9.24.2008

The domestic diva in me

I never understood why apple scented candles smelled the way they did. I would smell them and think "This is not how an apple smells, what are they smoking?" So, I went on my merry way not buying apple scented things because, seriously, they don't smell like apples. Turns out, I was wrong.

Hubby and the kids went to the local apple orchard to buy some apples. Raoul called me and asked how many apples I wanted. I asked him how much everything costs and he said they had a bushel of mixed apples for $6. That's right, 45 lbs of apples for $6. "Holy crap, buy that", I said. So, he bought the entire bushel . They sat on the kitchen counter over night and when I woke up in the morning my kitchen smelled like apples. Sweet, intoxicating apples. Every time I walked near the kitchen I could smell them. I would walk past the kitchen just to smell them. And you know what, they smelled just like those apple scented candles. I guess I was the one who was smoking something.

In addition to ridiculously cheap apples, Raoul picked up cheap pears and plums. He spent $10 and brought home a huge amount of fruit. I know what you are thinking, what the hell does a person do with 45 lbs of apples, 3 lbs of pears, and 1 lb of plums? Why she makes apple sauce of course! I got all domestic on Monday and made 10 jars of sauce. We have:
  • 2 jars of apple
  • 2 jars of apple plum
  • 2 jars of apple pear
  • 2 jars of apple strawberry
  • 2 jars of apple peach strawberry

The kids and Raoul love this stuff so those jars won't last long. Raoul is heading the orchard on Sunday to pick up another bushel. I will definitely make 2 jars of apple peach and a 2 jars of apple blueberry because I haven't made any yet. I am also looking for cherries to make apple cherry but I can't find any. I didn't expect to find fresh cherries because they are out of season but I was hoping to find frozen cherries. Our grocery store didn't have any. Oh well, I guess I will buy cherries when they are in season next year and freeze them so I can make sauce next fall. That means I have to listen to them bitch about it for the next year.

In addition to my domestic dabblings in apple sauce making, I made minestrone and chicken soup this past weekend. I am much more domestic in the winter than I am in the summer. It is just too hot to cook anything in the summer. What is your favorite food to cook when it starts to get cold out?

4 comments:

Jill said...

Pot roast. And chili. And anything with pumpkin. Or apples. Yum! I, too, become much more domestic in the winter. I am so happy for the cooler weather!

Aunt Becky said...

Usually, pecan pies. Because, hello, they're AWESOME and I hate to cook in the summer, too.

Michelle said...

Chilli is my favorite!! Although my husband is the cook in the family. I love the smell of apples! I buy mostly all apple scented stuff because I can't get enough. It reminds of this time of year which is my favorite.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you are a domestic diva! I don't even have the slightest idea how one would go about making one batch of applesauce, much less 5 different kinds.

I'm right there with you on the minestrone (sorry to hear about your hand, by the way!) and I also love to make vegetarian chili.