I am not a baker. There is one kind of pie that I've yet to screw up (Caramel Apple) but beyond that I do not have the patience or finesse in the kitchen to perfect a pan of bars or frost and decorate anything that looks and tastes good. Even my Grandma (who can cook and bake blindfolded with her hands tied behind to back) wised up to this phenomenon a few years ago and gifted me some gear for the kitchen, including an oven thermometer. She was certain the only explanation for my floppity baked good was that my oven was baking at the wrong temperature. (She was right, but it didn't make a bit of difference in the end.) I feel this admission is pertinent to the discovery I made this morning.
Fifteen bananas.
I found fifteen frozen bananas in the freezer waiting for someone to bake them into deliciousness. I used to throw bananas away when they got brown, but then someone told me you could put them in the freezer until you were ready to use them. It turns out you still have you use them. If you don't use them, you wake up one morning and find yourself one frozen banana away from an episode of Hoarders.
There are now fifteen bananas thawing in the kitchen sink, waiting for me to screw up a bag of flour and sugar trying to bake something.
Showing posts with label teresa. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teresa. Show all posts
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Ten On Tuesday, Solo Kim
Back with a Ten on Tuesday after a break. These are actually older questions, that I answered a while back and filed. I figured I might as well post them since the work is already done!
1. What’s your variety of apple?
Braeburn, or as Gage calls them “the red AND green ones”. They had a unit on apple varieties at preschool examining colors, textures and taste so now he’s an expert. Duh.
2. Do you prefer Long-English or Field cucumbers?
Umm, burpless?
3. Tomatoes – Delicious or disgusting?
Delicious, all forms, varieties, canned, sauced, etc. My Grandma grows loads of tomatoes every year, and has my entire life. When I was a wee little girl and helped in her garden (Grandma, are there any pictures of this?) she taught me how to eat fresh tomatoes: pick, polish, bite, spit out that bite, suck out all the juice, pitch the remaining fleshy part over the white washed fence, repeat.
4. What’s one fruit or vegetable that you can’t stand and why is that?
Do mushrooms count? My tastebuds have grown up enough to embrace everything but mushrooms. (It took about 25 years for them to enjoy peppers.)
5. What’s your favourite way to prepare veggies? (Grilled, boiled, roasted, sautéed, etc.)
Grilled on almost everything. Not lettuce. And potatoes…probably mashed.
6. Sweet potato pie: Love it or hate it?
I love sweet potatoes.
7. What’s your favourite “style” of French fry? Wedges, shoelace, curly, crinkle-cut or other?
Thin and crispy.
8. What’s your favourite fruit-pie filling?
Strawberry (served cold). Or peach (served warm a la mode). One more story: my Dad begged my sister and I ride along to an auction sale when we were in high school. It was an hour away and we weren’t real excited about it. But we tagged along because it meant we didn’t have to stay home and clean/mow/scrape out hog pens for the day. When we got there and discovered they had an entire building filled with every type of pie imaginable we were hooked. We kept dragging him back for more pie. So much that we missed the sale of the one thing he actually wanted at the auction. We went back with him again another year to the “pie sale”.
9. When you were a kid did your parents make you sit at the table until all your veggies were eaten off your plate?
I don’t remember, so probably not. Honestly, I don’t remember pitching fits about eating. My kids? It’s a constant battle to get them to eat something (sometimes ANYTHING) at a meal. Help me?
10. Do you drink veggie & fruit juice blends (such as V8, etc.) or make them yourself?
I like to make my own fruit smoothies, but haven’t done anything with veggies. Also, I bring my own gravy (it’s a MONK pun...)
1. What’s your variety of apple?
Braeburn, or as Gage calls them “the red AND green ones”. They had a unit on apple varieties at preschool examining colors, textures and taste so now he’s an expert. Duh.
2. Do you prefer Long-English or Field cucumbers?
Umm, burpless?
3. Tomatoes – Delicious or disgusting?
Delicious, all forms, varieties, canned, sauced, etc. My Grandma grows loads of tomatoes every year, and has my entire life. When I was a wee little girl and helped in her garden (Grandma, are there any pictures of this?) she taught me how to eat fresh tomatoes: pick, polish, bite, spit out that bite, suck out all the juice, pitch the remaining fleshy part over the white washed fence, repeat.
4. What’s one fruit or vegetable that you can’t stand and why is that?
Do mushrooms count? My tastebuds have grown up enough to embrace everything but mushrooms. (It took about 25 years for them to enjoy peppers.)
5. What’s your favourite way to prepare veggies? (Grilled, boiled, roasted, sautéed, etc.)
Grilled on almost everything. Not lettuce. And potatoes…probably mashed.
6. Sweet potato pie: Love it or hate it?
I love sweet potatoes.
7. What’s your favourite “style” of French fry? Wedges, shoelace, curly, crinkle-cut or other?
Thin and crispy.
8. What’s your favourite fruit-pie filling?
Strawberry (served cold). Or peach (served warm a la mode). One more story: my Dad begged my sister and I ride along to an auction sale when we were in high school. It was an hour away and we weren’t real excited about it. But we tagged along because it meant we didn’t have to stay home and clean/mow/scrape out hog pens for the day. When we got there and discovered they had an entire building filled with every type of pie imaginable we were hooked. We kept dragging him back for more pie. So much that we missed the sale of the one thing he actually wanted at the auction. We went back with him again another year to the “pie sale”.
9. When you were a kid did your parents make you sit at the table until all your veggies were eaten off your plate?
I don’t remember, so probably not. Honestly, I don’t remember pitching fits about eating. My kids? It’s a constant battle to get them to eat something (sometimes ANYTHING) at a meal. Help me?
10. Do you drink veggie & fruit juice blends (such as V8, etc.) or make them yourself?
I like to make my own fruit smoothies, but haven’t done anything with veggies. Also, I bring my own gravy (it’s a MONK pun...)
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Ten on Tuesday: 4.10.12
If you're interested in participating in Ten on Tuesday, head over to Roots N Rings and follow Chelsea. She posts new questions every week that are usually pretty fun!
(You'll have to excuse Dana for not answering. She's super busy planning a super awesome summer reading program at the library. I'm only away of the pirate portion but that alone is worth it. If you're in the Madison SD area, utilize your city library! Its an absolute gold mine!)
1. Do you prefer fabric or plastic plasters? (or Band-Aids if American)
Fabric – I don’t like the way the plastic ones make my finger all moist and shriveled underneath. However, there aren’t pretty fabrics, so I buy plastics for the kids and that’s almost always what I end up using too.
2. Do you prefer gel pens, biro or fine liners for everyday writing?
I’ll take a fine point, blue ball point please.
3. Do you have a fear or needles/dentists/blood (if all three, which is the worst) and is there a story behind it?
Not really. I don’t particularly care for any of them though. Gage on the other hand has had blood drawn pretty regularly since he was a week old to check his thyroid hormone levels. He sits and watches the draw like its no big deal – and has since he was 2. That freaks me out a little.
4. Do you like jelly? Do you eat it at any time other than when poorly?
I like homemade jelly way more than the stuff in the stores. My Grandma makes a fabulous strawberry rhubarb jelly and divine plum jam. Jack’s Grandma makes a phenomenal grape jam.
5. What are your Easter traditions? (if not Christian, insert your own meaningful festival here and tell us about that instead)
My Grandma (the jelly maker) has dyed Easter eggs every year for as long as anyone can remember. I’ve been there probably 23 years. I also remember her making a pink jello salad every year. Without that salad, it isn’t Easter for me. Other than eggs and food, church as a family and hanging out.
6. What’s your favourite book that you have read so far this year?
The Help and Water for Elephants. I’m about ½ way through The Art of Fielding, but I’m not sold yet.
7. Do you have any magazine subscriptions or recommendations that we should know about?
Not really. I do like National Geographic for the kids.
8. Favourite etsy store (if you know the owner IRL, also include your favourite that you didn’t originally know IRL)?
Studio Mela http://www.etsy.com/shop/dazeychic - she has some great stuff
9. If you had play money (£100/$150) that could only be used on shoes, what shoes would you buy?
As many TOMS as I could. I’ve been coveting a pair for a long time but never taken the plunge. This is my year.
10. If you were going pet shopping tomorrow, what would you choose?
Maybe fish? The kids have loads of animals around between Wrangler, our poor underappreciated ill-trained canine and horses, cats, dogs, chickens and cattle at their grandparents’.
(You'll have to excuse Dana for not answering. She's super busy planning a super awesome summer reading program at the library. I'm only away of the pirate portion but that alone is worth it. If you're in the Madison SD area, utilize your city library! Its an absolute gold mine!)
1. Do you prefer fabric or plastic plasters? (or Band-Aids if American)
Fabric – I don’t like the way the plastic ones make my finger all moist and shriveled underneath. However, there aren’t pretty fabrics, so I buy plastics for the kids and that’s almost always what I end up using too.
2. Do you prefer gel pens, biro or fine liners for everyday writing?
I’ll take a fine point, blue ball point please.
3. Do you have a fear or needles/dentists/blood (if all three, which is the worst) and is there a story behind it?
Not really. I don’t particularly care for any of them though. Gage on the other hand has had blood drawn pretty regularly since he was a week old to check his thyroid hormone levels. He sits and watches the draw like its no big deal – and has since he was 2. That freaks me out a little.
4. Do you like jelly? Do you eat it at any time other than when poorly?
I like homemade jelly way more than the stuff in the stores. My Grandma makes a fabulous strawberry rhubarb jelly and divine plum jam. Jack’s Grandma makes a phenomenal grape jam.
5. What are your Easter traditions? (if not Christian, insert your own meaningful festival here and tell us about that instead)
My Grandma (the jelly maker) has dyed Easter eggs every year for as long as anyone can remember. I’ve been there probably 23 years. I also remember her making a pink jello salad every year. Without that salad, it isn’t Easter for me. Other than eggs and food, church as a family and hanging out.
6. What’s your favourite book that you have read so far this year?
The Help and Water for Elephants. I’m about ½ way through The Art of Fielding, but I’m not sold yet.
7. Do you have any magazine subscriptions or recommendations that we should know about?
Not really. I do like National Geographic for the kids.
8. Favourite etsy store (if you know the owner IRL, also include your favourite that you didn’t originally know IRL)?
Studio Mela http://www.etsy.com/shop/dazeychic - she has some great stuff
9. If you had play money (£100/$150) that could only be used on shoes, what shoes would you buy?
As many TOMS as I could. I’ve been coveting a pair for a long time but never taken the plunge. This is my year.
10. If you were going pet shopping tomorrow, what would you choose?
Maybe fish? The kids have loads of animals around between Wrangler, our poor underappreciated ill-trained canine and horses, cats, dogs, chickens and cattle at their grandparents’.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Finding Love
Freebies first. I found this picture while editing some forgotten shots from last spring. This is a budding lilac bush at my in-law's ranch. When I found this picture I fell in love with it, instantly made it my desktop background and life has been perfect ever since. Feel free to do the same and think of me everytime you see it.
The theme of this post could very well be 'pictures I had forgotten about'. This is my beautiful Grandma Teresa and this pictures was taken on one of her very favorite days of the year: the-day-we-dye-Easter-eggs. One of her other favorite days? Valentine's Day. I remember getting handmade Valentine's Day cards from her well into my teens that she made with computer paper, stickers and stencils. She'd usually slip a few dollars inside with instruction to buy a treat at the ballgame. I hope someday people see the same spark in me that I see in her.
Speaking of 'spark': this picture was taken the same trip as the photo above. The sheep belong to a dear neighbor of my parents. You know the type: their daughters babysat us in high school, they kept us excited about 4-H and encouraged us through countless livestock shows, baked cookies for us in college and drove 800 miles to attend our wedding. We try to stop and see them so they can spoil the boys with a popsicle and the chance to bottle feed lambs. This face? Pure Joy.
Even if you're spending Valentine's Day single this year, take time to remember those you love!
The theme of this post could very well be 'pictures I had forgotten about'. This is my beautiful Grandma Teresa and this pictures was taken on one of her very favorite days of the year: the-day-we-dye-Easter-eggs. One of her other favorite days? Valentine's Day. I remember getting handmade Valentine's Day cards from her well into my teens that she made with computer paper, stickers and stencils. She'd usually slip a few dollars inside with instruction to buy a treat at the ballgame. I hope someday people see the same spark in me that I see in her.
Speaking of 'spark': this picture was taken the same trip as the photo above. The sheep belong to a dear neighbor of my parents. You know the type: their daughters babysat us in high school, they kept us excited about 4-H and encouraged us through countless livestock shows, baked cookies for us in college and drove 800 miles to attend our wedding. We try to stop and see them so they can spoil the boys with a popsicle and the chance to bottle feed lambs. This face? Pure Joy.
Pure Joy: Easter 2011. After a pretty rad Easter Egg hunt outside at Jack's aunt and uncle's house, Max took a break from the wind to hang out with Grandpa Jim and eat jelly beans. We are so fortunate to see our own children make memories with our grandparents. Here's to many more!
Even if you're spending Valentine's Day single this year, take time to remember those you love!
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