My Blackberry Obsession

I have a blackberry obsession. A bad one.

It started last year, when my mother-in-law came to my house and picked from the blackberry bushes in the neighborhood. Well, because of all the snow this year etc. there are HUNDREDS of blackberry bushes this year. HUNDREDS... and they are TOTALLY FREE.

It started by going on walks to see if they were ready to pick. Then over the 4th of July my mother-in-law and I picked and made jam... well I was hooked. (I even have a favorite bush.)

The only downside is the nasty thorns. I usually give up and quit picking the 4th of 5th time I draw blood. My hands sting for days afterward and I have scabs all over my hands and feet... but it is so worth it!

I go picking every chance I get (read: Andrew watches the kids). So far, we have made 8 pints of jam, I have 4 gallons more in the freezer to make more jam, I have made 4 pies and 2 batches of syrup. And from what I pick this week I plan to freeze a bunch of pie filling and just plain blackberries for smoothies. Yum, yum, yum!!!



One of the pies I made... with a homemade (all butter) crust... so yummy!!

GOOP

I made (am making actually) GOOP for lunch today. It is just me, or when everything is on the edge of going bad in the fridge do you dump it all together and see what you get?

This is something I thought I would never do. My mom did this when I was a kid and stories of "Purple Soup" live on to this day. My mom swears it wasn't that bad, but she was conveniently gone that night and I distinctly remember puking it up after dinner. My poor dad had to set a good example and eat the nasty stuff... I secretly think he probably puked it up afterward too. :)

Well, I am hoping mine turns out a little better than my mom's purple soup. But as I was trying to find something fun lunch I found, mushrooms, a green pepper, cherry tomatoes, peas, sausage, chicken broth and a few other random things... mix that with some spices and rice and I think I have myself a lunch.... at 3:00pm. :-P Ah well!!

Tonight we are having Mateer Paneer (peas and indian cheese) because I had a whole gallon of milk that expired!

I do promise that we do eat things that aren't on the verge of growing things, just not this week. :)

The Absent Minded Baker

Oh how true it is that you are more forgetful and absent minded when pregnant!

Plan A - Saturday, while Drew was away, I decided to make bread. So I read the recipe for Potato bread, called my mother-in-law to clarify a few things and was just about to start dumping when I realized I didn't have buttermilk, which it called for.

Plan B - flipped over to the oatmeal bread recipe... buttermilk free! So I cooked the oatmeal and was just about to start going when I realized it said to let the oatmeal cool for "several hours to overnight." Ack. There goes that plan.

Plan C - start in on Raisin bread. I actually managed to follow through on this one! I even made a cinnamon and sugar swirl on the inside. Go me! I also saved the oatmeal and made 4 loaves yesterday afternoon, so now we have 4 loaves of each... yummm!!

Artsy??

I have never considered myself artistic. I can't draw worth beans, I don't have a clue how to decorate or how to put colors together (which is why my wedding was all black & white and my house is all neutral-blah) and craft projects/creative memories projects intimidate me. I am even left handed, which usually means you have more a creative side... but I must have missed that part of the package (I got all the rest, I can't even cut with my right hand!).

However, as I was cooking yesterday I was thinking about how that may be a way I am creative. I enjoy cooking, but HATE HATE HATE baking. I do not like to measure. Measuring is for the birds. I prefer the dump, sprinkle, pinch, smidgen, pour-in-whatever-I-have, sort of cooking. It is always a surprise and you don't have to remember whether you put in 3 or 4 cups of flour. I also like baking bread, which again, is not an exact science. If you add too much flour, you add more water, and visa versa.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out in being a parent. I hope this baby gets a little creative-think-outside-the-boxness, but there is precious little between the his two first-born parents. I will teach him to play piano, but it will be songs from a book, I haven't a clue how to make it up as I go. I plan to sing to my baby, but I don't see myself making up songs. Just as I see myself reading him tons of books, but I have never been able to make up a good story to save my life. I just hope he isn't scared for life. :)

Where do you fall on the creative scale?

Just call me the Wheat Queen

In at attempt to be healthier, spend less and use some of the time I have now that I am no longer working... I am making bread!

I used to make bread growing up, with 4 brothers I made 7 loaves twice a week. However, I no longer have my mom's amazing mixer. But my biceps will grow much faster this way. :)

My mother-in-law gave me 10 gallons of wheat, so yesterday I made 7 loaves of banana bread and TONS of whole wheat pancake mix, enough to last through 20-25 breakfasts for the two of us. (50 cups of mix!). My wheat grinder hasn't seen this much use in years.

This morning (or rather, all day today) I have been making buttermilk wheat bread. The first 4 loaves just came out of the oven and they look amazing. I made 7 loaves. And I am hoping to get another batch of bread in tomorrow before Drew gets home! If you are in the area, you can stop by for some warm homemade cinnamon-raisin bread. :)