Homemade Relish

With the garden in full swing and our kitchen counter looking like the produce aisle, I've been trying to bring purpose to every last veggie that has entered our home from our own garden or another's!

A couple weeks ago after making our first round of pickles this season, I had a bowl full of leftover cucumber chunks after needing to cut a few of my cucumbers to fit lengthwise in the jars, so I decided what better way to use these than some relish.

So I went a googling and found a recipe from Jim and Mary at Old World Garden Farms ... and to be quite honest it was 90% for the name of their farm and 10% for their recipe ;) Either way, they have an inspiring story and some delicious relish {and you know it's delicious when I can convince the Mr. to try it and he's up for trying it on his Chicago Dog!}.

Other than omitting the celery seed (only because it's a very prominent favor that's not overly appreciated by a few in the family) and having to improvise on the process because I was multitasking and didn't read the directions very well the first time through {whooooppsss!!!}, I followed their recipe to a 'T' and was very pleased with the process.

Homemade Sweet Relish

3 to 4 pounds of cucumbers (great resource for measuring vegetables without a scale)

1 onion

1/4 cup pickling salt

3 cups white vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

4 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated

2 teaspoons dill seed

2 teaspoons mustard seed

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Cut cucumbers lengthwise and remove seeds. Chop cucumbers and onion in food processor, being careful not to over process them. In a glass bowl, combine chopped veggies and salt. Allow to sit for 2 hours. Strain liquid off, pressing to remove excess moisture. In stockpot bring remaining ingredients to a boil. Add veggies. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer relish to clean jars. Store in refrigerator for up to a month. Or can using a water bath for 10 minutes. Makes about 4 pint size jars. 

Cost comparison: 

Price per jar - $1.11 homemade vs. $1.49 for store bought

For 1st timers (based off of Meijer Prices) 

cucumbers - free or ~$3

onion - $1.19

pickling salt - $1.59

vinegar - $2.69

garlic - $0.50

dill seed - $3.49

mustard seed - $2.49

turmeric - $5.89

pint mason jars w/lid - $7.69 12 ct. 

TOTAL - $23.53 not including cost for cucumbers before tax

For next time, I will try using the celery seed and maybe cider vinegar instead of white. 

Homemade Celery Salt

Who uses that? Anybody? Well, we have never but will be now.

The other day I ran across those amazing Chicago Poppy Seed Buns and I instantly started reminiscing and craving the Chicago Style Dogs I always enjoyed at the ballpark when the Mr. coached in a collegiate summer league before the kiddos came along. SO of course what was my first instinct? To start googling Chicago Style Dogs and what all goes on them!

I knew the basics: poppy seed bun, hotdog, onion, relish, pickle, tomatoes, but I knew there was something special ... like a secret ingredient and sure enough there was! Any guesses? That's right ... CELERY SALT. 

Well of course, I didn't have any of this on hand BUT I did have some celery seed from over ten years ago {sad, I know, but herbs and seasonings can be outrageously priced so it pains me to throw them out and really do they ever go bad?!? if they do, please do not share this with me ... I am okay staying naive in this area. hehehe!} so I figured it was worth a try. After a quick google search, I realized it was as simple as celery seed and salt ground up.

  Homemade Celery Salt

1 part celery seeds

1 part salt

Grind in a mortar and pestle until fine. 

 This is a great job for the kiddos. "Is that good enough, mom?" "No, keep going ... a little more ... take turns." You get the idea ;)

And then of course there's the Chicago Style Hotdog complete with garden fresh tomatoes, banana peppers, homemade relish, homemade pickles, and a dash (yes, only a dash ... too much of a good thing isn't always a good thing!) of homemade celery salt. 

And every one of our kiddos where 100% on board with loading their dog up just like this and devoured the whole thing! 

Marinated Pork Burgers

WOW ... it's been WAY TOO LONG!!! There's nothing really outrageous or out of the norm about tonight's post but I promised myself I was going to get back in the swing again since the summer is almost to an end {que the tears or the celebrations ... I know there are always these two extremes that come with the mention of school starting back up}. We are a split household here with a current teacher, a former teacher (who is only slightly ready for a normal routine ... if there ever is such a thing in a family of 6, BAHAHAHAH!), two returning to school, and one getting ready to start kindergarten so we are a prime example of both of these! 

So like I said, I was bound and determined to get a post in and since an evening that involves a home cooked meal (other than frozen pizza, lunch meat sandwiches, or hot dogs) as been few and far between on these summer nights, I decided my efforts for dinner was post worthy ... even if it was just to get writing again!

First was my detailed (not even close) meal planning which consisted of grabbing the local grocery store ad to see what meat was on sale AND would be quick. At $1.99/lb ... pork burgers it was. On a fly-by to the grocery store on the way home from dropping #1 off at open gym it was in and out to grab the pork burgers and some buns {and of course along with a few other items, because really how often do you exit a grocery store with ONLY what you went in for ... for me it's rarely! Unless I have done my homework and my mealing planning is spot on which SO has not been the case this summer :) }. Best part about the pork burgers, they were from Steidinger Foods in Fairbury, IL. OH YEAH! I am going allow myself a little proud moment here since my maternal grandma was a Steidinger from Fairbury, which makes these pretty much from family AND absolutely delish!!!

Marinated Pork Burgers

12 pork burger patties

2 to 3 cups open pit barbeque sauce

1/2 to 1 cup honey

buns

Preheat grill. In a grill-safe pan (foil-lined optional), mix the open pit barbeque sauce and honey. Place pan with marinade on preheated grill. Grill pork burgers until fully cooked. As each one is finished cooking, add it to the marinate pan and let simmer for a 5-10 minutes. Remove marinated pork burgers from the pan to a serving dish as needed to make room the remaining burgers. Cover with foil until ready to eat. Enjoy marinated pork burger on a bun of your choice. 

Along with a side of steak fries and fresh cucumbers, we can call it a complete meal. YUM!!

COST - 

Pork Burgers - $6.23

Buns - $1.50

Honey - about $1.25

Open Pit - about $0.75

Cucumber - $1.01

Steak Fries - $1.80

TOTAL - about $12.50 for complete meal

Feeding Capacity - 4 adults and 4 kids 

Strawberry Topping

Strawberry Topping

It's the time of year for strawberries and ice cream! But the best part about this stuff  sauce topping {sure wished I could come up with something more fun for a name:) }, we've used it on our PBJs, waffles, Grammy Lou Lou pancakes (aka skinny pancakes ... almost like a crepe), and ice cream. 

This is really just a variation from my Pectin-Free Strawberry Jam but I combined it with the Happy Money Saver's "Old Fashioned Strawberry Jam" recipe admittedly because there's just something about using a recipe that has 'old fashioned' in the title :)

I started with about 2 pounds of strawberries and we ended up with 12 - 8 ounce jars. For the fresh berries, sugar, jars, lids, and rings the total cost was under $20 and didn't take much more than a few hours ... both well spent in my book.

I made this batch just over a month ago and as you can see, some of our first batch made their way to into being a cute gift for some 'berry' special people in our lives :) Due to my days as the student council advisor and one of our council's jobs being teacher appreciation week, I just can get enough of all the punny sayings!

Homemade Steak Seasoning

Steak seasoning was a great post for this week since I've been wanting to share my recipe for my cashew chicken and steak seasoning is my secret ingredient for the butter sauce I make to drizzle on top of our fresh steamed green beans and cashew chicken with rice. 

The secret ingredient was discovered by complete accident when I tried to remember {my memory is terrible when it comes to remembering how I make something ... which is one of the main reasons for starting this blog in the first place!} a recipe for Outback green beans off of Pinterest that I had made multiple times, but was too lazy to pull it up. I knew there was one ingredient I always had to substitute for and for whatever reason steak seasoning was what I thought I always used. 

My go to steak seasoning is of course from Aldi, 1) because it's inexpensive and 2) because it's  delish so here is my first attempt at coming up with a recipe that compares to this!

Homemade Steak Seasoning

2 tablespoons salt (coarse salt or sea salt is best)

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1/2 tablespoon crushed red pepper

1/2 tablespoon crushed dill seed

1 teaspoon cumin or 1 tablespoon crushed coriander

1 teaspoon crushed celery seed or 1 tablespoon fennel

1/2  teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon rosemary

Now for the cashew chicken. I do have to admit this is usually a throw together meal but the basics are the same and it's easy to tweak to your own liking! I also have two version detailed {when I don't have the basics} and simple {when I do}. 

Homemade Cashew Chicken - detailed

Rice - 
3 cups long grain white rice

5 cups water

Put water in sauce pan. Bring to boil. Add rice. Cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes until majority of the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. I always go for a moister rice. 

Chicken -

2 tbsp olive oil

2 chicken breast

8 ounces cashew halves

1 1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water 

   + 1 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch

4 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoon rice vinegar (wine vinegar or regular vinegar would work just fine)

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoon honey

2 cloves of garlic, finely grated or minced

1/2  teaspoon hot sauce

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toast cashews for 5—6 minutes. Split and slice chicken breast. Heat oil in pan and fry until fully cooked. Mix remaining ingredients in bowl. Add sauce and toasted cashews to skillet and cook for 5 minutes. 

Butter Sauce

8 tbsp butter

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon steak seasoning

1 tbsp worchestershire sauce

1 tsp garlic

½  tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Melt butter in sauce pan. Whisk in remaining ingredients. Simmer for 3-5 minutes. 


Serve chicken and cashews over rice drizzle with butter sauce. A side of fresh steamed green beans is always a must for us. :) 

Simple Cashew Chicken

2 tbsp olive oil

2 chicken breast

8 ounces cashew halves

1 to 1 1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 to 1 cup teriyaki sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce (optional - usually make my own, but recently just found some at Aldi and tried it out) 

1/4 cup oyster sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toast cashews for 5—6 minutes. Split and slice chicken breast. Heat oil in pan and fry until fully cooked. Add remaining ingredients and toasted cashews to skillet, stir,  and cook for 5 minutes.

We aren't big rice (or pasta) eaters around here, but this meal as become a favorite ... especially since my accidental steak seasoning mix-up :)!

Homemade Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

I would love to sit here and small talk with y'all but this lady is beat and I can't get to my bed quick enough ... how many others are with me! :) Three days into the week and I've been two 6 ballgames ... eek! Busy but there's really nothing better!

Sure glad I saved this post until tonight so it could be simple and quick.

Homemade Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

2 cups homemade marshmallow fluff

4 ounces cream cheese (I really need to try making my own)

Whip ingredients together. Enjoy. 

EASY PEEZEY, LEMON SQUEEZEY!

We have completely indulged in the homemade marshmallow fluff this past week ... oh favorite way to eat it is with graham crackers straight out of the jar. YUM!

Marshmallow Fluff

Well, for the wife of a high school baseball coach and mother of 4 with 2 playing ball themselves, rain sometimes offers a much appreciated break in the evening schedule which is what today brought! I love spending nights at the ballpark watching one of my favorite past-times but it sure does feel good to come home straight from work, have a home cooked meal on the table by 6:15, and be giving good night kisses and tucking 4 squeaky clean munchkins into bed at 8:20.

And for the home cooked meal ... I'm not much of one to toot my own horn, but if I do say so myself ... it was a home-run tonight! Some cashew chicken on top of rice drizzled with a not-so-low calorie seasoned butter sauce with a side of fresh, streamed green beans. And for dessert some strawberries and homemade fruit dip. 

If you are familiar with a fruit dip made from marshmallow fluff, cream cheese, and a little bit of vanilla ... you now know one of my kryptonites {peanut butter by the spoonful is a close second, but THIS stuff definitely takes the cake every time in my book}! And don't you worry, if you've never experienced this little bit of heaven, I'll be sharing the very simple recipe for the fruit dip next.

For my first attempt of this fluffy white stuff, I followed a recipe I found on the kitchn. 

some heavenly fluffiness right here!

Homemade Marshmallow Fluff

6 tablespoons water

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

3 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

pinch of salt

1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

candy thermometer

Heat water, sugar, and corn syrup in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it reaches 240°F on the candy thermometer. This will take about 10 to 15 minutes. {It will slowdown around the 220°F, but then should pick back up ... I wasn't patient enough for this and it still turned out amazing, so I can't wait to try it again}. While sugar mixture is heating, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed and add cream of tartar and salt. Continue to beat eggs until soft peaks form. Once the sugar mixture reaches 240°F, carefully remove and allow the mixture to cool for 20 seconds. With the mixer on high, slowing drizzle the sugar mixture into the stiff egg whites. Continue to beat for 7 to 8 minutes or until the mixture returns to room temperature. Add vanilla and mix until it resembles marshmallow fluff {YUM!}. Makes about 4 cups. Use right away or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks {if it last that long :)}.

fresh off the press ... before all the little fingers came in for a snitch!

Jalapeno Bagels

I've already posted about making bagels from scratch, but I was in need of a chuckle this evening so decided to share the good and the bad :)

I made these for #1 when she was in 2nd grade and was able to make them again for #2 a few weeks ago. It is a fun treat to go along with book Jalapeno Bagels by Natasha Wing and Robert Casilla. 

My plan and execution for getting these bagels made fresh for the classroom activity planned by #2's 2nd grade teacher went off without a hitch ... yet on the same kitchen on the same night I had a frozen pizza meet it's doom! In my eyes crunch is almost always better, right?!?!? or is this TOO crunchy??

bagels from scratch - awesome
frozen pizza - not so awesome
what is wrong with this picture!!!! LOL!

Either way this is a great reminder that some moments in life turn out better than we could have expected and others, well, may just be toast! It's in those toasting moments we are just being refined

into diamonds, just like in Hawk Nelson's song Diamonds

Homemade Italian Seasoning

Today's a completely lazy post :) but it's Wednesday and I wasn't about to let it slip by without posting! I'm almost out of Italian seasoning so the timing is great. I've been holding off on making this because I really wanted to include some dried marjoram, which I have never used before. Anytime a recipe has called for marjoram I just substitute in some oregano, but was hoping to try it for the first time in my homemade Italian seasoning ... I guess it'll have to wait until the next time around.

Homemade Italian Seasoning

2 tablespoons oregano

2 tablespoons basil

1 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoon rosemary

1 tablespoon sage

1/2 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon marjoram (optional, similar to oregano)

Combine all ingredients into food process. Blend for about 30 seconds. 

The scent of this after a whirl in the food processor was just splendid! 

Butter’em Up

Homemade butter has been popping up on my Pinterest feed lately and then when my soon-to-be-sister-in-law was sharing about her own butter making experience at our family Easter gathering, I knew exactly what I was going to try out this week!

This was so simple to do in my KitchenAid stand mixer, but of course my brain started overflowing with all the possibilities for some super fun science experiments. I came across an article from Scientific American that outlines a great activity that the kids would love to try sometime! To all you teacher friends out there this could be a great interdisciplinary activity … science {molecules}, history {how we used to make butter}, math {measuring}, writing {write your own story or poem about butter}, and I’m sure you could find a good book for any level that could be related!

Enough with the lesson planning J

Homemade Butter

1 pint of heavy cream

½ teaspoon of salt (optional)

Stand mixer

Pour cream into mixing bowl with flat beater attachment. Cover stand mixer with towel {unless of course you thoroughly enjoy cleaning up cream that has splattered EVERYWHERE}. Beat on high for 15 minutes checking periodically. Once the butter and buttermilk has separated, drain off the buttermilk and reserve {this would work great in some homemade ranch dressing}. Knead and wash butter in a bowl of water to remove any remaining buttermilk, replacing water periodically until the water remains clear {this step is optional but will prolong the shelf life of your butter}. Press clean butter into a bowl with lid. Refrigeration not required. Makes about 1 cup.

Cost Comparison: Homemade butter about $3.65 for 1 lb vs. store bought about $3

Although it’s not a money saver, there is something about seeing the cute little bowl of butter sitting out on the counter that is quite satisfy. And then there is the pure deliciousness of this freshly made butter melting on a piece of warm bread … yum!

And of course I cannot go without wondering how this would all work if I had my own cow? I’m considering trying to butter up the Mr. J!

on this idea … hehee

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Ever since I posted my Biscuits and Gravy recipe and gave a shout out to Homemade Fresh Cinnamon Rolls, I’ve been CRAVING the PioneerWomen’s rolls! So last weekend I decided I wanted to get up early Saturday morning … this may or may not been initiated due to the fact our breakfast options could have possibly been very limited only because somebody (cough … me … ehhem) decided we potentially could last a few more days before desperately needing to go grocery shopping. Either way I was up early enough with the great intention to make some fresh cinnamon rolls, only to find out after already starting to mix up the first few ingredients that we were almost out of all-purpose flour as well (Like I mentioned … we were SLIM pickins!)

Well, at this point I had only a few options left 1) run to the store and buy more flour, 2) or something else for breakfast, or 3) substitute the remaining flour needed for whole wheat flour. Some days I would have gone with option #2 hands down but today I had already done the hardest part about making fresh cinnamon rolls on a Saturday morning by forcing myself to get up in enough time for these to be eaten for breakfast AND I really didn’t want to leave the house, SO whole wheat cinnamon rolls it is.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

Dough-

4 cups whole milk

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar

4 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast

4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

5 cups whole wheat flour

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon salt

the milk, oil, and sugar mixture

In a large stockpot, heat milk, oil, and sugar to almost boiling. Allow to cool until warm. Sprinkle yeast a top the warm milk and let stand for 1 min. Stir in 5 cups of whole wheat flour and 3 cups of all-purpose flour until combined. Cover with stockpot with dishtowel and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. Add baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1 cup all-purpose flour. Stirring until thoroughly combined. Divide the dough in half. On a floured surface, push the dough flat with your fingers to form a rough rectangle. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into about a 10” x 30” rectangle with the long edge facing you.

the dough before rising

Filling-

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

¼ cup cinnamon

2 cups sugar

Melt ½ cup butter (1 stick) and spread out onto the dough. Sprinkle with half (2 tablespoons) of cinnamon and ½ (1 cup) of sugar evenly onto the buttered dough. Starting with the long side farthest from you, roll the dough towards you. Once all rolled up, pinch the edge closest to you into the roll to close. Slice using a sharp knife into about 2 dozen 1 ½ inch wide slices. **At this point you could freeze the rolls, place them on cookie sheets covered with saran wrap and place in the freeze until frozen, then place in freeze container of your choice.** Prepare pan(s) by coating the bottom with butter, place rolls 1 inch apart. Cover with dishtowel and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes until golden, do not overcook. Repeat with second half of dough.

While the rolls are baking it’s onto the frosting, which I offer to options. A maple frosting from the Pioneer Woman’s recipe or a cream cheese frosting of my own.

Maple Espresso Frosting (Pioneer Woman’s)-

2 pounds (about 8 cups) powdered sugar

½ cup whole milk

6 tablespoons butter

¼ cup strong brewed coffee

Dash of salt

1 tablespoon maple flavoring

Whisk together until very smooth. Frosting should be thick but pourable. Generously drizzle over warm rolls.

Cream Cheese Frosting-

6 cups of powdered sugar

½ cup milk

½ cup (1 stick) butter melted

4 ounces cream cheese softened

Whisk milk, butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add powdered sugar until the thickness you desire. Top warm rolls.

Although, I would have preferred using only all-purpose flour, these turned out really well. I was a little worried at first since more often things turnout much denser when using whole wheat flour, and this recipe was not that way.  So good and what makes this even better I was able to make enough rolls to enjoy over the entire weekend AND save the other half of the rolls for the freeze to enjoy these deliciousness later without all the time and effort!

the second half before going into the freezer, froze them like this
then put them in a freezer bag

I’ll have to share an update once we eat up the second half of the recipe from the freezer. 

Homemade Granola

Tonight's going to be a short, sweet, and to the point post! While I realize should have waited until the kiddos were in bed so I could hear myself think, I decided to just sit down quick and push through all the noise while they are entertaining themselves with basketballs, spoons and garbage cans, let's just say loud doesn't describe it!

Granola is not a staple grocery list item or one that I'd consider as 'needed' but this is something I really need to make more of! The process takes a little time but is extremely easy and really the options are endless with what you want to put in it as well as how you could use it.

Natalie at Super Health Kids offers a great list of ways to use your granola. My recipe was inspired by Alton Brown but that was only the start!

Homemade Granola Recipe

4 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)

1 cup slice almonds

1 cup pecans

1 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Mix oats, nuts, coconut, and sugar in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix honey, oil and salt. Pour honey mixture onto of oats mixture. Stir until well coated and combined (use your hands if needed). Spread granola onto a cookie sheet with edges. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until evenly toasted and to your desired crunchiness (keep in mind it will get crunchier as it cools). Stir every 15 minutes. 

This would be great with any kind of dried fruit or your favorite nuts or seeds added to the mix! Ultimately all you need is your base (rolled oats), something sticky to hold it all together (honey or syrup), an oil (I'm sure any kind would do) to thin out your sticky to make it coat everything easier, your favorite extras (fruit, nuts, seeds, coconut, etc.), and a little sweet and salty to your liking. 

Now I just need to make some more yogurt! J

Kitchen Chalkboard Project

To be a plate rack or not to be ... 

Yet another project from start to finish that took should have taken well less than an hour of active participation. This void used to be a plate rack that rarely was dusted which meant the plates never were used since it would have required washing them before AND after eating off of them. Uhh ... double the work or use different plates ... bingo, the second choice :)

the BEFORE

I had a quart of chalkboard paint leftover from another project and thought it would be fun to have place to use all those cute chalkboard ideas off of pinterest. I love the the idea of chalkboard decor and being able to change it with the seasons or holidays ... although I know this will never happen as often as I intend it to. :)  Jess at 'Mom 4 Real' shares a simple way to make chalkboard paint in any color, can't wait to find an excuse to try this!

wet paint ... do not touch

Since the space was small, the painting itself didn't take long, but with three coats needed and the dry time in between, the start to finish time was a couple hours.

The chalkboard paint needed 2 to 3 days to cure before drawing on it, so it needed a few days before the finishing touch ... which actually turned into at least a month for me... oh life, why must I let you distract me from these fun projects.

the finished project

I'm loving the cute little nook for my cookbook stand, our 'garage-sale-find' change jar, and the much needed napkin holder for our family of six. However, the picture above is very deceiving since I so conveniently cropped out the extremely messy counter. This, my friends, is real life around here more often than I would like to think ... the mess I had to push through (mentally and physically) to get my kitchen chalkboard project completed!

 I would prefer to work in a clean and organized environment which when you have kids usually means - clean first ... then create ... then clean again, ugh! Through a life with kids I have come to realize life will always bring with it distractions, sometimes those distractions need our attention and we need to be interruptible ... other times we need to put on the binders and keep pushing through. 

Fresh Baked Apples

'tis the season to use up those apples ...

There's something about the smell of apples baking in the oven as I glance outside to see the fall colored leaves gently blowing around that just brings peace to my soul. Everybody has something different that in a simple moment can completely melt all the anxiousness, worry, and doubt (or any other bothersome life 'stuff') right off of your heart and for me this is one of them along with listening to Christmas music, snuggling up in the biggest, warmest blanket I can find, and soaking up sun-rays that are pouring through a window ... to name just a few. I strongly encourage discovering the little things that calm your heart!

Today's recipe is from one of my grandmas and it's super simple and easy. I still had about a 1/2 a bushel of apples the Mr. brought home and I wanted to get them used up before they all went to waste, which would be a terrible shame! So last night I wiped up 4 batches (and still have enough for 4 MORE) from start to finish in about an hour and a half, ate one pan last night, another pan today, and sent two home with Momma Bear to serve the residents for lunch at the senior living center.

Fresh Baked Apples

Apples - 

8 to 12 apples (enough to fill a 9 x 13 baking dish)

3/4 cup sugar

2 rounded tablespoons flour

1 1/3 cup water

4 tablespoons butter 

Peel, halve, and core apples. Place core side up in baking dish. Mix sugar, flour, and water together. Pour mixture over apples. Top each apple half with a dab (about a teaspoon, just couldn't bring myself to leave out the word dab) of butter. 

Topping(s) - optional 

cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons softened butter

2 tablespoons flower

To crumble or not to crumble. You could just top with a sprinkle of cinnamon OR you could mix the brown sugar, butter, and flour together for a crumb topping OR my preference ... BOTH!

Bake at 360 degrees for 45-55 minutes or until tender. 

For the next big batch I make (hopefully tomorrow night), I am going try freezing the baked apples individually in muffin tins and see how they do for the kids' lunches. I will keep you posted how that turns out.

Birthday Season

This has consumed much of my free time over the past few weeks, between the Pinterest searches to get ideas, the baking, and the decorating. Making our kids' birthday cakes has been a fun tradition and I could have never imagined some of the cakes I'd be making! #4 has a June birthday, #1 has a September birthday, and #2 and #3 have October birthdays, so it really is always a season of birthdays around here from June through October.

The key through all of these birthday cakes is the element of surprise! The kids have loved coming up with a challenge for me but they don't get to see their cake until we are ready to blow out the candles. Since going back to work full time, it has taken a little more commitment to keep the tradition than it used to. Instead of being an afternoon project while the birthday kid is napping or at school, it has turned into a couple late nights after the kiddos go to bed, but it's all worth it!

Here's the cake that ended our birthday season in honor of the Mets playing in the World Series (so sad to be posting this after their loss in game 5). 

#2 turns 8

This is one of my favorites to date and I was pretty excited in how it turned out. Before I begin any cake I'm never quite sure if it'll turn out like I envision it and then as the layers go on and the detail gets added; it all comes together! Over the last few years, the kiddos have really stepped up their requests but I always like to think back and share where it all started.

Six years ago, when #2 turned 2, I got the idea to try my hand at cake decorating. Instead of a plain cake with fun candles, I attempted some tractors. I had no cake decorating experience, baggies served as piping bags, there was a complete absence of frosting tips, and I only had a basic 4 pack of liquid food coloring.  I distinctly remember being so frustrated with not being able to get my tractor tires black, but a hobby was started. A few things I learned on my first attempt were frosting does darken the longer it sits and it's worth the extra money to buy paste food coloring if there is a specific color you want.

a throwback picture from when #2 turned 2, 
this is where I started 6 short years ago! 

From amatuer looking tractors to a realistic looking Everest (the newest Paw Patrol pup), who would have thought. #3 has been my most challenging requestor due to the detail required alone. However, I wished I had taken step by step pictures of how this all comes together, because it really is easier than it looks and involves some minor cheating :).

#3 turns 5

And then they don't always turn out like you are hoping! #1's only request this year was whipped frosting, so I attempted. From the picture it's harder to tell, but I had made this the day before and let's just say by the next day my whipped frosting was starting to was loose its fluff. Still, I am bound and determined to find a whipped frosting that's better than store bought, easy to work with, and keeps for longer than 1 day. 

#1 turns 11

And then there's #4's. He couldn't decide on Baymax from Disney's Big Hero 6 or Superman, so we went with Baymax on top and a Superman inspired 3 on the the sides.

#4 turns 3

Each cake is a fun journey, I love the challenge and the excitement the kids show when they finally get to see their cake!

Homemade Applesauce

Homemade Applesauce

look at these beauties!

I've never been much of one to be too sentimental, I haven't been the mom that cries on the first day of kindergarten for her child (we have two more to go through so this could change!)
or gets weepy when she comes to the end of a motherhood-milestone. I will admit there are definitely days I wish I were this type of mom, but I have come to accept it's just not my nature. More often than not I find myself looking at the bigger picture rushing through each day with a mile-long to-do list instead of slowing down to soak in all the emotions of these smaller (yet not less important) moments that make up our life as a whole. Some of these "smaller" moments are HUGE like the first day of school, the first loose tooth, riding a bike without training wheels, or getting straight A's on a report card; but some of these other "smaller"moments can tend to be forgotten. The moments that become so routine we can often forget about their importance in our life ...the moments that truly make up who we are.

As the Mr. and I continue to get busier as the kiddos get older, I've come to realize how much of a sentiment I have on some of these "forgotten" moments of my own childhood. There are memories from when I  was little that didn't seem anything out of the ordinary but as I get older I find myself wanting to sharing all these with our children. And making applesauce has been one of the those!

some amazing peanut butter marshmallow dip made by a kind resident

My grandma and grandpa had a farm so the annual tasks of making applesauce, canning peaches, pears, and bing cherries, running to the barn for fresh milk or the chicken coop for fresh eggs, and then eventually butchering the chickens (sorry to those poor chickens ... but you may be happy not know, this probably will not be something I do myself) are just a few I grew up helping with. The chicken thing is definitely on my radar ... it's now just down to figuring out how to get the Mr. fully on board, how to make it happen, AND work for our dog whose really good at going after all of the many creatures that dare venture into our yard! The chicken topic will be another post for another day :).

As for the applesauce, Momma Bear does this every fall using Cortland apples from a local grocery that you can order them by the bushel (Cortland apples make a beautiful pink colored sauce) . The past few years the kids and I have been blessed to be apart of the process, and so now is gradually becoming a tradition the kiddos look forward to.

I had fully intended on doing a small batch of sauce myself about a month ago using some free apples the Mr. received from a co-worker, but of course since moms are the best my Momma Bear cooked up 'them apples' one of the afternoons she gets to spend at our place watching a few of her grands each week (which has been one of the many blessings of going back to work full-time ... GramE gets to come twice a week!). We returned the favor to GramE and spent a day, two weeks ago, helping her cook up 3 bushels worth of applesauce. I am a little annoyed with myself since it's been that long and I still haven't posted about it and in the past I would have just skipped sharing about it because the timing was no longer 'right', BUT grace is something I've been trying to show myself more of and my timing is something I'm learning to let go of also!

So, that brings us to making up our 3 bushels of GramE's pink applesauce. As a disclaimer, there are so many different tips and tricks to making applesauce, so if it is something your mom or grandmother used to do regularly, I would start with them and see what they have to say. We ended our day enjoying the company of some fun-loving and seasoned family friends and I enjoyed every part of listening to the insight and stories of how they used to make applesauce! Another disclaimer, the measurements used in this recipe are old fashion in the sense there really are no measurements, it's what looks and tastes good is what works.

the peeling station

de-stemming, de-seeding, and slicing

absolutely LOVE the old denim rugs used to catch the drips

Homemade Cortland Applesauce

stockpot(s)

9x13 glass dish(es)

3 or more large bowls 

food strainer (or mill or press)

apples (36lb is approximately 1 bushel) 

sugar (the amount needed depends on your apples) 

salt

water

pairing knife(s)

peeler(s)

Set up food strainer with 9x13 dish to catch the fresh applesauce. Fill a two large bowl with cool water and add a couple tablespoons of salt (a couple shakes straight from the salt carton  to be exact) to each bowl. Mix. The salt water will be used to keep the apples from turning brown. Peel one segment of skin from each apple. Peel enough apples to fill one bowl of salt water. Quarter each of the partially peeled apples. De-stem and de-seed quarters. Cut each quarter in half and place apple slices in second bowl of salt water (the larger the slices to longer the cooking time). Fill stockpot with apple slices. Add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan (about 1 cup). Cover and cook apples over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally (about every 5 minutes). Cook until tender. Add cooked apples to food strainer until full (one stockpot may be two strainer fulls). Crank and push until all the cooked apples are through. One stockpot will be more than one 9x13 dish so be sure to have a second one ready, I learned my lesson the hard way on this! Put the grounds back through the food strainer 2-3 more times to make sure all the good stuff is out of them. Transfer fresh applesauce to third large bowl. Add about 3/4 cup of sugar to each stockpot worth of applesauce. Mix until dissolved. Allow for the applesauce to cool (if overnight cover with an thin towel). Once cooled, bag or box the applesauce into your desired serving amounts. 1 bushel makes approximately 20 quart-sized containers. 

apples first going onto the stove ...

halfway cooked ...

almost done ...

ready to go through the food stainer

Some additional side notes. Depending on the season of apples, the type of apples, and how long the apples have set to 'sweeten-up' after being picked or purchased, you may need more or less sugar than we used. Also, the peels are the same, more or less peel depending on the apple you are using and your preference.

the setup, a bucket on the floor to dumb all the leftover grounds

more of the food strainer station

adding the sugar

Pappy helping bag it up :)

Cost Comparison: About $70 for apples ($22.99/bushel) and $2 for sugar which made approximately 70 - 25 oz. bags. Thsi comes out to be about $0.04/oz. for homemade applesauce vs. about $0.04/oz. for store bought applesauce. 

the final product, ready to go into the freezer!

Not much of a cost saving homemade item  BUT no unnecessary ingredients and 100x better tasting!!!