I came into work today and there were all kinds of little fires to put out. Nothing major but the realization hit me that I’m a pretty terrific maintenance woman!! I fixed the copy machine, installed lights, got the air conditioner working again, etc., etc. Jack of all trades!! Nothing like being a legal secretary/assistant in a one-man office!
Yesterday evening I was out picking figs again, to the tune of 38. They just keep coming! It was drizzling rain as I picked them but I had my hoody on. It felt so wonderful to be outside. As I was picking them off the tree, I looked across the path behind my garden bench and realized that the Jerusalem Artichokes were standing tall and magnificently in all their glorious color this year. I am going to dig a few and put them in the refrigerator drawer. I use them best to replace water chestnuts. Sometimes I sneak them in as a filler in potato-type casseroles but not too many. They are really hard for some people to digest correctly and cause a lot of flatulence. They are worse than beans!!
I have a big week planned, at least for this old country girl. Tonight is grocery night and I need to buy extra nuts and olive oil because I’m planning on making quite a bit of pesto for the freezer. Hopefully, I’ll get all of that together and then tomorrow evening I’ll be a pesto-making machine!! I’ve decided to use not only pine nuts, but English Walnuts as well. I’m also going to buy some almonds because I want to make some almond butter. I have put on my list for this Winter to learn how to make almond milk and almond flour so almonds will be on my grocery list for the next several visits to the store. Also, hopefully sometime this fall I will be collecting acorns. I’ve a desire to try and make acorn flour. It’s time consuming but not hard. I think it sounds rather exciting and again, something I may not do every day, but something I want to know that I CAN do!! I really need to pick up a few black walnuts too and get their coverings off to let them be drying. I like to make at least 2 batches of black walnut fudge for Hubby at Christmas. Not everybody likes black walnuts but oh, my gosh, he and I love them!! They are just such boogers to crack and hull.
In honor of this Autumn weather, tonight I’m fixing Sausage, gravy, biscuits and eggs, with a few sliced tomatoes, for supper. For us that’s one of the meals we like to eat occasionally when the weather turns colder. I’ve already fixed chili and vegetable soup but Sausage and Corn Chowder, Chicken Pot Pie, Broccoli and Cheese Soup and Tomato Soup are sounding better all the time too!! I have lamb stewing meat in the crockpot for barbecue later this week. Now that will really be good!! I’m also starting to think about some Focaccia Breads, homemade white loaf bread, zucchini bread and I can’t forget persimmon pudding! That’s what makes the changing weather so exceptional for me. I get a whole new menu and cooking gets interesting again. Out with meals for the hot days and in with meals for the cooler days!! LOVE IT!!!