I have the worst streak of laziness running through me.  I did manage to work in the garden for about an hour three days ago. I need to pick a million little cherry tomatoes and some big ass cherry tomatoes but what to do with them?  I have been leaving them on my neighbors’ porches.  Along with a cucumber.

I guess it is that time of the year when I sort of get tired of my garden.  It is eaten up with Japanese beetles, Purslane is everywhere, and my poor tomatoes just rot and drop to the ground.  I’ll probably have a god zillion volunteer tomatoes next year.

Two days ago I did manage to sweep and mop the floors.  It took a lot of gumption to get up and do that.  I was bored in the afternoon and I went out and picked some quite large jalapeno peppers.

The hubster looked up popper recipes and we settled on Emeril Lagasse’s recipe.  It called for a seasoning called “Essence” which is just some Cajun seasoning with the first ingredient listed as salt.  I adjusted it to my taste buds.

And so I made the poppers.  There was entirely too much filling for the amount of peppers I used.  I made half the recipe.  I should have used the two eggs but I am getting low on eggs and don’t want to drive to Brodhead for fresh eggs. (What is happening to the chickens in the area?)  And so I used only one egg and paid the price.

My last few peppers were not entirely covered in the coating and they melted drastically.  I ate the cheese anyway.  You know me, the cheese head from Ohio!

My review of the Emeril Lagasse’s Jalapeno Poppers is this:  I’d never make them again.  Too much essence and not enough jalapeno pepper.

Yesterday I did manage to do three loads of laundry.  We retired folks just don’t go through the clothes like working people.  I sometimes make it a week with just two outfits.  One to get dirtier in and one to bathe and go somewhere.  Oh and I do go through two workout outfits for Pilates.

The hubster, I swear, sometimes goes for a week in his sweat shirt and sweat pants.  He keeps a ball cap close by to cover his hair in case anyone stops by.  I haven’t washed the baseball cap but it really needs it.

While doing my laundry I was surfing the internet (Okay, I was looking at FB) and saw a recipe for caramel cake.  You know me, the caramel loving queen.  I told the hubster I just saw this recipe and am going to make it.  He replied, “Cherry Pie.”

As you recall I went and picked a bunch of cherries this summer and threatened to make a cherry pie.  Singing the stupid song because I now had a brain worm, I found two packages of cherries and got out the lard.  (Yes, I use lard to make pie crust.)  I am in it for the pie crust.  My mom used to make extra so she could bake me what she called “crackers”.  She rolled out the pie crust and put little fork holes in them and salted them slightly and baked them until crisp.  I loved those stupid crackers.

I never have enough pie crust to make crackers but I usually try to make the recipe for two 10 inch pie crusts.  I still never have enough.  I may just bake myself some crackers today.  I have the lard!

I put the cherries into a sieve to thaw and went about my business of doing the laundry and surfing the internet and doing a jigsaw puzzle (I am so addicted!).  I squeezed as much of the juice out of the berries because I want to make cherry jelly this winter.  I left them as long as I could and pressed them a couple of extra times.

Followed my recipe but I think I put too much sugar in because the laundry was calling me and the hubster was napping and I didn’t want to wake him so I took a leave in the middle of adding sugar.  (Note to self:  cherry pie is more important than the husbter’s nap.)

My pie came out looking pretty good. I had to scrap piece it here and there.  I made a lattice top using the little cutter that was once the hubster’s grandmothers.

First impression – why is the pie filling white?  Why is it too juicy?  Answer – the cherries needed to be thawed more, you used too much sugar and not enough corn starch.

I ate it anyway!  I have to run out today for Brier’s French Vanilla ice cream.  I’m not giving this pie away so don’t you all get your hopes up.  Maybe next time.