Domestic Goddess

Today I am feeling quite the domestic goddess.  Yesterday we did a heap o' nothing, but that's ok cause it's summer and resting is a good thing.  When your tired, your tired- and I'm trying to take everyones advice to take it easy.  But today is a different story- on Sunday we picked figs and tomatoes at Charles's Dad's house, then yesterday Dad stopped by with a huge bag full of figs from Uncle JP's, and another bag full of okra.  Then Linda told Charles to pick all the pears off the tree we want- it's a bumper crop so he picked a box for us and a box to take to his Mom.  All this wonderful stuff, but even I can't eat it all before it goes bad- tho I did wipe out the original picking of figs- what to do?

Well, this morning I discovered that the figs from JP's leaked juice on the fridge, so I decided to make 'figstuff' to freeze for winter.  I looked at recipes on the internet, decided they were all complicated, so I just made it up based on what you do with cranberries and pumpkin candy.  Into a pot went all the figs (destemmed and cut up), 2 cups of sugar, 2 cups of water, vanilla, cloves, ginger and cinnamon. Made the sugar/spice syrup first, then dumped in the figs- simmering for hours.  Now it is getting nice and thick, golden brown and smells wonderful.  When it cools I'll put it in containers and freeze it to use in baking/sauces this winter. 

In the crockpot I cut up the okra, fresh tomatoes (peeled), onion and broth- will add red pepper, garlic and lime later.  Cooking it slow, will contain it and freeze it for lunches at school.

Pears?  Thinking of making pear butter, and just some cooked pears (they are the kind that is best cooked) ...any ideas?

In the meantime I cleaned the refrigerator out, tossed out the odd things that find there way into all fridges (the ketchup bottle with nary a ketchup left in it, the last tablespoon of butter, and endless crumbs).  The kitchen feels clean and fresh, I'm wearing an apron and ready for my own tv show!

Seriously, I never cook.  This is a once-a-season extravaganza.  In fall, I make pies.  At Christmas, cookies galore, in the Spring, I take a break (well, I do dye eggs).  Summer apparently is fruit-and-vegetable time.

I have no illusions about the manz eating this stuff- just like most folks he doesn't care for okra or figs.   That's ok though- for some reason it is the process that counts, makes me feel accomplished on the domestic front...and I know I have goodies for the back-to-school days ahead!