Friendship Renewed...39º

Yesterday Herb and I spent time outside in the early morning, bundled against the rain, wind and cold as we put things back in place after a night of gusty winds...Then back inside laundry was started, showers taken...I started the spaghetti sauce to simmer, bread was rising, green salad and fruit chilled...Friends were coming for dinner, we had shared many spaghetti dinners.

We met the Gelock's in New Meadows, Idaho where Herb and Jerry both had jobs with the US Forest Service...Fresh out of college they were "green" Foresters ready and eager to learn and move on in this, their chosen career...Jerry and Louan were from Michigan, Herb from New York and I the only native westerner...We had many things in common, married just two years we each had year old girls and soon we added a boy and they another girl...We baby sat for each other, trading kids back and forth...We shared meals (mostly hamburger casseroles or homemade pizza), played cards, the guys hunted and fished together, we became each others adopted family...Herb was the first to transfer...We moved to Utah and a year later the Gelock's moved to Wyoming and added a boy to their family...We kept in touch for the next 10 years, visiting each other homes, until they moved to California and we eventually lost touch...About 3 years ago I did an internet search and found them still in California and retired like us.

Yesterday they arrived at our house after traveling back east, making a big loop, so they could come to Eastern Oregon and share a meal at our house...We spent the afternoon visiting, catching up on each other lives and families since we last saw each other some forty years ago...Now we move a little slower, hair is gray and thinning, wrinkles have appeared, but the voices and the smiles are the same...Sun is shining this morning, breakfast will soon be on the table and we will spend today showing them the sights of our county before they finish their journey back to California...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

2 perfects, 1 failure...47º (Windy night)

It is bound to happen when one gets too cocky...Doubled the batch, added more sourdough starter, heated two dutch ovens...Was sure I was going to have 3 loaves of perfect!...Perfect bricks or hockey pucks or ornamental rocks maybe, certainly not edible...As Herb chewed on a chunk that he sawed off the end of one loaf, he said, "It's a good thing we don't have false teeth!"...Back to the basic recipe added small amount of sourdough starter, wish me well because we have company arriving today and I told them dinner would be ready.

Pretty Sad!

The wind blew a gale last night, coming mostly from the NE...It rearranged the deck furniture, blowing some of it into the flowerbeds...Kept us awake with the clanging, banging and crashing, wondering what the damage was...We have withstood other storms where a shed became a heap of rubble in seconds, part of the roof blew off of our house, tree tops slammed into the deck and the neighbors lean-to roof ended up in our back yard (twice)...We have had the Thanksgiving Storm, Veterans Day Storm, Pre Christmas Storm (blew the roof off of the Joseph School Cafeteria) and now the "End of September Storm"...Haven't been outside or heard any news yet to know the extent of the damage...Consolation: Not even near a tornado or hurricane!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Sunny Yesterday...44º

Outside yesterday morning, I started digging, cutting down and replanting...Started out with a sweatshirt on but soon was working in shirtsleeves, sunny with occasional clouds...Herb and I worked until afternoon, when we pooped out and it threatened rain...Another load of chips was dumped in our front driveway last week, still waiting to be spread...Herb is off on the 4-wheeler this morning, hunting for that buck that ate its way through our flowerbeds several times this summer and I must get outside before it starts to rain...Bread dough is rising in its sponge and will be ready to shape into loaves in about 2 hours...(I made a double batch) :)....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Cold/Rainy Days...36º

For several days now our mountains have been covered with clouds...We have rain in the valley and snow up high...When the weather is like this my mind and heart turns to baking...When Herb replenished our bread supply from the freezer he said, "There is only one loaf left." Which translates into it is time to take the sourdough start from the fridge and start feeding it, which I did...But it takes about 3 days to get it going good and I wanted to bake now....Michael Pollen has a new book out "Cooked" where he gives quite a dissertation on "sourdough" and bread making...So I started a google search, no luck on finding his recipe so I will have to checkout his book from the library again to read and refresh my mind on his ideas and recipe...while doing the search I came up with the recipe for *"No Need to Knead Bread" and thought I have a copy of that in my recipe file.

This recipe and directions are a full page, daunting to newbies I think...Actually it is very simple and the only drawback that I can see is you have to think ahead about 24 hours...I've made three batches in the past week, each batch is a 1 1/2 to 2 lb. loaf of crusty outside, moist inside bread...I've experimented by adding some of my sourdough starter which we really liked, but mostly I'm trying to get a loaf that is not only crusty and moist but also has the holes like "California Sourdough Bread"...Yesterdays loaf came close to perfect but I hadn't used any sourdough starter in it and we missed that flavor...So the sun is supposed to shine today but tomorrow is looking like rain...Guess I better start another loaf tonight...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

*Note--This link for the bread has a baking temp of 500º...That is too high in my oven, 450º is better...Somebody give this recipe a try and report back to me...I would love to hear your stories!

Crabs and Fried Tomatoes...39º

It was a lazy day for us yesterday, rain, fog and clouds shrouded our valley...A great day to read and relax...Herb built a fire and I was "playing" with a loaf of no knead bread...This bread is simple to make but it must be started about 20 hours before you want to eat it...This my second loaf turned out better with more holes (for butter to soak into) a moist inside and crunchy crust...We took it, still warm, to the Adelhardt cabin where we had been invited for dinner of Maryland fried tomatoes and crab...Crispy fried tomatoes along side strips of bacon and sliced bread was our first course, then with the table cleared we started cracking, picking and eating the crabs...All washed down with either beer or wine...A plate of melon topped off the meal...A fall snowstorm entertained us, huge white flakes falling, piling up on the trees, making a winter scene in September...We left , walking through slush, getting splattered with snow melting from the trees that surround the cabin...It was a lovely evening with friends.

Fried Tomatoes

Crabs

"Pickin and Eatin"

I looked back in my blog to September 26, 2012...We had our first rain storm in 3 months, I was recuperating from knee surgery and we were of course cleaning up the gardens for winter...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Friendship...33º

It was an exciting day on Barton Heights yesterday as We-3 welcomed our friend and teacher Katey Schultz, author of "Flashes of War"...After an absence of 3 years she was back in Wallowa County  on tour, giving readings and signing her newly published book...Over lunch we toasted our friendship and wished Katey luck in this roller-coaster journey promoting her book...We spent the afternoon catching up on each others lives, then met up again at the BookLoft where a standing room only crowd listened in awe as she read from her book...Katey leaves Wallowa County this morning going back to Portland for more readings and a trip to California where relatives have invited her to come and read for an audience there...A trip to New York is also on her agenda.

We first met Katey when she came to the county as a "Writer in Residence", over three years ago, for the county schools and also gave a memoir class through Fishtrap to adults of the community...When the class ended 3 of us accepted her offer of "online" classes where for 6 months we would write and send 15 pages a month to her for a line by line critique and a letter with suggestions for improvements for our essays...She always sent advice and encouragement to us the budding writers...We are all still writing, some much more than others and all have visions of "our book" some day...It has been an interesting journey as our writing skills improve and our We-3 friendship continues to grow....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Window Washing...44º

My morning was fairly productive as I gathered tools to wash windows...A sponge mop for cleaning and squeegees for the final step...Many years ago while we were on a trip back east for my one and only look at the fall colors that the east is known for, I watched a window cleaner in one of the huge rest stops...He applied a sudsy liquid with a sponge and squeegeed it off...That's all there was to it, no spraying then wiping in circles trying to come up with a streak free window...That has been almost 20 years ago now and it is the only way I wash windows, not to say that they don't have a streak or two but compared to the old method they are so clean it is possible to walk through them (not recommended though)...I use this method both inside and out, I have a bottle of window washing "stuff" that was sold right next to the squeegees ( a few drops in a pan of water) and lots of rags to wipe the squeegee and the window sills...I was merrily scrubbing with the mop and squeegeeing away when Herb said, "It is 11:40." So I thought to myself, What does that have to do with anything? When it dawned on me that I was due at the Josephy Center at 12pm to do my volunteer stint for the afternoon....Oops!

Thanks to him I made it to the JC on time and when I arrived Cheryl, new director, said, "Would you mind vacuuming, or are you able to do that?..It is really a mess after our opening on Saturday night."...Hmmm :(... I smiled and said, "Well, yes with the "lite weight" vacuum that Pat and I found at a yard sale I can do that...After vacuuming, I looked in the kitchen to find the dishwasher full of clean dishes, garbage cans overflowing----Spent the rest of the afternoon in cleaning mode, also greeted 15 guests and still had time to catch up on my scrabble games.

I arrived home to the smell of chicken cooking (Herb to the rescue again), I sliced tomatoes and patty pans, warmed a roll, Herb poured wine and I put dinner on the table...Window washing will get finished another day...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Dinner Rolls 101...43º

Becky called to say they were BBQing salmon for a potluck celebration on Sunday afternoon, "Could we come?"...Going to their house is always an excuse for me to practice making dinner rolls...My Mom was the "Queen" of dinner rolls and my "Kids" always taste mine and say, " Mom these are wonderful but not quite as good as Grammas, so you have to keep practicing." In some things I strive to be a perfectionist and making the perfect dinner roll is one of them...Perfect for me is not in exact measurements but in the feel of the dough, so I prefer to make these by hand instead of with the Bosch mixer...Flour, sugar, salt, eggs, butter, yeast and water are the only ingredients, stirred, mixed and lightly kneaded into a soft ball, still slightly sticky...It rises into a soft puffy cloud and looks ready to launch at any time...I gently empty it onto the floured marble where I stretch and then roll it into a large rectangle...Soft butter is then spread over the surface and with a pizza cutter it is cut into small rectangles which are folded in half and placed in the pan to raise again before baking...All of this is done with a light and gentle touch as I think maybe this will be the perfect batch.

Dinner Rolls

We had a lovely evening, rain held off, a fire roared in the fire pit, salmon was wonderful as well as the potluck salads, cheesy bacon potatoes and sorbet for dessert and yes they said the rolls were wonderful but I still need more practice!..Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Musical and More...45º

Early morning I started a loaf of sourdough bread using a different technique...The dough was supposed to be wet, rough and shaggy (what ever that means)...I heated two cups of water to the boiling point in the microwave making a moist warm place for the dough to rise, set bowl and dough along side the hot water and left it for about 2 hours...Heated dutch oven (in the oven) as the oven came up to 450º temperature then gently nudged and rolled the swollen dough into the hot dutch oven, covered it with the lid, closed the oven door and timed it for 30 minutes...Opened the oven door, carefully lifted the lid...A rustic loaf of bread, nicely browned peeked back at me...It needed another 10 minutes with the lid off to finish the baking...Hot and crusty it cooled on a rack...Herb got the first slice slathered with butter as I headed out the door for Elgin and the musical Shrek...Not bad for the first try but I want a loaf with holes in it, not quite so dense.

While the bread dough was rising, hidden away inside the microwave I stirred up the dust , using the trusty swifter I waged war on dust and cobwebs...Resorted to the vacuum as I cleaned light shades and window sills...Always wonder how much dust I get rid of and how much settles back into place.

I finished just in time to change clothes before meeting Becky, Pam and 3 grandchildren for an afternoons enjoyment...We settled into our balcony seats at the Elgin Opera House and for the next 21/2 hours we were transported into the enchanted world of Shrek...Set design and costumes were amazing as well as the singing, dancing and acting of the cast.

Back home I chatted with Bobi about Ci's water polo tournament of the last two days...The girls came up with a win and some much improved playing...Tired but happy they were back home and ready for an early bedtime...Way to go Beavers!

Congratulations are in store for Becky...She received word on Friday that she was successful in her first attempt to pass the bar exam!...Now the real journey begins...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Cloudy...50º

Never thought I wouldn't mind cleaning the bathroom, but with our new (one year old) tile/glass block  shower and tile floor it makes for an easy cleanup...With a cloudy sky this morning I will work at cleaning more corners as I have friends coming for lunch on Tuesday...Not that my "friends" will be peering into the corners but it just gives me incentive to do some cleaning...For those who know me well, cleaning is not high on my list of things that I enjoy doing...I would much rather make messes.

Yesterday, knowing that the weather was changing I spent part of the afternoon sitting on the deck enjoying the sun and watching the mountain to see if the larch (tamarack) was starting to turn...I fixed dinner of enchiladas using canned elk meat for filling and fresh tomatoes with added chili for the sauce...Green beans from the garden on the side...Late afternoon I quickly grated zucchini for my now famous "Mock Eggplant Parmesan" for a docent/photo potluck at the Josephy Center at 6:30...An enjoyable evening spent visiting with the photographers about their work before tonights grand opening...I returned home with an empty casserole dish...just another day on Barton Heights...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Shampoos...40º

With spots on the dining area carpet and not wanting to call the professionals to do the cleaning I arrived early at Joseph Hardware to rent a carpet cleaning machine...I was soon back home where Herb waited in great anticipation, because he loves running machines...He read the directions, we added water and cleaning agent, (Vroom-Vroom) less than 4 hours later he had not only done the kitchen and hallway but upstairs bedrooms as well...I did the easy part, directing and holding the heavy cord out of the way of the machine...He built a fire downstairs, we set up fans and opened windows and doors to speed the drying...While I was returning the machine, another machine called his attention and he spent time on the 4-wheeler dragging a harrow over our pasture...The temperature climbed into the 70's, we heated a bowl of chowder for lunch and late afternoon we joined a small crowd for the last Farmers Market and concert of the season in Enterprise...We planned to go to the Range Rider for tacos after the concert but parking places were scarce and decided we didn't want to join the noisy crowd...So home to our house with clean carpets, we dined on cottage cheese and pears, much better for us than greasy tacos and beer!

Notice my title says shampoos--That brings me to an entirely different subject...A few months ago my "good friend" look at me quizzically and said, "Della, your hair has a shade of green to it." Grrrr...What was causing this, recently I had changed to a special shampoo ($15.00 for a small bottle) that seemed to be working well to keep my hair from drying out but it also left it with no body...So I had been adding mousse to give it some lift...Evidently this was the culprit...I googled "homemade mousse" they all looked too complicated but while I was looking "shampoo with baking soda" caught my eye...For the last month I have shampooed with baking soda and given my hair a vinegar rinse...Costs pennies and gives my hair added body...Now I anxiously await my friends return for her honest opinion as to the color of my hair!

Herb is moving a little slow this morning but I'm sure he will limber up and by tomorrow he will be back on a machine as it is lawn mowing time again....Hugs To All...OWAV:)

White Stuff...33º

Clouds covered our mountains yesterday morning, hiding the blanket of snow that accumulated through the night...At this time of year rain in the valley equates to snow on the mountain tops...I snapped a few photos late afternoon after the clouds lifted...The wheat field behind our house was harvested last week...Looking beyond that to the canyon called "Hurricane Creek"

 This photo is a close up of the new blanket of snow....Brrrrr...The sun did come out but the wind kept us indoors, heater going most of the day...To ward off the chill of the day Herb and I sat down to a steaming bowl of clam chowder with fresh sliced tomatoes and cucumbers...The next two days are supposed to be warmer but showers returning by the weekend...I gleaned our little cucumber patch, found enough to make one last jar of dill pickles...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Summer of 2013...43º

A summer to remember...In our forty years on Barton Heights I think this summer stands out as one with warm days and nights...June and half way through September we have gone without turning on the heater in the living room to take the chill off the early morning....Our valley is notorious for its cool nights and early mornings, nice for sleeping but not very conducive for growing vegetables...Many years by the first week in September we have already had one killing frost before going into "Indian Summer" with temperatures staying warm but the cucumber and tomato vines all dead...This year they are still green and growing but after the last two nights of temps in the low 40's I think they are doomed!..Herb and I were both up very early this morning and have the little heater on to ward off the morning chill...We welcomed a nice steady rain yesterday that freed us from the endless watering...The cold and wet outside this morning will force me to balance the checkbook and pay some bills...Hugs To All...OWAV:) P.S. Herb just reported that there is snow on Ruby Peak!

Double Whammy...48º

It must have been about 3pm on Sunday when I needed a pick-me-up...Friends were coming for dinner and I was tired from the day before...Standing with the refrigerator door open like a teenager saying "Mom isn't there anything in this house to eat?" I spotted the coffee that Herb had saved that morning...Black and strong, just what I needed...I filled a tall glass with ice, added agave syrup, cream and poured in the coffee...I should have known better...Caffeine after noon and Della are not a good combination...But it tasted so yummy, I didn't even think...So I finished the making dinner, everything cooking in the oven along with a chocolate zucchini cake with lots of dark chocolate frosting...We enjoyed a fun evening with friends.

I stayed up until after 10pm, chocolate cake and ice-cream sitting heavy on my stomach...Finally in bed, visions of the day unfolded as I recounted how good the flower beds were starting to look, moving plants around in my head, thinking I needed more color here or some of those purple asters would really look good next to the orange rudbeckia...What could I possibly put in that hole where I dug the hosta that I shared with Becky...I turned over and looked at the clock...12am...Okay eyes closed, deep breaths, count slowly, think only good thoughts, my mind wanders to this weeks agenda, more yard work, We 3 meeting on Barton Heights next week, company coming later this month so the kitchen carpet needs to be cleaned...second batch of  sauerkraut has an off odor, I think it must be thrown away...My mind is like a news reel, continually playing over and over until I look at the clock one more time...2am.

A restless sleep finally came with Monday morning right on its heels...I pushed myself all morning doing some of the things from the night-time list seeing just what I could accomplish and promised myself no more iced mocha's + chocolate cake after 12pm...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Wind Storm/Rain..54º

Fully intended yesterday to finish cutting down perennials and moving more wood chips...From 7 to 9am Herb and I worked outside then taking a break for breakfast, it soon became apparent that maybe we needed a day of rest...Sort of we rested...I gleaned the garden for fresh greens, new potatoes, patty pans, zucchini and cherry tomatoes...Herb grated zucchini while I prepped all the veggies...Soon the smell of chocolate zucchini cake fill the kitchen and roasting veggies soon to follow...Pam, Becky and John arrived as Herb started the BBQ and we enjoyed a lovely evening before the wind/rain storm brought an abrupt end to the festivities.

I must get moving this morning...A wheel barrow of wood chips is patiently waiting as are the other plants that still need to be cut down...Looks like we have rain showers and cooling temperature predicted for this week...The leaves are starting to fade and the feel of fall is really here...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Productive Day...58º

Both Herb and I were outside by 7am yesterday...It warmed up fast but had a cooling breeze as I followed the shade around the yard...We came in for breakfast took several short breaks and accomplished a lot by working until 2pm...Watering, cutting down, mulching...Also dug and replanted where needed...At 3pm we cleaned the fridge of leftovers, pizza with added fresh sliced tomatoes on top and zucchini casserole...Settled down in the cool of the house to rest, about 5pm Becky arrived with starts for me and plastic bags to gather new plants for her garden...She was going home to plant hers but mine are waiting for me this morning...It is a little cloudy this morning so even though my body doesn't want too it is outside again getting those beds ready for winter...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Cutting Down...56º

Seems like just yesterday (April) when I was outside wandering and wondering if any of my plants were going to break through the frozen ground...Yesterday (September) I spent hours cutting down perennials that have bloomed and gone to seed...I'm carefully placing all the spent plants on the ground in and around the base of the plants for mulch..."Tree Care North" delivered another truck load of wood chips so today I have that to put over top adding another layer of mulch for the winter...I will leave Asters, Blackeyed Susans, Joe Pye Weed and Echinacea to continue blooming for fall color...While cutting down I will dig up starts and move them to a bare spot and also plant more daffodil bulbs as I think ahead to next spring.

Herb saw a red fox running through the wheat field behind our house yesterday...Last year at this time we were plagued with a family of bears here on Barton Heights rummaging through garbage cans and climbing apple trees looking for food...So far no bears this year and just might be because all of the apple trees got a late frost...So goes life in our little corner of the world...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Slept late....55º

Sleeping late this morning I awoke to scattered clouds in our blue sky, cooler but with sunshine later in the day...I will roast the last of the tomatoes today and work outside cutting down plants and spreading wood chips for mulch...Not much in the way of news or blathering, so my readers will get a rest...Thanks for reading and I always love the comments, makes it more fun to write...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Roasting Tomatoes....Mock Eggplant Parmesan...54º

My Mom was a great lover of eggplant, many years ago...She sliced it, dredged it in flour, dipped it in beaten eggs and fried it in bacon grease or lard adding butter to either of these to get that browned flavor that comes from butter...We didn't worry about fats being bad for us as we worked hard and needed food that would stick with us and fuel our bodies...We devoured whatever she put on the table...When eggplant wasn't available, she substituted zucchini...A large platter of fried zucchini would grace the table along with platters of lamb chops, mashed potatoes and gravy and fresh sliced veggies...When I was first married, I introduced Herb to fried zucchini, he tried it, it was okay so over the years It became a summer dinner and both kids liked it...It was messy and time consuming to cook so I continued to look for ways to make it easier...My niece Susan came up with the idea to grate the zucchini, mix it with eggs and fry it on a griddle like pancakes then serve it in fried patties...Much easier, less messy and didn't soak up so much grease...I liked this idea so began to experiment with my own variations...One day in Walla Walla I ordered Eggplant Parmesan...Yummmm, At home I sliced zucchini (no eggplant) in rounds did all the dipping, frying, then added tomato and cheese...It was good but way too messy and too time consuming...The lightbulb finally went on in my head why won't the zucchini patties work?...So the "Mock Eggplant Parmesan" was born or "Idella Zucchini Casserole"...The first comments I hear when I take this to a potluck is "Oh that lasagna smell good or I can't eat that, all that pasta, makes me fat"...I just smile because most people can't resist tasting it...Okay enough blathering on with the recipe.

First you must understand that cooking is not an exact science, recipes are made to be altered which I do freely depending on what ingredients I have on hand...Below you will find the recipe for roasted tomatoes and zucchini casserole. In a previous blog I posted recipe and photos of roasting tomatoes check it out...Have fun with this so far it has alway turned out edible...Hugs To All...OWAV:

ROASTED TOMATOES

Roasting tomatoes brings out their flavor, and they can then be used to create tasty pasta sauces, bruschetta, added to soups or casseroles.  Use fresh, ripe, flavorful tomatoes for the best results.  

10 to 15 ripe tomatoes

2-4 cloves garlic, chopped (sometimes I add bell peppers and onion)

1-2 Tbl. chopped basil or dried

Salt & pepper (Optional, I like course salt)

Olive oil (optional)

           Preheat oven to 250-300 degrees. (I do the first ½ hour at 400 deg.)  Core & halve  the tomatoes, and place skin side down on a large baking sheet.  (If tomatoes are really large I slice them into 3 slices).  Sprinkle the tomatoes with garlic, basil and salt.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and place in the oven.  Bake for 3 hours until they have shriveled yet still remain moist.  Cool and use as desired or package in ziplock bags and freeze for winter sauces.  

Lovely Roma's

Taking the chance that my readers won't care if I sound like a broken record, once again I will expound on roasting and freezing tomatoes instead of canning them...USDA wants you to add acid (vinegar or lemon juice) to tomatoes, increase the processing time or even pressure cook them...I want to be safe but I also prefer that my tomatoes taste like tomatoes not lemons or vinegar...A favorite when I was growing up was a bowl of tomatoes fresh from the jar with a slice of Mom's homemade bread and butter.

Step l - I'm using romas but any tomato will work they will just have more juice...Wash tomatoes, then core slice in half and place in a cookie sheet, skin side down.

Sliced Roma's

Step 2- Drizzle with a good quality oil, sprinkle with fresh garlic, basil (dried will also work) and coarse salt...Three of these sheets will fit in my oven, each sheet holds about 4# of tomatoes...I set the oven on 200º and roast for 3 to 5 hours depending on the tomatoes and how dry you want them...

Ready for the oven.

If I am in the house I will switch the pans around in the oven periodically but if I'm outside working in the garden they roast fine all on their own...I do have a convection oven.

Tomatoes done roasting

Step 3 - First thing I do is slurp a couple of these tasty morsel, using my fingers, right into my mouth, then I toast a slice of homemade sourdough bread, slide a couple more onto the bread and see if they still taste like I remembered from a year ago...AAAhhhh that concentrated sweet tomato with a burst of garlicky goodness and just a hint of sour from the bread...Are you salivating YET?

Tomatoes ready for the freezer

Step 4 - If there are any tomatoes left on the tray after cooling :)... I slide them into ziplock sandwich bags...The tomatoes concentrate down to less than half of what they were in the raw state...I squish the bags, pushing out all of the air possible, then to double bag these I put 4 of these bags into a gallon ziplock for their final storage in the freezer...They are flat and stack nicely, they are simple to take one or more bags at a time for soups, sauces or casseroles...Of course for a large family you can use a larger bag to start with and I do recommend double bagging them...Happy tomato roasting...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

                                                                                                                                                               

ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE

Grate one large zucchini (approximately 10 inches long.) I use a very course grater...Mix in with a fork 4 to 6 eggs…place large spoonfuls of the mixture  and cook on a griddle like you would pancakes, browning on one side and flipping to the other…Barely cover the bottom of a casserole dish with roasted tomatoes, layer zucchini patties on top of the tomatoes, then a layer of mozzarella cheese... keep layering, with tomatoes, zucchini and cheese until casserole dish is full…Bake in a 325° oven for about 30 minutes…Don't overcook…I serve it warm or cold, eat it for dinner or breakfast…Just love it anytime…It works well with the frozen roasted tomatoes…

NOTE*  Since none of you will have roasted tomatoes, I think you can use a recipe for marinara sauce or a good quality marinara sauce from the store should work…Maybe add a little more garlic, basil, onion or herbs of your choice.  Eat and enjoy, Idella

Below are photo's of start to finish casserole. I grate zucchini, mix, fry and assemble casserole as i'm frying patties so a large casserole can be made and ready for the oven in about 30 minutes...In the first photo I have one large zucchini grated...Break eggs over top and start stirring with a large fork until egg coats all of the grated zucchini.

Keep stirring until all is covered

Have the grill with oil and butter heating

Zucchini Patties almost cooked

Bottom of pan covered lightly with roasted tomatoes and starting to layer the patties.

Starting on the second layer, don't overdo the tomatoes or you will end up with soup!

Ready for the oven

Out of the oven, let rest before cutting, ENJOY

Busy Day....55º

Making zucchini casserole for write people today...followed by a volunteer stint at the Museum...Blogging will just have to wait...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

September Weekend...48º

For the past five years Herb and I have volunteered at "Hells Canyon Mule Days"...We started helping out just when needed, someone didn't show for a shift, and we were flexible...We strengthened old friendships and made new ones...We ate our share of hamburgers, hot dogs, pie and ice cream...What started out as a few hours soon became a near full-time commitment for 4 days...We did every thing from cleaning restrooms, hauling garbage, selling t-shirts and tickets to helping prepare food for the BBQ and giving directions to the activities of the mules in the arena..Set up--take down, inventory became routine...We will keep the fond memories and others will fade into oblivion as we move on to other endeavors...Did we miss mule days this year?..Not really...I can only describe it as relief...No cold early hours setting up canopies, no cleaning bathrooms while our own went begging, no frustration dealing with people of all ilks...Those years were fun for a change but a quiet weekend on Barton Heights this year was much to our liking...No we didn't spend the weekend lounging about but instead, we roasted tomatoes, made jam, hauled and scattered wood chips preparing gardens for winters...I made a batch of bread and started more sauerkraut while Herb worked on the winters wood, did laundry and we ate simple home cooked meals...Now it is Monday, the sun is rising, Indian summer is upon us...Hugs To All...OWAV:)



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Broken Record...47º

Lovely Roma's

Taking the chance that my readers won't care if I sound like a broken record, once again I will expound on roasting and freezing tomatoes instead of canning them...USDA wants you to add acid (vinegar or lemon juice) to tomatoes, increase the processing time or even pressure cook them...I want to be safe but I also prefer that my tomatoes taste like tomatoes not lemons or vinegar...A favorite when I was growing up was a bowl of tomatoes fresh from the jar with a slice of Mom's homemade bread and butter.
Step l - I'm using romas but any tomato will work they will just have more juice...Wash tomatoes, then core slice in half and place in a cookie sheet, skin side down.

Sliced Roma's

Step 2- Drizzle with a good quality oil, sprinkle with fresh garlic, basil (dried will also work) and coarse salt...Three of these sheets will fit in my oven, each sheet holds about 4# of tomatoes...I set the oven on 200º and roast for 3 to 5 hours depending on the tomatoes and how dry you want them...

Ready for the oven.

If I am in the house I will switch the pans around in the oven periodically but if I'm outside working in the garden they roast fine all on their own...I do have a convection oven.

Tomatoes done roasting

Step 3 - First thing I do is slurp a couple of these tasty morsel, using my fingers, right into my mouth, then I toast a slice of homemade sourdough bread, slide a couple more onto the bread and see if they still taste like I remembered from a year ago...AAAhhhh that concentrated sweet tomato with a burst of garlicky goodness and just a hint of sour from the bread...Are you salivating YET?

Tomatoes ready for the freezer

Step 4 - If there are any tomatoes left on the tray after cooling :)... I slide them into ziplock sandwich bags...The tomatoes concentrate down to less than half of what they were in the raw state...I squish the bags, pushing out all of the air possible, then to double bag these I put 4 of these bags into a gallon ziplock for their final storage in the freezer...They are flat and stack nicely, they are simple to take one or more bags at a time for soups, sauces or casseroles...Of course for a large family you can use a larger bag to start with and I do recommend double bagging them...Happy tomato roasting...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Cooler....53º

Breeze, rain, humidity and sunshine all in one day...Enough cucumbers in the patch to make one more quart of "hot garlic dills...The cabbage was crying for attention, so I spent time in the garden harvesting cabbage to share and make more sauerkraut...It was a good project between rain storms...Becky arrived as the sun came out to dig starts for her garden...We "tackled" the day lilies, me with the shovel and her the digging fork...Bags full of starts littered the lawn enough for her and her neighbor and others for members of the garden club or anyone that wants them...Day lilies love to multiply and spread and need to be thinned every few years...Becky and I had a good visit...Herb had spent the morning hauling wood chips for me and helping our neighbor clean out her irrigation ditch...Both of us ready for a rest and food we cleaned the fridge of the leftovers and treated ourselves to hot fudge sundaes for dessert.

Talked via "facetime" with Rusty in Savannah, Georgia where he is working for LTW and enjoying fresh seafood that one can only get in the south...Text with our girls in Portland, Cienna almost recovered from a cold and sore throat while Bobi is in the worst stage of hers and most miserable!..I'm thinking it should be getting better today or a trip to the doctor is due...Ci is back to the first week of school and has already had two water polo games...Busy days...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Thinking...58º

Melodious sounds, chimes in the distance, wind across my face from an open window...My mind fights through the fog of sleep as I drift in and out...The room goes from dark to light followed by the crack of thunder, then the pounding rain, it is the wee hours of the morning...I'm awake now luxuriating in the warm bed, the smell of rain, the breeze, the rumble in the distance...Please, return to sleep...My mind has other issues, thoughts creep in like the pesky fly that now flits around my face, hands and computer screen...I swat, I threaten with death but it remains, just like the niggling thoughts running through my mind...I let them surface, bubble, push them down, they return, just like the fly.

A friend of mine I think, was born kind, that kindness was nurtured, she was taught to think of others before herself...Over the years happiness has come her way because she finds contentment within, not always looking for others to bring her joy...People seek her out because she is grounded, approachable, gentle in nature...Sometimes, maybe, they ask to much of her...Can she share her ease of life, let them borrow the quick smile that comes to her face, "please bring me joy as well," they say.

Asking too much of a person brings out a different side...Irritation, a frown as she balks at their self-absorption...Her mind wonders, "Why do you think only of yourself?"...Is it too late for them to learn that happiness comes from within?..Being happy in the place you are and not looking for a place or person to make you happy...Happiness will come to you, when, you bring joy to others.

Shades of pink lighten the eastern sky, dawn breaks on Barton Heights...Smile at a stranger today, I'll bet they smile back...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Crazy Canning Gene...58º

Is it the Mormon background or the great depression of the 30's?..Why does our family have a compulsion to can or jar or freeze everything in site...I'll start with my Grandmother who raised 10 children in the Salt Lake Valley in the late 1900's and had almost every kind of fruit and vegetables available to her...Her parents came across the plains pushing a handcart...They were a hardy lot and suffered through the blazing sun and harsh winters...They learned fast that the more food you put away before winter set in the better your chance of living through the winter...My Mom and Dad started life on the harsh Wyoming plains, living in a log shack, 4 little kids and another one on the way...It was the middle of the great depression...Dad worked for food, they salted hams and bacons and Mom canned vegetables, fruits and meat...She continued this style of life all of her 96 years...On our table growing up we always had fresh fruit and vegetables but not much, most of it went in the jars to get us through the long winters.

Yesterday on facebook one of my nieces posted-"One month's worth of dinners ready for the freezer"Photo included...Her sister posted "Awesome. Crazy what we do with a day off! Relax and read? Naw.... We cook! I canned peaches, made jalapeño poppers and prepped dinners for the rest of the week!" The reply came back.."Way to go Sis. ...we must be nuts"  I jumped in with a comment-"Being nuts runs in the family, I made 25 jars of jam, 2 qts of currant juice (for jelly) and canned 8 pints of garbanzo beans."....Another sister chimed in with "This summer I've made 70 pints of salsa, 25 pickled jalapenos, beets and beet pesto in the freezer, and roasted peppers in freezer too...it's almost time for tamales...Someone else chimed in with, lets have an exchange...And so it goes, we can, we freeze, we store it away...Never know what the winter will bring...Hugs to All...OWAV:)

Plum Tree...67º

We planted the Santa Rosa plum tree many years ago, it makes wonderful jams and jellies...Yesterday since our apple trees have no fruit this year (frosted) I decided to try a plum pie or tart...It turned out a little runny but beautiful and it was quite tart...We ate it warm with ice cream on top.

Santa Rosa Plums

Plum Tart

Today I must make the rest of the plums into Jam and take care of the black currants...I think juice for jelly is best for them as last year I made currant jam and was not impressed...It is overcast here today but very warm, thunder showers are predicted...Hugs To All...OWAV:)

Black Currants 

Full Day of Music...57º

The promise of a relaxing afternoon got me moving on Saturday morning...I declined going to yard sales with Pat and instead scavenged the cucumber patch and came up with enough cucumbers to fill a quart...Two heads of cabbage had started to crack and one zucchini grew into a monster overnight...Zucchini went into the fridge and cabbages were cleaned, one grated for sauerkraut and cole slaw and the other put away to share...I started a batch of hamburger/sandwich buns for our dinner of BLT's...Jars were sterilizing in the oven...By noon 7 pints full of sauerkraut sat in the back room waiting for their magic to start working, 1 quart of dills cooled on the counter...A dozen buns almost ready for the oven...Cole Slaw made, Tomatoes sliced, bacon ready to cook...We ate our dinner at 2pm and by 3:30 I joined the crowd of people, found a little patch of shade and set up my chair to enjoy the music at Juniper Jam.

Pat and Brian joined me about 4:30..."Opie" was playing at FULL volume and we were wishing for earplugs...Brian spotted a bigger spot of shade farther away from the loud speakers, we moved quickly before others got the same idea...The afternoon and evening passed quickly as we visited, sipped our drinks and people watched...Friends stopped by to visit and some stayed for the evening...I arrived home about 9:30 after 6 hours of musical entertainment, most of it good...My favorite band was "Wiley and the Wild West"...Where else but in Wallowa County can you get 8+  hours of non stop music for the bargain price of $12/15 a ticket...I'm already looking forward to next year...Time to get moving plums and currants are waiting for me...Hugs To All...OWAV:)