So...whats for dinner?

Oh, Tatiana, I feel for you! As a teenager I had ulcerative colitis and bland, no-fiber was the order of the day (and the onset of my weight problems). Last year when Bob suffered a perforated colon after a botched colonoscopy--with three "medical management" non-surgical admits plus courses of Flagyl before he demanded a hemi-colectomy--he was limited to 2 gm of fiber per meal and absolutely no alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, acids, or spices. He reported that vanilla ice cream, buttered noodles and potato bisque got old pretty quickly.

OK, back to food. Our free walking tour of Terriciola (an ancient Etruscan village surviving in modern form) included various samples from local purveyors: breads, pastries, salumi, cheeses, fruit, chocolate and coffee. After our lunch back in the condo, we went to La Spinetta winery in Casanova--we bought a mixed case to ship home, so they threw in a free bottle of Sangiovese and charged us for only one tasting. The tasting was accompanied by prosciutto, mortadella, salami, and pecorino cheese from across the road--and local olive oil and bread as well. Tuscan bread is unsalted, both to serve as a neutral vehicle for oil and other condiments and for including in recipes once it gets stale. That night we went to Locande Della Streghe--a popular family-friendly spot. In the summer heat of Italy, everyone stays out past midnight, even the smallest of kids. We started with ribollita (bean-and-bread soup), grilled octopus, a green salad, Napoli pizza (irregular, hand-stretched crust reminiscent of New Haven style), semifreddo, and limoncello (the waiter matching us shot for shot).

Yesterday morning we had leftover pizza topped with eggs I fried in olive oil, plus insalata Caprese and salumi. Made a Moka pot of pseudo-espresso (what Italians usually have at home rather than going the "prosumer" hobbyist barista route). The resort had a coin-op Nespresso pod machine in the lobby-- commercial Mylar pods, rather than Originaline or Vertuoline capsules, to prevent gaming the system by bringing their own. We had been advised to visit San Gimignano after lunchtime and Volterra for a 6 pm walking tour (Rick Steves-recommended guide) and then have dinner before heading back. We knew cars aren't allowed inside them walls of either town--but to our dismay, ALL the parking lots and garages surrounding the towns were full! There went my Fitbit steps. So we headed back, stopped for water in a small inn, and made a reservation for I Locandiere--a restaurant behind an enoteca, which had been the last stop on our Terriciola walking tour. It was amazing. No screaming kids or table-hopping toddlers. Just a tranquil outdoor garden with the wonderful smoky scent of the ubiquitous wood-burning grills (some of the wood being grapevines). Simple hearty Tuscan "cucina di Nonna" cooking: spinach sauteed in olive oil and Pernod, topped with grated pecorino Toscana; tagliatelle with a ragu of beef, veal and wild boar; and locally-caught rabbit cacciatore. Wine was a Sangiovese from just down the road. Dessert was cantuccini cookies and Vin Santo for dipping, plus of course limoncello.

Today we headed to the Pisa airport after I made breakfast & coffee and checked out. Our flight was nearly an hour late, so we were starving by the time we landed back here in Rome. Napped, hit happy hour in the executive lounge (squash soup, arancini, Caprese croissants, caponata and fennel-orange salad). Tonight we sought out a Michelin-starred restaurant, and it was amazing. I'm too bleary-eyed to write about it now. Will post in the morning.

Camp Log day 1,000

Influenza, strep and some viral illness have moved through camp. Impetigo is on the rise

The cat has joined the fun and vomited on my pajamas. I shouldn't have left them on the floor on my way out.

For lunch. Surprise. More salad. There is not enough vinegar on the pickled beets

Tomorrow I meet my daughter at my new place to pick out furniture on line. My furniture will arrive when I do. Plus some from storage

A friend and I have booked a trip to Thailand next spring to see the temples, elephant sanctuary, floating markets and eat Thai food.

It will be a retirement trip, as she is 3 months younger than I and we are in the same field. We cannot wait until full retirement, there is so much else to do

I will miss the little ankle biters here a summer camp.

Sandy your menus sound delish

Dragonsnake I'm sorry I don't have any good food to report! Your diet sounds very Irish from the little I know about Ireland. Maybe you should plan a trip and at least enjoy the land? I will post good food when I go back to RI. I hope you like seafood.

Bedo - Glad you made it to day 1000. I know you're excited about a new place & a new university job. I can hardly wait to hear about all the seafood.

I am sorry to report I had to throw out lots of fresh produce because I took off to see my friend for a long weekend. I had fruit salad to finish that I had taken with me. Also the spinach/artichoke dip from Costco. Nance - you're right it's good but WAY too much. And then I got waylaid with hot dogs.

So I've been eating salvageable veggies & leftovers all week. Last night was a piece of leftover T-bone sliced very thin & heated in mushroom/brandy cream sauce over pasta. It was the last chance for the mushrooms. Lunch was deli sliced oven roasted chicken shredded on a tortilla, nuked to melt cheese on top, dosed with serious green salsa & rolled. And the last edible chunks of watermelon. Tonight will be the last piece of leftover T-bone along with red lettuce, cucumber & onion w/sour cream & dill, and maybe some radishes &/or shoestring beets. Tomorrow I have to find something creative for the last of the mushroom sauce. Maybe a baked potato. Maybe Rice. Probably more pasta.

I have had a brainstorm

The cat shall have all the chicken he wants from the salad bar, and beef too, I don't know if he eats beef, but he was delighted and cried for the chicken tonight.

I know that you are all happy that he is well and enjoying his food.

Minus you would have made my Mom proud. Waste not, want not, was her favorite message (along with "you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar")

Dragonsnake, they should make chocolate mouth spray.

The cat is having some sort of breakdown so I have to go... or maybe it's the 12:20 crazies. He is attacking a large plastic bag for some reason, and meowing. I think that he has also succumbed to Camp Fever.

Where is Susan? I miss your B+B posts and your meals, although I cannot cook like you do.

Chocolate ice cream and booze, yes please!

Bedo, I love when you talk seafood to me.

We developed a verb many years ago for the cat crazies - "derving" as in whirling dervish. All anyone has to say "...the cat is derving" and we all know what's up. My new cat, who is kind of a teenager since he is not yet one, derves at odd times, has not settled into any pattern other than he feels the need to investigate my bedside table at about 5am. I have had to put all the detritus (reading glasses, pen, any small item) into a box so he can't knock it off the table. He doesn't want to play with any of it, just push it onto the floor. We have a granite top on our closet peninsula/drawers and my husband keeps his Special Operations coin there and wallet and security badge, and I put whatever jewelry there I have taken off at the end of the day - his coin is missing and so is a ring of mine. So, apparently the cat is planning to pawn our stuff and make his escape.

Last night was boneless pork chops, sautéed carrots with thyme, and some brown rice and red quinoa. DH is off on a week-long trip today with his new General, and DD gets home late tonight from fishing in the Keys. She managed to kill her phone, even with a Life Proof case, so I am stuck at home awaiting the UPS man with a new one I have to sign for. I probably won't be doing much cooking this week as DD has a protein shake for breakfast and a salad for lunch at work since it is hot, that is all she wants. She doesn't get home until 8:30 due to summer hours. She just applied for a job as a TSA Explosive Detection Canine Handler, so everyone cross their fingers that she gets it! It is double the money she is currently making - she turns 27 tomorrow and really needs to not be living at my house, lol! Every time I talk about that job I reverse the order and it sounds like the dog is exploding - gotta work on that!

Saturday was our sightseeing “last hurrah:” Big Bus tour, Trevi Fountain (too crowded to throw in a coin, and we did that in Dec. anyway), Piazza Navona, and Pantheon. Had a (very) leisurely lunch at the restaurant of the Accademia Hotel en route to Trevi. Lots of rococo decor, but very nice (and air-conditioned, which the crowded & cheap touristy News Cafe and the unrelated Accademia Cafe--where we ate last time--were not). Had house-made spaghetti alla vongole (wonderful tiny clams, pasta perfectly al dente) and a no-cheese tuna-and-artichoke pizza, which was delicious. After some walking around (and souvenir & drug shopping--Voltaren gel and Ventolin inhalers, both of which require Rxs and cost a bundle Stateside), we went into Don Nino for gelato (Valentino may be higher-rated, but Don Nino just won the Gelato World Cup). Delicious--deep dark chocolate and ricotta cannoli flavors. Bob had the chocolate and creme bruleé. After we walked to the Pantheon (breathtakingly beautiful, still redolent of incense after Mass) and Piazza Navona, we caught the free shuttle back to the hotel. Free exec. lounge dinner buffet was orecchiette pasta alla vodka, grilled eggplant, deep-fried stuffed olive arancini, baby greens salad, tomatoes and cheeses. Waiter kept refilling our glasses with Sangiovese and would not take “no, grazie” for an answer.

One thing I neglected to mention: the one boring (except in the hotel) food we encountered in Italy (Rome and Tuscany) was “insalata mixta,” or green salad. Bob insisted on it. Meh. Mostly iceberg lettuce, sometimes romaine, shredded carrots, red onion and a couple of tomato wedges. Oil & vinegar on the side. I guess Italians prefer their veggies either grilled or sauteéd, or raw greens aren’t an integral part of their diet the way pasta is. (They rarely snack and walk a lot more than we do, though). I make a better mixed green salad than we had over there.

Yesterday morning, grabbed a coffee in the hotel before walking (painfully--plantar fasciitis, possible stress fx or cuboid syndrome in R foot) to the terminal. Lunch was airplane food--shrimp salad & beef stew, dinner a mediocre calzone. But hunger prevailed, so I ate--and had a glass of prosecco and one of red wine, plus surprisingly decent espresso & instant cappucino from the galley, and lots of water. Got a wheelchair for the “long march” at O’Hare--Bob didn’t get embarrassed (as he usually does if I ask for assistance) because he could see the swelling. Breezed through Border Control & Customs.

Cabbed it home--to find a sill lined with tomatoes in varying degrees of ripeness (our housekeeper had had to give the ripest ones to the neighbors because she has her own bumper crop, and our son hates tomatoes--don’t know where he got that gene). So after rescuing the slightly ripe ones still on the vine as well as a huge hard green one that fell to the deck as I watched (in order to keep them safe from the squirrels, who’d nabbed 5 while we were away), I sliced up the ripest ones (about to rot) and garnished them with olive oil, sea salt, pepper and lots of basil (those plants are going wild) for dinner. Defrosted a grass-fed NY strip to grill, because Bob wanted to open the Chianti Riserva the winery gave us to take home while we await the case to be delivered later this week. Seasoned the steak with kosher and espresso salts and several grinds of black pepper. Also made a blueberry balsamic/lime olive oil/walnut oil vinaigrette for the last of the arugula and mini-lettuces. No starch--we both ate way too much pasta in Italy. Dined al fresco. No dessert either. We hit the hay before midnight and slept in this morning. Needed every last “z” we'd caught.

Forgot to say that you look marvelous in the picture, Lacey.

OK--taking a vote as to what to make for dinner tonight: pan-seared salmon (they had Coho fillets on sale at Whole Foods yesterday) or spiralized zucchini “cacio e pepe” (they also had a little remnant of cacio sheep-milk cheese)? Asparagus and tomatoes on the side, regardless. No wine--had way too much during vacay--just seltzer in a wine glass.

Oh Eric and Special Your cats sound insane.

Sandy, your dishes still sound great

Thank you Carole, you and your husband's lifestyle looks so wonderful!

So yesterday I met my daughter in RI and we bought a bunch of stuff online for my new apt. Her hubby works for Wayfair and we got 1/3 off.

I'm bringing some stuff up from Atlanta (I lived in a furnished cabin before this move)

So for dinner last night baked potato and salad and corn on the cob at DD and SIL. They are so cute. SIL proudly mentioned that they grill out every Sunday and they sweetly asked if I had enough food without the steak. I tasted a small bite. It tasted spicy?! For breakfast coffee and a cheese sandwich

I am so looking forward to getting back to RI and Newport and the ocean.

I tried to attach a picture of a tractor and my cat but couldn't (My life in the country) Tonight more strep

The Infirmary is an activity and place to go when you are bored or need . That's supposed to be a heart sign, it may be wrong

carole - Hi!!! We have missed you!

lacey - looks like a great setting and party - you all look great!

chisandy - I have vicariously enjoyed your description of your Italy trip and the meals - always fun to read about the same footsteps taken, we did Rome in '09 to celebrate my DH's retirement from military active duty. Need to go back!

minus - DH is out of town so I had some free time, since I am not making dinner, and took the opportunity to go through all of his dress pants hanging in the closet - guess what I found? His coin! He was so happy! He is missing the gene for retracing his steps, so it was actually in the pocket of a pair of pants he had worn quite a bit earlier so the coin was missing for longer than he thought. Unfortunately for me - and my lower back, his pants are on the bottom rod in the closet and I was in a bent over position and started at the wrong end of all the pants, the coin was in the second to last pair. For those who are unfamiliar with the military coin tradition - it is a challenge coin, so you carry it with you and if someone "coins" you, you pull your coin out to show them. It is like a membership insignia, but if you are without yours you owe them a beer. He had designed this coin along with a handful of others in his organization, the General was given coin #1 in the series, and his missing coin is coin #2, so he was sad when it was lost. I am glad I found it, made his day. The cat is vindicated, but was guilty of the ring theft - I found that also under my hanging clothes, way at the back of the wall.

lacey - he's a pretty smart cat - I bet he would find things in exchange for treats! I will work on that asap! Actually I will discuss with my DD, who is actually an animal trainer, lol!

lacey - don't know how you feel about giving your friend nuts, but I thought this sounded delish:

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/recipe/sweet-and-salty-roasted-nuts

Lacey - found this in the Chicago Trib. No sugar. Sorry, can't figure out how to make smaller or remove the double spacing.

Savory Zucchini Clafouti

Prep: 45 minutes Bake: 25 minutes Makes: 6 servings

3 pounds young zucchini, sliced into 1/4-inch thick discs

2 large shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

About 1 tablespoon butter, for pan

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1. Roast: Toss zucchini and shallots with olive oil. Spread out in a single layer on two large rimmed baking sheets. Slide sheets onto the lowest racks of a 425-degree oven. Roast, turning zucchini once and switching position of pans once, until zucchini turn tender and golden brown, about 35 minutes.

2. Grease: Meanwhile, butter a 9-inch round baking pan. (An idle pie plate will do.) Sprinkle with half the cheese. Set aside.

3. Mix: Whisk together eggs, milk, cream, flour, vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Set aside.

4. Season: When vegetables are roasted, toss with thyme, zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Let cool a few minutes.

5. Bake: Scrape vegetables into the prepared pan. Pour in egg mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Set on a rimmed baking sheet and slide onto the center rack of a 425-degree oven. Bake until clafouti is brown, slightly puffed and set (a knife stabbed in the center should come out clean), 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

lacey - the recipe minus included looks much like a quiche/frittata - so if you have a fave one of those already that might be a good choice.

Last night didn't cook, but did bake. It was DD's 27th b-day (she is my youngest) and she and her friend ordered a couple of pizzas, a BBQ chicken one and a veggie with balsamic drizzle, and I baked her a "chocolate on chocolate" cake, her favorite. Devil's food cake with milk chocolate frosting. DH and his boss missed their flight to FL from NC and all the flights to their destination for today were already sold out, so they grabbed a hotel near the airport and already flew home this morning. He went from the airport to his office, so he is home a day early. They will do the northern FL trip another time, and they go to California next week - busy, busy!!!

Susan has been unusually quiet - hope she is just busy, a little worried about her.