Friday

Dreams of Mandalay & Homemade Chunky Apple-Cranberry Butter...


Transform these...

Into this...


....and have FUN while doing it!

Here's our Secret Strategy.

"Last Night I Dreamed of Mandalay..."
these words, spoken by Joan Fontaine, in Alfred Hitchcock's classic film "Rebecca" (based on Daphne de Maurier's book) sent chills up my arms as I peeled yet another apple to include in my current batch of chunky apple-cranberry butter.



First, I gather all my supplies atop a large baking sheet (one with sides works nicely).


In order to keep the peeled apples from browning I squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice on them.



Once peeled and cored, I cut the apples into my saucepan and add the remaining juice of my lemon (and sometimes a bit of the zest).


I also sprinkle in about a half-cup of fresh-frozen cranberries (to add a bit of tang).

Next, I allow the apples and cranberries to cook to a soft, but slightly chunky, texture (about thirty minutes, on a medium simmer, staying close by and stirring every few minutes or so).

When the apple-cranberry butter is ready, I pour it inside my French glasses.
They are then covered and refrigerated for later use atop toast...to flavor plain yogurt...to include in recipes... or to add to savory sauces for natural sweetness and flavor.
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The "Movie Watching Technique" has been my long-time method for transforming sometimes tedious tasks into pleasant experiences that I often look forward to.

I cannot count how many dresses I've created, over the years, while watching
"Anne of Green Gables" , "Anne of Avonlea" & "Little Women"
(my favorite sewing videos/dvds)...

or...

how many pie's and pie fillings I've prepared...or...

batches of cookies, cakes and cupcakes I've baked...

or how many batches of jam I've put up...

or... vegetables and fresh foods prepared and frozen for future meals.

Today, I often save our current Netflix movies for watching/listening to while I tackle an otherwise boring or dreaded task such as, cleaning out the refrigerator/freezer, painting, cooking and canning, folding laundry and the like.
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