in pursuit of wild things

My family’s “busy season” is about to start. This weekend is the Pig Roast. Harley Man (one of my brother-in-law’s) spends several days roasting an entire pig the old-fashioned way. Family and friends from the area and a few states away will come by for the weekend bringing food and fun times. For me this is the start of my own anticipation for Christmas. I’m not putting up decorations or anything but I start thinking about family and begin praying and planning for the year ahead. October is always a sad month for me…tears come easy this time of year. I enjoy the fall colors and the brisk air but to me there is a tinge of sadness to the earth.

Anyway, I am so humbled by the many notes I received this week from y’all asking how I am enduring the caffeine withdrawal. Thank you for the prayers so very much!! My first few days were kinda rough and yesterday was my first headache free day. Despite my pain we were able to get school accomplished this week with my scholars and a massive art project completed with our friends for an upcoming review. School went well and we finished our study of astronomy with Apologia this week. Today we will be snacking on Astronaut food during our game time. We loved the course and I plan to blog about our experiences with it in the next couple of weeks.

Yesterday, my order of two bushels of apples arrived…so I will be busy making applesauce and other apple-y goodness. I am also going to try just storing some of them whole. The kids and I love fresh apples so we will see if some of these tips I’ve read work. I promise to share what worked for us.

I miss my Granny and this month marks her five years in the arms of Jesus. She used to make this wonderful apple recipe for breakfast sometimes. She usually made this when the earliest apples were ripe in June. The fall crop were used for drying or canning applesauce, apple butter, and apple pie filling. I do not remember the name of the apples…she called them June or first apples and they were a light yellow color…This recipe is mostly from memory, when she did write a recipe down it was not for a novice cook!

Pan Fried Apples

Heat about 2 tablespoons bacon drippings in skillet (I use cast iron just like Granny) and toss in sliced apples (about four or five apples). She did not peel the apples but I do. Stir in one to one and a half cup sugar, one-half teaspoon cinnamon, and one-half teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook until the sugar melts a bit about five minutes but not over. Then remove the lid and let fry, stirring on occasion until apples are tender and liquid is cooked away.

I highly encourage you to serve these apples with fresh hot biscuits and butter. If she did not have regular sugar on hand she would use brown sugar. I like to prepare it with a mix of both sugars. Enjoy!