PIllsbury Bake Off

I was checking the site to see if any new information was posted about the contest - I'm getting antsy to find out if I'm a finalist. There wasn't anything about this year's contest, but I found out that a woman who went to my high school was a finalist in last year's contest. I think I'm supposed to get an email or letter from both them and Sunset about the contests sometime in the next month, and I'm starting to get nervous.

Blackberries!

Last night, Rich and I stayed up until 1:00 am making blackberry-lime and blackberry-peach jam. Tonight, we will be getting the juice ready for blackberry syrup (spiced and plain) and tomorrow blackberry vinegar. I've not put up too many jars this year. Usually, I have over a hundred by now, and I only have 40, including the Jumble Jam, Rhubarb Chutney and Bread and Butter Pickles. I plan on making Peach Chutney, Peach Butter, Peach Jelly, Peach Habanero Jelly, Peach Melba Dessert Sauce, Raspberry Syrup, Raspberry Preserves, Crabapple Jelly, Cranberry Chutney, Red Rosemary Jelly, and Corn Relish. We didn't put in a garden this year, so there will be no tomato preserves of any kind, no dill pickles, unless we find pickling cucumbers very inexpensively, no pumpkin preserves. When pears come into season, I may make some Pear Butter, and Ginger Pear Preserves, and put up some Vanilla Pears, but we'll see how much I am able to do when school gets going.

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Last night we had French Onion Soup with Cheese and Garlic Rolls.

Tonight is odd. Rich and I lead Laudate, our church's youth group, and we are going on an excursion with them, so the dinner I was making for our family is now for the kids and our priest who will be watching them. They will be eating Arroz con Pollo, and we are taking salami sandwiches with lettuce, tomato and cheese on olive oil bread, Doritos, German chocolate cookies, iced tea and cranberry juice.

Friday: Red Potato, Tomato & Leek Gratin with Gruyere and Rosemary
Salad

Saturday: Creole Pilaf with Veal

Sunday: Red Enchiladas
Mexican Rice
Cabbage Salad

Monday: Red Chicken
Slow Sauteed Broccoli
Mashed Potatoes

Tuesday: Hot Dogs
Corn
Beans

Wednesday: Chile Relleno Casserole

Thursday: Beef & Noodle Casserole
Buttery Garlic Toasts

Friday: Grilled Salmon with Tomato-Herb & Feta Sauce
Pasta with Olive Oil & Garlic