Monday, October 17, 2011

Monday Morsels: Eat Them Up

When Wylie was a toddler he was what some would have labeled "a biter".  My shoulders were covered with black and blue baby mouth sized circles.  It would happen unexpectedly and he was just as likely to bite when he was happy, or excited as when he was angry.  I didn't understand it then.  But now I get it.
That overwhelming feeling of just wanting to latch tightly and not let go. The desire to cram it into your mouth and savor it for just another minute longer--even when you know it might hurt.


Sometimes my kids are so darn cute I just want to bite them.  (I promise I have never actually done it).

Some days I just want to grab time and smoosh it into my pocket, real good so it can't slip out.  Then maybe I can take them out years from now just to remember the way their voices sounded when they sing, or how their cheeks curved into their jaw lines--and that dimple!

Morsels:


*  Its starting to get dark so early already.  This evening we had a short playtime outside after dinner, but most nights its too dark and chilly for outside.  Last night after dinner the kids broke out a few board games.   A few of us have trouble with rules, so board games have not always been successful.  But I love when they actually take out a game and make it work for them.  By the end of the game they had made up a few of their own rules--even better I say!  This one is "Yoga Garden" a cooperative game.  Its really simple and fun, and totally random in its purpose, which makes it all the better somehow.


* Kale's "owd trator wid a guy on it" old tractor with a guy on it.  We picked this tractor/trailer up at Tractor Supply the other day when we were there for a homeschooling event (also random and fun).  Kale can attach the trailer and tractor and load it up with all kinds of tiny animals--which he does over and over again.  So much fun.  


* Cranberry apple pie, for dessert.  And breakfast, and lunch.



* We've been eating a lot of cranberry compote.  I read a few recipes online, here's what we've come up with for a favorite:  2 cups whole cranberries, two apples cored, one whole organic orange seeded (not peeled) 1/2 cup of honey.  Put everything in the food processor and chop until coarse but not mush.  The first recipe called for 1-2 cups of sugar.  I tried 1 cup and it was like dessert.  The 1/2 cup of honey is still sweet, but has a bite to it.  The kids preferred the first, but ate the other happily.  My sister thought red onion would be a good addition to make it more savory.  We'll have to try that too.  The recipes called this cranberry relish and  while we are relishing it (ha) my condiment aversion is keeping me from embracing the name.  I prefer compote. Whatever you choose to call it, its yummy.  This is so easy and beautiful not to mention tastey it will definitely be featured in some holiday gifts to come.

    Kale attempting to remove a splinter all by himself:  "Na Na do"


* I love that my kids love books.  Recently our homeschooling has been really free form.  This always happens, though not quite so early in the year typically.  But it feels good to everyone.  We're doing a lot of reading these days.  Story books, poetry, lots of science books (its what Wylie always chooses) and some beginning reader books too.  Kale will happily look at a book on his own for several minutes, or sit with the older kids while the "read" to him.

      My trash for the last two weeks.  Not including waste from previously purchased items.    

*  My ecochallenge is over, and while I wasn't 100% successful (I may have set the bar a little too high) most days we had little to no waste.  I realized that to be completely waste free we'd have to first go through all of the things we already own that are disposable.  So, that's my next goal--to not replace items that are disposable unless we can't find a better alternative.  This includes a lot of plastic toys that break, and then what?  We also just bought an annual pass to a local recycling facility that recycles so much more than our town does.  We went today to drop off all of the paper I'd been saving for months, along with some dis-assembled appliances.  We got to see how they sort all of the recyclables, and check out the baling machine.  I'll still try to avoid waste (even those things that can be recycled) but when I can't I'll be glad to visit the center again.  I never knew recycling centers could be so much fun.


* Loving the foliage this fall.

Happy Monday!

2 comments:

  1. That compote looks so good, I wish we had cranberries here. I may have to cheat and make it with store bought ones for our Thanksgiving turkey.

    I think I may have to look into limiting our waste right now, which is just excessive.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jasmine,

    I wanted to share we you my all-time favorite cranberry recipe with you that was given to me by my Aunt Laurie. It is for Cranberry Compote but slightly different from your recipe. You must stick to the recipe in order for it to come out correctly. :)

    1 cup orange juice
    1 teaspoon grated orange rind
    1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
    4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
    1 1/4 cups diced peeled granny smith apple
    1/2 cup maple syrup

    Combine the first 3 ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil, and cook 5 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Add the cranberries and diced apple; cook over medium heat 10 minutes, stir ring occasionally. Stir in syrup and cook an additional 5 minutes. Discard the cinammon stick. Service compote at room temperature. Yield: 9 servings (serving size: 1/3 cup)

    I've decided that I am going to can the compote up this year, put a cute little label and bow on it and give them as Christmas gifts this year.


    Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete

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