Summer Rewind: Lagoon x 2

On August 6th I took my kids to Lagoon for the day.  Claire had never been before and both kids had been begging to go pretty much all summer long.  After doing a little research I chose to take them on a Monday in order to avoid the crowds as much as possible.  It turned out being a good choice...I think our longest wait was maybe 15 minutes.  The biggest hits of the day were Bombora (quick but fun coaster), the Bat (another quick coaster - this one with feet dangling), and the Dinosaur Drop and Ladybug Drop which are virtually the same, just with different decor.  We didn't make it onto any really "big" rides as Claire was either just below or barely at the height limit and Hudson wasn't too keen on anything intimidating.  Whenever we passed one of these bigger rides, Claire's eyes would get big and she'd exclaim, "I want to go on THAT!" Hudson would then say, "There's NO way I'm going on that. NO WAY!"  We always knew Claire was a little more or a daredevil than her brother and this just reiterated that fact.  She was almost in tears at one point because I told her we weren't going on a ride that would loop upside down.  We had a great day and I was glad to let the two of them go on a number of rides together at the end of the day while I sat and watched from the sidelines.  We stayed until the park closed and we all went home happy and exhausted.

A week later, we took advantage of the "bounce back" system/program and returned the following Monday to do it all again (and lines were even shorter!).  This time, I surprised the kids and arranged to pick up my niece from my brother on his way to work and she came with us.  It was SO nice to have a fourth person with us...everyone had a partner on every ride and no one felt like a 3rd wheel or left behind.  It was especially nice when Hudson and his cousin would head off to go on a ride and Claire and I would do something else.  Having a seatmate proved to be the trick for getting Hudson to try some of the bigger rides and while we didn't go on anything extreme (no upside down rides this time), all four of us went on a few things that we hadn't the week before and he and his cousin were quick to return to some of their favorites on their own.  Oh - and we decided to tally up the number of rides we went on this time.  I think that we each went on 50-something rides.  Not too shabby!

RECIPES: FRESH PEACH PIE + REAL Whipped Cream

I promised it and sometimes I keep promises.  So, here you go...

 

FRESH PEACH PIE

 

5 large peaches

1/2 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

2/3 c. water

1 3 oz. package peach Jell-O

1/3 c. orange juice

1 9-inch pie crust

 

 

Make & bake regular pie crust (or just buy one in the freezer section and follow the directions like I do).  Cool completely.

 

While pie crust is baking, stir sugar and cornstarch together in a small or medium saucepan.  Add water and whisk together.  Cook over medium-high heat and while stirring/whisking constantly and bring to a boil.  Continue to whisk and cook for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and stir in Jell-O until dissolved.  Set aside to cool.

 

 

Peel, pit, and slice peaches (after peeling I cut mine into 8th's or 12th's) and put in a bowl with the orange juice, stirring occasionally to keep all peaches coated.

 

 

Once the Jell-O mixture has cooled to room temperature (don't let it sit or cool too long...it'll thicken too much), pour it over the peaches and orange juice and gently stir/mix well.  Spoon peaches into the pie shell and refrigerate at least a few hours prior to serving.

Top with whipped cream & enjoy!

 

 NOTES:

• The quality of your peaches will make or ruin your pie.  Great peaches make for great pie.  Sub-par peaches make for sub-par pie.  Buy the best, sweetest peaches you can get your hands on (I prefer Suncrest but I've been happy with Elbertas and Red Ladies as well).
• You don't have to, but when I prep my peaches, I like to cut out the outer-most part of the area around the pit.  I do leave a little red there but I get rid of the drier, stringier portion.
• I like my pies to be tall and mounded rather than even with the pie crust so I use more like 7-8 large peaches (or more).  The other day I made another one of these pies using about 12 small peaches and it just wasn't enough.  I haven't yet measured how many cups of peaches I use.  I just say when in doubt, add more.
• I've tried this with both regular and sugar-free Jell-O (which is what I usually use) and it does NOT turn out as well with the sugar-free.  The Jell-O didn't firm up as much and I was left with a semi-soggy bottom crust after it spent its time in the fridge.  Yuck.
• I don't like a lot of the Jell-O mixture in the pie so when I put the peaches in the crust, I use a good slotted spoon with wider slots so that a lot (if not most) of the Jell-O drops back into the mixing bowl.  Then, once I've transferred all the peaches and moved them around to my satisfaction, I drip a bit of the mixture in between some of the peaches.  On the last pie I made, I probably dumped over a cup of the stuff.  In the pie pictures in this post, you can see that I put too much Jell-O mixture on top at the end...it still tasted good but it was just too much for us.
• Yet another rule in my kitchen: Do NOT use canned/spray whipped cream (i.e. Reddi-Whip,or another such abomination).  It is fake and should be banned from existence.  I honestly can't think of the last time that I actually purchased the stuff...probably over 10 years ago.

That last note being said, I have to say that I have been seriously surprised over the years by how many of my friends (and a few extended family members) have never made their own whipped cream or have failed to have theirs turn out well.  Therefore, I feel the need to give you a "recipe" or instructions for that as well...

 

FRESH WHIPPED CREAM

 

heavy whipping cream

powdered/confectioner's sugar

hand-held mixer or stand mixer with wire whip

mixing bowl

 

Insert beaters into hand-held mixer or set up your stand mixer with the wire whip attachment.  Pour the cream into the mixing bowl.  Beat the cream on a low-ish speed for a few seconds and then let her rip...I turn mine all the way up to 7 (highest setting on my hand-held).  Beat it, beat it, and then beat it some more.  Once you reach your desired consistency, add powdered sugar, starting with about 1/4 cup to 1/2 pint whipping cream.  Mix well and then taste, adding more sugar as desired.  When you're done, you're done.  Pipe the whipped cream onto your pie using your frosting gear (I use a large round or large star) or if you're not feeling that creative, just spread it over the whole pie or plop a bit on top of each piece as you serve it.

 

 

NOTES:

• We like our whipped cream really thick...as you can see in the one picture, I make it so thick that absolutely nothing happens when I turn the bowl upside-down (I took several pictures while holding it that way and it never budged even a millimeter).  While you might not like it that thick, try not to leave it runny as that just makes for a mess on top of your pie.  Beating it to a soft-peak stage should be good enough.
• Do NOT use regular granulated sugar.  I once had someone complaining to me about how her homemade whipped cream never turned out well and asked what brand of granulated sugar I used.  It doesn't matter what brand you use...if you put granulated sugar in your whipped cream instead of powdered sugar, it won't end well.
• I use 1/2 pint of whipping cream for one pie and close to 1/2 cup of powdered sugar for that amount (hubby likes it really sweet...).

Here's one more picture of the prettiest pie I've made (perfect amount of Jell-O mixture, perfect peaches, etc.).  It's not perfect but it's my perfect and I'm sure proud of it:

 

 

Hope you enjoy your pie.  If not, don't blame me.  You're either a weirdy for not liking fresh peach pie or you did something wrong.  Sorry folks, this stuff is AWESOME.  And I take no claim to fame on this recipe...my family got it from a couple of ladies at our church when I was a teenager.

 

 

Canning & I Made A Pie

August was a busy month in my kitchen.  I am glad to say that it wasn't a continual thing as I would have died of heat stroke had I turned on my stove and/or oven on a regular basis.  Whoever invented the natural gas outdoor grill is this girl's best friend...my family wouldn't have eaten all summer if it weren't for the Weber sitting on our back patio.

 

Anywho...

 

Back at the beginning of August, a local grocery store was having a ridiculous sale on red bell peppers.  They were something like $0.69 or $0.79 each.  And to make the deal even better, these peppers were positively enormous - literally about double the size of a normal red bell pepper.  Whenever those puppies go on good sale, I immediately start thinking about the jalapeno red pepper jelly that I make to give away at Christmas every few years.  Well, guess what folks.  Thanks to that fabulous sale, this just so happens to be one of those years.  I made a total of 5 batches of the stuff (about 30 jars - some 1/2 pint, others are pints) and it's all waiting in my basement cold storage room for me to wrap it up and give it away at Christmas.  Feels good to have at least some of the holiday hustle and bustle already done before the summer is out!

A couple of weekends ago, my little brother and his wife went up to Brigham City one day and brought me back a full bushel of Suncrest peaches.  I'm literally salivating from typing that.  I absolutely love Suncrest peaches - perfect flavor, texture, etc.  I think they're my favorite (thus far...haven't tried all of them).  Now, in case you didn't know, a bushel is a whole lot of fruit.  I spent all of one evening/night and another full day heating up my stove and running around my kitchen to make all sorts of goodies.  From said bushel of peaches I was able to make:

• double batch of fresh fruit freezer mix (peaches, grapes, crushed pineapple & OJ)
• 4 quarts of canned peach quarters
• triple batch of peach freezer jam (6 half pints)
• double batch of cooked peach jam (6 pints + 6 half pints)
• one fresh peach pie
• a handful of leftover fruit eaten plain or on cereal for breakfast

Now I'm totally out of peaches and it makes me kind of sad.  We have a nice fruit stand at the bottom of the hill...I think I'm going to have to stop there one of these days and at least get enough peaches to make another pie and have some for breakfast for a few days.

 

Oh - and I'm so nice.  I'm going to share the recipe for the peach pie on this here blog in the next few days...

BTS 2012: Kindergarten & 3rd Grade

My kiddies started a new school year on Tuesday.  I'm always thrilled to get back on a schedule and I honestly love sending my kids off to learn and have fun each day.  Yes, it's nice for me to have some time I'm excited for them, too.  School is part of growing up and I want them to enjoy it!

 

This year was a little bittersweet for me.  I didn't really get emotional about it but it's strange to think that all my kids (all two of them...I know, it's mind-blowing!) are officially in school and I don't get to have little ones at home any more.  My girl is no longer a baby or a toddler or a preschooler.  She's a "real girl" and she's moving up and on.

 

Both kids were so thrilled to get up and get going this morning.  Hudson (normally a bit of a dilly-dallyer) was ready with a solid 30 minutes to spare and while Claire got up later, she was just as eager to get out the door.  Both kids were excited to ride the bus (mostly empty the 1st day...only 7 kids on there) and after making sure they were on the yellow beast, I headed down the hill to meet them at the school.

 

Hudson was quick to head to his class, taking a neighbor friend/girl to her class first as she was a bit freaked out and didn't know where to go.  Claire and her little friend Sadie walked with me to the Kindergarten classroom and we arrived just as the teacher opened the doors.  Both girls settled right in and seemed happy as clams in their new surroundings.  I stayed at the school for Back To School Morning (attended 30 minute meetings in both classes while they sent the kids out to play), chatted with a few friends, went to the PTA display in the cafeteria, etc.  By the time I was finished, it was nearly time for Claire to get out (early out schedule the 1st day of school).  When I picked her up at her classroom, I asked her if it was a good day...that's when I got the thumbs-up in the picture below.  A happy girl makes for a happy mom!  Hudson loved his class, too.

 

Here's hoping that the rest of the year goes as smoothly and creates as much happiness as the first day!  Now, homework?  That's another story...

5 Years Old and 5+30 Years Old

I obviously never posted an official "5 Years Old" picture of my girl.  So here you go:

A few days before her birthday, we had a family (both sides) party here for her.  We had Max's parents, his local brother and his family and my two local brothers and their families here to celebrate with us.  I made the chocolate and cherry chip cupcakes with almond frosting that we had for dessert.  I didn't realize until my sister-in-law pointed out later in the evening that by chance, Claire chose to put on a purple and pink outfit for the shindig that almost perfectly matched the purple and pink frostings that I had made.  Between her clothes, the cupcakes and the balloons, we had a serious color coordination thing going on!

Her actual birthday was pretty laid back.  We ran a few errands and had a fairly normal day until the evening.  The kids and I went out to dinner at The Olive Garden (her choice - hubby had to work late and couldn't join us) followed by a little shopping trip at Carter's where Claire picked out a couple of things and a stop at Maggie Moo's to get a couple of custom packed quarts of tasty goodness to take home to accompany Claire's birthday cake.  Max was home when we got there so we all enjoyed Claire's birthday cake and ice cream and watched her open a few gifts.

 

It's hard to believe that my baby girl is really five years old.

 

In other news, I turned 35 a few days after Claire's birthday.  I got to spend more money than I wanted to on having my the screen on my iPhone 4 replaced. (I may or may not have dropped it and caused serious damage way back in June.  Thank goodness for a really strong screen protector that held it in place all this time.)  When Max got home from work that evening, he brought this with him:

Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting with chocolate draped over the top.  I did not complain.  Not even once.  Happy Birthday to me!