In the Kitchen: Canned Apple Chunks

I think I found a parable in my garage last week. Or a fable. (What's the difference??)

My parents have apple trees, and are very generous with their fruit. (Translation: They showed up with three bushels of apples last month, late at night. I think they were hoping I wouldn't be home.)

(Oh, I kid. It was only 8:00. But they didn't call first, which made it feel kind of clandestine.  And I was pretty excited to have all those apples :)

I made one bushel into 2 pints of apple butter, but the remaining apples sat for a while. I checked on them periodically- just happy little boxes of apples.

Last week I went down to tackle the last two boxes- I was going to slice, boil, run them through a food mill, then dump them into the crock pot for a few days. (That happens to be my apple butter recipe.) Oh horrors. Mold. Fruit flies. Mushy fruit.

I salvaged what I could, but both boxes were mostly gone. What's the lesson here? One moldy apple will spoil the barrel? Never put off what you could do today?  I think they spoiled so quickly because some of the apples had worm holes, and the holey apples developed internal rot much more quickly.  I should have sorted them right away.  (Mom?  Dad?  Can I have another chance next year?)

I salvaged about 30 apples, and knowing I didn't have nearly enough to make apple butter I set out looking for another recipe. Last Friday night, you would have found me, my husband, and my wonderful MIL up to our elbows in apples and peelings.

Canned Apple Chunks

Peel, core, and slice apples. (Put apple pieces in a bowl of water treated with lemon juice or citric acid, if you want them to stay white, until ready to boil.)

Boil pieces for 5 minutes, then pack hot apples into hot and sterile quarter jars, leaving half-inch head space. Cover apples with hot water or hot (light) syrup, adjust two-piece caps, and process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

We ended up with three quarters of apples. I'm really wishing I had tackled that project sooner, but these will be yummy in apple cake this winter!

I Like Pie

I'm currently moving every single picture I've ever taken with a digital camera.

That's a lot of pictures.

So, here's my offering for today:  If you live near an Albertson's, go and purchase a Sara Lee "Oven Fresh Pie."

Then, pick up another "oven fresh pie" and two cartons of Breyer's ice cream.  All three for free.

No limit.

Om Nom Nom.

Bedtime

NaBloPoMo Day 10.

A reminder to myself of why I do what I do.

Habla Espanol?

NaBloPoMo goal aside, this is going to be a busy week!

Hermano Barrio approached me nervously after church yesterday, and said "Hermana, I don't want to cause you stress...but you are speaking next Sunday." (Remember him?)

So, if you need me this week I'll be ankle-deep in "How to bring the Spirit into our home" and way over my head over at google translate :)

My only hope is to use any many quotes as possible from already-translated sources, like the scriptures and the Ensign!  Oh, and pray.  A LOT.

Yo quiero aprender espanol!! (I want to learn Spanish.)


(In spite of all my moaning and grumblings, we really have seen miracles in regards to the language- I know I could never understand as much as I do, without some serious divine intervention.  I'm excited to speak on Sunday and share my testimony.  Members of our church are generally asked to speak in church once or twice a year- we don't have paid clergy, the members give the sermons.  Putting these talks together is always kind of nerve-wracking for me, and the language barrier just adds a glossy veneer to that work.


My husband and I study the scriptures in Spanish at night.  I turned to him, mid-verse, last night and asked "How is my accent?"  


"Well...I can't understand anyone at church.  But I can understand you!"


I'm thinking that's not a good sign.  :)  

Happy Sunday: Create

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create.  You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty."

"You might say, “I’m not the creative type.

If that is how you feel, think again, and remember that you are spirit daughters of the most creative Being in the universe.  Isn’t it remarkable to think that your very spirits are fashioned by an endlessly creative and eternally compassionate God?  Think about it—your spirit body is a masterpiece, created with a beauty, function, and capacity beyond imagination."

--President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Happy Sunday, everyone.  Enjoy this 1:54 video.

You Can Make This: M&M Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Ernie sorting her stash.  I love how neatly she lines everything up!

Carefully opening the candies.

Not enough chocolates for her taste- she's embellishing with a few more.

This is serious business

Ernie and I both agreed that cookies would be a wonderful thing to have on hand when Nana and Grandpa J arrived, and she even agreed to dig out all her M&Ms from the Halloween stash to help on the occasion.

This is my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe- the honey make them soft and chewy, and the oats lend a bit of body.  I couldn't really tell you where this recipe came from- my copy of the recipe is a printout of an e-mail my mother-in-law received from her friend.  But it's sure yummy!  Plus, it's a good way to use up Halloween candy.

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 cup peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (you might need extra)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup quick-cooking oats.

Cream together first six ingredients, then beat in eggs one at a time.  Combine dry ingredients, then stir into the wet mixture.  (I just throw them straight into the bowl, with the candies, but you don't have to be a slacker like me.  Plus, the candies got a little crunched in my mixer.  I don't mind.)  If the dough looks too sticky, add a little more flour.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, or just until light brown.

Makes about 48 cookies.

Made This: Embellished Jersey Scarf

Welcome to our friends from The Inspired Room's Beautiful Life linky fest!  
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I have a jersey scarf. I love my jersey scarf.

 It all started at last year's caroling party- my friend was gushing about her jersey scarf she bought at a trendy store- it was so soft, so warm, so wonderful. I sidled closer and realized it was nothing more than a piece of fabric. Not a stitch to be seen!

Well, when I found a 1/4 yard remnant of mint green, organic bamboo jersey in the remnant bin, you better believe I snapped it up and I've been wearing it proudly ever since.

Jersey scarves are wonderful, but I thought this one could use a little jazzing up- Aunt LoLo suggested a posie, and, well...here you go.

I kind of love it.

PS- Because fabric stashes are funny beasts, this fabric was passed to me by my fabulous Mother-In-Law. It was leftovers from jersey fitted sheets she made for Ernie's crib.