Children do grow up and leave home… But if you are lucky, they actually invite you to visit and stay with them. Lucky me! Got an invitation from my daughter, Leeyah, to visit her in Seattle. So, I packed my bags and set off for 5 days of college living. Yep. Stayed in her room at the house she shares with 4 other girlfriends!  Like her mother trained her she first fed me, as I left home at 5:30am (crazy, I know, but I wanted all the time I could get with my girl!)

Portage Bay Café here we come! Great coffee (but of course –Seattle!) and incredible pancake/French toast bar (pile it on to your heart’s content!) My heat loving palate went for the Migas: A large flour tortilla stuffed with three chipotle-cumin scrambled eggs, Tillamook medium and sharp white cheddar, fresh basil, homemade salsa and sour cream. Served with fresh avocado salsa, and roasted potatoes.

Next on the agenda, of course, was feeding them! (One good turn deserves another…)Leeyah and I shopped, chopped, diced and cooked and here are the results! (Some recipes below)

The menu included roasted herbed gorgeous piece of salmon (we were in Seattle, after all), accompanied by an herbed yogurt sauce, orzo with feta, asparagus, mushrooms and basil, roasted butternut squash with sage and a salad of mixed greens with pears, red onions, cranberries and blue cheese in Dijon mustard vinaigrette. Brooke (roommate on the left) made a delicious berry pie for dessert. As we were eating, pictures and messages of our dinner (translation - “free food”) were circulating on Facebook and Twitter and people started showing up… More chairs were pulled to the small table and elbow to elbow I was welcomed by Leeyah’s circle of friends.

One of the highlights of this trip was visiting Bainbridge Island, where Leeyah’s boyfriend hails from and meeting his lovely family. After a tour of the quaint Island, courtesy of Casey, I proceeded to cook a Shabbat dinner at his home and ended that day with a relaxing glass of wine and lively conversation with his family.

Still on the agenda for the visit was exploring Pike Place Market, having coffee with Cousin Sheryl and her 2 great kids, as well as eating at the Dahlia Lounge downtown.

Great long weekend in Seattle with my daughter: experiencing the life she has built for herself, making new friends, visiting with family and of course – great food!!

Seattle Salmon –

Quick Oven Roasted Salmon

Serves 6

2       tablespoons olive oil  2      pounds salmon fillet -- skin on

1       teaspoon minced garlic

1       teaspoon dried oregano

1/2     teaspoon paprika

1         teaspoon kosher salt

1/2     teaspoon black pepper

2       tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Sauce

1       cup Greek yogurt

1       teaspoon minced garlic

1       tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1       teaspoon minced oregano -- (fresh or dried)

1           teaspoon minced dill -- (fresh or dried)

Salt and pepper

Heat the oven to 400F. Place the salmon fillet on a parchment lined rimmed baking sheet, skin down.

Pour olive oil over fillet, sprinkle the seasoning (except the lemon juice) over and rub into flesh all over the fillet.

Roast the salmon in the oven for 10-15 minutes according to preference. Take out of the oven and drizzle the lemon juice over the hot fillet. Serve immediately.

While fish is roasting, whisk together all sauce ingredients, until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. Serve with fish.