2016 fire season is already proving to be problematic. The air has been awful here right for a while. Why anyone would set fires like this on purpose is beyond me, but we have a “serial arsonist” in Northern California who is suspected of setting multiple fires. I hope that he receives the maximum possible sentence.
103.8 miles. It took me an uncharacteristically long time, but I finished.
At the start!
It was an amazing ride, as always. Here’s a shout out to all of the ADA staff and the hundreds of volunteers who make this THE best ride. Whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or just starting out, do yourself a favor and check out this ride.
Full post to come soon!
I am planning to use this with chicken to make a cacciatore-like dish.
Fresh Tomato & Fennel Sauce
1 medium bulb of fresh fennel
1/2 to 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, slightly crushed
8 to 10 fresh Roma tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon Herbs de Provence
1/8 teaspoon red chile flakes
4 to 6 small mushrooms, or stems from about 18 mushrooms
salt and pepper to taste
You'll end up with about 4 cups of tomatoes.
In a large, good quality non-stick saute pan, cook the fennel over medium-high heat. Allow to brown slightly, and cook until a bit softened. Add the tomatoes, herbs, and chile flakes. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the tomatoes begin to cook down a bit. Give a good stir.
Add the tomatoes, herbs, chile flakes, and cover. Cook on medium-low.
The Roma tomatoes produced more liquid that I anticipated, so I was looking for something to thicken the sauce a bit without having to cook it down too much. I had cleaned some some mushrooms for another use, and thought I’d try pureeing the stems. That way my roasted mushrooms could be just caps (more attractive) and I wouldn’t waste the stems.
Hmm ... that's a lot of liquid.
Clean and trim the mushrooms (or stems). Place in a blender or food processor and pulse to chop them a bit. Ladle about 1/2 to one cup of the the cooked sauce into the bowl of the blender and process mixture until smooth. Add to the sauce, stir, and cook a few more minutes.
The finished sauce. Perhaps not the prettiest, but it will be wonderful with grilled chicken.
This makes a total of about 2 cups of sauce.
For my Challenge, I will count this as a vegetable.
Along a Davis Greenbelt
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
May your blessings outnumber
The Shamrocks that grow.
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
Finally Friday is here!
Long week.
Vegetable Gratin with yellow & green zucchini, Japanese eggplant, tomatoes, fresh basil & thyme, a little freshly grated cheese, and extra virgin olive oil.
Last night I had dinner with friends. Rich stuffed shells. A simple vegetable gratin. Light, refreshing salad. A little wine. Rustic peach tart with frozen Greek vanilla yogurt.
Life is good.
This morning I got a little ride in and will be heading off to work soon. It was perfect cycling weather for me and early, early morning is my favorite time to ride. I hope to to get some cycling in this weekend, but I really need to get serious about packing and preparing for my move.
I entered a drawing at the LIVESTRONG Challenge Davis
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