April. The month where San Diego pretends to have spring weather and I pretend not to miss Norfolk's cherry blossoms. The tomatoes Dad planted are growing — six inches tall now, reaching for the California sun with the stubborn determination of an Abernathy.
Ryan's promotion board meets this week. Staff Sergeant. E-6. The difference between 'making it' and 'making it with breathing room.' He's been studying for the board — which for Ryan means being even more Ryan than usual: pressed uniforms, early mornings, the kind of focus that could cut glass.
I'm not nervous. He's the best NCO at Miramar and everyone knows it. But I'm doing the military wife thing where you cook like the outcome is in God's hands and the pot roast is the prayer.
The cookbook proposal is with the publisher. Sarah says we should hear back in two weeks. Two books published, a third proposed. The girl who dropped out of ODU after three semesters is now a three-time author. The irony is not lost on me. Neither is the gratitude.
Caleb came home from school with a painting of a whale. Not a dinosaur — a WHALE. The evolution continues. Marine biology is winning.
'Mama, whales are bigger than dinosaurs! Did you know that?'
'I did know that, baby.'
'They're bigger than T-REX!'
'They are.'
'Can we see a whale?'
San Diego. Whale watching season. We can actually see a whale.
Made Mom's lemon chicken tonight. The spring recipe. Bright, acidic, the food that tastes like something waking up.
Promotion board this week. Lemon chicken. The prayer and the pot.
I called it lemon chicken in the story because that’s what it felt like — bright and acidic and full of that waking-up energy that April deserves — but what I actually made was this: grilled orange roughy with lemon and herbs, Mom’s spring recipe in all but name. It’s the dish I reach for when I need to feel like I’m doing something, when the board results and the publisher’s answer are both sitting somewhere out of my hands and all I can control is what lands on the dinner table. Light enough for a San Diego April, hopeful enough for a week like this one.
Grilled Orange Roughy
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 22 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 orange roughy fillets (about 6 oz each)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the grill. Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking.
- Make the marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Coat the fish. Pat the orange roughy fillets dry with paper towels, then brush both sides generously with the lemon-herb mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes at room temperature.
- Grill the fillets. Place fillets on the hot grill. Cook for 5–6 minutes per side, turning once carefully, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
- Rest and garnish. Transfer fillets to a serving plate. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately with lemon wedges alongside.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 210 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 2g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 340mg
About the cook who shared this
Rachel Abernathy
Week 417 of Rachel’s 30-year story
· San Diego, California
Rachel is a twenty-eight-year-old Marine wife and mom of two who has moved five times in six years and learned to cook a Thanksgiving dinner with half her cookware still in boxes. She married young, survived postpartum depression, and feeds her family of four on a junior Marine's salary with a freezer full of pre-made meals and a crockpot that has never let her down. She writes for the military spouses who are cooking dinner alone in base housing and wondering if they're enough. You are.
