Adventures in the with Kitchen with Babs

Social distancing has evolved into a stay at home directive, which is pretty much how I have lived my life the past two weeks and will continue to live until the curve flattens.
There is an abundance of time to read ebooks and even time to do tasks around the house. One of those jobs that I tackled last week was to clean out my freezer.  Today, I share what I did with a couple of discoveries.

In the very back of the freezer was a jar of homemade cranberry sauce.  Cranberry sauce is one of the easiest things to make, if you are a fan of the chunky kind.  I think I was the only one to enjoy it that past Thanksgiving.
There was also some leftover phyllo which I’m sure I used to make something but I have no memory of what it was.
What could I make, a cranberry tart or something?
The gauntlet was thrown down and I arose to the challenge of making that something.

First, this lazy baker took layers of that phyllo and slapped them into a buttered pie dish.
Next came the filling.  Languishing in the fruit drawer were three apples, getting soft in their old age.  Those three ancients were peeled and chunked and thrown together with some of that sweetened cranberry sauce, which had hints of cinnamon, and then all was dumped on top of that thin pastry.
Lastly, was the most labor intensive part of my endeavor.  Butter was cut into a spiced flour and sugar mix and crumbs were made to sprinkle on top of the fruity concoction.

I popped that dish into the oven and and very soon, was rewarded with the aroma of a creation that teased at the possibility of being something delicious.

How did it taste? It smelled heavenly but I have no idea since I haven’t tried it yet.  You can always ask later.
But, if it is a fail, I have ice cream in the freezer.

The Funny Spoon

Back around the holidays, maybe it was the past Thanksgiving, my family made a collective decision to do a family dinner about once a month.  The first one was on Valentines weekend, with a luscious spread of roasted beef tenderloin, Parmesan potatoes and steamed broccoli, along with a salad.
Dessert was a so-so apple cake but there was also something definitely enjoyed more, ice cream and cream soda floats.

Someone ended up with the funny spoon, which is really just a sugar spoon that is in the drawer with the teaspoons.  To be possessor of the funny spoon was always coveted.  I don’t know why.

It was a great afternoon of sharing food, conversation and card games.

The next family dinner, which I already had planned to be a very much less elaborate one of some family favorites was first delayed because of grandkids sports conflicts and now looks to be even more delayed because of pandemic.  Family get togethers are postponed indefinitely.

So, time will be spent with my self for company as I do the social distancing thing.  Lots of time to tackle the household back burner list along with the pile of books to be read.  And spring weather is here with more opportunities to enjoy the season’s beauty, if in silent solitude.

And to wonder, what was so special about that funny spoon.

Wrinkled Red Peppers

And just like that, nearly two years have passed since my last post.
So much for the attempt to share more reflections on life which right now, is thankfully, is in sort of a holding pattern not too much different from the past.  Meaning, I’m still just trying to keep up.

Recent adventures include travels to parts of this world previously unknown to me, like Greece, Malta and Sicily.  Journeys to new places are in the future.

The past years also brought some sadness with the loss of beloved family members and but also strengthened the love I have for my family and my extended family (Cousins are the best!) and friends.

And I have added choir member to my life resume; these new friends are so welcoming to this wanna be song artist.  Wonderfully lifts my spirit and soul.

Still learning and playing the folk harp, doing lessons and workshops that I love, when I can. Nearly fifteen years ago I made the leap into something new and have not regretted it ever.

And so, today’s reflection is like the wrinkled red pepper rescued from the vegetable drawer in the fridge and sautéed for my breakfast eggs.
I am finding each day is a chance to find a new blessing in my imperfect journey of life.