Smoke ~ Fire Size ~ Weather Service Prediction ~ Local Bear Statue w/ Particulate Mask ~ Citizen's Alerts ~ Picture of the Day ~ Zucchini ~ Crustless Veggie Pie ~ Bruiser ~ National Chicken Wing Day

Good 52º smokey morning.

We keep praying for the wildfire to be put out and the smoke to go away...........  

Unfortunately as of yesterday evening the Canyonville Fire has grown to over 11,000 acres!!! It is about 5% contained. 

This national weather service site showed the following...

Let's hope they are right, but doesn't sound like it will happen!

We have bear statues all around Rogue River and Grants Pass where The Bear Hotel is ... https://www.evergreenfederal.bank/bear-hotel

Click on the link and then click on Bearfest to see photos of the bears made and around town. The one of the bear with the rooster is in Rogue River, as we are home to the Rooster Crow Weekend....

I had to laugh as our town's State Farm Office, agent Dean Stirm ... he has a bear in front with a particulate mask on for the smoke!

Click here to see a lot more of the bear statues...

https://steemit.com/art/@pyrowngs/the-bears-have-returned-to-the-streets-of-grants-pass

Yesterday I signed up for Citizen Alerts for Josephine and Jackson Counties... you can sign up for them too. Go to: http://www.rvem.org/

You can get emergency alerts and road closures if you live in this area. Sign up for computer alert, home phone alert, and or cell phone alert.

Picture of the Day

Interesting about zucchini.........

The zucchini (/zuːˈkiːni/, American English) or courgette (/kʊərˈʒɛt/, British English) is a summer squash, of Mesoamerican origin (Mesoamerica is a historical region and cultural area in North America. It extends from approximately central Mexico through Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and northern Costa Rica, and within this region pre-Columbian societies flourished before the Spanish colonization of the Americas.) , which can reach nearly 39 inches in length, but is usually harvested when still immature at about 6 to 10 inches. 

A zucchini is a thin-skinned cultivar of what in Britain and Ireland is referred to as a marrow. In South Africa, a zucchini is known as a baby marrow.

Along with certain other squashes and pumpkins, the zucchini belongs to the species Cucurbita pepo. It can be dark or light green. A related hybrid, the golden zucchini, is a deep yellow or orange color.

In a culinary context, the zucchini is treated as a vegetable; it is usually cooked and presented as a savory dish or accompaniment. Botanically, zucchinis are fruits, a type of botanical berry called a "pepo", being the swollen ovary of the zucchini flower.

Zucchini, like all squash, has its ancestry in the Americas. However, the varieties of green, cylindrical squash harvested immature and typically called "zucchini" were cultivated in northern Italy, as much as three centuries after the introduction of cucurbits from the Americas. It appears that this occurred in the second half of the 19th century, although the first description of the variety under the name zucchini occurs in a work published in Milan in 1901. Early varieties usually appended the names of nearby cities in their names.

The first records of zucchini in the United States date to the early 1920s. It was almost certainly taken to America by Italian immigrants and probably was first cultivated in the United States in California. A 1928 report on vegetables grown in New York State treats 'Zucchini' as one among 60 cultivated varieties of C. pepo.

Crustless Veggie Pie

Great idea for lunch, brunch, or a light main dish at dinner. This turns your favorite veggies into a crustless pie that spins the mystery of what to serve into a whole bunch of hoorays!

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 medium-sized zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium-sized onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 medium-sized fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) whole tomatoes, drained
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• and pepper to taste
• 1 cup (4 ounces) mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced or shredded

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil; saute the eggplant, zucchini, and onion for 7 to 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add the tomatoes; cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until mixture is quite soft. (If using canned tomatoes, reduce cooking time to 10 minutes.) 
    
2. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool. Preheat oven to 350º. 
    
3. In a small bowl. Beat the eggs in 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the parsley, basil, and oregano. 
    
4. Add the cheese mixture to the sauteed vegetables; season with salt and pepper. 
    
5. Pour half the mixture into a greased 10-inch pie pan and sprinkle another 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese over the top. Add remaining vegetable mixture and then the remaining Parmesan cheese. 
    
6. Top with mozzarella and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until sat and golden brown

***This is also super for some of those leftover bottom-of-the-vegetable-bin-and-starting-to-go-soft veggies.

Historically this date......

1948 – Olympic Games: The Games of the XIV Olympiad – after a hiatus of 12 years caused by World War II, the first Summer Olympics to be held since the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, open in London, England, United Kingdom.

.... .and 64 years later they are back in London! (2012)

1965 – Vietnam War: the first 4,000 101st Airborne Division paratroopers arrive in Vietnam, landing at Cam Ranh Bay.

And births this date include...

1892 – William Powell, American actor (d. 1984)

1924 – Robert Horton, American actor (d.2016)

 

1933 – Robert Fuller, American actor

 

Yesterday Bruiser made himself comfortable on my desk!

All I know. Nuff said. Happy Monday. Ciao.

xo Sue Mom Bobo 

On July 29th, National Chicken Wing Day encourages a frenzy of dipping and sauce tasting. With so many choices, be sure to pace yourself! 

The day celebrates the little appetizer that could. Also known as buffalo wings, hot wings or just wings, we eat about 290 per year. While a chicken has two wings per bird, it produces four of these tasty morsels. That’s because when we dissect the wing, we break it down into the wingette, drumette, and tip. The wingette and drumette get seasoned and fried into the deliciousness we devour at tailgate parties and trivia nights.

While many people do call them hot wings, one of the most popular sauces is ranch dressing. Another go-to dip is bleu cheese. Although, plenty of spicy sauces fill the menus. Since chicken wings are usually deep-fried, celery, carrots or other crunchy veggies accompany the dish to counterbalance the spice and fat. 

HOW TO OBSERVE

Head out to your restaurant of choice and order some chicken wings.  

HISTORY

After a number of years of different establishments selling their version of Buffalo Wings, the city of Buffalo, NY in 1977 proclaimed July 29th to be National Chicken Wing Day.  Establishments like the Anchor Bar, Wings n’ Things and Duff’s all became famous for their wings.