BIG BROTHERS BIRTHDAY

Brothers birthday today.
What a sweet man my brother is.
He has always been such a tender gentle person.
I am so thankful this man is a part of my life. He is the perfect brother for me.
We have created so many wonderful memories sharing our lives together.
My brother is twelve and half years older than I.
My first memories of him were when we were living in Portland. I was about three years old. Yes I can remember certain things that far back, pretty amazing but true?
I remember his bedroom. He had a train set on a good size track. I really was not allowed to be in his room but I did sneak in occasionally, I could not help myself. Once I picked up a train car off the track, held it, examined it and so carefully put it back. I would have been in bad trouble from both my brother and Mother had they caught me. There were other good things in that room. Comic books, marbles, sports things and cigar boxes with who knows what in them. You know boy things I would have loved to get my chubby little hands on.
I always thought my brother was so smart when I was a little girl. I still do actually. He is good at so many things.
When he was young he was always drawing. He had an amazing skill at drawing cartoon characters. He loved reading the comics and he still reads them. He still works crosswords every morning while having his coffee.
He has such mechanical ability also. He can fix anything it seems. He was always tinkering on cars when he was a young man. He was absolutely nuts about cars.
He taught me how to drive, oh my golly what a fiasco that was. I remember being in his splendid little car and stripping every gear as we lurched along our country road. When I would brake I would almost throw us through the windshield and of course the car would die as I would forget to push the clutch in. He had so much patience with me and I did learn how to drive due to his perseverance. He hardly recalls teaching me to drive, I think he has blocked it as it was so traumatic!
So today I celebrate my brother and all he has brought to my life. We talk several times a week and we just chatter about anything and everything. My hubby also adores this man so. When those two are together all you hear laughter and merriment and I can barely get in a word. I get jealous.

I made more ranchero sauce yesterday. That sauce has became a staple in our fridge. So yummy on a huge variety of things. I posted the recipe on a previous blog.
This morning for breakfast I made a fave of mine. I love french toast made with the crusty Tuscan pane bread I buy at Trader Joe's. I use real butter, pure maple syrup and a little sprinkle of powered sugar. There is something about biting a crispy piece of bacon combined with a bite of that sweet french toast that makes my eyes roll back in my head....truly.

Hubby is our chef this evening. He is making his famous Lecho( excuse the spelling please) it is a Hungarian pot of true goodness.
He is using six fresh tomatoes from our garden this time instead of the whole plum canned tomatoes he usually uses. I stemmed blanched and peeled the tomatoes for him earlier. Such a good little wife.
This is what he does. In to a deep pot he puts three huge bell peppers sliced, one small onion sliced, the tomatoes a couple cloves of garlic smashed, a rope of kielbasa sliced salt and pepper and lot of paprika and a tad of water. He lets this concoction slowly cook down for about a hour until all has melded and the veggies are tender. In a separate pot he puts potatoes and boils them until tender. He serves this dish up in wide bottom soup bowls. Covering the bottom of the bowl with the boiled potatoes he then ladles over this rich red peppery sauce.We like sourdough toast for dunking the extra sauce left in the bowl. Sometimes if he wants some heat (which he likes) he will add a cubano pepper or a little chili powder or both.
This is a wonderful meal on a winter night and it also gets your taste buds turning cartwheels while it is cooking.
So a night off for me, yeah! Well let me rethink that one....hmmm I am still cleaning up the kitchen. Well so it goes.

I had a wonderful day today and am so thankful for my life and those who join me in this adventure.
Enjoy what your life offers to you it is always a gift.

LITTLE BROTHERS BIRTHDAY TODAY

Here we are sister and brother many, many years ago.
My brothers birthday is today but he is no longer with us. It saddens my heart this fact but it is the way it is.
This photo was taken in Idaho near an old homestead where our parents lived when they were young.
I suppose I thought I was a young hot thing. Look at that suit it was bright red, good grief!! I also really like my hair, did I comb it?
I do remember the day. Little brother did not want to put his feet in the water it was freezing cold. He did so to please our Mother. My brother was a little imp. I do not know how else to put it. What a tease and he was at me constantly as I was his older sister and so much fun to pester. I could never have a friend over to the house without Jimmy barging into my room making himself a part of whatever we were doing. He was my little shadow always. I would go out of the house to walk in the pasture to be alone or maybe to the barn to swing from the rafters. I was a tomboy no denying that. I was constantly followed and the chatter never stopped. What are you doing, where are you going, can I come too. How come I can't come? Anyhow a lot of funny and heart warming memories with this little character. I wish he were still around so we could reminisce together.

It is chilly here today in the Willamette Valley. There was not a spec of sun until about one pm today. I feel the cold coming on now it is a little after four. I suppose it is about time to start using the furnace.

We are having leftover steak simmered in mushroom gravy tonight, served over potatoes with glazed carrots and fresh tomatoes and cukes in vinaigrette.

Must go now hubby has just pulled in the drive and I need to tell him what the telly repairman did today for us. Our TV is like new again. So happy.
Maybe I will make something inspiring tomorrow as the meals have been quite simple and not at all exciting it seems.

LAST YEARS MR. PUMPKINHEAD

Hey, I could not resist showing our jolly old fool from last year. He liked to hit the rum bottle, I had to keep hiding it! Anyhow he was a charactor.

Today is football. Hubby has been in front of the telly since Game Day Show this morning. However he did get up to make his special salsa for our guests that are coming over.

I have the soup prep work done so after the game I just need put it all together and reheat.

It is showery here today and I did not walk. There was no time really as our game is on at two. It is such a mild day though we have the doors open and air is so fresh.
The wet street is littered with colorful leaves looking like a patch work quilt.

Not much to say so will sign off.
Have a great weekend whether watching football or wading through leaves.

MS.PENOELOPE PUMPKINHEAD

This is my pumpkin head person this year, her name is Penelope. I was not going to make a woman but somehow she wound up with boobies! So hubby said, why not? So here she is enjoying a autumn afternoon reading one of her fave books. She has already polished off a few books these past weeks that are stacked under her foot. She has her favorite little frog friend sitting in her lap, the door is open and the warm afternoon breeze is almost lulling her to sleep. And what is it she smells mexican food? Oh the good life!

OK enough already, right? Anyhow it was a day of decorating for fall.
The day was, oh how can I describe it? Well let me say it was one the best fall days ever. The sky was that intense blue that you only see in autumn. The clouds that there were in the sky were fleeting little wispy nothings that disappeared as soon as they appeared. And for this time of year the sun was hot. My husband and I sat on our deck and so enjoyed the warmth and the beauty of the day. I always feel so melancholy in autumn I do not want to let go of these kind of days but of course I have no choice.

I am simmering left over roasted chicken in seasonings, chicken broth and lime juice. We are having tostado's this evening with refreid beans.
Last nights burgers were especially good, maybe knowing that the grilling time is dwindling down made it more special.

Like I mentioned it is college football again on Saturday. We have company coming to watch the game and partake in food. I am making my take on the famous soup at Olive Garden you know the Italian sausage potato soup( we like ours better). It is to be rainy tomorrow so what could be better than a hot mug of soup and good crusty bread for dunking?

I must close now as hubby is on his way home and we are going to play golf on the Wii before dinner.
I feel so happy today as it has been a day of achievement. I love getting all done that I have planned to do. Also the day that the universe gave us today made my heart soar.
Blessings for you all.

EUGENE OREGON

I took this photo from a walking bridge yesterday as my hubby and I strolled along the river banks. There are walking/biking trails on both sides of the Willamette river. I often walk here as a diversion from my regular route in my neighborhood.
The day was mild and not a stir of a breeze. There were a few clouds floating casually by.
After our walk we went to our fave mexican place and had a yummy carnitas taco's and a drink. It was a nice little outing.

We are taking out the old now ugly zucchini plants, hubby will put plastic down over the soil to keep winter weeds from sprouting. Last count I had eight half loves of zucchini bread in the freezer. I made more tomato sauce yesterday and put into quart freezer bags. Looks like bright red plasma in the freezer.

I am decorating for fall today after I return from my walk. Every year I make a Mr. Pumpkin Head man. He is a crazy guy and fun to put together every year. I will post a photo of my friend tomorrow. Sometimes I forget he is sitting in a chair and he startles me when I glimpse him. Funny.

Well no more news for the day. We are grilling burgers tonight and having corn on the cob. So nothing to exciting to chat about there. We always store our grill in winter in the garage so we love to use it as much as possible this time of year.

Till tomorrow with Mr. Pumpkin Head. Have a good one.

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

This is the sauce I made Saturday morning. I put no seasonings in it, just tomatoes. That way I can use in any manner I choose for whatever dishes. I just use what jars I have on hand as it is goes into the freezer. Tomorrow I will be canning whole tomatoes. The tomato plants are heavy with large weighty tomatoes now. I will not waste a one though we are getting weary of fresh tomatoes. Who would think I would ever say that?

The weather this weekend was amazing after dull morning clouds. Today was to be showery but it is sunny. I just got in from my walk it was a bit chilly but so fresh as the dew was just lifting. The leaf trees along my route have some amazing color now. It is always a little adventure to see changes each day.

Oregon won their football game against Stanford. What a game. We were a little concerned in the beginning but that is Oregon it is a second half ball club. That now puts us at #3 in the nation. We are so loving it!

Tonight for dinner I am making scalloped cheesy potatoes with Italian sausage. Fresh green beans with lemon garlic butter and once again fresh tomatoes and cukes.
When I make my scalloped potatoes I always make a white sauce and precook my potato slices. It makes it easier that way and you know for sure your potatoes are cooked. We like them with lots of onion slices.
Scalloped potatoes are a real comfort food for me. I loved them when I was a small girl living on our farm. My mother made them so yummy with lots of cheese.

I need to get at my house chores. Today is Monday so always a busy day for me it seems. If time allows I will run for a few groceries later.

Have a decent Monday. I know how hard Monday's were for me when I was a working gal. It always seemed hard that first day of the work week.
Till later.

BROTHER AT SILVER LAKE WA.

My brother at Silver Lake catching pan fish. Oh how he loves it!
Is there anything better than a warm gold autumn day being out in nature?

I wish had taken a photo our breakfast this morning but I was so hungry I could not spare a moment for a photo. That food was on my plate and disappeared way to quickly.
I had made ranchero sauce a few days ago and it has been hanging out in the fridge. I have been anxious to use it.
This sauce is a staple in Arizona at least that is what the little cookbook said.
For our breakfast this morning I used shredded frozen hash brown potatoes, half a cubano pepper, a small amount of Anaheim pepper and about a half cup chopped onion. I fried all together till browned in a little olive oil.
Next I fried two eggs sunny side up in butter, oh yum. I heated a cup of the ranchero sauce in the mic and made sourdough toast and grated some sharp cheddar cheese.
To assemble I put a nice portion of the potatoes in the center of each plate, topped with the egg, sprinkled with the cheese and drizzled on the hot rancho sauce over all. I cut the toast into toast points, buttered them and placed around each plate. It was a pretty dish with the browned crispy potatoes, the soft egg, deep yellow cheese and the red sauce. We absolutely loved this breakfast. I actually think as well as we like hevous rancherous and it is so simple too. You know me, simple and tasty. I guess that should have been the name of my blog, you know, Zo's Simple and Tasty Fare. I like the sound of that.

Here is the recipe for the ranchero sauce.
Makes two cups.
1 jalapeno pepper stemmed and chopped
1 medium onion chopped
2 garlic cloves chopped
4 medium tomatoes chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon pure chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water

Put all ingredients into a large non reactive skillet and cook stirring occasionally until the tomatoes are soft and the onions are translucent about fifteen minutes.
Cool the sauce down and then divide in half. Puree one half in a food processor or blender. Transfer to a bowl and mix into the other half of the mixture. Cover and refrigerate up to ten days. Serve warm over almost anything. This is wonderful tasting sauce with well balanced flavor. Enjoy!

Our OREGON DUCKS game is on at five. OREGON STATE plays at three thirty. So a day of college ball again. The week has flown just seems we were routing for our DUCKS at last weeks game. This will be hard game as we are playing Stanford. We are counting on our DUCKS to give us another win.

The day here in Eugene started out with our usual morning clouds. But now sky is opening to expose a deep blue abyss. I so love fall.