Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Apple Bread & Applesauce
Why didn't anyone ever tell me it's easier to make your own applesauce than to drive to the store and buy it?
A few weekends ago, we went apple picking. Chris and Evie and I, and Rachel and Jyoti, loaded up in the minivan. We took several wrong turns, resulting in a very long trip, but we made it to the orchards safe and sound.
And it was so worth it! Evie rode rides, we fed farm animals, we filled our tummies with barbecue, and then we headed out to the apples. A little tractor pulled us out to the fields. Then we picked and picked and picked! Evie liked the smaller apples, and Chris often had to hold her up so she could reach higher branches. The only variety that was in season was Golden Delicious, so I scouted out the greenest of them. I mistakenly thought I didn't like Golden Delicious apples, but changed my mind after tasting some that were crisp and sweet, with just a little bit of tart flavor. It is a very special day when you get to rub a shine onto an apple and sink your teeth into it - right in the middle of an orchard.
Then we loaded our little bags back on the tractor and went to pay. Would you believe we ended up with TWELVE POUNDS of apples. What can you do with twelve pounds of apples? You can only eat so many plain. Here are two recipes I tried and liked. And I really meant to post pictures. But we ate everything too quickly!
Apple Bread
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 apples - peeled, cored, and chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8X4 inch loaf pan.
In a bowl, mix the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs.
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix into the butter mixture until just moistened. Fold in the apples. (It will seem like a lot of apples, but don't worry.) Transfer into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake one hour in the preheated oven, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cook completely.
Applesauce
4 apples - peeled, cored, and chopped
3/4 c. water
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher. (I used a stick blender when the apples were still hot.)
Enjoy!
Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!
A few weekends ago, we went apple picking. Chris and Evie and I, and Rachel and Jyoti, loaded up in the minivan. We took several wrong turns, resulting in a very long trip, but we made it to the orchards safe and sound.
And it was so worth it! Evie rode rides, we fed farm animals, we filled our tummies with barbecue, and then we headed out to the apples. A little tractor pulled us out to the fields. Then we picked and picked and picked! Evie liked the smaller apples, and Chris often had to hold her up so she could reach higher branches. The only variety that was in season was Golden Delicious, so I scouted out the greenest of them. I mistakenly thought I didn't like Golden Delicious apples, but changed my mind after tasting some that were crisp and sweet, with just a little bit of tart flavor. It is a very special day when you get to rub a shine onto an apple and sink your teeth into it - right in the middle of an orchard.
Then we loaded our little bags back on the tractor and went to pay. Would you believe we ended up with TWELVE POUNDS of apples. What can you do with twelve pounds of apples? You can only eat so many plain. Here are two recipes I tried and liked. And I really meant to post pictures. But we ate everything too quickly!
Apple Bread
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 apples - peeled, cored, and chopped
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8X4 inch loaf pan.
In a bowl, mix the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in the eggs.
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix into the butter mixture until just moistened. Fold in the apples. (It will seem like a lot of apples, but don't worry.) Transfer into the prepared loaf pan.
Bake one hour in the preheated oven, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cook completely.
Applesauce
4 apples - peeled, cored, and chopped
3/4 c. water
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cover, and cook over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until apples are soft. Allow to cool, then mash with a fork or potato masher. (I used a stick blender when the apples were still hot.)
Enjoy!
Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!
Friday, October 9, 2009
Crazy Talk
It's been raining like crazy for the past few days. Fortunately, we've had a lot of activities that have taken us out of the house. Mostly doctor appointments, but we haven't been cooped up much. Until now. Evie is battling another allergy flare-up and I am sick of the bottom of my jeans being wet. So we are home for the day.
But even a sick Evie has a lot of energy. After we played and watched TV and glued noodles to paper, she was antsy. And what did we do to release this energy? Why, we had a pillow fight, of course!
It was so much fun! We bonked each other in the head and ran around the living room, giggling. She learned to block my hits. She sneaked behind me to whack my bottom. She was out of breath by the time she started chasing the dog and we had to end our game.
A few minutes ago, we were eating lunch. Evie looked into the living room and noticed our pillows in a heap on the floor.
Evie: We shouldn't hit. It's bad to hit.
Me: It was okay this time. We both wanted to play. Plus, we hit with pillows so it wouldn't hurt.
Evie: It would hurt if we hit with bats.
Me: Bats? Like baseball bats?
Evie: Yes, bats.
Me: Well, yes. It would hurt if we hit each other with bats. That would be really bad.
Evie: What if we put pillows around the bats?
But even a sick Evie has a lot of energy. After we played and watched TV and glued noodles to paper, she was antsy. And what did we do to release this energy? Why, we had a pillow fight, of course!
It was so much fun! We bonked each other in the head and ran around the living room, giggling. She learned to block my hits. She sneaked behind me to whack my bottom. She was out of breath by the time she started chasing the dog and we had to end our game.
A few minutes ago, we were eating lunch. Evie looked into the living room and noticed our pillows in a heap on the floor.
Evie: We shouldn't hit. It's bad to hit.
Me: It was okay this time. We both wanted to play. Plus, we hit with pillows so it wouldn't hurt.
Evie: It would hurt if we hit with bats.
Me: Bats? Like baseball bats?
Evie: Yes, bats.
Me: Well, yes. It would hurt if we hit each other with bats. That would be really bad.
Evie: What if we put pillows around the bats?
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
Now that it's October, pumpkins are everywhere. And Evie loves them. We have a visit to the pumpkin patch scheduled for later in the month, but we bought a very tiny pumpkin when we went apple picking this past weekend. (Pictures of apple picking to follow soon!) Evie likes to look at it, but mostly she wants to eat it.
I've explained we have to cook pumpkins before we eat them. I must say I'm not a fan of pumpkin at all. I might take a small sliver of pumpkin pie occasionally, but that's just so I can pile on the whipped cream and then pitch the pie in the trash later. (I can hear the boos and hisses from you all now.)
However, there is one exception. My sister-in-law, Cathy, makes the most yummy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. We make these often for potlucks and the occasional breakfast. This fall weather and spooky season is making me crave them, so I know I'll be baking these for Evie (and Chris and myself) soon!
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
2 c. sugar
15 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. oil (I sometimes substitute apple sauce)
1/2 c. vanilla pudding (can use 1 container of handy snack pudding)
4 egg whites
3 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz. chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin tins with cooking spray.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon, salt, baking soda and flour. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir until moist. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into muffin tins.
Bake for 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoy!
Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!
I've explained we have to cook pumpkins before we eat them. I must say I'm not a fan of pumpkin at all. I might take a small sliver of pumpkin pie occasionally, but that's just so I can pile on the whipped cream and then pitch the pie in the trash later. (I can hear the boos and hisses from you all now.)
However, there is one exception. My sister-in-law, Cathy, makes the most yummy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. We make these often for potlucks and the occasional breakfast. This fall weather and spooky season is making me crave them, so I know I'll be baking these for Evie (and Chris and myself) soon!
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins
2 c. sugar
15 oz. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. oil (I sometimes substitute apple sauce)
1/2 c. vanilla pudding (can use 1 container of handy snack pudding)
4 egg whites
3 c. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz. chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat muffin tins with cooking spray.
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. In a separate bowl, combine cinnamon, salt, baking soda and flour. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture and stir until moist. Stir in chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into muffin tins.
Bake for 18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Enjoy!
Lisa hosts Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays over at Blessed with Grace. Visit her for more yummy recipes!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Pinkalicious
Evie loves the color pink. She loves pink toys, pink food, pink clothes. She's been known to refuse to wear a dress because it's not pink. "It looks kind of like boy clothes." Whoever heard of a boy in a teal and yellow dress?
It should come as no surprise that her favorite book is Pinkalicious. We read it over and over and over, and over and over and over, till we are pink in the face. For those of you who don't know this story by heart, Pinkalicious is a little girl who bakes pink cupcakes with her mom on a rainy afternoon. She eats so many that she is pink when wakes up the next morning! After her doctor diagnoses her with Pinkititis, she learns two lessons: the importance of a well-balanced diet, and that it's always more comfortable to be yourself.
This afternoon, Evie woke up from her nap crying. Hysterically. I think she didn't have enough sleep, but I couldn't get her to calm down. She kept saying "I'm sad!" and "I don't know what's wrong with me!" After at least ten minutes of this, I asked "What do you think we could do to make you feel better?" The waterworks stopped immediately (I'm a sucker, I know,) and Evie said "Do we have the stuff to make Pinkalicious cupcakes?"
We did, and the last batch is in the oven now. We had fun mixing and adding lots of pink food coloring. Evie is tickled pink about the whole thing. But just a couple minutes ago, she said "I'll eat all the cupcakes and then I'll be pink like Pinkalicious!" Um, that might be an ingredient I don't have.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Rebellion
Evie's negotiation skills are going downhill.
We have this wild and crazy rule in our home: You may not throw food. You can't throw it across the table, can't throw it to the dog, can't throw it on the floor. No food throwing, are we clear?
But this rule must be unreasonable to a two-year-old. Most of Evie's Time Outs are for one of two things - bothering the dog, or throwing food. Last night was no exception. Evie threw an apple slice across the table. I warned her, and Chris gave her a lecture. "You are not allowed to throw food. Mommy gave you a warning, but no more warnings. If you throw food, you will go in Time Out. Mommy and I are on the same page here, food throwing gets you a Time Out. Capiche?" And Evie pretended to understand.
A few minutes later, she sent the apple slice sailing to the floor.
Me: Okay, you threw the apple on the floor. You are going in Time Out.
Evie: I don't want to go in Time Out.
Chris: You know the rules, and you already got a warning. You are going in Time Out.
Evie: No! I don't want a Time Out!
Me: Too bad, you shouldn't have thrown the apple.
Evie: (sitting in the Time Out chair) But I don't want to sit in Time Out!
Me: We're not talking anymore. Be quiet and sit there for two minutes.
Evie: No! I'll sit here for FIVE MINUTES!
I think we may need to work on her concept of time...
We have this wild and crazy rule in our home: You may not throw food. You can't throw it across the table, can't throw it to the dog, can't throw it on the floor. No food throwing, are we clear?
But this rule must be unreasonable to a two-year-old. Most of Evie's Time Outs are for one of two things - bothering the dog, or throwing food. Last night was no exception. Evie threw an apple slice across the table. I warned her, and Chris gave her a lecture. "You are not allowed to throw food. Mommy gave you a warning, but no more warnings. If you throw food, you will go in Time Out. Mommy and I are on the same page here, food throwing gets you a Time Out. Capiche?" And Evie pretended to understand.
A few minutes later, she sent the apple slice sailing to the floor.
Me: Okay, you threw the apple on the floor. You are going in Time Out.
Evie: I don't want to go in Time Out.
Chris: You know the rules, and you already got a warning. You are going in Time Out.
Evie: No! I don't want a Time Out!
Me: Too bad, you shouldn't have thrown the apple.
Evie: (sitting in the Time Out chair) But I don't want to sit in Time Out!
Me: We're not talking anymore. Be quiet and sit there for two minutes.
Evie: No! I'll sit here for FIVE MINUTES!
I think we may need to work on her concept of time...
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