A Day Off!

I have nothing on my schedule today.  This is very exciting!  Since I had some free time, I decided that I could finally organize the freezer. 

I know, it doesn't sound that exciting but it has been driving me crazy.  We have an almost full order of beef in there, the peaches, the corn and I just threw the applesauce in on cookie sheets until I could arrange.  Since it's been weeks since I threw it in, I have had that on my mind.  I put on gardening gloves and went to work.  The freezer is still full, but at least I can see what is there.  I took sauce out for tomorrow night's dinner.  I love organizing so now the top shelf is beef and pork, the next shelf soup, sauce, shrimp and fish, the next shelf prepared foods, the bottom drawer vegetables and fruit.  The door still has issues, but I can life with them. 

I also am happy to announce that I finished knitting my cape!  It took less than a year, but no more knitting to do and I finished the yarn ends yesterday.  I have to find two buttons for it, but it's done.  It's diffcult to get a good picture, and if Maggie were still here I could have used her for a model, but I used the dining room table and a chair. 

Since I have made myself knit on the cape in the limited time I've had for knitting, now that it's done I can move to another project or two.  I usually have more than one thing started. 

I went to Jazzercise last night and gave the weekly gift from the kitchen recipe.  This one goes with last week's - Caramel Sauce.  It is very good, not hard to make and a jar of the fudge with the caramel makes a nice gift.

 Caramel Sauce from Fine Cooking November 2004

ingredients

Set a small dish of water and a pastry brush by the stove. Pour 1 cup water into a heavy-based 8-quart saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the sugar and corn syrup. Cook over high heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is clear and comes to a boil. If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, wash them down with a wet pastry brush.

Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil; it shouldn’t be spattering. Don’t stir but check frequently while boiling gently until the sugar begins to turn a light honey color in spots, about 20 minutes. Whenever sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan, wash them down with a wet pastry brush. Swirl the pan gently to even out the color. When the mixture reaches a rich, red-brown color, about another 8 minutes, take the pan off the heat. Slowly pour in the cream (be careful—the mixture will bubble vigorously and produce a lot of steam). Stir with a wooden spoon, making sure any solidified caramel on the pan bottom or sides melts. (If it doesn’t, set the pan over medium-low heat and stir gently until the caramel is completely smooth.) Stir in the butter and salt. Let cool to room temperature before stirring in the flavorings (if using; see Variations, below) and pouring into individual jars.

Variations

Espresso Caramel Sauce: Dissolve 3 Tbs. instant espresso powder into 2 to 3 tsp. hot water. Stir into the cooled caramel sauce to blend.

Orange-Cardamom Caramel Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine 1-1/2 cups fresh orange juice with 2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Pour through a fine sieve, pressing against the zest to release all the liquid. Stir the strained, reduced orange juice and 4 tsp. ground cardamom into the cooled caramel sauce.

I need to run to the store to get a couple things for the week.  I have all my Thanksgiving shopping done but my menu only went through Friday, so I need some weekend breakfast things so we can wait to shop again until sometime next week.  I also want to pick up dessert for the Loving Meals family I have tomorrow.  I have the meal ingredients but wanted to wait on dessert.

And then I'll have time to read or knit! And make sure I am firm with myself about going to Jazzercise tonight.