Waffles n' Caramel.

Hello, what's new? Lots of things are new and different. We are in the middle of the school week rush and the weekend wind down. Work is busy, school is busy, LIFE is busy! So we are good. I am taking guitar lessons for the first time in my life and it is exciting and damned hard work. I have to make myself practice which isn't always easy. I have to motivate myself to drill, but if I want to learn it is what I have to do. I am starting with some folk songs from the sixties so I feel a bit hippyish, strumming away in my living room, but it is relaxing. My neighbours probably don't think so, but you should hear what they do. I don't feel a bit bad about my strumming.  We are getting ready for another trip to see the family for my Grandmas' 90th birthday. I am excited because I am fairly sure the whole family will be there. It's pretty difficult to say work or school is more important that your grandma's 90th!

 I completed a book that I have been working on since the spring, with my family's help. We all contributed answers to fifty questions about family history and with photos and biographies together, it made a spectacular book. It was a lot of work and I stressed about doing it just right. I hope she will enjoy it. I am pretty proud of it.

We are looking forward to some long held goals coming to fruition. It is satisfying when you have completed a goal and then you can set new ones.

I made an amazing, enormous apple crisp at work and served it with ice cream and a drizzle of Bonne Maman caramel.  Oh Em Gee. I bought this sauce on a whim and I think I am in love. It was sooooooooo frickin' good. I was sad to have had to leave the remainder of the jar at work, although that was probably a good thing because I may possibly have licked the jar clean if I hadn't. I highly recommend it. Yum.

My latest thing is my waffle maker. (Must. Buy. Caramel!) I bought a really nice waffle maker and got a bottle of maple syrup free with a coupon. I used to only make waffles at Christmas because they were a pain on my tiny waffle iron/sandwich maker. Now, we have had them twice. I'm sure the novelty will wear off, but right now, waffles rock!

Well, off to enjoy the rest of my Saturday. Later, Dudes.

Autumn Abundance

Just got back from Smokefest and we had an excellent time, as always. This was the ninth year it has been going but only the sixth for me. We ate, we sang and we were merry! My Aunt had me make these jelly salads, which is something I have always wanted to try but just never gotten around to. They turned out fantastic and tasted pretty good too. The peaches against the red jelly sure makes a nice contrast. It was such a fantastic feast, as it is each year. With everyone contributing, it makes it fun and festive, too.

My uncle is in charge of the fish and he gets help to get it ready for the smoker and the grill. Somehow his fish is the most tender, melt in your mouth salmon I have ever had. There is nothing to compare to it. This year, I brought cherries and peaches, which were late this season and they were at the peak of deliciousness. I put some in a fruit salad and some in the jelly salads.

The rest we just ate.  

 

I also made a batch of peanut butter squares, which were gobbled up. I changed the recipe a bit, as follows: Most of 1 small jar Skippy crunchy peanut butter (2 cups) 1 bag mini marshmallows, 1 cup rice crispy cereal, melt together and pour in the bottom of a 9x13 pan lined with parchment. Melt a half a big chocolate bar from Walmart (about 8 oz) and spread over your peanut butter layer. Put in freezer until firm. Take out the whole block and cut into squares. OMG. So good, and no bake!

I could write a book about Smokefest, and someday, I probably will.

 For now though, the constant battle for organization. My closets are winning and taking over the house. I canned a bunch of apples and made apple butter. I got a baker's dozen jam jars worth. Not bad for free apples! How do you like them apples? (Sorry, I had to.)

I also have become a Watkins associate # 397322! I am the Watkins man! (woman!) I have a separate blog for that so don't worry, I won't turn this into a Watkins home party, though knowing me, my projects tend to overlap, so you may hear a thing or two about it now and then.

School is back in and I'm running like a chicken with my head cut off. It's good to update the blog though. I'll talk to you soon.