Portland, Oregon: Monday is my marketing day. Menus for the week have been set and I head out to shop - sometimes covering several different markets - to procure what is needed. On Thursday, I do a top-off shop... and if I am lucky, these two days will be the only two days I have to leave the mountain.
We had heavy rain overnight and woke to find deer munching away in our field. No large-game wildlife had been spotted for weeks, so we were so happy to see does with their nearly-adult-sized-fawns. I can't imagine how the deer have been suffering with no rain since June.
Many of the fire evacuations were lifted today because of the rain. People were allowed back to their homes after weeks in shelters, hotels or friend's homes. Snow fell at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. A dusting was received in Bend on Mt. Bachelor. Of course, with hills stripped of trees and foliage due to fire, there are now landslide warnings. It. Just. Never. Ends.
My Husband requested what is probably his Most Favorite Dinner Ever - Aglio Olio - for dinner tonight. Aglio Olio is only spaghetti tossed with browned garlic, chile flakes and olive oil. What could be easier and who doesn't have these ingredients in their house - or RV - pretty-much all the time? Though Aglio Olio can be garnished with grated Parmesan cheese, in Italy (and at our house) it is garnished with garlicky fried bread crumbs. This dish is always vegan at house.
The most time consuming aspect of this recipe is waiting for the water to boil. While the cooked pasta drains, olive oil, dried chile flakes and garlic are sautéed in a generous amount of olive oil in the pot used to boil the pasta. When the garlic begins to brown, the drained pasta is returned to the pot. Everything is tossed together and then the pasta is served. If you have garlicky breadcrumbs as a garnish, this is a good thing. If you don't, you don't. Ina Garten - The Barefoot Contessa - has a recipe for Aglio Olio. I do not. This dish does not require a recipe.Garlic bread crumbs can be produced by frying minced garlic in olive oil and adding panko bread crumbs to the browned garlic. Garlic bread crumbs can also be produced by crushing garlic croutons in a plastic sandwich bag. Whichever floats your boat.
I can't tell you how often DT orders this dish when we go out to an Italian restaurant - or how many times he has ordered it in Italy. Really? The most simple basic Italian pasta imaginable? He just LOVES it.
Tonight the pasta was served with a salad made with romaine and tomatoes, dressed in olive oil and lemon juice.Simple is best.
Until my next update, I remain, your crumby correspondent.