Friends from southern Minnesota were spending a few days in the area recently and, among other things, brought us these two big boxes of gorgeous Haralson apples. They're from a big, old tree in front of their barn and make the very best applesauce we've ever tasted. (So get thee busy, Mama Pea, and can up a whole buncha quarts of that goodness.)
For the past few (many?) days, I've been thinking about getting out my Halloween decorations. Gotta get with it or it will be time to put out the Thanksgiving ones, and I will have missed the "BOO" season all together.
We've had no cookies (much to Papa Pea's chagrin) in the freezer or anywhere else for quite a while so I baked a batch of Oatmeal Cookies a day or so ago. But I know I need to get a small assortment stashed away for "emergencies" soon so I'm not caught without a goodie to put out for possible drop-ins. Also helps keep my better half happy when he knows there are cookies to be had.
Bread baking as a regular thing has been started now that summer is over. When Susan was here, I made my French bread recipe using all einkorn flour, and we all though it was quite good. Garlic bread was on the menu one night with spaghetti so I made the recipe into four small loaves. Susan and I split one and Papa Pea and Chicken Mama had the other. I still have two of the loaves in the freezer, but other than that I'm down to the half loaf of rye bread that we're working on right now. Time to get out the ingredients and make up more homemade bread.
This time of year also signals mixing up my first batch of fruitcake. Don't worry, it's not the kind that's good only for a doorstop. My recipe is actually healthy, and we love it.
We've been forecast a low temp tonight of down into the 20s so we may have our first killing frost. That means the impatiens in my window boxes will get zapped, and I can dress the boxes for fall with leaves and small pumpkins tomorrow. (Right after I get out the Halloween decorations. Yep. Uh-huh. Right-o.)
An hour or so ago I tilled up the bed I'll use for garlic next year. Hope to get that planted yet today. 'Tis time, as I aim for Columbus Day, October 12th, to get the garlic in. Just a tad behind this year.
I ran out into the garden to grab a couple of carrots for the pot of stew I have on the stove. We haven't harvested the carrots yet but all of them I've pulled so far have been like these. Solid, big, crunchy and a good, sweet flavor.
Also just picked another batch of peppermint to get prepped for the dehydrator. There's a little more out there, but I thought I'd see how many of the trays these two big bowls full filled before snipping the rest of it.
Time to move away from the computer and get going on a few of these things, so that's all for now, folks.
7 comments:
Wow! I would love to follow you around for a growing season. You amaze me with all that you grow. I never thought of storing up cookies in the freezer. Do you bake them first?
Laurie - Most of the time, I freeze the cookies all baked and ready to go. I do have a recipe or two, like Gingersnaps that turn hard as rocks after they've been frozen, so I don't freeze them. Before the holidays, to get a jump start on my Christmas cookies, I make and freeze the doughs. Then closer to Christmas or when I need the holiday cookies, I find it super-easy to just defrost the raw dough and have fresh baked cookies in an hour or so.
Great idea and one I'm going to follow. :)
Those carrots! Beauties to behold. And all that peppermint. Do you dry it for tea or for other things? And Haralson apples. First I heard of them. Just Googled them: originates from Excelsior, Minnesota (!!) and was introduced in 1913. An apple I won't find in my local natural food store, but am thrilled these apples with history are still around. I love fruitcake--never make jokes about them, but if your recipe is even better any chance you'd share it? I usually order mine from some monks back east who bake and sell them to raise money for their monastery.
I didn't get enough peppermint (new plant this year), but hope to get that much next year. So jealous of those carrots. I've been watching the prices on organic ones, so I can stock up on that too.
Mollie - First, I'd be glad to share my fruitcake recipe with you. It's kinda long to type here, but if you'd send me an e-mail, I'll zap it back to you. (I KNOW I posted the recipe once, but do you think I can find the post?!)
The Haralson is more of a cooking/baking apple and stores well so we are always glad when these friends share with us. We are blessed!
Kristina - Root crops are something we can easily grow up here so we always have good luck with carrots, beets, potatoes, etc. If we were closer, I'd sure share some of our carrots with you.
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