I love the feeling that the term is over. I have a ton of work to do this week, before I leave for Home City on Saturday, but I notice that it just feels so much more manageable now that classes have ended.
My friend C from Nearest Metropolis was here for the weekend. We had a great time - I cooked a lot, and we drank wine and watched movies. I had rented a car for the weekend, but we were pretty homebound, in the end. Only really took one short excursion on Saturday afternoon. It is so wonderful to have her near me for the year. We only actually lived in the same city for one year...and for the last five years she's been living in European City. So all this time with her is a treat.
Anyway, guess what? I had been hatching a plan to foster cats for the humane society...I am home so much, and love cats a lot, and am missing animal snuggling...But I learned last week that my downstairs neighbours are moving out at the end of this month, going away for a year of backpacking and working in Southern Commonwealth Country. I impulsively asked them what they were planning to do with their cat, and they said they didn't know yet. I offered to take her. And so I am going to have a cat for the year!!! I even have a colleague/friend who would be willing - nay, happy - to take the cat for when I'm away for chunks of time (including up to 2 months in the summer). How excited am I???
Finally, Dr. Bad Ass asked me if I would post the recipe for the cranberry pear chutney I made and canned yesterday. Sure!
I tripled the recipe, giving me enough for a dozen 250-ml canning jars of chutney + about 3 leftover cups for which I had no jars. I have made this recipe before...people really love it. It is the kind of thing that goes really well with cheese.
CRANBERRY PEAR CHUTNEY
2 pears, peeled
1 green pepper
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp salt
1 red onion
1 bag fresh cranberries
1/2 cup raisins
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp tabasco
- Dice pears into 1/2 inch pieces
- Dice onion and pepper into 1/4 inch pieces
- Placeeverything in a medium-sized saucepan
- Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat
- Reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, stirring often until berries have softened and everything is a deep, ruby red (about 40 mins.)
- Place in airtight container and refrigerate
- Keeps up to two months
OR
- Place in sterilized canning jars to preserve.
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2 comments:
Becoming a foster mom sounds like a great idea (if you can handle giving the cat back when the year is over). I would love to get a cat, but R doesn't like cats. :(
I was just thinking about doing a recipe post. Thanks for the inspiration!
Ooh, kitty! What a great idea! And that chutney sounds delicious.
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