Fudge

I tired to make fudge today, using an easy microwave recipe I found online. It has not set. I just let TBell, TBell's friend, and Pirate eat a "piece" with a spoon. I have put it back in the freezer to try and force it to set. It's pretty though, with marshmallows and rainbow sprinkles. Tasty and disappointing all at the same time.

Also, I spoke to Paco's grandmother, and she has agreed to can with me. In addition to what I wanted to make, she is going to teach me how to do potatoes! I am SO excited!

In other random news, we got a new bathtub today from Bathfitters. It looks very much like a hotel shower/tub now - all clean and white. However, anything is better than the stained tub we had before!

"HUGH Sale"

I saw that on a sign over the weekend. Sadly, I was unable to stop and see how much a 'Hugh' would cost. Perhaps next time.

Canning and Me

My sister cans a lot. In fact, she called me yesterday to tell me that she was getting together with some friends to can quite a number of things. (One of which was vodka cherries! I am *really* hoping to get a jar or two of those!) I haven't canned anything in a long time. I helped my mother with tomatoes last year, but I was only helping and ended up with just four jars. I have decided this year that I want to do tomatoes, apple butter, and hot pepper relish. Of course, there is a financial investment with the food and jars, so I need to find a way to make that happen. But, I will be so happy when it is all completed! I have to admit that I am a little nervous since I have never done it by myself. Stay tuned for updates, although the actual day probably won't be until the beginning of September.

Taking a Break from Work

I didn't go to work at the bakery today. (That's a long story.) So, when I woke up today I decided that I should work on some proofreading and other projects that I have been putting off. However, after 40 minutes, I am already in need of a break! My ability to stay focused can be severely limited at times.

We went to a dinner party yesterday to which I had to bring a side dish. The other day I had watched The Food Network and decided to make this. I used apples instead of pears because that's what my local farmer's market had. It was pretty good. I should have taken a picture for you, especially since I assembled it in my never-before-used trifle dish from Pampered Chef and it looked SO pretty! The curry flavor isn't that strong, so I think most people will enjoy it. To be honest and fair, I don't know how often I will make it since the curry won't go with all foods. But, it was good enough to share!

Coffee and a Smile (and a Recipe)

Ahhhhhh. I am sipping coffee and sitting at my desk while the children play happily behind me. I do love days off!

I went to our local farmer's market last weekend and bought an eggplant. I had never prepared eggplant before and was quite anxious to try something with it. Paco is pretty much a meat and potatoes guy, but was willing to try it in our quest to lose weight. (I am down 10 pounds. He has lost roughly the same.) I looked around on the internet for some good recipes and asked around, but couldn't come up with something that great. We were planning to just brush it with olive oil and season it with salt/pepper and throw it on the grill. However, I ended up looking at a recipe called 'Poor Man's Caviar' and was intrigued. I went to a friend's house on Monday and decided to make it for that gathering - it was GREAT!

Cut slits on top of the eggplant, then roast it on grill rack at 500 degrees for about 20 minutes. Take eggplant out of the oven and scoop out the flesh. In a food processor, combine eggplant, drizzle of olive oil, coarse salt, pepper, and whatever other seasonings you would like. (I used a parmesan/oregano blend from my friends pantry.) Serve with a baguette or other bread/cracker.

WARNING: The consistency looks like green baby food. It got rave reviews with my friends, though, so try it anyway!