Cycling Foodie

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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a baking dish with pie crust. Cut fresh zucchini into bite-sized chunks and distribute evenly on crust. Top with fresh herbs of your choice – shown here with fresh basil.   Add cheese of your choice – shown here with a sharp English cheddar and part skim mozzarella.  Add sundried tomatoes.

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Whoa … that’s a strong onion!

Just a little teaser for my next zucchini gratin recipe.
This one’s going to have a little kick to it.

Sweet Red Onion

The Secret Ingredient …

The Secret Ingredient ... Serrano Chile Pepper

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A Tale of Two Zucchinis

It’s that time of year again. If you have a friend with a garden, there is a good chance that you’ll soon find yourself with more zucchini than you might know what to do with. Here are a couple of quick, simple, and healthy ideas for you.

Zucchini & Tomato Gratin

Slice garden fresh zucchini and roma tomatoes about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick. Layer alternatively in a gratin baking dish.

Zucchini & Tomato Gratin

Sprinkle with fresh herbs of your choice (shown below with fresh thyme & chives), season with salt & pepper, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil.

Top with freshly grated cheese – shown here with mozzarella and Trader Joe’s Quattro Formaggio (parmesan, asiago, fontina, & mild provolone cheeses)

Zucchini & Tomato Gratin

Zucchini & Tomato Gratin

 

Sprinkle with some fresh sourdough breadcrumbs. These are so easy to make! Let a slice of good sourdough dry out a bit. Cut it into cubes, throw in a blender or food processor, and voila! Homemade breadcrumbs.

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Zucchini & Tomato Gratin

Here’s an idea for you …

Slice garden fresh zucchini & roma tomatoes about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick. Layer alternatively in a gratin baking dish. Top with fresh herbs of your choice (shown here with fresh thyme & chives), season with salt & pepper, drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of good quality balsamic vinegar. For a vegan treat, bake here.

For a vegetarian treat, top with freshly grated cheese – shown here with Trader Joe’s Quattro Formaggio (parmesan, asiago, fontina, & mild provolone cheeses) and a little extra fresh grated parmesan and pepper on top.

Zucchini & Tomato Gratin

Bake at 325 F until it’s done (about an hour). “Done” is subjective … some will like it cooked more than others.

Zucchini & Tomato Gratin

This can be served as a main course or as a side. It is lovely with fish, chicken, or lamb.

Enjoy!

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Along the Russell Bike Path in Davis

Love me my pre-work morning ride!

Now it’s rush off to work …

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Salmon with Heirloom Tomato & Persian Cucumber Salad

I’d have to say I had a pretty darn good day today. A very productive work day. A relaxing walk at lunch. A good ride after work followed by a dinner of perfectly cooked salmon with Trader Joe’s everyday seasoning and smoked sea salt, with a refreshing heirloom tomato and Persian cucumber salad with fresh thyme & chives, freshly zested and squeezed lemon, extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground Pink Himalayan sea salt and pepper.

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It’s important to understand that when you decide to be with a foodie, that you may sometimes be subject to experimentation. Recipe experimentation, that is. Introducing the beta batch of Almond Butter Toffee Cookies … They smell good. They look good. Will they taste good? I’ll know the official results when my sweetheart arrives later this afternoon.

And, just in case these are not a hit, my Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies

… sure to please!

We’re headed off to friends’ 25th wedding anniversary party tonight.

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Good Morning!

This morning was perfect for a ride – almost no breeze, not too hot, not too chilly, lots of  beautiful scenery.

An unusually calm morning at Lake Solano

Grapes along the way on Putah Creek Road in Winters.

A very welcome reminder on the Russell Boulevard bike trail in Davis.

Love this sign!