It's been lovely weather today and this morning Tony went off to a model railway show with his friend and I went to a local garden centre to look at the Christmas display with my friend. To be honest Marian was going to the garden centre as she wanted some aniseed balls but I knew it would be starting to look festive so I went along too. I bought two little gifts to wrap for my 'twelve days of Christmas' presents and something nice for Tony's birthday which is next month. When I got home I spent an hour in the gardening collecting a huge tray of windfall apples, planting garlic and harvesting veggies. I pulled, then cooked some beetroot too and it's currently cooling down before I pickle it. I peeled, cored and chopped the apple into big chunks before cooking with a sprinkle of mixed spice powder. The kitchen smells divine and I now have a huge tub of apple chunks and two of apple puree. The puree I will mix with sultanas when I get some and the apple chunks will make a gorgeous apple pie. I'll freeze it all as soon as it's cool and that's one more thing for my little prepper store. I like to add sultanas to the cooked apples to soak up all that lovely juice. The sultanas get all lovely and plump and I'm not wasting the delicious apple cooking water
Tomorrow we are meeting up with Alexander and Beckah and we're all going for a 'Yorkshire pudding wrap'.. It's hot roast beef and gravy wrapped in a Yorkshire pud. mmmmmmm. Then I want to buy some spring flowering bulbs and some pansies to make a splash of colour in the garden. It won't be long before it's cold and dreary and I'd like something pretty to look at to cheer me up during the winter months.
As lovely and festive as that sounds, I'm forcing myself to put off any hints of Christmas. I burned out three years ago starting too soon. The dinner though, anytime. It was freezing cold this morning but the day turned warm and sunny.
ReplyDeleteI love buying little things all year round to put away for Christmas. By the time I come to wrap them they are a total joy all over again as I completely forget what they are. The festive season start right at the beginning od December for us and I really can't wait... Bring it on.
DeleteSounded a busy & pleasant kind of day. I love rhubarb and apple and do that when I've plenty of it in the garden. I don't get much liquid with apples, but only use enough water to just wet the bottom of the saucepan, so it's then all mushy apple in the pan. Hope you get your bulbs planted & have a lovely cheery display. Take care & hugs.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly how I cook my apples too. Enough juice comes out of the apples to create a nice sauce once thickened with a bit of cornflour.
DeleteWhat a lovely day. I can almost smell that apple myself - so aromatic. xx
ReplyDeleteI always add sultanas to apple crumble. It just works! And with lots of cinnamon and cloves. The smell must have been amazing.
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