>Tomato, Pepper, and Potato Stove-Top Frittata

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I’ve posted recipes for this classic Italian egg dish before (click here, here, or here for additional recipes and pictures) but what’s interesting about this, I think, is that I’m still using vegetables from the garden (fresh, not fermented). The tomatoes have been ripening on a shelf in my kitchen for the past 9 days or so, and the peppers were part of my last harvest (I use the term loosely) that I picked a couple weeks a go. This is an exceedingly easy recipe to prepare, and it’s filling, delicious, and nutritious…and you can add whatever ingredients you happen to have on hand.

Thank You!

The first post for this blog was January 2008 (click here to read it). At the time I felt the real need to get simple; it’s something I’ve been doing for the past decade or so. I’ve kept a journal on-and-off for the past 25 years and felt that this would be a sort of extension of that. And during those first few months it was just that…a personal journal, because I really do not think I received a single visitor for a few months. Then to my surprise I received one…then another, and another. 

A little over a year ago I added a counter widget. This was not to see where you’re from or when you visit because I don’t like these facts displayed about myself when I visit a blog, but more so…just to count; to see how many people visit. I don’t look at it every day, every other day, or even every third day…just every so often; it’s not that important to me. So you can imagine my surprise when I glanced at it today and saw that it had surpassed 30,000 hits.

Now this may not be a lot of hits for some sites–indeed some probably get that in a day–but for a single guy tapping away on his keyboard in the evenings while he sips wine, pets his dogs, warms himself next to the wood stove, and looks at the stars while he contemplates life, this is a lot. At least I think it is. At one point, in those first few months, I almost shut it down…but I was encouraged to keep it going because more people started visiting.

Currently this blog has become a regular part of my day…however big or small. Sometimes it’s almost like therapy for me…especially when I jump on my little soapbox and rant a bit. But mostly I try to keep it good and positive because there are so many things in our world today that bombard us with negativity and discouragement…basically I want to highlight the good in life (and remind myself, mostly). I try to stay on target with the blog’s subtitle, Random Thoughts On Cooking, Bike Riding, and The Sacred Journey of Everyday Life, but sometimes I go on a tangent and get off topic and that’s just what I’m doing now…getting off topic of what I want this current post to be about. And I could sum it up in these two words: Thank You! Because I just wanted to take a moment and say thanks to all those who visit, comment, or just pass through…Danke, Merci, Grazie, Dank u, Gracias.

>Thank You!

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The first post for this blog was January 2008 (click here to read it). At the time I felt the real need to get simple; it’s something I’ve been doing for the past decade or so. I’ve kept a journal on-and-off for the past 25 years and felt that this would be a sort of extension of that. And during those first few months it was just that…a personal journal, because I really do not think I received a single visitor for a few months. Then to my surprise I received one…then another, and another. 

A little over a year ago I added a counter widget. This was not to see where you’re from or when you visit because I don’t like these facts displayed about myself when I visit a blog, but more so…just to count; to see how many people visit. I don’t look at it every day, every other day, or even every third day…just every so often; it’s not that important to me. So you can imagine my surprise when I glanced at it today and saw that it had surpassed 30,000 hits.

Now this may not be a lot of hits for some sites–indeed some probably get that in a day–but for a single guy tapping away on his keyboard in the evenings while he sips wine, pets his dogs, warms himself next to the wood stove, and looks at the stars while he contemplates life, this is a lot. At least I think it is. At one point, in those first few months, I almost shut it down…but I was encouraged to keep it going because more people started visiting.

Currently this blog has become a regular part of my day…however big or small. Sometimes it’s almost like therapy for me…especially when I jump on my little soapbox and rant a bit. But mostly I try to keep it good and positive because there are so many things in our world today that bombard us with negativity and discouragement…basically I want to highlight the good in life (and remind myself, mostly). I try to stay on target with the blog’s subtitle, Random Thoughts On Cooking, Bike Riding, and The Sacred Journey of Everyday Life, but sometimes I go on a tangent and get off topic and that’s just what I’m doing now…getting off topic of what I want this current post to be about. And I could sum it up in these two words: Thank You! Because I just wanted to take a moment and say thanks to all those who visit, comment, or just pass through…Danke, Merci, Grazie, Dank u, Gracias.

Tomatoes on a Shelf

 
So what’s the date? November 5th…and I still have tomatoes ripening. I picked these a little over a week ago (the very last of them), and it was just before the first frost. They’re on a shelf in my kitchen ripening. The above picture is 5 photos of them over the last 8 or 9 days. I’ll either cook or freeze them tomorrow. Maybe I’ll have a tomato, mayonnaise, and onion sandwich for lunch…the last one until next season.

>Tomatoes on a Shelf

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So what’s the date? November 5th…and I still have tomatoes ripening. I picked these a little over a week ago (the very last of them), and it was just before the first frost. They’re on a shelf in my kitchen ripening. The above picture is 5 photos of them over the last 8 or 9 days. I’ll either cook or freeze them tomorrow. Maybe I’ll have a tomato, mayonnaise, and onion sandwich for lunch…the last one until next season.

Gimme Shelter

I came across this video at the blog, Walk Slowly, Live Wildly. It’s a short video about Lloyd Kahn discussing his theory on what shelter is.

What an inspiring video…at one point, about 2/3 through the clip, he’s skateboarding through the San Franciscan suburbs (a true juxtaposition)…keep in mind the man is 75. Anyhow, if you are at all interested in simplicity and/or alternative living and lifestyles I encourage you to watch this; you will likely be inspired. Click here for Lloyd’s blog.

>Gimme Shelter

>I came across this video at the blog, Walk Slowly, Live Wildly. It’s a short video about Lloyd Kahn discussing his theory on what shelter is.

What an inspiring video…at one point, about 2/3 through the clip, he’s skateboarding through the San Franciscan suburbs (a true juxtaposition)…keep in mind the man is 75. Anyhow, if you are at all interested in simplicity and/or alternative living and lifestyles I encourage you to watch this; you will likely be inspired. Click here for Lloyd’s blog.

Bobby Ellis

This is Bobby Ellis. I see him on his bike all the time and thought I’d finally introduce myself. What is interesting about him is not only that he uses his bike for transportation–that’s not that uncommon, after all–but that his bike is his business operation…sort of. If you live in Buffalo you’ve seen him…he’s a window washer, among other things, and carries his gear around on his bike with him. I was walking down the street this evening and saw him and asked if I could take his photo for my blog…he was all too happy. He also told me his YouTube name is the Fabulous Human iPod (because he sings) and that we could find videos of him there. Thought I’d post one along with these photos but have been unsuccessful locating any. Anyhow…I though this was pretty cool, the window washing bike rider...and he’s a human iPod.

>Bobby Ellis

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This is Bobby Ellis. I see him on his bike all the time and thought I’d finally introduce myself. What is interesting about him is not only that he uses his bike for transportation–that’s not that uncommon, after all–but that his bike is his business operation…sort of. If you live in Buffalo you’ve seen him…he’s a window washer, among other things, and carries his gear around on his bike with him. I was walking down the street this evening and saw him and asked if I could take his photo for my blog…he was all too happy. He also told me his YouTube name is the Fabulous Human iPod (because he sings) and that we could find videos of him there. Thought I’d post one along with these photos but have been unsuccessful locating any. Anyhow…I though this was pretty cool, the window washing bike rider...and he’s a human iPod.

I Like To Walk…

Cartoon by Andy Singer.

…and am grateful I am able to.

There are many times when I walk and find it the most pleasant way to get around (when I have the time). You can see things that you otherwise wouldn’t…and sometimes I find it a form of meditation-in-motion. It’s also, in my opinion, the most organic form of transport. It is, without doubt, one of the best exercises a person can do (and it doesn’t cost a penny)…some people even spend their lives doing it, as a personal mission (click here to read about the Peace Pilgrim).

>I Like To Walk…

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Cartoon by Andy Singer.

…and am grateful I am able to.

There are many times when I walk and find it the most pleasant way to get around (when I have the time). You can see things that you otherwise wouldn’t…and sometimes I find it a form of meditation-in-motion. It’s also, in my opinion, the most organic form of transport. It is, without doubt, one of the best exercises a person can do (and it doesn’t cost a penny)…some people even spend their lives doing it, as a personal mission (click here to read about the Peace Pilgrim).

Pasta Autunno

The title of this post and recipe is a play on words, or rather the name of the famous dish Pasta Primavera (click here for a recipe and the history of Pasta Primavera; click here to read about the chef who first created it). Why I say this is that the dish Pasta Primavera translates to English as “Pasta Springtime,” or springtime pasta, because of the inclusion of the spring vegetables that are naturally in the original recipe and undoubtedly the time of year that it was first created (I also find the origin of the word primavera interesting; broken into two separate words–prima and vera–it means “first green”). Pasta Autunno, on the other hand means–you guessed it–Pasta Autumn. Another variation (on the recipe itself, not it’s title) is that Primavera often contains cream and the vegetables may or may not be initially sauteed in butter. This version is really a variation of the classic aglio e olio, or garlic and oil. This is by far my favorite pasta preparation (OK, it’s a tough tie with traditional red sauce and meatballs) and it can be applied to almost any ingredient…in fact you don’t even need the pasta as a filler; using this recipe you can simply saute vegetables and serve them as a side dish. The basic recipe is this: heat good quality olive oil in a pan with garlic, hot peppers, and maybe a minced onion, cook it until it begins to brown, then add vegetables, a pinch of salt, and chicken broth (or water if you want to keep it vegetarian), and allow it to cook while you boil the pasta (inversley, if you have hard vegetables–such as those in this recipe–you may want to add them to the pan before the garlic, lest it burns). Cook the pasta al dente and add it to the skillet, allowing the pasta to finish cooking in the broth and absorb all the flavors. Many, but not all, of the vegetables I used in this recipe were in my fridge from the last fall harvest of the year (click here to see them). To read more on the actual process of cooking things algio e olio, and with more explicit photos, click here; if you’d like a tradition recipe (i.e. one that is printable), click here.

>Pasta Autunno

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The title of this post and recipe is a play on words, or rather the name of the famous dish Pasta Primavera (click here for a recipe and the history of Pasta Primavera; click here to read about the chef who first created it). Why I say this is that the dish Pasta Primavera translates to English as “Pasta Springtime,” or springtime pasta, because of the inclusion of the spring vegetables that are naturally in the original recipe and undoubtedly the time of year that it was first created (I also find the origin of the word primavera interesting; broken into two separate words–prima and vera–it means “first green”). Pasta Autunno, on the other hand means–you guessed it–Pasta Autumn. Another variation (on the recipe itself, not it’s title) is that Primavera often contains cream and the vegetables may or may not be initially sauteed in butter. This version is really a variation of the classic aglio e olio, or garlic and oil. This is by far my favorite pasta preparation (OK, it’s a tough tie with traditional red sauce and meatballs) and it can be applied to almost any ingredient…in fact you don’t even need the pasta as a filler; using this recipe you can simply saute vegetables and serve them as a side dish. The basic recipe is this: heat good quality olive oil in a pan with garlic, hot peppers, and maybe a minced onion, cook it until it begins to brown, then add vegetables, a pinch of salt, and chicken broth (or water if you want to keep it vegetarian), and allow it to cook while you boil the pasta (inversley, if you have hard vegetables–such as those in this recipe–you may want to add them to the pan before the garlic, lest it burns). Cook the pasta al dente and add it to the skillet, allowing the pasta to finish cooking in the broth and absorb all the flavors. Many, but not all, of the vegetables I used in this recipe were in my fridge from the last fall harvest of the year (click here to see them). To read more on the actual process of cooking things algio e olio, and with more explicit photos, click here; if you’d like a tradition recipe (i.e. one that is printable), click here.

Home Grown Sauerkraut (Photos and Recipes)

Well of course sauerkraut is not “home grown,” it’s prepared…more specifically it makes itself, you simply provide the proper conditions. I have made this, and other variations, many times but never with cabbage that I grew myself; it literally went from the dirt to the fermentation bucket in about 20 minutes…now a couple weeks to wait until it ripens (I added a few hot chilies to this batch…also, believe-it-or-not, still hanging from their plants yesterday). I’ve posted before on fermented foods–my acquired love for them and their health benefits–and to read more about them and for actual recipes (including one for the sauerkraut pictured) click here. If you’ve never made fermented vegetables–kraut or other–I encourage you to give it a try. Not only are they super delicious and healthy for your body (probiotic) they are exceedingly easy to prepare…as aforementioned, they make themselves, you simply provide the conditions for the “good bacteria” to grow. Click here for text and  recipes.

>Home Grown Sauerkraut (Photos and Recipes)

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Well of course sauerkraut is not “home grown,” it’s prepared…more specifically it makes itself, you simply provide the proper conditions. I have made this, and other variations, many times but never with cabbage that I grew myself; it literally went from the dirt to the fermentation bucket in about 20 minutes…now a couple weeks to wait until it ripens (I added a few hot chilies to this batch…also, believe-it-or-not, still hanging from their plants yesterday). I’ve posted before on fermented foods–my acquired love for them and their health benefits–and to read more about them and for actual recipes (including one for the sauerkraut pictured) click here. If you’ve never made fermented vegetables–kraut or other–I encourage you to give it a try. Not only are they super delicious and healthy for your body (probiotic) they are exceedingly easy to prepare…as aforementioned, they make themselves, you simply provide the conditions for the “good bacteria” to grow. Click here for text and  recipes.

Auf zwei Rädern bleibt man jung

Image found here.

No I did not learn to speak German overnight….this phrase, Auf zwei Rädern bleibt man jung (On two wheels you will stay young), was sent to me by a fellow blogger and Mundo rider in Deutschland (thanks Stefan!). He originally sent it to me in response to a post I wrote recently on aging and bicycling (click here to read it). I love the positivity of the phrase. Stefan also maintains the blog, Mein Yuba Mundo  (My Yuba Mundo); it’s an interesting blog and I hope you pay it a visit (if you are like me, a typical American that only speaks one language, you’ll find Google Translate helpful).

Whether or not my zwei rädern will keep me young is in question (though it’s obvious it’s good exercise), but it sure is fun…and that’s good enough for me.

>Auf zwei Rädern bleibt man jung

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Image found here.

No I did not learn to speak German overnight….this phrase, Auf zwei Rädern bleibt man jung (On two wheels you will stay young), was sent to me by a fellow blogger and Mundo rider in Deutschland (thanks Stefan!). He originally sent it to me in response to a post I wrote recently on aging and bicycling (click here to read it). I love the positivity of the phrase. Stefan also maintains the blog, Mein Yuba Mundo  (My Yuba Mundo); it’s an interesting blog and I hope you pay it a visit (if you are like me, a typical American that only speaks one language, you’ll find Google Translate helpful).

Whether or not my zwei rädern will keep me young is in question (though it’s obvious it’s good exercise), but it sure is fun…and that’s good enough for me.

Groovy Pug

This is Franklin…one of the two pugs that own me (the other is Maxwell, but he’s way too cool to be in the picture). How can this not make you smile? It’s interesting how different their personalities are…Franklin will do anything for affection (such as sit for 5 minutes with old-school hippy glasses on while my son and I take his photo), but his brother, Maxwell, could care less…he just wants food and a good nap next to the wood stove. These photos make me laugh even now as I type these words…anyhow, just thought I’d share them. To see more of Franklin click here and here; to see the two brothers together click here and here.

>Groovy Pug

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This is Franklin…one of the two pugs that own me (the other is Maxwell, but he’s way too cool to be in the picture). How can this not make you smile? It’s interesting how different their personalities are…Franklin will do anything for affection (such as sit for 5 minutes with old-school hippy glasses on while my son and I take his photo), but his brother, Maxwell, could care less…he just wants food and a good nap next to the wood stove. These photos make me laugh even now as I type these words…anyhow, just thought I’d share them. To see more of Franklin click here and here; to see the two brothers together click here and here.

Things That Can Be Carried On A Bike (#234)…and a quick story

 
$72.57 of groceries, sundries, and other staples in two plastic crates from three separate stores.
The last of the three stores I went to was a national chain . I try not to shop at too many chain stores but actually like this one, not because of it’s convenience and prices (which are pretty good) but because they have a bike rack located directly outside the store (where the Mundo is parked in the above photo). This is the same store where, in the past, an armed guard–an off duty police officer wearing a firearm–stopped me as I exited and said the reason for stopping me was because, “I was leaving the store without my purchase in bags” (meaning, I suppose, it looked as if I were stealing). Anyhow, here’s a quick story at checkout.
Me: I don’t need plastic bags; you can just put the stuff back in the basket (the plastic basket that the store provides).
Cashier: But how will you get the stuff out to your  car?
Me: I’m not in a car; I’m on a bike, and I’ll just carry it in the basket, load my bike and bring the basket back in.
Cashier: You can’t do that.
Me: Why not; I do it all the time?
Cashier: Because the baskets are not allowed outside the store.
Me: But the shopping carts are allowed outside the store.
Cashier: (after looking at the guard at the door, getting a nod, and then rolling her eyes at me) OK.
As I left the store, walked 10 feet to the bike, loaded it, and returned the plastic basket to the store, the guard eyed me suspiciously. 
Then, after returning to my bike and as I bent to unlock it, a couple came out and there was a plastic bag attached to the guy’s foot. It was a windy fall evening, and as he kicked it free he grumbled, Damned bag! The bag flew off into the distance.
I in turn hopped on the Mundo and pedaled away with the wind to my back.
I am most definitely not a “bag fanatic” because I bring things home in them on occasion (and they are useful for cleaning up after my dogs). But, on the other hand, if I choose not to use bags I feel I should not be made to feel guilty as I leave the store. At the very least the store will save a couple pennies. 
To read more about people not using plastic bags click here, here, and here.