I Love Kindergarten

My daughter started kindergarten this fall. In the months, ok years, leading up to the first day of school, we consistently butted heads. I wouldn't necessarily call her strong willed but she is just as stubborn as her mom and dad.

And then kindergarten started. She has been such a joy and so much more easy going. She has some doctor appointments on Monday and we get to spend the entire day together. I am so excited!

Easy as Pie (and Jam)

I have a four day weekend and lots to do. I have grapes, apples, frozen peaches, frozen raspberries, red peppers, jalapeno peppers and tomatoes. My house is hot and humid from the canner boiling pretty much non stop the last two days.

I mentioned my activities on Facebook earlier today and my friend, Holly asked for my apple pie filling recipe. The recipe calls for ClearGel which my mother-in-law buys in bulk online and shares. I think this came from her USDA canning guide.

Here you go!

Doubt

Last spring I decided to go back to school, again, and work on a doctorate degree. Lately, I've been doubting that decision. I seem to be surrounded by very academic people, people with doctorate degrees that seem really smart. I listen to them and think, am I really smart enough to do this? What if I'm not? Can I really put together a valid, meaningful research project that adds to a body of knowledge? What if I just don't have the time or desire to do what it takes to research, write and defend a dissertation?


Tonight, I read this on one of the blogs I subscribe:


You can either do what makes you happy, or do what keeps you comfortable.


It was exactly the kick in the pants I needed.


If I don't do this, the world will not end. If I don't do this, our family will not starve. If I don't do this, our kids will still have two parents with three advanced degrees, and hopefully, grow up to see the value of higher education. If I don't do this, I will remain comfortable.


If I do continue, I will be challenged. I will be forced to consider other perspectives. I will have to stretch. And, I will be happy. Being in school, learning new things, and learning to look at things through different lenses make me happy. Yes, I am a dork. But at least I'm a happy dork.

So what if I don't sound as smart as the others I'm around? I'm a bit rusty with the school and theory stuff. And, the last thing I ever want anyone to do is compare themselves to me and think, "Gosh, I can't do that because I'm not as smart."

So what if I join the 50% of people who start but don't finish a doctorate degree? My family won't starve. I'll still be employable. I'll still be able to do work I enjoy. I'll have a broad range of knowledge, I just won't have the research experience and the credential. It will be ok and I will be a better, happier person for it.

What's in Your Basket - 8/23/2010

This week's CSA baskets include lots of yummy tomatoes and peppers for salsa, canned tomatoes and jam!

Roma tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Cucumbers - The last of the season
Zucchini - The last of the season
Jalapeno peppers
Green peppers
Red peppers
Yellow banana peppers
Eggplant
Red cabbage - They are super small this year but at least the cabbage worms left them alone!
Basil
Sun pickles
Peach jam
Sicilian tomato jam

Enjoy!

Hot Damn

My husband always says I pick the hottest days of the year to can and make jam. Most years, he's right. This year, not so much. This past week was pretty moderate for August in northern Illinois, which was a good thing. It seems like all sorts of stuff was ready to be put up.

This past week I've made five batches of Peach Jam, two batches of Hot Pepper Jam and one batch of a new one-Sicilian Tomato Jam. Bad things have happened in my process. I ran out of Peach Schnapps to add to my Peach Jam. But good things have happened, too. I threw in some Amaretto instead. YUM! I thought I found my new favorite jam recipe.

At least until I tried the Sicilian Tomato Jam. I can't wait to try this yummy, savory spread on a fresh baguette. And, for my cherry tomato plants to ripen more fruit so I can make more.

Hot Pepper Jam is one of my most popular. My sister- and mother-in-laws asked for the recipe this year. Apparently everyone's pepper plants have been very prolific. My go to recipe comes from the Jam Lady Cookbook. I got the recipe from my friend Lori, the source of most of my really good savory recipes.

Hot 3-Pepper Jam

4 cups sugar

1 cup, chopped, seeded sweet green peppers

1 cup, chopped, unseeded jalapeno peppers

1 cup white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
½ cup, chopped, fresh, seeded problano peppers

½ cup lemon juice

2-3 ounce packages of liquid pectin (6 ounces total)
1 slice onion (or equivalent amount of chopped garlic)

½ teaspoon butter (to reduce foaming)

I usually use whatever peppers I have on hand. If I have sweet peppers, I use them. If not, I just make sure that my total pepper amount is 2 1/2 cups. Put the peppers in the blender or food processor with the vinegar and lemon juice. Process until only smaller bits remain.

Put the puree in a heavy pot with the sugar and butter. It will start out a pretty, grassy green. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil for one minute. A rolling boil won't stop when you stir. Add the liquid pectin and return to a rolling boil for one minute. As it cooks, the color will darken and mute.

Ladle into sterile jars and process in a boiling water bath for ten minutes.

My sister likes her Hot Pepper Jam to be orange/red so I added a few drops of red food coloring to one batch before putting it in the jars.

Back to School 14

 

For fourteen years my college roomie, Jill, and I have been hosting the Back to School Party.  It started as a huge party at a cabin in the woods in Kirkland, Illinois.  There was always a fire, a hot tub, cigars, a keg, tons of food, tents and random people sleeping everywhere.

Over the years we've calmed down. We can no longer drain a keg, cigars make the next morning even more painful, the fire is smaller, if at all, and there are no random people sleeping anywhere. The location has moved from Kirkland to Amboy to Ashton to Michigan. There aren't as many big people but there are several little people running around.  And our core group remains.

Each year we gather.  We eat.  We drink.  We laugh.  And, we remember why the tenth floor of Wright Hall 10 was the best.

It had something to do with Cory falling in Fell Hall then again on Fell Avenue and having to be carried down stairs during a fire alarm.

It had something to do with Cathy falling into a man hole.

It had something to do with mud sliding in the front of Wright after the tornado tore through town.

It had something to do with our awesome loft.

It had something to do with backpacks full of beer, Cherry Street, Smalls and after hours.

It definitely had something to do with some great, mostly small town kids getting stuck on the same quiet floor on the edge of campus playing asshole and bullshit when it was too cold to walk to parties (while Jill cheated).

I love you guys! 

Jill called me after the BTSP this year for my salsa recipe.  This is my sneaky way of getting all my BTSP BFFs to read my tribute!  The recipe is below.  I'd love to hear your best memories of Wright 10 in the comments.

Black Bean Salsa

1 can whole kernel sweet corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
2-3 small jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1 bunch/ container cherry tomatoes, chopped
2-3 avacados, chopped, tossed with lemon juice to prevent browning

Combine all the above ingredients except the avocados in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix the dressing ingredients below.

1/3 cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
1-2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix into the large bowl. Fold in avocados. Chill then serve with corn chips. Or eat it with a spoon.

Sweet Corn Snob

I am a sweet corn snob.  My non farm friends just don't get it.  I refuse to eat corn more than 4 hours out of the field.  The sugars start to covert to starch within a few hours and it simply is just not as good. I'm also lucky that I have an endless supply (as long as the raccoons and the puppy stay out of it).

If you can't eat it all or have to much it is really easy to freeze.  Simply shuck the corn taking special care to remove all the silks.  Bring a large pot to a boil and boil the ears for four minutes.  Remove from the water and immediately plunge into ice cold water to stop the cooking.  Slice the kernels from the ears and place in freezer bags.