A Postcard a Day - Tuesday 22 March 2016 T for Almeria and things to comer

Good Morning folks,

How are you all doing? I am fine, healthy and in good spirits. I have lots of nice thing to look forward to. But first lets get down to business, i.e. the postcard for today:

This is one of the cards I have sent (rather than received) for a change. It is Almeria, the province next to us (we are in Granada province). We are going there on Wednesday to stay for a few days. This is a desert landscape. You can see the flowering agave in the photo and we will see the salt flats and the flamingoes as well as a beautiful coastline. It's no more than an hour or hour and a half drive from here. I'm really looking forward to it. The weather is quite mild.

The stamps that have come out recently are quite unusual:

This one 'celebrates' the 75th anniversary of the great fire of Santander in 1941. I have been to Santander last year (it is a city on the northcoast of Spain) and it is very beautiful. I never got the impression it was rebuilt. I use this one for My cards in Europe.

The other thing I am looking forward to is my birthday on Wednesday. I will start the day by opening my birthday cards in bed (with a cuppa). I have received four cards and I know there are two more to come but if they will arrive on time I don´t know... 

Then usually my husband takes me out to lunch. This time we are leaving for Almeria in our campervan (RV) in the afternoon/evening so I think we will have an evening meal in a restaurant somewhere near the campervan parking. We are on a diet but I will most definitely have a glass of wine! (Oh yes, Elizabeth, I will take a picture!)

I am linking up with Elizabeth and Bluebeard for T for Tuesday . To qualify one has to post something with a drink in it. So here is my drink related photo:

It is today's lunch table. As I said, we are on a diet so water is in order. I cooked courgettes au gratin, (crunchy top zucchini).

I'll give you the recipe at the end..

Now here is something to chuckle about: Yesterday I had made my DH a large mug of hot coffee. I was doing things in the kitchen and had wet hands. The mug slipped out of my fingers and all the coffee spilt (luckily not over me) over my Panasonic combi oven instructions book! It is an all-singing-all-dancing combi microwave/oven/grill, I've had it for years, but I cannot operate it without the instructions. 

 You know when wet books dry, all the pages stick together, so I had to put toilet roll paper between each page and there are 159 pages!! I was really annoyed.

But now I can laugh about it as one of the 'things that happen'.

That´s all from me today. Have a great Tuesday and a good week. See you all next week.

I've just realized I didnt show you my mini turtles. I'll try to remember next week....

Blessings,
Lisca

Courgettes Provencal au Gratin (Zucchini)

This is a very tasty, low fat supper dish.

Serves 2 generously, or 4 if used as a side dish.

450 gr zucchini, roughly chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

285 ml (1/2 pint) vegetable stock

85 gr long grain rice (or use about a cup of left-over cooked rice)

2 eggs

salt & pepper

57 gr grated reduced fat cheese

15 gr fresh bread crumbs

oil spray

-          Put zucchini, onion, garlic & veg stock in a large saucepan. Cover, bring to the boil, boil for 5 minutes. Then uncover, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes until tender and syrupy with liquid absorbed.

-          Boil water, cook rice and drain.

-          Beat eggs with salt & pepper. Stir in (cooled) rice, zucchini and onion mixture with half the cheese.

-          Spray an oven proof dish with oil and spoon the mixture in it. Sprinkle with remaining cheese mixed with breadcrumbs.

-          Bake in preheated  oven and 180 degree C (gas mark 4) for 25 minutes.