This may be our last damp day for a while. I have been waiting this morning to take my daily walk. I had my rain jacket on once and was out the door but it was so dark looking that I stepped back into the house. Now I am waiting for a bit of brightness. I surely do not want to be caught in a down pour. That happened last week and it is not an enjoyable experience.
I need to go grocery shopping this afternoon also. I made out my short menu as I will be gone for a few days come Saturday morning.
Today if I can find it at my fish market I am buying fresh rock fish. I always ask to smell the fish before purchasing it. Fresh fish should only have an odor like the sea. It is difficult sometimes to get really fresh fish you must know where to go in your city. We are fortunate here in Eugene as we have a fairly good variety of places that have fish brought in daily.

I will bread the fish simply and fry it quickly.
A green salad will be the only side and I will serve it with the rest of our thousand island dressing. For the fish dip I will make aoli and firecracker sauce which I have given you the recipes for previously.

We watched, "Into the Worm Hole" with Morgan Freeman last night. I barely slept last night I was thinking of all the theories out there regarding how life first started, you know the science versus religion debate. There is so much to grasp and really the more you learn the less you know. I always thought it strange how mankind seemed to be content without knowing where we came from, what we are doing here and where we are going after we die. We have just settled for the easy answers to get out of thinking about it! Don't you want to know and to have this matter settled once and for all? When religious doctrines and scientific proof mesh we will know. When all the intelligent theologians, scientists, geologists, astronomers come together with the same information it will be amazing. I for one cannot wait. There is so much research going on at this point in history, more than ever before. It is a very exciting time for us lucky enough to be living here on this earth now .

Well I had better not think so deeply about things I do not know and get on to what I know about. FOOD.

Deep fried fish
Ingredients:
fresh fish, rock fish, halibut, snapper, cod(enough to feed your family)
flour
eggs
krusteaz bake and fry coating mix
panko crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
canola oil
lemons
your choice of aoli, tarter or firecracker sauce.

Cut the fish into approximately five inch pieces
Use three flat bottom bowls.
In the first bowl add flour with salt and pepper to taste
In the second bowl beat two eggs with a little water
In the third bowl mix one third Krusteaz mix with two thirds panko crumbs. Mix well.
Dip the fish into the flour, then into the egg and then into the panko mixture. Set on a plate.
In a deep frying pan or steel wok(I prefer the wok here) add canola oil to the pan enough to cover fish while frying.
When your pan is ready for the fish the tip of a wooden spoon will sizzle when dipped into the hot oil this is a good gauge if you do not have a deep fry thermometer.
Add the fish into the oil do not crowd. Let the fish settle a moment then move around with a spatula to make sure all sides are browning equally. The fish will fry quickly so keep it moving. Remove to a parchment paper lined platter when all looks crispy and browned, cover with foil and continue frying fish.
Note if the oil gets to hot and the fish is starting to get to dark just turn down the burner to the next level. You want the oil hot but you also want your fish cooked. Your fish should be succulent and juicy inside a crusty exterior and never dry.

There you have it. Serve with your favorite sauce and lemon wedges.
Now I hope I can find fresh fish today as my mouth is watering.

The sky seems a bit lighter so I may try to get that walk in. Then on to the store. My day is disappearing quickly it seems. I still have things to do here at home when I return. I had better hurry.
Till later.

Well we are back from our little beach getaway. We had a great time. We strolled around Old Town Florence upon arriving. There were high clouds in the sky that soon burned off to expose bright sunshine. Oh yes!
We ate lunch at our favorite little bar that serves up plump pieces of halibut in a thin crispy crust. We chatted about the fish on the drive over. Well simple pleasures for simple folks I suppose. The platter that we split had four large crispy golden pieces. A quick bite through the crunch and our mouths filled with moist flaky fish.............heaven. After a long lengthily lunch we were off to get our room. A top floor with view right out to the ocean, a large kitchen and a combination sitting room and bedroom with floor to ceiling windows for watching the surf roll in. I was disappointed in this particular unit as the cabinets just held the bare necessities for preparing and cooking food. Well I made do because I had to but my food prep was certainly more work( no chefs knife or paring knife, what is up with that?) and cooking eggs in a cast iron skillet, well you get the picture.
Our EGG DISH was very good though in spite of the skillet. Though it took forever to clean that thing.
We made huge crab Louie's out of King crab legs. Hubby carefully removed all the meat from the legs and knuckles(his job). We had our Louie's with my Mom's cafe' style thousand island dressing. I shared that recipe with you previously.
It was a bit chilly for beach combing but we bundled up like for a winter walk and stayed warm enough. There were not many shells but we did find some interesting rocks. Just what we need to do is bring home rocks and shells.......not! We have bags full but it is like a prize when you spot a unique rock or a perfect shell. It is also a good time watching all the coming's and going's on the beach from our room. The second day there it was windy and showery on the beach yet there were folks barefooted in shorts and tee shirts skipping in the surf. There were several sand sculptures, quite good actually posing right out our window. We had our very own dragon and frog.

I am not cooking anything worth mentioning this evening because at this point I do not even know what we are eating lol. Tomorrow morning I will make out a menu for the next few days and go grocery shopping.

I am leaving for my brothers home in Washington state on Saturday morning early. It is just over a two hour drive north up the interstate. Hubby is not going he has a job starting tomorrow that will go through the weekend.
My brother lives alone so I am making up my fresh spinach lasagna to have here Friday night and I will take the remainder with me to share with my brother Saturday evening. I will have that recipe on Friday's post.

Well as we just drove home this morning I must do a few chores. I do have us unpacked and I have showered and put my face on. I was a total coast rat for a few days.
The day once again is gunmetal gray and looks like a shower. My husband did manage to get the lawns mowed after we arrived home in case the drizzle comes in. It does look like the weather will be quite warm for our weekend coming up. Finally!!!! We are ready, more than ready to be rid of these hanging gray, gloomy skies and say goodbye to the snails!
Till tomorrow.

The sun was out yesterday and it was grand. We did get cloud cover in the late afternoon it was mild but quite humid. I was so happy cleaning the deck and I potted a few more plants. My hubby was in the garage sanding and refinishing baseboards for his current job. So that was a plus having him home for the day.

After we both finished our to-do-'s we had a very enjoyable day. We sat out at the patio table and planned our little get away to the beach, what we were taking and what we would do once there. Then we played games and shared a bottle of sparkling wine. We decided to grill burgers as it was so nice out. Later we watched "Friday Night Lights". We had recorded it as we did not watch Friday night. We love this program. So well acted and we are really into the characters. We are so happy it is back, the show has quite a following.

Tonight we are having panini's and potato salad. I will just make a two cheese panini with a few basil leaves. Very simple but tasty.
My panini maker is the Griddler by Cuisinart. We love it. It comes with flat plates as well as the grill plates so you can use it for a lot of different items. It is easy to clean and works to perfection, it is worth the price as it is more expensive than most of the panini makers on the market.

For my panini's I use sourdough bread. I just butter the inside and add the cheese, a couple slices of each. Tonight I am using munster and cheddar. Then I lay about four basil leaves over the cheese. Brush the bread on the outside with olive oil and put in the hot panini maker till the cheese is starting to ooze out and the bread is marked well with the grill marks. I will have my basic potato salad with this. Toward the end of summer when our tomatoes are on we add fresh home grown tomato slices into the sandwich.

Well that is all for today. I am out the door for my daily walk as there is a break in the weather. It has been showery for the better part of the morning.
Have a great Sunday. Don't you love Sunday's? A nice day without much of an agenda at this household anyway.

I am not cooking tonight as we are having burritos and beans again. That husband of mine cannot get enough of those. So who's to complain? Not me.

So what I will do is share a little brunch recipe that I have been doing for years. It all started with good friends who made this dish every time we came for a visit and stayed over. It was suppose to be a breakfast dish but by the time it was served it was at least brunch time or even lunch time! Oh the preparations would start early enough but then it would turn into an lengthily event. Cooking for a crowd, chopping and dicing and beating and slicing is time consuming especially if bloody Mary's or Mimosa's were being served up and let us say the chef would get a little side tracked.

We simply called it EGG DISH. Considering there is a laundry list of ingredients you can put in a EGG DISH the only thing that limits you is a lack of imagination.
For all sense and purpose the dish starts with potatoes. Oh they can be frozen hash browns, potatoes O'Brien, home made fried potatoes or diced boiled potatoes, you decide. Then of course there are always eggs and cheese. Then the kitchen sink!
Protein choices would consists of: crispy fried bacon pieces, diced ham, your fave variety of sausage sliced or ground. Canadian bacon, lean burger,shrimp. crab, lobster and even on a camping trip once when supplies were depleted we used wieners. The kids loved it. Use any kind of cheese you like, it is shredded and tossed on top so a good melting cheese is best. As far as veggies almost anything goes, asparagus pieces, mushrooms, artichokes, onions, corn, broccoli. We have had so many combination's over the years and all were amazing.

We will have a well stocked kitchen at the beach so I decided I will make brunch. We will have EGG DISH with thick sliced sourdough toast with my mixed berry freezer jam and mimosa's.

These are the ingredients I will be using in the egg dish this time. I will keep things simple as we need to pack our ingredients.

Ingredients: (serves two big appetites or four small ones)
1/2 cup Canadian bacon diced
frozen potatoes O'Brien
1/4 cup sliced scallions
1 cup of chopped spinach leaves
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
4 eggs
water
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce of choice
canola oil
sour cream and diced tomatoes for toppers.

In large skillet drizzle oil in bottom and add just enough frozen potatoes to cover the bottom in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook on med heat as you do not want them getting to brown. When potatoes are almost done add the diced Canadian bacon and cook until the potatoes are done. Beat the eggs with a splash of water in a bowl and turn the heat to low. Add the eggs to the pan and stir into the eggs and bacon. Let the eggs cook slowly the slower the better but do not dry them out. When eggs are still a tad loose add the spinach using a spoon just incorporate them into the eggs gently. The leaves will immediately wilt and by the time the spinach is hot the eggs will be done. Add the scallions and shredded cheese evenly over the top and put on a lid until the cheese melts. Mound onto plates and top with diced tomatoes, sour cream, fresh ground pepper and hot sauce. Add a thick slice of toast with some yummy jam. Or if you prefer you can also serve the egg dish in large warmed flour tortillas with the same toppings.
So there it is. EGG DISH! Always a hit and well worth the wait if you must!

Seems I have just discovered the day is slipping away as I have been in this office since early morning doing bookwork.
The sky is brighter so that is promising. I do worry about our vegetable plants they have been so wet since we planted them last Sunday.
I know in the large scheme of things dealing with wet weather and snails are tiny matters but what else would I chatter about?
Till next time

Hubby concurred. We have a bumper crop of snails this year!
Also he reminded me that I sampled those little creatures when we were on holiday at a French Island in the Caribbean. Well what can I say? I must have been having a jolly good time sipping tropical drinks and feeling adventurous. Snails not a fave.........ick!

Tonight we are going south of the border in my kitchen.
I am preparing pork burritos with re-fried beans. My husband loves re-fried beans so we have then quite often. I do make my pork in a variety of ways it just depends on what I have in my fridge and pantry.

Slow cooker pork burritos.
Ingredients:
two to two and half pounds of boneless pork short ribs.
1/4 cup apple cider
3 cloves of garlic minced
1/4 cup Anaheim pepper seeded and chopped
one half dozen nacho style sliced jalapenos (these come in a can or a jar)
cumin, salt, pepper and onion powder for sprinkling on the meat.
canola oil
slow cooker liner (these are the best, no mess at all. Just be careful not to puncture with a fork or knife.
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
sour cream to plop on the burrito
taco sauce or salsa bravo to taste

Trim the short ribs of visible fat(what you can easily remove)
then cut into approximately 5" pieces.
generously sprinkle the seasonings on both sides of the meat.
In a large skillet drizzle some oil in the bottom of the skillet. Heat and lay in the pieces of pork. Cook on med-high heat to develop a nice crust. Turn frequently and move them around the pan to get an even crust on all the pieces.
When all are nicely browned set them into your slow cooker. To the oil and bits left in the pan add the apple cider and de-glaze the pan using a wooden spoon and making sure you get all the little bits of crust and meat off the bottom of the pan. Then pour over the pork in the slow cooker. Then top the pork with the chopped garlic and Anaheim pepper and the jalapeno slices.
Push all down into juice. The pork will release more juice as it cooks. I like to start my slow cooker on high for a hour or so and then set on low. This will take about five hours or so and the meat will fall apart when probed, this is what you are looking for so cook longer if needed.
When the meat is ready using a slotted spoon remove from the pot and place in a flat bottomed bowl. Using two forks you will now shred the pork into mouthful size pieces. After all the meat is shredded using a ladle spoon a little of the juice over the meat to keep it moist.
Fill your tortilla with the meat depending on what rolling method you prefer. Then top with shredded cheese, chopped sweet onion, cilantro, a dab of sour cream and either taco sauce or salsa bravo depending on what level of heat you like.
This recipe has a little bite so if you are not a person who likes the spice you can cut down on the amount of Anaheim and jalapenos in the recipe. Of course if you want more heat just crank it up with more of the jarred jalapenos they are spicy.

Zo's vegetarian re-fried beans
Ingredients:
1 pound dried pinto beans
approximately 1 and half cans low sodium chicken broth
olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper
chopped onions for serving.

Follow directions on the package for cooking the beans.
When the beans are cooked put the beans in a strainer and drain off the cooking water.
In a heavy skillet (I use a cast iron one which is preferable) add some olive oil to coat the bottom and add the minced garlic. Heat slowly as to not burn the garlic. When the garlic and oil have fused add the drained beans. Salt generously, beans take a lot of salt. I prefer kosher salt for all my cooking. The add some black pepper and start to mash the beans adding the chicken broth as you go along. Keep adding the chicken broth and mashing the beans until you get the texture you like. We do not like loose beans so mine are a little more stiff. We also like a few whole beans with the mashed ones. It is just a personal preference. My sis in law loves them really thin. That is all there is to it. We like our beans served with chopped onion over the top. If you reheat the beans the next day you will have to add more broth as they do absorb it.

Plate a burrito with the beans along side on a colorful plate with a sprig or two of cilantro and slice of lime if you like(looks pretty). Set out bright napkins for a festive look. This meal is pared well with beer or white or red wine( I like both). Of course a margarita is always welcomed.
Grab the napkin and enjoy!

What's new? It is raining and has been all day. The snails are in their glory, loving every minute, chatting it up like you know, what should we nibble on next? They are out everywhere celebrating!
I got caught up in a freeway clog this morning on my way over to Trader Joes. Both lanes were barely moving. The snails pace down my sidewalk this morning was faster than what was happening on that freeway. A trip that normally takes ten minutes stretched into forty. I sat in traffic with the rain pounding on the roof of the car and listened to Dr. Laura put every one's life in perspective.
I made the decision setting on that rain clogged freeway that a good bowl of chicken vegetable soup is in order this evening.

I picked up several loaves of filone bread at Trader Joe's. It is par baked you just pop in a hot oven a few minutes and then you are transported to a European bakery grabbing a fresh loaf from the oven. So crispy on the outside tender with lots of texture on the inside. It is the perfect accompaniment to the soup.
So here is my soup recipe, easy and flavorful.

Zo's chicken vegetable soup(very original name)

Three frozen boneless chicken thighs
1/2 can of chicken broth
1/2 sliced medium size onion
Three cloves of garlic sliced
One large carrot sliced
Two stalks of celery sliced
Three potatoes medium dice
Two healthy squirts of ketchup from the bottle
Olive oil
Pepper and salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried basil or several fresh basil leaves chopped
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon thyme
one pinch tarragon

In your soup pot put frozen chicken thighs in water to cover.
Bring to boil and turn heat to low and continue cooking until meat is tender. This process will take a hour and a half or so.
When the chicken is cooked remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Skim all the chicken fat from the water and pour the broth into a container and sit aside. Now in the bottom of the same pot drizzle a little olive oil, toss in the carrot the onions and celery and garlic. Saute' until the carrots are semi tender and the celery and onions translucent.
Add the seasonings. Add the broth from the container back in the pot. Add the potatoes and ketchup. If you need more broth at this time to cover the potatoes add some of the canned chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn to med low until the potatoes are done. Add the chicken thighs back in and break them up with a wooden spoon. Simmer until the chicken is heated and serve in bowls and dunk the bread in the broth.

If this does put you into unwind mode on an old black night with the rain splattering the windows nothing will.
Have a good one.

Back again. Did not post yesterday as I did not cook. We basically snacked the day away. Nothing exciting but little tid- bits we had in the fridge and I made up a fruit and cheese plate and we had some Cava Spanish sparkling wine. The sun was out in the afternoon and it was humid and tropical. We were able to enjoy our small but cozy, private back yard. So tonight I must make up for yesterday's laziness in my kitchen. We are having Chicken Pomodora with Niko Niko Calrose rice and fresh green beans. The chicken dish is certainly not complicated and is one of our favorites. This recipe serves four small appetites or two
generous portions.

Ingredients: for Chicken Pomodora
2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into cutlets
salt and pepper
all purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped tomatoe
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/3 cup sliced scallions

Make cutlets by slicing through the chicken breasts length wise. Then with plastic wrap cover your chicken and pound gently to flatten your cutlets.
Season cutlets with salt and pepper then dust with flour.
Add the oil to a large skillet and heat to medium. Saute' cutlets on both sides till lightly browned. transfer the cutlets to a platter. Pour the fat from the skillet and deglaze the pan with the vodka(away from the heat) return to heat and cook until nearly evaporated. Add the chicken broth and lemon juice. Return the cutlets to the pan and cook each side about one minute. Transfer the cutlets onto a serving plate and cover with foil. Stir tomato and cream into the sauce heat through and pour over the cutlets.
Garnish with scallions.
Serve the rice along side the chicken as the sauce is yummy mixed in with a bite of rice. We are having green beans tonight but this recipe is also good with asparagus, peas, edamame, and other rich green vegetables. This is a pretty ensemble especially served on white plates. I am setting the dining table tonight all in white. I will use a vase of fresh herbs for the centerpiece with two white chunky candles on each side. Pure and simple.

Well now that I have informed you of what is going to happen in my kitchen I had best get at the prep work and get the table set.
Our day is a mixed bag again sadly without much sun in the mix.
We are taking a few days next week and going to the beach. We do hope for enough weather breaks so we can do some beach combing. But if not it is cozy in the room with the wild surf tossing about under our balcony.
Till tomorrow.