CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

My Mom's apple pie and my doll, two things I adored when I was a little girl.
Yesterday was an amazing day. It was really warm and totally muggy but I did not care. I wanted to feel warm and sticky. It just felt right somehow a fall day like this. We did not turn on the air instead we just kept the doors open and the fans going. I heated the oven to 400 for the pie and that really made the kitchen toasty. No mind I tied on my chefs apron and started on the crust. Tucked the two disc's of dough into the fridge to chill and began peeling and slicing the apples. These apples were so fresh and crisp yet with that sweet sour tang that a gravenstein apple has. A half hour later the pie was baking in the oven. I went into the living room and sat in front of the portable fan. I grabbed my book and read while the house filled with the fragrance of sweet baking apples. I felt so happy in my heart and content. Strange how certain smells and noises have that effect on a person. The pie did not disappoint last night. It had a flaky tender crust and perfectly cooked juicy apples inside. We each had a small piece with one scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. A perfect end to an amazing fall day.

Hubby just ran to the meat market in our near by country area. They make their own sausages and there sausage is wonderful. Lean and meaty and not to many seasonings. It reminds my husband of the sausage his Hungarian father used to make. We will boil the sausage tonight so it is cooked and then put on a hot grill to sear it. I am making crusted potato cakes out of the left over garlic mashed potatoes we had last night. We will also have fried peppers. I bought a combination of cubano, sweet wax peppers, a hot Hungarian pepper and Anaheim. I will heat a iron skillet very hot, drizzle in some olive oil and add the peppers after I have seeded and cut them length wise. Just sprinkle with salt and peppers and sear in the hot skillet. Yummy. When you bite into the peppers you will get a bit of heat but still a fresh burst of fresh peppers. Sounds like we are having an old country meal, hubby will love that.

Well I must to do a few chores this afternoon and the day is slipping by. It is another beautiful day here again in Eugene. Oh how we love it!!!
Have a great day wherever you live.