My friend Wynn shared this recipe for Rum Raisin Apple Pie Jam with me somewhere around my second bushel of apples this fall. It looked interesting, so I gave it a whirl. I followed the recipe to a T, with the exception of the sugar. 9 cups of sugar to 6 cups of apples? That made my teeth hurt just reading it. I cut the sugar back to 2 cups and used some of the excellent dark rum Peter brought Pat from Guatemala. Continue reading
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College Football Food.
Saturday’s plan was to sit and watch college football most of the afternoon & evening, which never fails to inspire me to cook a big pot of something and maybe even bake a batch of bread to go along with whatever is in the pot. This Saturday, with it’s line up of conference championships, inspired me to make some recipes from college friends. That and some Double H andouille sausage I picked up at the Holiday market. Pat asked if I was going to make gumbo with the sausage. Considering I have at least 3 different batches in the freezer and it not being a favorite of at least one household member who says watching football with her parents is sort of like this beer commercial, I decided against it. She was already in for a long day of football with us (First SEC Championship, then the ACC & Big 10 games) and I didn’t want to antagonize her. Besides, gumbo takes time – not just the time to chop all those vegetables, make a broth and a roux, it needs to simmer for a few hours and is really best after all the flavors have had time to meld – next day gumbo is way better than fresh gumbo. Instead, I went for jambalaya, which is infinitely easier and far quicker. You can start chopping your veggies and an hour later, your jambalaya is ready to serve. Not so with gumbo. Continue reading
An Early Christmas Present.
I got a message from my neighbor Steve the other day, he was cleaning out his mother’s things and was I interested in some old cookbooks and loose recipes he wanted to see to a good home? Continue reading
Scenes from a holiday.
Accidental Self Portrait
Wines (and beer) I drank – Birthday Edition.
When I invited a few girlfriends over to help me celebrate my birthday recently, I requested no gifts, but told them to feel free to bring wine. Which they did, because I have some pretty rad girlfriends. As a result, here is the birthday edition of Wines I drank. Continue reading
Of crafts and swaps.
I don’t know how I first heard of the Craft Swap Craft Cville was throwing. The point is, I heard of it. And was more than a little excited. Swap your craft supplies that are just sitting there for ones you might use? Yes, please. Continue reading
Back to back fun.
Oysterfest this year came on the heels of Halloween, giving us four back to back days filled with excessive fun, merriment and junk food. After arriving home from Urbanna yesterday morning, we promptly crawled into bed and pretty much stayed there the rest of the day to recover from so. much. fun. Continue reading
Well I’ll be.
The thing about birthdays is that everyone you encounter that day that either knows or hears it’s your birthday wants to shower you with good wishes and treats. Having a weekend birthday coupled with your husband being gone makes for an entire weekend of flat out spoiling by almost everyone in your path, especially when they hear your husband is gone for the weekend. Turns out your husband having an immovable work trip scheduled on your birthday is actually a key to weekend full of celebration.
So, this.
So it’s my birthday. A birthday I have looked to for years. To most people, 44 is a pretty nondescript age. You’re still just barely on the far edge of your early forties, with 50 starting to look slightly closer. You don’t mind things like having to work on your birthday or even your husband having to be out of town for a whole weekend starting with your birthday because well, things like that happen and you’re grateful you have jobs to go to. It also means you can stretch the celebration out longer. You’re very much mired down in being a grown up – good, bad and sometimes wondering how the hell anyone takes you seriously as a responsible adult not to mention wondering how and when did that actually happen. There are new aches and pains – ones that you realize probably aren’t going to go away anytime soon. Your bad knee can correctly predict rain as well as a good frost and you can tell the difference by the ache. Continue reading
Of Pigs and Rice.
In last year’s quest to perfect biscuits, I discovered how baking with lard was key to not just them, but flaky pie crusts. Lard is rendered pork fat and in order to get the best, unadulterated lard, you need to obtain your own pig fat. Thanks to friends who raise pigs, I was able to obtain a 3+ pound frozen hunk of fat. Continue reading
Chicken Wire & Paper Flowers 