A Second Life for Mashed Potatoes Part I

I took a detour from the norm and in lieu of Mashed Potato Pancakes I decided to make a PlannedOver out of a PlannedOver!  Gnocchi, like so many good things in life, is rather time consuming- it is not impossible or even terribly difficult, but if you are going to invest the time - you might as well make it very worth your while.  I started with PlannedOver mashed potatoes and to that added 2 eggs and some AP flour.

Mashed

Mashed with Egg

Potatoes with egg and flour

The amount of flour you will use will be highly dependent on both how wet your mashed potatoes are, and how humid it is outside. You want just enough flour for the dough to hold a soft shape.  If you overwork the dough - you will know it in the form of tough finished product.  Lightly working the dough and keeping it somewhat loose is the key to ethereally light pillow soft gnocchi.  It will take experimentation and you'll probably have some ledden pellets before you achive gnocchi perfection and that is simple part of the learning process.  If it is your very first time I would recommend dividing the mashed potatoes into fourths, add some beaten egg and slowly incorperate AP flour until you think you've got it right.  Keep a pot of salted water on a boil while you work and drop a piece of dough in from time to time to check your work.  Most importantly - have fun with it.

Onto stage two.  We will roll out the dough on a floured surface into long strands.

Then using a fork - cut to your desired length.

Now here is where PlannedOver part two comes into play.  I put all of my gnocchi onto a sheet pan and into the freezer!!

Once frozen I transfer to a gallon freezer ziplock and now you do have an elegant side that is last minute time friendly.

Stay tuned for next week for taking these beauties from blah beige to gorgeous golden brown!

Happy gnocching and Happy Eating!!!

The Roast of PlannedOver Future

So the not so wee one and I recently attended Atlantic Stage's production of "A Christmas Carol"  It was an amazing, and rather large, production with a record cast of 24 actors.  And with the ghosts of Christmas' Past, and Present and Future and it's not so subtle message of "the reason for the season" I got excited.  I've been pretty stoked for the holidays as I am every year with the decorating and menu planning, and anticipation for family arriving and memories created.  What I have been significantly less than stoked about is the buying and the shopping and the finding of the presents.  It is one thing to find a unique and special something for someone, something you know they will cherish and love.  But buying for the sake of

buying is offering me absolutely zero satisfaction.  So I'm not.  I just am not.  Will be interesting to see how this all plays out, but for sure I will be happy about it!

So in honor of the Ghost of Chritstmas Future - I present the Roast of Future PlannedOvers.

This recipe came from Epicurious and the reviews are spot on!  I of course modified with what I had on hand which included Bell's Seasoning, Garlic a splash of white wine and some Smokey Mustard. This product is quite possibly one of my very favorite things and can be added to a myriad of dressings, sauces, vegetables, marinades, and take it to an entire whole new level.

Happy Eating!!! Enjoy!

Patty Cakes and Arancini

So the idea came to me in the form of arancini with my plannedover Spanish rice.  But it was a weeknight and lets be really honest with ourselves in that I am not really partial to deep frying anything.  But the concept was there and that was a good enough start for me!  I followed the premise and basic directions as  Potato Pancakes, using a little egg and breadcrumbs to bind, and then I added a GENEROUS handful of grated Parm.  Because we all know everything is better with cheese!

Formed into pattys

Then a brief stint in the saute pan with a kiss of olive oil!!

Happy Eating!  Enjoy!

I love love love roasting vegetables.  Pretty much any and all and for the seven followers of this blog- my mom is sooo proud and one of them- you know this about me.  I love the way the tantalizing aroma fills the house before dinner.  I love the textural change that occurs.  And I especially love the caramelization of the natural sugars in the veggies into something more than they were to begin with.  My obsession is real and has been going on for close to10 years.  It all started innocently enough as I sat trolling the internet looking for recipes.  I came across one for Roasted Cauliflower that stated no matter how much of this you made, you would not have any leftovers.  I was intrigued.  I read many, many reviews and by the time I upped and headed for home I knew I was going to be making some roasted cauliflower that evening.  And I did.  And it was amazing.  And I have been roasting it up ever sense. 

My method is simple and IMHO (not that I really have one) THE BEST!  Separate a head of cauliflower and cut florets to maximize the amount of flat surface.  It is the flat surface on the pan that creates the beautiful golden  and you want to maximize the amount of flat cauli touching pan.  Trust me.  Spray it all down with Pam or toss with olive oil and a touch of salt, 425 oven 30 minutes.  Deliciousness. 

So this weeks plannedover starts with some amazingly delicious roasted veggies, a hungry husband, and not a lot of time and what do you get?  This amazing omelet.

Happy Eating!  Enjoy 

And just what am I suppose to do with all that Turkey?

I hope that you and your loved ones had a fantastic memory filled, perfectly orchestrated, cooked to perfection Thanksgiving.  Or if your family gatherings are more akin to the Griswold's, I hope you survived and are now safely home.   Either way, you have probably had your fill of turkey, turkey sandwiches, and carbtastically overloaded- the turkey dinner sandwich, in which a little bit of all of the components that comprise the T-Day dinner get enrobed in bread and eaten out of hand, most likely over the kitchen sink.  But the poor overlooked turkey that seems to only make it's debut in the fourth quarter each year, is as versitle as chicken and can be used in leiu in any and every recipe which calls for cooked chicken.  But you went and hit the midnight/earlybird/all day/can't miss/you are never going to see a deal like this again ever in your life sale shopping.  And you are tired.  I get it.  So I have provided some great links to inspire you to create something so awesome with your PlannedOver turkey - you just might cook one EVERY quarter next year!

Stuffed Pumpkin - how delicious would this be with turkey, sourdough, cubed brie, pine nuts, and crasins?  Maybe even throw in a few mushrooms and a little chopped thyme!!!

Turkey Pot Pie - always a hit and a great way to use up gravy as well

Thai Curry Turkey - this certainally won't taste like your Thanksgiving dinner.  Unless of course you had Thai for Thanksgiving, in which case make yourself a turkey sandwich.

Next-Day Turkey Soup with Mashed Potato Polpetti - Finish off your turkey AND your mashed potatoes!

Turkey Enchiladas - for a quick supper with a nod south of the Border.

Happy Eating!!!  Enjoy!

Potato Pork Produces Pot Pasta

Who doesn't love that alteration?  Lot of pasta of late, that probably means the weather is turning cool and the stove's lure tends to win over going outside to grill. Although I do grill year round it is funny how READY I am to head out to grill in the springtime and how equally READY I am to focus on indoor cooking in the fall, or to be more geographically specific, when the temperatures start to dip.  The older I've gotten the more I really look forward to and really crave the foods of the various seasons.  Menu items in the short future include butternut squash, collards, sweet potatoes and caramelized onions.  I find myself turning to baked, roasted and pan searing as preferential cooking methods.  I think the simple act of turning the oven on warms me.  The cooler temps and darker days encourage us inside and focus us on home and the special people in our lives that make it so.

In this vein, I made a quick weeknight supper of stuffed baked potatoes baking up some russets and topping with ground turkey, broccoli and a cheddar cheese sauce.  Friday found me with more time to devote to dinner and I decided to take my PlannedOver turkey and turn it into a tasty treat!  Michael loves pasta and it, along with eggs, and salad can pretty much turn anything into a PlannedOver!  I started a roux with butter and flour and made a sauce using PlannedOver greens broth as well as a can of chicken broth, finished it off with a generous handful of Parmesan cheese.  Into the pot went the ground turkey, cooked pasta and broccoli.  I like to slightly under cook my pasta and let it finish in the sauce.  I feel like the pasta absorbs some of the sauce and becomes infinitely more flavorful.

I would love to hear what you do with your PlannedOvers and Pasta!

Enjoy!  Happy Eating!

PlannedOver via MIL

We were out of town recently to attend a convention for our travel company Take the Trip and my husband's mom graciously offered to house sit and keep an eye on the baby doggy and the not so baby teenager.  I am always grateful for Spencer to stay at home rather than board him for any length of time, and the teenager is also very grateful to NOT have a change in his routine.  As a show of my appreciation I like to cook a few things for them to have on hand for suppers and snacks and the like, upon our return it seems as though my plannie nature has rubbed off and she created the ultimate planned over!  What began as our farewell dinner of pasta, greeted our return as soup combining many elements of many meals planned in our absense!!!  Brilliant.

Planned Over Rotisserary Chicken
Stock 
Planned Over Greens
Planned Over Pasta

Enjoy!!! Happy Eating!!

What was once Pot Roast is now Pasta

I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but I live with two very carnivorous males.  One of which is of the teenage species, and I'll use that term lightly.  For anyone who has been one, or has been around one, you know, I know you know.  The teen male in my house can eat large quantities of well, pretty much anything, but especially meat.  So it should not have really come as any surprise to me that as the end of the week neared and time to survey the scene of the inside of my refrigerator unfolded, I found this.  The container which had previously held the plannedovered chuck roast in it's delicious sauce, now contained only sauce.  But it was really good sauce and destined to once again serve a starring role.  I decided on an uber savory mac and cheese of sorts and got to work. A quick whir of the immersion blender got things started and I began a bechamel on the stove with a little, flour, butter and milk.  To that I found some odds and ends cheesed which was quickly grated and added to the bechamel as was the plannedover chuck roast sauce. Some sauteed spinach, onions and mushrooms amped  up the umami factor and it all was tossed with spiral pasta.

Happy Eating!!! 

Sundried Tomataoes and the bits

Since it has been grey here for 10 solid days, the lure of the grill has been absolutely absent,  and I find myself creating menus and planning dinners that all involve the oven.  We had a roast on Sunday, and baked ziti another.  I find myself hungry for and wanting something WARM, and wanting something that comes without the requirement for me to go outside.  Did I mention the grey?  For days?

Towards week's end, rifleing through my veggie drawer turned up quite a few vegetable odds and ends.  I had lots of a little bit.  A little bit of brussel sprouts, a little bit of onion, a little bit of Asparagus, and a little bit of green beans, and a bag of shredded broccoli. If you have never used this product it is beyond fabulous.  Stir - fries - sauteed with pasta- a nutritionally packed powerhouse coleslaw- and in it's current application  - roasted - it's, as Martha would say, A Good Thing.
Splitting 12 green beans three ways was out as was cooking three separate vegetable dishes. So in PlannedOver fashion I took it all and turned my leftover veggies into a fantastic dish.  All my bits plus a bag of shredded broccoli spent about 45 minutes in a 425 oven creating not only an enticing aroma but a delicious use of spare parts.
Green beans- snapped and rough chopped
Brussel Sprouts - halved lenghthwise
Asparagus - woody ends trimmed and cut into bite size pieces
Onion - large chopped
Bag O Broccoli Slaw - open and dump
Toss all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Drizzle with olive oil or Garlic oil if you are so fortunate to have that on hand.  Add about 1/4 cup sun dried tomato puree or pesto, and salt and pepper - toss again to combine and spread on a oiled sheet pan.  Bake for 45 minutes stiring twice.

The bonus PlannedOver?  Taking the remaining roasted deliciousness and tossing it in a salad the next day with a crumble of goat cheese..........



Happy Eating!!! Enjoy

Crack.....I mean Roasted Green Beans

Why are you rereading this particular post?  See below

a. Because I've had a very busy week 
b. Because for the past two weeks I have been fortunate enough to get green beans in my CSA delivery
c. Because they are just so, so, very good
d. all of the above

Lets go with D and call it a day!  I hope you have a wonderful week and happy eating!!!


So you make some marinara or a lasagna or some sloppy joes and you find your self with an open half empty can of tomato paste.  Instead of putting it in the fridge only to be discovered weeks later covered with a grey green mossy layer, not that I’ve ever had that experience, PlannedOver and use it to make Roasted Green Beans with Tomato and Goat Cheese

Unlike the crack dealer who will give you a free sample to get you hooked, I’m telling you in advance these things are good.   I hereby issue a full disclosure that I, am almost certainly, full fledged addicted to these beans.  I could eat them daily, probably more than one time a day to boot.  Unfortunately for me, the other two members of my household feel quite fondly of them as well.

My love of roasted vegetables began in 2004 and if it can be chopped and put on a sheet pan, I have more than likely roasted it.  Green Beans came to me via a Cooks Illustrated promotional magazine.  I never got the subscription but I certainally have gotten a LOT of use out of this recipe. A Brief Google search located  The Cookbook Critic which has the original recipe from Cooks.  That particular issue also had a variation to include sun dried tomatoes, goat cheese, and Olives.  One winter evening I was stark raving craving green beans and tomatoes.  I really don’t have any clue as to why, but this little stunner was born that night and has been enjoyed countless times since!

Tomato Paste

Garlic Oil

Goat Cheese

Salt

Mix above ingredients in a mixing bowl, then toss trimmed beans with the tomatoey goodness.

Bake in a 400 oven for 30-40 minutes taking out to stir about half way through cooking.

Eat.  Enjoy. Repeat.

Do you see the little black charrie parts?  That is proof of goodness in this world, and there is really nothing else I can add to that.

Costco and "Crumbled Croutons"

So like millions of American’s I too am a Costco shopper.  I go for produce, #10 cans of tomatoes for Sunday Gravy, an excellent meat, wine and CHEESE selection, and various other odds and ends. I am not quite to the level of my parents, whom, I’m quite convinced might perish if it closed as I’m pretty confident that approximately 90% of their diet is procured from said megastore. There are riots and mass email campaigns started by the aforementioned when the oatmeal cookies were discontinued.  Riots.  Don’t judge, it is what it is. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got my weekly staples too, Romaine, Mushrooms, and the big ole giant bag-o-Broccoli- well I guess the last one is biweekly it is a rather LARGE bag.  And what do I DO with all of said broccoli?  Well, probably the same as you.  I roast it, I steam it, sometimes it gets pureed and made into soup, or pasta sauce.  One day fairly recently I found myself with not really much left but the smallish dregs at the bottom of the bag and wanting to find a use for them, I decided to create a “crouton” of sorts for my favorite Grilled Ceasar Salad

It really added a nice crunch and gluten free!!!

Heat oven to 425

Toss broccoli “crumbles” with EVOO and a little salt

Bake 25 minutes

Top Grilled Ceasar.

Enjoy

Happy Eating!

Tor Tee A, or Tor Till A for you Midwesterners, and my mother in law

If you were like me, some 13 plus years ago, you believed that a tortilla was used as a wrapper of sorts for all kinds of goodies.  Be it a cheese and onion filled and sauced enchiladas, or a meaty, beany, ricey stuffed to the gills burrito, or even a deep fried version filled with crispy lettuce, spicy meat and cheese taco, the tortilla was the common denominator.

Tortilla according to Wikipedia,  is a type of thin flatbread made from finely ground wheat flour.

Tortillas are a staple food of both Mexico and Central America, and my very own sister, who has officially won, even at her tender young age of (not really going to tell) the Guinness Book record for number of tortillas eaten by the person with the fairest complexion.  Just saying, the girl can eat her some tortillas.

But did you also know that the very name or the humble wrapper is based on the Spanish tortilla meaning small “torte” or small cake.  And it is THIS tortilla of which I had no knowledge of prior to my stint at a tapas bar in, “Famously Hot”  Columbia, South Cackalakie.  While researching just what we should be serving in a Spanish style tapas bar, as well as the wonderful Mezzes of the Greek Isles, and the Venetian cicchetti, I came across a tortilla that was very unlike it’s flatbread namesake.

This tortilla could be served warm or room temperature and, like so many recipes as old as time the variations are endless.  Common ingredients include, egg, and onion and potatoes.  Sometimes the potatoes are cubed, sometimes sliced au gratin style and sometimes, as in my case, they are PlannedOver.  So mashed potatoes become mashed potato cakes, but what do mashed potato cakes become?  You guessed it, Tortilla Española.

• 6 eggs beaten
• 2 PlannedOver Potato Pancakes
• Chopped Onion
• Oil

Saute onion until translucent in oil in an oven proof skillet.  Break apart potato pancake and add to skillet stirring to mix.  Pour eggs over potato/onion mixture and let bottom set.  Transfer to a 350 oven and bake until set.  Invert pan over a plate, cut into wedges and serve!

Tortilla Española

Brazillian Cheese Bread aka Pao

This is not so much of a plannedover, but then again it most certainly can be as it is a great way to use up those odds and ends of cheese loitering in your deli drawer.  I fell in absolute love with these delights 11 years ago upon my first visit to Brazil.  Typically eaten with a cafezinho in the morning, the magnificent flavor and uniquely chewy texture of these little bites can be positively addicting.  I, of course, wanted to be able to make them the minute I landed back in the good old US of A and at that time it proved rather difficult, although not impossible.  Now, with the gluten free movement becoming so humongous recipes, mixes and even frozen product are readily available and easy to use, and typically I make these using a mix called Chebe.  If you have been reading for awhile, I am sure it will come as absolutely no surprise that I increase the amount of cheese by two, because as we all know, you can never really have enough cheese.

The other day, I had a hankering for some of these delicious morsels and headed straight into the pantry to grab a packet of mix to get to making, and alas, there was none.  There was however a package of tapioca flour from my hugely misguided attempt at making noodles after returning from China.  Epic failure.  So, like everyone on the planet who needs something, I turned to Google.  I don’t think that I have Googled a recipe for Pao de queijo for 8 years and what I came across was an entirely new and very easy method using a blender and a mini-muffin plan.  I found this same method across MANY sites, all highly rated, so I decided to give it a whirl - pun intended.

The result was kind of a hybrid product, a cross between a popover and a pao de queijo. The stem being light and airy and the “muffin top” carrying the characteristic chew I so love. Make up a batch and see if you don't devour the entire batch!

Pao de queijo

Ok with my CSA

When you are a planner, as I so apparently am, you do a lot of things in a particular order.  You plan your menus, plan your shopping lists, and your shopping trips.  And all of this planning, while time saving in the long run, can get a little bit boring and I can find myself sometimes in a bit of a rut.  Then springtime rolls around with it’s beautiful weather and my weekly CSA delivery to change things up just enough to keep me on my toes.  Vegetables appear that I would not normally put on my menus or shopping lists, and my great desire to use all of the beautiful ingredients in my delivery box, spurs my creativity.  Sometimes I create a masterpiece, and sometimes - well not so much, but I do enjoy being pushed outside of my comfort zone and the opportunity to try something new.

Roasted Okra.  Who knew.  I’ll tell you what I did NOT know, and that was what in the world to do with this giant ziplock of purple okra that showed up in my CSA box one week.  Um, Okra?  I haven’t had you since an unfortunate incident in an elementary school cafeteria in Montgomery Alabama many moons ago.  It was late so I reached for my go to  easy vegetable recipe - toss it with olive oil and salt and put in a 425 oven.  OKRA!!!  I have been know now to actually go to the store to buy it myownself.  Roasted okra is quite possibly the best preparation for this unique vegetable and it is delicious!  Even after I plate, my beloved and I both sneak into the kitchen to eat more, it’s that delish. I'm actually a little bit sad as I type this because I don't think there is any left.  And it is equally excellent on day two!

Okra - cut in half lengthwise

EVOO

Salt

Toss okra, oil and salt spread cut side down on a sheet pan and roast in a 425 oven for 25-30 minutes.  

Let me know if you make this and please tell me what you think about it!

Enjoy!  Happy Eating.

Hail Ceasar

After last weeks pepper poppers I purposefully pondered plannedovers.  And used my plannedover anchovies to make one of my very all time favorite salads EVER, the Grilled Ceasar.  I debuted* this salad when we opened SeaBlue nine years ago.  And while the menu has gone through several changes, both seasonally and concept wise, this trusty tasty staple remains.  I LOVE this salad and if I have been out of town for any stretch of time it is one of the top three things that I must have in my first few days upon return.  My darling husband usually does the grilling and we have it down to a pretty exact science of a total of 6 minutes of grilling time.  He prefers his served whole, drizzled with dressing and topped with a thinly sliced avocado. And eats it fork and knife style.  I, being me, like mine chopped and I add thinly sliced mushrooms and toss it all together.   I can not even begin to convey the absolute deliciousness of dressing, creamy avocado, and charred romaine, I am beginning to drool as I type.  Have I mentioned it’s good?  Scratch that, it’s divine!

Romaine - I like to use the hearts

Anchovies

Lemon Juice

Coleman’s Mustard

EVOO

Garlic

Nonstick cooking spray

Avocados

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Put Anchovies through garlic into a pyrex and use an immersion blender slowly adding oil until dressing binds. Cut Romaine in half lengthwise and spray cut side and sprinkle with salt.  Place on heated grill 3 minutes per side.  Top with sliced avocado, freshly ground black pepper and a liberal sprinkling of Parm.

Enjoy!

Happy Eating

*IF anyone ACTUALLY knows how to spell this word WITHOUT spell check - I just want you to know one thing.......YOU AMAZE ME!!!

Jalepenos and Anchovies

We planted a garden this year, the first time really for both of us and as we were at the garden center picking out just what exactly it was we were planning on planting, we hit a glitch.  You see, my darling husband, who does absolutely not, like spicy food, wanted to buy 5 jalapeno pepper plants.  At that very exact moment, I am planning on just what exactly I am going to do with the abundance of peppers that we are sure to produce a few months down the road.  I’m a planner.  He is thinking it would be fun to plant peppers, I am thinking about picking the peppers and producing something palatable and pleasing*.   So now we have come to perhaps our third pepper harvest and I HAVE found something that all of my peeps thoroughly do enjoy.  We call them poppers, although not the traditionally fried that are ubiquitously present on every chain restaurant menu from here to Shanghai.

My father in law advised me to wait to pick peppers until the skin develops a cracked texture.  

With only three ingredients, the recipe is delightfully simple and I will admit that even those who are sworn haters of anchovies really seem to like these.

Jalapenos

Cream Cheese - regular or light

Anchovies

Cut the jalapenos in half lengthwise and discard ribs and seeds - if they are really big cut in half again.  Smoosh a glob of cream cheese to cover the bottom of the pepper and top with a piece of anchovy.  Place on a prepared baking sheet.  Pop in a 350 oven for 30 minutes..... Enjoy

Happy Eating!!!

Travel Plans

I, as evidenced by this blog, am a planner.  I don't know if this is a hardwired trait or a learned response.  Nature or nurture as it were.  I do know that there is an abundance of bad food available and why on this sweet earth would anyone want to, by choice, eat bad food?  I also know that bad food, at least for me, seems to be, oh so, so much more readily available than that which is of good quality, nutritious, and delicious.  So I plan.

As a planner, and a person who particularly does not like to waste, food inventory and meal planning have become an almost second nature to me.  Ask for something out of the fridge and both males in my house simply stare, vacantly, into the bright cool light of the refrigerator.  They both seem somewhat stupefied by turning raw ingredients into, dinner.  And these are both highly intelligent males.  So I get it. My brain, for whatever reason, works differently. It is what it is.

So prior to leaving on the Great American Road-trip, I consulted Tripit and learned our flight was due to arrive home around mid afternoon and wouldn't it be great if I could have something ready to pull out of the freezer for suppa.  Also I had a mess of veggies from the following week that I wanted to put to good use, in addition to the Tomato Butter Sauce from Food 52.

Call it finding joy in the small stuff, but I get great pleasure out of emptying a dishwasher full of tupperware.  That is a sure indication that I have used up all of our PlannedOvers.  It is amplified when leaving for a trip to know that not only have you used up all of the produce in the house, a delicious and easy part of a meal awaits your return.

I found myself with some roasted squash, roasted veggies, caramalized onions, and the tomato sauce.

All components went into a bowl and a few olives and a crumble of Goat cheese rounded things out nicely, and into the freezer to await our return.  It might seem like a lot of planning to have your dinner decided for the day of your return before you even go onto your trip.  And it is.  But the reward.  Nothing can ever replace the calming knowledge, as I wait on a plane that will land 2 hours after it's scheduled arrival time, that I have something delicious waiting for me at home.  And planning for the delay in travel, is a plan that will bring you great serenty.

Happy Eating!

Good Old Arizona Road Trip Part 2

Day Four:  A beautiful sunrise met us this morning and we decided, based on my aversion to heights and ledges, to split up and see seperate areas.=. The guys headed on a four mile hike along Bright Angel Trail and I took the 9 mile Rim Trail from the Village to Hermits Rest.  Majestic views were had by all and we all slept quite well.  

Day Five: We started the day with the obligatory photo “On the Corner of Winslow, Arizona” complete with the song playing on the radio as we made our way down the road, for a long stretch of driving through the Painted Desert loop with a stop in The Petrified National Forest, ending in Globe Arizona at The Dream Manor Inn.

Day Six:  We set out early for another day with lots of miles to cover, with our first stop in Oracle, Arizona to visit Biosphere 2, which was in one word, amazing.   The original purpose behind biosphere was to create a closed environment in which 8 people were sealed for a year to live.  It is now owned by the University of Arizona and used as a control to test all kinds of potential environmental factors. Leaving we headed southwest to Tombstone with all of the necessary stops like the OK Corral and Big Nose Kate’s .  We ended the long day of driving, coming full circle for 2 restful days in Phoenix.

All told we traveled 1300 miles and I can honestly say that I have never, in all of my travels, been anywhere quite like Arizona where a 25 minute drive can wholly and completely change the scenery that surrounds you.  I am again reminded that while travel abroad is wonderful, there are many amazingly exquisitely places to visit in this great country as well.