It's Fall!

Well, the month of September flew by. It's always a little scarry when September ends because it seems like the rest of the year comes and goes! I have been feeling myself again and so I have been baking and cooking up a storm. I LOVE to cook. I think it is one of the most fun and statisfying things to do. You make something and get to eat it! Not just look at it, but smell, taste and see it!

A lot of these are pictures of my baking. I take pictures so I can look back and remember that I did it and push me to try more things. I really want to learn how to make all sorts of bread. This month's baking has inspired me to try it. So soon I hope to make baugettes and crossiants. I don't know how long it will take, but hopefully it won't be too hard!

New Foods... for all of us!

Bentley tasted grapes for the first time and of course he loves them. I put them cut up in his mesh food ring and he squishes them up and gets grape juice everywhere! I also gave him baby food with chicken in it. He wasn't a fan, so the next day I mixed the sweet potato and chicken with winter squash and he loved it. So far I haven't found a veggie he doesn't like!
The squishing face:


I made polenta for the first time with some of my homemade spaghetti sauce and Italian sausage. It was very good. It tastes like grits to me. I prepared them the same way grits are made, but then put it into custard cups and let them chill for an hour. Then I bake them for an hour. So the polenta mix came out molded and gooey with the Parmesan cheese and fresh basil I mixed in it.

So what's new?

There isn't too much going on around here lately. Bentley and I have been at home since Wednesday battling colds. We have a very busy month ahead of us so we need to make sure that we are completely over it! November was a busy month for us last year too. We had Danny's parents in, then we went to Cherokee, and the next day my family arrived for Thanksgiving. Well, it's happening again this year. Danny's parents are coming in for a long weekend, then we are going to Tennessee for a week for Danny's work, then my family is coming in for Thanksgiving! The month is going to fly by.

Other exciting news Bentley has got his first chompers. Almost two weeks ago now, his first tooth popped through, now he has a second one popping through. It looks funny. I tried to get a good picture but it was hard! Here is the best I got. He's dirty because he just finished eating.



We are enjoying beautiful weather here. Yesterday, we sat out on the back porch doing a puzzle and Bentley playing in his super yard. We almost ate dinner out there but as the sun was setting the temperature was dropping fast. Today is blue sky and 60 degrees. It's going to be so cold during the 5k, it's at 9AM. At 9AM this morning in was 42 degrees out!!!

Here's Bentley in his play yard:


Well, I hope that everyone is having a wonderful day!

Oh, in cooking news I baked my first rolls and bread with rice, potato, tapioca flours. They were a little different in texture but didn't taste too bad. Danny didn't mind the texture. They were really dense. So, I'm going to have to try again soon!

Canning, Candy and Coupons!

Here I am catching up on the last week and a half again! Well, it has been a busy one! Last week I learned how to can, which was a lot of fun. I was actually afraid of canning and a friend helped work through that by learning how to do it. The results were having fun, and 13 and a half quarts sized cans of spaghetti sauce! I liked it so much that I am trying to find the equipment I need to do it on my own.



Now this one is for my sister. I made Buckeyes. This is a treat that my sister learned how to make and they were very yummy. Well, I was asked to bring dessert to a meeting and selfishly I wanted to bring something that I could eat. (I am eating Gluten-free -- that's another post!) Well, Buckeyes seemed the perfect dessert! It was the first time I had ever made them. And to my surprise they turned out well. I even melted the chocolate over simmering water. I felt like I was Martha Stewart! heehee.





For my couponing fun I spent $41, saved $101.85, and earned $8 of Register Rewards and Extra bucks. I was able to get Danny 2 fusion razors for $3 out of pocket. They cost $11.99 each, but the refill cartridges cost at least $18! I also got 10 jars of organic baby food for $0.40 each rather than $1.09 each! Best of all I got the large size Garnier Fructis Shampoo for $1 each they cost $6.99 each. It was a good stockpiling week because I didn't have a lot of food grocery items.



Overall, it was a great week of learning new things and using my time and money wisely. Oh, yeah. One more new thing that I did was I went to Aldi for the first time. It's definitely an experience, but their prices are great so I will be going back!

Busy in the Kitchen

Today was a busy cooking day. I decided that I was going to make bread and two different spaghetti sauces from scratch. What fun!! I love to cook and have fun in the kitchen. As I was sauteing the base for the sauce I was grateful that God created smells and food. It smelled so fragrant! It made me feel like the people on tv that say, "ahh, that smells so good!" and to think I actually made it! Tonight we will find out if the fresh tomato sauce is any good. I couldn't wait to taste the bread. It smelled way too good and there is nothing like fresh warm bread! Later this week, I will be making Tagliatella alla Bolognese and Lasagne alla Bolognese with the Bolognese sauce (basically a meat sauce with pancetta, pork and beef). To make these dishes I am also going to try and make my own pasta... we will see how that goes!!