Apples and bands and all such nonsense

Yeah.... I've been absent for a while again.  My bad.
But it's been super busy here.  Work has been stressful and hectic, the garden is beginning to wind down as the greenhouse winds up.  Fall tasks have been much to the forefront of my mind.
A few photos of the past two weeks to tide you over....

 Last weekend, we went to the Little Hawk Marching Invitational.  Our school hosted a band competition for schools from around the area.  Above is the daughter of a friend of ours from a neighboring school. Isn't she lovely?
Not to be outdone by I16.:

 I love a man in uniform- even if he is my own son.

 I must say, their uniforms are sharp.

 While we were watching, we noticed the bees were all over a lost Starburst.  They moved it several feet in the time we were there.

 And V, looking quite dapper.

Bur fast forward to this weekend.  K13 and I paid a visit to my parents today.  V didn't go because he has an article due on Monday that he needed to work on and I16 was still asleep when we left (he had state marching band competition all day yesterday).

 We picked apples today!  Where to start??

 The trees were absolutely loaded.   Not that we really need any more apples after picking all from our tree, but variety is good.. right?

 And I got to visit my favorite tree of all time- the huge cottonwood on the farm.

 My parents supervised while K13 and I were up the ladders.

That's a LOT of apples!

Mom gave me a juicer so now I can make some cider.  Evidently, my BIL, Dave got it and didn't like it- so he gave it to them.  They didn't like it either (at least not as much as their old one) so, Mom gave it to me since we don't have one.
So, I know how my evenings will be spent this week.  I've got apples to dehydrate, cider to press, applesauce to make and still, I need to find room for storage for apples.  
Oh, what a dilemma....

I hope you all have a productive week as well!

Black Death

Well, that's the current favorite name for tonight's creation.

I finally broke down and ordered a jar of squid ink.  We love squid ink pasta but hate paying the super-expensive prices they ask for in the store- if you can find it at all.  And, since we have lots of ghost chili peppers from the garden. I decided to make a ghost chili/squid ink creation.

The dough rests.

 I do have a hand crank machine. But for quick work, I use the pasta attachment for the stand mixer.

 And, yes, I wore gloves during the process.  I do have to take out my contact lenses tonight and am wary of ghost chile peppers.  Ghost chilis are the Naga Jolokia (rated at about 1,000,000 on the Scoville scale!)  I used only a half of one in this recipe.

Mmm.... Black Death Pasta with alfredo sauce and chicken.  Awesome!!!

Pasta recipe for Black Death Pasta:
Blend in blender:
Half of a ghost chile and a scant 1/4 cup water
Add 3 eggs a teaspoon of squid ink, a tablespoon of olive oil and give a quick blend.
Sift 2 1/4 cups unbleached flour (can also use some semolina) with 3/4 tsp salt.  Make a well in the center and add liquid ingredients.  Mix and then knead until silky.  Let rest for 20 minutes and then roll to desired thickness with pasta roller and cut into noodles.
This can be used fresh or dried and/or frozen for later use.

Delightful!

A busy weekend

We had a busy, busy weekend. This weekend, we finally replaced our leaky kitchen window.  Hurrah!

 The trim comes off!  Justine's boyfriend came over to help, even though she is half the country away.  (we think he's a keeper!!)

 Masks on, the siding comes off.  We were really worried about how much rot there would be in the wall since the window has been leaking longer than we've owned the house.  We were relieved that it wasn't as bad as we had feared.

 The old window comes out.

 Why, oh why, didn't we get a big picture window?  The view is wonderful!

 New window goes in.

Finishing installation

 Roughed in from the inside but too dark to continue outside

 Today new siding goes up.

 The last piece in place.

 And the vent pipe for the kitchen and downstairs bath is back in place.  Finally, I can do laundry again.

And time for a nap!  The final trim has been purchased.  The outside trim will go up tomorrow. The inside woodwork will take a bit because it has to be finished.

This is the last part of the kitchen remodel that we did a few years ago. Finally, the kitchen will be DONE!

Fall foraging

While on walkabouts this afternoon I made a discovery... the fox grapes are ripe!

 Of course, the best ones were high up a tree.  So, I returned with pails, shears and taller companions.

 For being wild grapes and a dry year, they are pretty decent.  And we got them before the birds.

I foresee wild grape jelly in the near future....

A Sunday check in.

Wow!  Has it really been a week since I posted?  It has flown by!
We had the hospital inspection people at work all last week so work was crazier than usual.  Everything went well and at least now we can all relax.
Otherwise, things have been busy.  We finally had rain today.  1.6 inches!  And we most desperately needed it.  We haven't had rain for probably 7+ weeks and everything was so dry.  The garden is already looking better.
Of course, we're thankful for rain while people in Colorado are struggling with flooding.  My sister is safe on high ground.  My ex-sister-in-law (who V and I are still in contact with) got an evacuation notice this afternoon but it was cancelled not long after.  She has been posting lots and lots of photos on facebook. The destruction is amazing.... now they're saying 19,000 homes destroyed or damaged.  I can't even imagine that kind of destruction.   Here's hoping for all the best to all out there.
Yesterday I spent a while canning more tomatoes.  I really think I need to be done.  I've barely got any jars left and I'm out of space on the shelves in the basement.

So, there were tomatoes canned and Danish apple bars baked today.  This is one of my mother's signature dishes but I think I've only made them once before.  They're quite tasty!

Otherwise, nothing much going on here.  Life is flowing on.  

And I know I owe you all a feed sack to tote bag tutorial....

The local plate contest- the last day and other nonsense

Today was a busy, busy day.  We picked apples- probably about a bushel.  Not bad from a neglected and totally unsprayed tree.  And the apples are huge and delicious.

 K13 and I wrangle the big pole apple picker.

 V climbs a tree.

 Look what we've got!!

And today is the last day of the local food challenge.  Here is my submission of the day:  Lunch

Bread from the New Pioneer Bakeshop.  Chipotle chevre from Triple Creek Dairy and fresh tomato slices (German Pink) from the garden.  Plus one of our fabulous apples.  I could get away with a light lunch because V and I went to the food co-op (the one's sponsoring the local food contest) for the local vendor's fair.  They had lots and lots of vendors of local produce and products there handing out samples.  Yum!

After lunch, I froze some tomato sauce I cooked up yesterday and worked to process some of the dropped apples since I knew they wouldn't keep.  An apple crisp was baked and a pot of applesauce made.  These really aren't cooking apples as they hold their shape too well to make good sauce.  But it is tasty anyway.

And finally, my favorite creation of the day.  I used some of my frozen raspberries to make raspberry/ghost chili jam.  Oh My!!!  This may actually be he most delicious thing I have ever made.  It is the perfect blend of sweet, fruity and HOT!  Definitely not for the faint of heart but oh, so yummy.

Eating local- day 6

So, even though wine is involved again, I'm managing to get tonight's meal posted.  I'm particularly proud of this one.

Marinated and grilled grass-fed round steak from Mr Hochstetler in Kalona. We're getting down to the last of our beef and don't have much selection left. But marinading it for an hour and half made it ever-so tender.
Spiced fried potatoes.  Red, gold and blue potatoes from Buffalo Ridge Orchard at the farmer's market. onions and jalapeno from the garden.  Cayenne, salt and olive oil.
Green, yellow wax and purple beans steamed with rosemary.  Beans from Oak Hill Acres (farmer's market), rosemary from the pot on the front porch.

One last day in the challenge. I wonder what tomorrow will bring....