Kilauea Volcano Hawaii USA
We could not get to the other side to see the lava flowing into the ocean, but this was pretty amazing to see. We got about 3 or 4 feet away before it was too hot.
Happy Tuesday! Have a great one!
One of Mom’s last wishes was to treat my sister and me to a nice lunch in Bodega Bay. Saturday would have been Mom’s 93rd birthday, so we celebrated Mom with a nice lunch in Bodega Bay. Our group met at Fisherman’s Cove and enjoyed a relaxing late lunch and visit. We shared a few favorite memories about Mom.
Portuguese Fish Stew – made from scratch, all local ingredients with rock cod, claims, shrimp, linguica, and organic vegetables
Oysters Kirkpatrick – fresh Tomales Bay oysters, grilled with spicy Worcestershire sauce and bacon
Of course I had to try the fish stew because it sounded like something I would want to make at home. Everyone else had sandwiches. My friend and I split a dozen of the oysters. Normally I am not a fan of cooked oysters, but these were fantastic – very tender and flavorful with just the right amount of spicy heat.
Fisherman’s Cove in Bodega Bay offers a simple menu, and Mom would have loved it – especially the oysters. The atmosphere was rustic and comfortable. The service was friendly and prompt. They’ve also got a nice selection of local beers, fine wine, and champagne.
Just a sweet little thought to start your day.
Liliko’i – aka Passion Fruit
… now off to work I go!
Two (of the many!) things I loved about visiting Hawaii were the fruits and fresh fish. Here is a way to celebrate them both. Aloha!
Tropical Salsa
1 pineapple
1 Hawaiian papaya
1 mango
1 red onion
1-2 handfuls of fresh cilantro leaves
juice of 1-2 limes
salt & pepper to taste
Fresh Hawaiian Papaya
Fresh Hawaiian Mango
Tropical Salsa
Rinse the cilantro leaves in cool water and set aside to drain on a towel. Clean and prepare the fruit and onion for chopping.
To cut the pineapple, start by cutting off the crown (top) and the stem end (bottom). You’ll want to use a sharp knife and have a stable base to cut on – pineapples are juicy and can get slippery when you’re cutting them. Stand the pineapple up on one end, then cut the skin off the sides, cutting from top to bottom. Then, cut it into 1/2-inch slabs or slices, then into 1/2-inch or so chunks from there. Place into a large mixing bowl.
To cut the mango, slice in half by inserting a sharp paring knife into the stem end. You’ll want to make sure you’re cutting around the pit. Slice off one side, then the other. Using either a peeler or a paring knife, remove the skin. Then, cut the mango into 1/2-inch or so chunks. Add to the pineapple.
To cut the papaya, slice it in half lengthwise, remove and discard the seeds. Using either a peeler or a paring knife, remove the skin. Then, cut the papaya into 1/2-inch or so chunks. Add to the pineapple and mango.
Chop the red onion into about 1/4-inch chunks. Add to the fruit.
Chop the fresh cilantro and add to the fruit and onion. Add the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
I like to let it sit a little before serving (up to about 30 minutes), but it’s great right away. It also keeps in the refrigerator for a day or two.
If you like it spicy … a Serrano chili or two is fantastic with this.
Here are a few serving suggestions …
Topical Salsa with Grilled Fresh Fish
Tropical Salsa with Huli Huli Chicken … this salsa had a bit of Serrano Chili
Aloha! Some of the cats I met in Hawaii seem to have it pretty darn good …
Mountain Thunder Coffee Cats … this little dude was pretty unshakable.
Mountain Thunder Coffee Cats …
… this guy was pretty happy until the thunder and lightening started!
Mountain Thunder Coffee Cats … this little lady was shy, but tolerated some petting.
Oh, and the coffee was good! Check out the Kona coffee at the Mountain Thunder Coffee Company.
I spent last week in Hawaii … What I thought was going to be a hiking and biking trip turned into a foodie trip due to rain. Oh, the fruit. I can’t wait to go back!
Day one shopping …
Pineapples … my mouth is watering .
Dragonfruit!
Dragonfruit …
Lilikoi – Passion Fruit
Sweet and tart lilikoi … I want more.
Mangoes!
Papaya … oh, mya!
Yes we have bananas today! Apple Bananas, that is.
Fresh coconut … o.m.g.
Avocados and Rambatons (similar to lichee fruit).
Mangosteens
Oh, and then there was the coffee, the chocolate, the vanilla, the fresh fish … and … the beaches and warm rain and volcanoes and hot lava and cold observatories and … those will have to be later blogs. I have to switch out of vacation mode and back into regular life mode soon. Oh, sigh … that was an amazing week.
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.
Sunday’s ride … We started our ride on the American River Parkway and rode up to Folsom, then up to Auburn and back to Sacramento. We got a late start (bad idea when the forecast is for 100+ degree heat). Normally the heat doesn’t get to me too much, but by the end of this ride I was pretty much whipped. Almost 70 miles total, which doesn’t seem like that much on paper, so to speak, but … slogging up that hill to Auburn in the brutal sun … yeah. Whipped. Let’s just say I got a little cranky (no pun intended!) by the time I got to the top of the hill.
The perfect mid-ride, 100+ degree weather snack. I was back to my cheery self in no time!
I drank about 10 bottles of water on this ride. It was hot, hot, hot! Thank goodness for insulated water bottles.
Even my sunscreen was melting.
Have a great day – here’s hoping you get a nice ride in today!
Here’s another idea for the bounty of zucchini that happens this time of year.
Zucchini Lasagna Roll-Ups
Slice some large zucchini lengthwise into about 1/4-inch thick slices. Lay them out on paper towels, sprinkle with salt, turn over and sprinkle the other side. Allowed to rest to pull out some of the liquid. Blot the zucchini dry before grilling.
Meanwhile, mix together your favorite lasagna filling. I use a mix of ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, shredded cheeses like mozzarella, Asiago, Parmesan, spinach, a little black pepper, fresh herbs such as basil and thyme, and sometimes I will also add an egg. Mix all this together.
Spinach & ricotta filling.
Grill the zucchini slices – brush with a little olive oil before grilling. Don’t overcook at this point, you just want them to have a nice grilled flavor and soften them up enough to be rollable.
Grilled to perfection!
You can either use a homemade marinara sauce or your favorite prepared marinara sauce. Put a little bit of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. Start to assemble the rolls. Spread a tiny amount of pesto on the strip and then a layer of cheese mixture, rolling up place them in the pan.
Spread with a touch of pesto.
Top with the cheese filling.
A toothpick can help to keep them together until you place them in the baking dish.
Arrange in your baking dish.
Top with marinara and cheese.
Continue until you finished all of the rolls. Top with more marinara sauce, some grated cheese like mozzarella, etc. Bake in the oven about 350. I think I baked in about an hour, maybe a little longer. One important thing to remember with any kind of lasagna dish like this is to let it rest about 10 minutes after you remove it from the oven before you start cutting into it. This will allow it to set up.
Yes, I know that this doesn’t have measurements, but this was about 3 or 4 large zucchini, one large tub of ricotta, half a pint of cottage cheese, 1 egg, a few handfuls of shredded cheese, a couple of pounds of fresh tomatoes, umm …. I based this on Mom’s recipe, which was taught to me that way! A handful of this, a splash of that. One thing I will say is that I could have made just half the amount of filling. There was quite a bit leftover, but that’s OK, because there are lots more zucchini where these came from, so I see some more zucchini lasagna variations in the future.
These were taken a few weeks ago in my Mom’s neighborhood. I have been working like mad packing and cleaning up her house getting it ready for sale. It’s super important to take breaks now and then.
La-la-la-lavender loveliness.
Bright and cheerful daisies.
Just a pretty pink flower discovered on a stroll through my Mom’s park.
Hope these cheery photos help you to start your day with a smile.
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