Thursday, October 26, 2006

a gloomy autumn day

The way I used to beat the blues, on days like these, was to bake cookies.  Those lovely smells wafting through the house took me back to my childhood and memories of Mama.  Comfort food, for sure. 

However, I don't need that sort of temptation around, as much as the granddaughters would have enjoyed the home-made cookies. 

Cliff and I did our weekly shopping this morning, so that made use of part of the rainy day.  The granddaughters got home from school an hour early, having gone with their classes to the circus.  Cliff headed off to work, and I gave some attention to my filly, Libby; but it was pretty wet out, and I cut the session short.  I hate it when I can't be outside.

My cousin Pauline, the one working on family geneology, was here with her husband Sunday, returning some old letters I'd loaned her.  They always come bearing gifts from their Iowa farm:  this time they brought three varieties of apples, and three dozen eggs.

Some of the apples, I forget the name of them, were huge and red, and Pauline said they were cooking apples.  Since, as a result of our weight-control efforts, apple pie is a rare and mostly-forbidden thing here, I opted for applesauce.  Those big apples made a quart and a half of sauce, at least.  The granddaughters would have eaten it all the first day, but I saved plenty for Cliff, who likes applesauce on toast for breakfast.  He finished off the last of it this morning.

My cousin also brought me a LOT of Golden Delicious apples, and I decided today to make more applesauce.  I don't add sugar, just a little sweet-and-low if it's too tart.  So it's very low-calorie. 

Once that was simmering, I used some of the marked-down bananas I found at the grocery store and made banana bread, two loaves.  I won't say it's diet food, but I only used the whites of the eggs and gave the yolks to Sadie; and I substituted whole wheat flour for half the flour.  No cholesterol, no trans-fats, no hydrogenated anything.  We'll just have to slice it thin and try not to eat too much.  I'll probably freeze one loaf.

I satisfied my need to cook and bake, and there's not one cookie in the house to tempt me! 

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those two things sounds as if they would go great together. Helen

Anonymous said...

Wow I wanna come sit in your kitchen for awhile.  
Pam

Anonymous said...

Good girl.  I just finished off the last of the pumpkin bread I got on Sunday at the Fall Festival.  I got some Nittany apples and of course the loaf of pumpkin bread.  Was very good to ward off the oncoming cold I am harboring, along with some peppermint tea.

Anonymous said...

I'll be right there!  Save me a pice of banana bread!!!! xox Barbara

Anonymous said...

While Frieda had always said she was cooking for my, that idea got lost somewhere. The meals are alright and to my liking and she bake the occasional cake and crisp to satisy these tastes. Yet it was the smell of fresh bread, pies, cookies and cup cakes I remeber filling the house for those thirty years we raised our seven kids. If She was cooking and baking all that stuff for me way back then hiding it for my getting home intime to benifit, I wonder what has happened since. LOL. Has the challenge to save me mine taken her excitement out of providing these tasty morsels. I'll have to ask her one day when I'm sitting at a safer distance. Ypu, much safer. LOL.

Anonymous said...

I can smell those apples cooking.  There is nothing that can beat homemade apple sause unless it's homemade apple butter.  My mom used to make apple butter every fall and now my oldest son has taken over the job.  Everyone loves it ! He always brings it at Christmas to share with everyone.  We did have sunshine here today and I feel like a different person.  All those rainy gloomy days were getting to me.  Hope some sun comes your way soon!  I know you want to be out with your filly !  'On Ya' - ma

Anonymous said...

It was gloomy and raining throughout the day. There was a chill in the house. I was wondering what I could bake to warm the house up a bit. Funny, you mentioned apples, I baked a couple with equal & cinnamon in the oven this afternoon for an early dinner. They smelled the house up so yummy. They were delicious too. I'm glad you had a little time with Libby today.


In Christ,
Gabrielle

Anonymous said...

Ummmm. I love homemade applesauce

Anonymous said...

I wish you could have bottled that scent in your house today and sent it to me!
love ya,
carlene

Anonymous said...

Holy Cow I can just imagine how wonderful your house smelled.  Better than any candle around.  :-)

Deb

Anonymous said...

I can smell it all from here!

Anonymous said...

Forgot to say:  Your oven is much cleaner than mine and I don't even bake.

Anonymous said...

((((((((((((((((((((HUGSTOYOU))))))))))))))))))))))Just wanted to come by for a visit,wil be visiting more often.I like your journal and hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Anonymous said...

Hi there.  Enjoyed reading about your cooking.  I love those fall gloomy days.  It makes me want to cook too.  Snowy days do that too, especially.  On snowy days we usually don't have to be anywhere and there is more time for baking.