Busy Weekend

Declan is really getting the walking thing down. He's even standing by himself for a few seconds now, and he can walk down the hallway holding onto just one of my fingers, and his other hand is free to wave around. Any day now, and then Daniel and I will really be running around trying to keep him out of stuff.

Yesterday, we checked out a new (to us) local farm - Froberg's Farm. I'd heard about it, but could never find the place. Finally did, and it's very cool. Lots of fresh veggies, although I'm not sure how much is local or organic. They have a great smokehouse right next door, and 9 acres of strawberry fields for pick-your-own. We've decided we're going back next Saturday to do some strawberry picking. Would have yesterday, but little guy decided that it was finally time for his morning nap when we drove down there and he slept the whole time I was in the market. Daniel stayed in the car and kept him company and listened to his pod casts.

We had an impromptu lunch of venison sausage and home-made individual cream pies / empanadas. They were okay, but no where NEAR as yummy as the Amish fruit pies I had at the Covered Bridge Festival in Indiana last fall.

Got my raised veggie bed 80% planted and did some yard work.

Made a butter cake from the Cake Bible. I thought I'd try and make Declan' birthday cake from there, and I ought to try it out first so it wasn't a flop on his birthday. Well, it was somewhat of a flop. I don't think it baked long enough. So we tossed it and I'll try another version today.

I also made the best fruit compote in the crock pot yesterday. You've got to try this. It made a ton, so I'm going to freeze small portions of it for later, but it was great on the cake last night and on yogurt this morning. Even Declan loved it.

Summer Fruit Compote (Family Circle, June 2009)
Makes 6 cups
Slow cook 3.75 hours on high or 5.75 hours on low.

3 cups fresh pineapple chunks
2 medium pears, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
2 cups frozen sliced peaches
1 cup frozen pitted cherries
3/4 cup dried apricots, quartered
2/3 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
1 T brown sugar
1 t vanilla extract
2 T cornstarch
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Combine pineapple, pears, peaches, cherries, apricots, orange juice, brown sugar and vanilla in crock pot. Cover and cook on high or low.

Uncover and remove 2 T liquid. In a small bowl, stir together liquid and cornstarch. Stir cornstarch mixture back into crock pot. Cook 15 minutes more or until thickened. Sprinkle with almonds.

Serve warm with ice cream if desired.

I forgot the apricots, but you can't tell.