Is it wrong to eat T. Marzetti’s Caramel Apple Dip by the spoonful?
Category Archives: Food & Wine
Knitter’s Tea Swap — I was spoiled!
Wow, wow, wow! Thank you so much Bobbi for the amazing package I received yesterday: PG Tips, Bengal Spice, and Nutcracker Sweet teas, Double Dutch Chocolate Cappucino, Digestive biscuits, wine gum candies, chocolate filled wafer cookies, dutch chocolates, a pretty kitchen towel, a small press pot (which I have been wanting!), notecards, and two skeins of pretty yarn (Gems Pearl in Baby Aqua and 2nd Time Cotton in Tahiti)… I think I got everything down. You totally spoiled me and certainly made my day. Thank you so very much!
Apple Picking
Yesterday we finally got over to Greig Farm to pick apples and pumpkins. J. had already gone apple picking on a nursery school field trip, but we’d nearly finished those and besides — I just plain wanted to go! We thought we’d go and pick out a pumpkin first. Unfortunately, this has been a crummy year for pumpkins and there was no pick-your-own, but we chose two small-ish ones that had already been picked. (Later on we did buy two enormous pumpkins to carve at a big box store… I felt a little guilty about it but all the big pumpkins at the farm really were pretty bad).
The apples were all a little past-prime, too. After trying apples from several different trees we finally found one where the apples weren’t wormy, mealy, or totally bruised, and we picked a huge bagful. (I uploaded some photos to Flickr if you’re interested).
After that we went out for lunch and then did some grocery shopping. J. and I made an apple pie when we got home, then he helped put firewood from the woodpile in back into a cart and haul it down to the garage to be stacked. Then we grilled steaks (a last hurrah before having to store the gas grill for the winter), which were just OK. I need to learn that it’s just better to buy beef from my preferred grocery store and not WalMart. Every time we buy steak from WalMart it tastes strange. Anyway! It was nothing a little ketchup couldn’t fix. Then it was on to the apple pie with cinnamon ice cream. It came out so good! J. was very pleased with himself.
This morning I’m doing nothing but trying to keep the house clean, which is quite challenging with my two little monsters tearing about the place. (At 9:30 there is a house showing. I’m not overly optimistic because no one is buying houses at all, but you never know when it’s going to be “the one” so I still have make sure everything is absolutely spotless.) N. is currently napping so as soon as he wakes up everyone is getting in the car and we’re headed to the store for a couple things I forgot yesterday.
Two knitting projects need to be finished up this week. I can’t talk about them until they’re done because they’re gifts and I don’t want to give anything away, so you’ll just have to wait to see photos! Have a good day, everyone!
It’s What Day, Now?
Three-day weekends always leave me feeling confused because Monday ends up feeling like a Sunday, Tuesday like a Monday and so on. We had a nice time away. The hotel was lovely and the staff was very friendly. It’s too bad the majority of guests were miserable crows. I don’t know if they were West Point alums, parents, or people just visiting, but they didn’t leave a good impression. When we were checking in… complain. When we were checking out… complain. And just forget about when we went to dinner on Sunday night. (This gets long, so go to the bathroom if you need to, make a cup of tea, get a snack, whatever…) Continue reading It’s What Day, Now?
I Like Surprises!
Especially in the form the surprise took today. Quite simply, what I thought was going to be a long, rough day is turning out to be really great. I love that! N. woke up several times last night. It’s either due to his continued teething (he only has 8 teeth; 4 on the top and 4 on the bottom) or a growth spurt. I had an impossible time putting on his shoes this morning and they fit fine yesterday! Anyway, I was up at the crack of dawn, which is never a good way to begin the day. Also, N. hasn’t been napping much so I anticipated another day of that.
Well, miraculously he took a 1.5 hour morning nap! Meanwhile, I was finishing laundry, cleaning the kitchen, was dressed and had makeup on, attempted to eat breakfast. (N. actually stole a good half of the breakfast burrito I made for myself, so…), and made a list of things I needed to buy today.
J. was happily occupied first drawing a picture for his great-grandma’s birthday, and then playing with Play-dough. After N. woke up I got the boys dressed and in the car and off we went on a very successful shopping trip which included four different stores. That might not seem like much, but those of you with at least two small children understand (and I just have to say that I have no idea how women with three or more kids do it — seriously!). They both were well-behaved for the most part. They started to get pesty in W’mart, but luckily I had some crackers to occupy them (it was close to lunch and I knew they were hungry). I got everything on my list except for a new Brita pitcher, so I am very pleased!
I finished shopping for my Knitter’s Teaswap pal, bought some boring household stuff, avacados and limes to make Black Bean & Orzo Salad, some orange and green yarn to make pumpkin hats for the boys, a copy of All You magazine, and the November issue of Creative Knitting. I didn’t even bother to look inside because I fell in love with the sweater on the cover. Gorgeous!
So yeah, I’m glad the day has shaped up well because it’s been a rough week. I’ve also been sick for the last four days with a nasty headcold and awful sinus pressure. I’m finally feeling like myself today, albeit stuffy and with an occasional cough. But at least I can breathe!
While Noah continues to nap (Yes, again! Miracle!), I think I’ll make a cup of tea and leaf through one of my new magazines.
Lazy Saturday
Happy Autumn! And what a rainy first day of fall it is. We had a fire going this morning to warm up the house a bit, and I kind of want to start one now, even though it’s not all that chilly — it would just make for a nice, cozy atmosphere! Maybe later tonight.
It really has been a pretty lazy day. When N. went down for his afternoon nap, J. and I made cookie pizzas. We took some store-bought sugar cookies, spread on some frosting — we chose chocolate and decorate with shredded coconut “cheese” and toppings: plain M&Ms, peanut M&Ms, rainbow non-pareils, and red candy sprinkles. It was really fun and delicious! Now we’re watching superhero cartoons. N.’s stirring, so I’m sure he’ll be up soon.
Yeah, so not much going on today. I think I might make paninis for supper tonight. Grilled chicken breast, mozzarella, roasted red peppers, basil… sounds good to me. And I think I’m going to cast on for a new project, either Fuzzy Feet or a wine cozy. Personally, I’d rather start on Fuzzy Feet, but I know D. really wants a wine cozy and I feel like I’ve been knitting for everyone else lately, so maybe I’ll work on that. I’ve kind of lost interest in the scarf, and I really need to finish that Homespun Shawl. It’s sitting on a closet shelf and fall is perfect shawl weather. Too many projects! (And yet I am getting way more knitting projects completed than when I was scrapbooking; knitting is definately the way to go right now for me – portable, easy to pick up/put down, and people seem to “get it.” Plus, it’s been a great conversation starter when I’m knitting in public. Fun, fun!)
I also got assigned my partner for Knitter’s Tea Swap 2! Yay! I’ve already started making a mental list of all the goodies with which I’m going to spoil her. I love putting together goodie baskets 🙂
Tomorrow we might head over to Danbury, CT. I am have a major Christmas Tree Shop jones. It’s been months since I’ve been there. Months! That is a crime! Hopefully I can convince the hubs. That’s pretty much it. Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.
Metro (Mmmm) Mint
A couple weeks ago I was reading one of the beverage industry trade magazines we get at the store and it mentioned a product called MetroMint — unsweetened water flavored with either peppermint or spearmint. I was walking around Balducci’s today and they had a MetroMint display! I was so excited to try it! I picked up a bottle of spearmint water and wow — it’s excellent. A great alternative to flavored seltzers or just plain water. It doesn’t seem to be available everywhere yet, though. I think it’s kind of a gourmet item so you’d have to look at a gourmet grocer, but it’s worth picking up if you see it.
Loooove the MetroMint! Mmm!
Multidirectional Scarf Progress
I’m nearly finished with Tracy’s bag for the Knitted Purse Swap. I just have to finish the handles and add some final touches. Then I get to fill it up with goodies! I have some fun ideas of what I’ll stick inside. I plan on going shopping tomorrow (or at least attempting to; we all know that it’s up to the wee ones how long you can stay at the mall), and hopefully picking up a few things.
Meanwhile, I’m chugging along on the Multidirectional Scarf. I’m using size 7 needles (I hemmed and hawed for a long time over whether or not to buy a set of Denise Interchangeables, but I’m so glad I did; they have proved to be an incredibly worthwhile purchase — I <3 my Denises!) and Patons Merino Wool in "Harvest," which is one of the new variagateds. I'm finding this to be a rather tedious knit, and there is that one glaring mistake, but I figure it won't be too noticable when the scarf is wrapped around my neck. I'm not about to rip it apart and start over, that's for sure.
This evening I got a call that my new glasses are in -- hooray! I'll pick those up tomorrow. I departed from the oval/angular plastic frames I've been wearing for the past seven years or so (I've had both black and tortoise shell-ish frames) and went with a more rectangular titanium. I was surprised that I liked them, actually! I'm looking forward to less eye strain, that's for sure. I still wonder where my black frames are, though. Where could they have gone? I only go to a limited number of places. Part of me thinks they're somewhere in the car, hidden way under the seat or something. Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter now.
Anyway! Yup... knitting away , new glasses, didn't really cook anything interesting this week. Though I did try one of the new Bailey’s flavors: chocolate mint. It was quite good! I’m not a big fan of Irish Cream, but I like the touch of mint. In fact, I think I might even have a little as a nightcap! Woohoo!
50 Things to Eat Before You Die
While I’m thinking of food and wine, I thought I’d go through the BBC’s list of 50 foods one should eat in their lifetime. (I’ve seen this on a few blogs).
Autumn Get-Away!
Hooray! I have just booked a much-needed, well-deserved weekend get-away for D. and myself. Columbus Day weekend we’ll be spending two crisp, autumn days and one romantic night at The Thayer Hotel at West Point, just the two of us! Of course, I love my children but let’s face it — we all need date nights now and again. It should be prime foliage weekend, too. I cannot wait!
Needless to say, I have already been drooling over the menu. The roast duck with coconut rum sauce sounds especially delicious, but I’m sure the menu changes seasonally. Their wine list is also really nice. I love when restaurants serve local wines (and beers as well). I think I’ve tasted the Millbrook Cabernet Franc, but I’m curious about the Brotherhood Pinot Noir. For those who don’t know, New York has some excellent wineries, and Brotherhood is America’s oldest winery, established in 1839. New York is the third-largest producer of grapes in the nation, and fourth when it comes to number of wineries. But I digress…
Hooray for vacation!