(no subject)

We went out to breakfast this morning, ran some errands, and came home and went our gender-segregated ways. galagan raked leaves, mowed the grass one last time, and did various outdoor chores, while I did laundry and puttered in the kitchen.

The puttering produced some yummy things, including minestrone and dill oyster crackers (my grandmother's recipe - soooo good) and an experimental stab at candied orange peel. I've been wanting to try the latter for some time now, and I had oranges in hand. It was all going relatively well - simmering in its sugar syrup with just an occasional stir. According to the recipe, it was supposed to just soak up all the syrup - I came back into the kitchen to discover that most of the pan's contents had hardened into a big crystalized lump in the middle. I took it off the heat, and was able to scrape most of it free. The hardest part wouldn't budge - I finally just stuck the pan in the sink and ran hot water over it until it all melted. (That's the good thing about making a mess with sugar/candy-making - super hot water from the faucet will melt your mess, so its relatively easy to recover from and/or clean up.) Anyway, I do have candied orange peel - although maybe crystalized would be a better word.

Of course, I followed the recipe, so I'm not sure I learned a lesson from this experience. Maybe - don't trust the recipe? :)

I want to go make cookies now, but I suppose I should fold my laundry. Damn my sense of responsibility. (Screw it! I can fold later!)