.  That I don't have to clip a grand total of 100 fingernails and toenails every Saturday night.  They are able to do so many things by themselves now, and in fact, they are quite helpful.  My older children are becoming quite proficient at cooking, and I've got to say, it's nice to not have to cook every night by myself!  (They still need supervision, of course.)

A few weeks ago, I was sick one day, and my oldest son offered to cook dinner.  In another evidence of his Daddy-likeness, he decided to grill salmon.  He can't just borrow Dad's recipes, though.  No, this is a competition of Manly-Men.  He pulled up the Weber App on his iPod Touch to find his own new recipe, mixed up the glaze, and really grilled the salmon nearly to perfection.  This is not your grandmother's recipe book!  Dad, watch out, the competition is fierce!  Luckily, I did have leftover veggies in the fridge, so he just heated those up in the microwave.

The recipes my husband and son use are not exactly the same, but they both involve cooking the salmon over the grill on soaked cedar planks, which gives the salmon a nice, smoky flavor.  They both mix a few tablespoons each of lime juice, some kind of vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, and chives; a dash each of sea salt, garlic powder, and black pepper; and olive oil.  Brush the salmon with the dressing and grill on the cedar planks.

Now, my 10-year-old daughter, who has taken on the job of cooking dinner once a week, also made salmon the other night.  She broiled hers, and being much more attentive to artistic detail, she wrapped each fillet in foil with a perfectly-placed lemon slice on top.  She also made garlic-sauteed broccoli, and wonder of wonders, all the children seemed to like it!  To get her recipe, though, you will have to come back in about 2 weeks or so and check out my review of E-mealz!

Happy Grilling!