Fun with Family

There wasn't as much cooking yesterday, but there was still plenty to do. We're bearing down on our departure date, and that means we're both on the run from sun up to sun down. Yesterday it occurred to me that the time before a trip is busy because we're both trying to get just this one more thing done before we leave. Taking a vacation from retirement is not so different from taking a vacation from work. The only difference is the make-up of the last minute tasks.

There was just a little more to do in the kitchen yesterday morning. We brined and then spatchcocked (butterflied) three chickens. I slid a mixture of butter, Dijon mustard, garlic, and thyme under their skins, and then they sat uncovered in the refrigerator for the rest of the day. The goal was a nice crisp skin on the chickens. When we had that finished, I baked the official dessert of the night: Original Plum Torte from the first plums harvested. When it came out of the oven, it looked like this:

But I wasn't finished with the plums. While I was making the torte, Mike picked a bowl full of plums. Those were pitted and frozen. I'll turn them into barbecue sauce when we get home from our trip.

Later, I was able to get the torte out of its pan and slid onto a serving platter for a prettier presentation. My cake platter doesn't have a lid, but an inverted large Pyrex bowl works nicely. If you don't notice the "Pyrex" logo on the bottom of the bowl, you might even think it looked elegant!

We're only letting the kitties out under close supervision these days. We'd hate for anyone to go missing right before our departure. They so love being out, though, and even Mr. Snuffles perks up a little. He's hanging pretty close to the house these days, and so we're really only having to herd one tiny little cat.

As time grew near for family to arrive, I set out a taste test station with all the different salsas I made this year. 

The tomato and tomatillo-apple salsas are old favorites. The ones made from plums, cherries, and peaches were new to all of us. I didn't even taste them while I was making them. They were eaten in equal quantities, and so I'd say they were all winners. I liked the cherry best. Erik asked for a spicy salsa and the plum contained whole serrano peppers. The original recipe called for habanero peppers, but I couldn't find them at the time. The serranos made it plenty spicy for me, but Erik tasted it and said it could be even spicier. I vowed on the spot to find those habaneros next year and make the spiciest salsa you've ever seen. Good luck surviving it.

Also, we put out a spread of the cheeses Mike smoked last month. From top to bottom we had smoked cheddar, smoked pepperjack, and smoked chedder jack. These were so yummy.

He smoked 8 oz. blocks of each. Erik pointed out that cheese can't ordinarily be kept that long in the refrigerator, but smoking helps to preserve it. It was a fun experiment with a tasty outcome.

In a rare moment, I caught the three kids sitting at our breakfast bar enjoying the chips, salsa, and cheese.

While they were chatting, Smitty was in his favorite spot between Mike's legs.

Dinner was served after that. It was delicious. Mae brought a salad made from their zillions of cherry tomatoes and garden basil. We had the potato salad I made the day before and garden corn on the cob. I didn't think to take any pictures of the food, but everything was delicious. It was pretty much a harvest dinner, and a nice way to close out summer. 

There is still harvesting to do. Today I'll harvest some more green beans, and we're going to have to harvest the rest of the corn to either eat or freeze. That can wait a day or two though because I'll be picking up apples from a local grower today. Applesauce is on the agenda for canning tomorrow. Also, I'm picking up some new prescription sunglasses and looking for a new pair of shoes at the local New Balance store. They sent me a "good customer" $20 gift card, and who can resist that? Sadly, those three things are all in different directions, and so I'll be making a "beltway" style circle around the city to get it all done.

There's a busy week ahead as we wind down summer at the Three Cats Ranch. Our departure is about a week away now, and we won't see the place again until the calendar flips to fall. My thoughts are with any of you who are riding out the devastation left in Ida's wake. Take care, my friends. Stay safe and dry.