Apple Picking and More!

Family team work!

He doesn't look like it, but Teddy Bear truly enjoyed picking apples.

Good Monday to you, Friends! I hope you all have been well. I was pretty busy last week, so I wasn't able to get any more posts done, but I'm hoping I'll be a bit more on the ball this week! I'm only working 1 day this week, that I know of, so I'm planning on getting lots done around here!

Saturday held the usual baking, although I wasn't able to make everything I had wanted to. I did get 2 batches of zucchini bread and 2 batches of cookies made, though, so that was good. I also made a small batch of applesauce in my 2 quart crock pot, and I did a whole chicken in the large crock for dinner. After dinner I added water to the crock to make stock. I'm not sure if I'll be making more soup for my lunches this week, or if I'll freeze this batch. In the afternoon, my darling hubby and I took Princess and Teddy Bear into town to get some chicken feed and other supplies. Wheels was at a friends for a play date. We rarely get a chance to get to town all together, but as it was raining, it was nice to get out of the house. We even stopped for an ice cream on the way home!

Yesterday after church, we headed to the apple orchard. We had packed our lunches and ate on the way up. The drive to the orchard is beautiful, even on a cloudy day. Some of the trees had really started changing and there are many farms that we pass. We got to see alpacas, goats, sheep and, of course, cows! I asked hubby if he was sure he didn't want any more livestock, and he said no. (I knew he would, but I had to try!) Despite the clouds, it really was a beautiful autumn day.

We picked 1 bushel of Macintosh for "eating" apples, and then picked up a bushel of mac drops for baking and applesauce. We also got a half bushel of both golden delicious and Cortlands. I thought that mixing the varieties would be give baked goods and applesauce more flavor. We made sure to carefully check the drops for gashes, worms and slugs. Some were a bit muddy, but they need to get washed anyway! All in all, we had a perfectly wonderful time at the orchard!

So, today is Monday, and I did my grocery shopping. I've also gotten the groceries put away, the dishwasher unloaded and started to reload dirty dishes, and I have another batch of applesauce going in the 2 quart crock pot. I left the skins on this time, so when it's done and had a chance to cool some, I'm going to put it through the food processor.

Wheels is supposed to have a soccer game tonight, but right now it's pouring! We're going to have homemade mac & cheese with ham, some Italian bread, apple sauce (if it's done!) and corn. I'm still working on planning the rest of the weeks menu, but I know that Italian sausage and pot roast are going to be on there somewhere, as well as one of Wheels' favorite meals, onion chicken. (I'll post the recipe later this week!) The best part of making the onion chicken is that it is one of the VERY few homemade meals that Wheels will eat. And it's absolutely yummy!!!!

Well, that is all for now! Hope you have a wonderful rest of your day, and join me back here soon!
Blessings,
Kelly