Friday night, I told Tommy if he would peel, core, and dice the huge bag of huge apples in the refrigerator, I would make him an apple cake. I took 13" pan and sprayed with PAM, dumped in the diced apples, sprinkled cinnamon over them, and sprinkled a spice cake mix over it, poured 3/4-cup of melted butter over it and baked on 350F for an hour. I wish I had sprinkled raisins over the apples. Next time. It is delicious! Tommy likes it and wishes there were more apples and less topping of cake mix. Next time.
Then, I had him get out the five pounds of giant misshapen carrots and peel/scrape them. I will chop into three inches pieces. I plan to cook them in the oven--carrots, potatoes, onions, green peppers, and the rest of the grape tomatoes (about six), plus any other vegetables I find lurking. Adding garlic cloves and Italian spices. This is for Saturday night. I think we will have pork chops, too.
I am trying to get the refrigerator cleared of food that needs to be eaten, plus make room for Thanksgiving foods. The apples and the carrots were taking up almost a whole shelf! Milk is once again 3 half gallons for $10, but I don't think I will stock up because the refrigerator was too full and hard to manage before Thanksgiving.
Right now, I have one dish ready for Christmas dinner--purple hull peas. I just wanted them. I may freeze the rest of the turkey breast for Christmas and not bother with a whole turkey until after Christmas. Sounds great to me. Since I just discovered Christmas is Saturday, I suppose I will put another turkey or turkey breast in refrigerator to thaw. I change my mind of a dime.
One channel promised/advertised a Christmas movie and did not come through! "SANTA WHO?" was supposed to come on at 7 pm and did not, so I settled for Hollywood Christmas Parade.
Saturday morning and it's already 70F at 10 am. I think this is our high today, not sure.
There is a bag of six chicken breasts that I need to cook today. I suppose I will freeze them for meals later.
I have so much to do. Sunday, after church someone is coming to help out with getting things off floor over in a corner and all over the living room! I am tired already thinking about the ordeal.
In a minute I will be eating my brunch of something. How is your Christmas prep coming along?
That sure sounds expensive for milk! I pay about $2 or so for a gallon.
ReplyDeleteI have everything bought or made as far as gifts. Nothing sweet yet. I am waiting closer to when I know I am having guests. Decorations done as they are going to get. Sort oof 3/4 done with wrap! Going to my brothers on Christmas day - so I won't be cooking here.
The cake sounds good.
Cheryl,
DeleteI have to drink that kind of milk. bad things happen when I drink regular milk. I think I am only going to make two pumpkin pies for sweets. My decorations are about half done and I am quitting and calling it lovely. Going someplace and not cooking sounds great! Have fun.
Taking a quick break but going well for prep. Now I need people to eat! That cake sounds perfect.
ReplyDeleteThe cake is so easy! Any cake mix would work. Preparing the apples is the hardest part and anyone sitting around can do that bit.
DeleteStill digging out here but I got 3 presents wrapped and the tree got garlanded and two whole ornaments on it. lol Still working on a menu for Xmas and I need to start soaking the salt cured ham tomorrow. It's all a blur this year!
ReplyDeleteslugmama,
DeleteI hope it all evens out for you. Tree sounds Lovely...lol. I hope things come together for you.
Gifts are wrapped and tucked in the closet. I've made one batch of peanut butter cups which were eaten almost as quickly as they were made, and one batch of beeswax candles to give as gifts. I also give a fruitcake to a friend who loves it like we do. She is the only one in her family who eats it though, so she doesn't make it. As one recipe gives us two large and three smaller cakes, I always give her one of the smaller ones. I will stop by her house today on the way home from the supermarket. (Fruitcake gets baked on Halloween, and fed with rum each week after until December.) I haven't baked a lot of cookies--none, in fact. Today, I might make some thumbprints, as well as another batch of Chex mix. I also need to nail down the Christmas menu. I decided I will splurge on a beef rib roast. I just need to decide when to pick it up. I may or may not take a drive out to a local butcher to get some pepperoni this week. It all depends on the weather. Winds are high.
ReplyDeleteGlad you and Tommy seem to be settling into a groove, as it were. Best wishes for 2022.
Meg,
DeleteYour Christmas sounds like it is coming along. I have always thought I would bake a fruitcake, but, so far, I have not. Rib roast sounds like a hit. Merry Christmas.
The cake sounds yummy!
ReplyDeleteThe kids and I are off school and work as of yesterday for 2 weeks. The house is as decorated as it is going to get. I started wrapping today but only got a few things wrapped. No cookies have been made. Will probably do that next week. Just trying to take it slow. I need to take the kids out next week to shop for their dad. He took them out today to shop for me.
Rachel,
DeleteThanks, it was yummy! At least you don't have to work and work at home. It sounds like you are getting it done, slowly.
What is decorated is all that I am going to do. The house looks nice and festive with little more than a third of what I usually put out. I am. not worried about things I did not do/get done.
ReplyDeleteWe are not buying a lot of presents this year, but those that are bought are wrapped and tagged and bowed. Pip's gifts have all been sent (I let Son1 wrap them) No one else in my realm needs anything and I refuse to buy just to have a gift. I think our sons will appreciate a cash gift more
I guess I will decide what we are having for Christmas brunch early next week and begin gathering whatever I need, though I am going to shop the freezer first!
Anne,
DeleteMine is done, too, even though not done, it looks nice. I still want the turkey, so that is still in the plan. In the past I have let my children wrap the gifts I sent. It is so much easier.
We have the easiest Christmas than most and many would not like our Christmas, but it works for us. We have everything we need for Reuben sandwiches, which my husband will prepare. We will just have some chips, pickles and olives with our meal. I will be making an apple pie for our dessert. My dad, who is in assisted living will be coming to eat with us, even after I told him it was not a traditional meal and we have virtually no decorations or a tree. We have 4 cats and sometimes, some things aren't worth the struggle. We are also limited for space for a tree so it is what it is. We do not exchange gifts with family members with the exception of sending a check to my son and his family. Anything else is sent to each of our charities of choice. Merry Christmas. You sound like you are doing very well and the cake sounds really yummy. Ranee (MN)
ReplyDeleteRae,
DeleteSometime any meal I don't have to cook sounds fine. I am sure your father just wants to be with you no matter what you have for dinner. It sounds like your Christmas is low key, fine with me some days. I am doing well. Thanks. The cake was a hit.
I’m ready for Christmas except for getting groceries which we will do on wedne.
ReplyDeleteBelinda,
DeleteYou are so brave to go out that close to Christmas! I would be afraid things would be in short supply or gone, plus the crowds would be so horrid. But, you may find me there anyway.
This morning I went to the store to get all my things for the 24/25. I was worried they were going to be out of things. Happily, only the buttermilk was gone.
ReplyDeleteurspo,
DeleteI am glad you found everything except buttermilk. Put some lemon juice or vinegar in milk and you will have buttermilk for cooking.
Everything is fine gor Christmas save for sone shopping and cooking I'll wait until Tuesday to figure out what I need and actually what I'm going to cook. I have all the vegetables, all snacks a few desserts, even ham. Basically I need to decide on salmon, ham or turkey for Christmas Day and make sure it is thawed. I don't usually cook things ahead because I'm usually not organized enough to do that. Enjoy your planning and preparation.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds as though you are good at having what you need in time. Oh, don't think I am organized. Thanks. Get yours done, too.
DeleteThank you. At one time I was very organized and early with everything and I enjoyed that. But over time with caregiving responsibilities back to back for loved ones now gone and my health challenges I've had to get used to things being very different though slowly I'm trying to get caught up to things. I forgot to mention how much I love apple cake and yours sounds delicious and much easier than mine.
DeleteJoyful,
DeleteI suppose with me, too, health challenges slows a person and changes self-expectations. How do you make your apple cake?
Hi, if interested you can check out my blog to see the vegan apple cake (link to recipe on another blog no longer works). There is another recipe for French Apple Cake which I think I made last time (the link to recipe works). It was delicious. On the blog there is a search box at the top left. Just type apple cake and it will bring up the posts.
DeleteJoyful,
DeleteI have looked at your blog before. But, since I don't have a blog roll on this blog, I never get around to blogs I DO want to read. I will check out your apple cake.
I did not give one thought to Christmas today. My husband wrapped gifts. I scrubbed our master bath (or "owner's bath" as they are now called, apparently) shower and made a new bread recipe in my bread machine. It was a hearty bread with molasses, wheat bran & white whole wheat flour. It did not rise properly but that's my fault because I did not have any wheat gluten to add to my AP flour. But was a fragrant lil brick that tasted really good! I will try it again once I buy more wheat gluten.
ReplyDeleteYour apple cake sounds divine! Send a slice my way, wouldja?
We had Cubanos (ham/pork/swiss/dill pickle/mustard panini sammies) for dinner and they were YUMMO. I could have eaten 2 but restrained myself. Of course I ended up snacking the entire damn evening because I was still peckish. I should have just had another Cubano. It would have been far better than the random crap I was hoovering. Oh well. Imma finish this frosty diet grape soda (LOVE ME SOME DIET GRAPE!) and call the day a total loss. Thank goodness tomorrow is a new day, without any mistakes in it!
Gonna brush my teefs & play Solitaire Cash in bed on my phone until I get sleepy and start drooling. Have a nice night, all!
Sue,
ReplyDeleteI have fragrant bricks that tasted good! At least it was edible. I still call it a master bath!
Sure, I will wrap up a piece and send it to you...lol.
I have never had Diet grape, but I love Nu-Grape. Hope you get sleepy soon and win solitaire.
I'm glad you will have help moving things around but I understand you calling it an ordeal. I hate it if someone decides to tidy up and I'm not in the right mind set.
ReplyDeletekylie,
DeleteOh, NO! Don't tidy if I am not into it. That is annoying. This person seems to be a good person to help without overpowering me with working so fast and making decisions I do not want to be made.
ReplyDeleteI'm finally done shopping so as soon as Amazon finishes delivering all my packages, I need to wrap it all up. My granddaughter keeps stacking all the boxes in a tower & just told me I currently have 13 in a stack - yikes! That's a lot of wrapping in my future, guess I better start soon...
That's so nice you had someone come help move things around for you. I need to find someone like that to move some heavy furniture for me!
Bri,
DeleteIt sounds like your g-daughter is having fun with the boxes. I love to wrap!
It was $30 well-spent! Since the store where he bought the recliners won't take these away, we are giving them away to people who will move them. I think this guy might want one or someone in his church.
She is having a grand time with all these deliveries. Just got 4 more.... grandma might have gone a little overboard but this grandbaby is so much fun & deserves it!! I love to wrap too - especially if I'm not in a rush & can take my time to embellish with ribbons and bows.
Delete$30 is a steal to have some help around the house, good for you! And that's great you can give the recliners away too, someone will be very grateful to you I'm sure!
Bri,
DeleteI would hate for Tommy to have to pay someone to take away the recliners When the boxes are empty, she can plap with the empty boxes.
I am glad you found a place to take the recliners!
DeleteAnd isn't that the truth - I probably should have skipped half her gifts & just given her free reign to play with all the empty boxes instead, seems like half the time that's more fun to kids than the actual toys are ;)