Applesauce and Macaroni

What do macaroni and applesauce have to do with one another? Absolutely nothing. 

Yesterday afternoon we made homemade applesauce and today we had a bit of a macaroni incident.

The applesauce story:
Until last year, I had never made applesauce.  I have always thought applesauce was OK...never craved it and would have never put it on my top ten things to have if I ever get stranded on a deserted island.  Annsley read a book last year about apple picking and then the family made applesauce when they got home.  There was a recipe in the back of the book.  My oldest child loves to cook.  So we had to make it.  Let me just say...it's a little bit of heaven!  Especially warm--right out of the pot.  Liquid apple pie.  YUM!

So, yesterday we made it for the third time in my life.  In the words of Fancy Nancy, "Oooh La La!"  Delicious once again!  Now, if I were into cooking and giving you a drive by of my skills, I'd have pictures to guide you along.  I am not, so I don't have.  Here is the super simple recipe if you're up for giving it a try.  I don't know how much the recipe makes--a big ole pot--maybe something like 8-10 cups???

9 apples--at least 3 different varieties
     (peeled, cored, cut into 1/2" pieces)
10 oz. apple juice
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 C. brown sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 t. ground cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Add everything into a large pot except ground cinnamon and nutmeg.  Bring to a boil.  Cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes or until apples are tender.  Remove cinnamon sticks.  Add ground cinnamon and nutmeg.  Use a potato masher to mash until desired consistency. 

What I've learned...
**why use 3 different varieties?? I don't know.  That's what Grandma did in the book.  Annsley is a stickler for the rules, so we had to. Grandma said it made it the most flavorful.
**Red Delicious apples are one of the most difficult to peel.  Macintosh are the easiest.  I'd go heavy on the macs.
**I've been out of apple juice and used water instead.  Just a good.  Maybe not as sweet, but you'd never miss the juice.
**Twice I've accidentally added the ground cinnamon to the boiling mixture.  It didn't result in a do-over either time.
**I''m thinking that a scoop of vanilla ice-cream with the warm sauce would result in indescribable bliss.

The macaroni story:
Today, Kennedi left the house with one piece of macaroni and returned home with one less piece of macaroni.  About 12:25PM while I'm fixing lunch--macaroni and cheese no doubt--she starts crying and says, "Mommy, I have macaroni up my nose!"  She had asked for a few dried pieces to munch on beforehand.

What??? I thought this was reserved for 3 year olds!  "Kennedi, you're kidding!  How did it get up there?" (Like I don't know!!!)

Kennedi shrugs, and says, "I don't know.  It was just right here Mommy (pointing to her nostril opening) and then it just went up!"  (You have to watch those pesky macaronis.  They have a mind all of their own.  Didn't you know that???)

So, I have her blow.  Nothing.  I look up her nose.  Nothing.  She tells me she can feel it.  Oh brother.  I take her to the bathroom and have her lie down.  I tell Annsley to watch Andrei.  With the flashlight I can see a bit of it.  I try with the tweezers while holding the flashlight in my mouth. And try.  And try. We have a mighty fine M*A*S*H unit going on here. My tweezers touch but I can't get it.  She sneezes. "DON'T SUCK UP YOUR SNOT!"  I scream.  Now I can't see the vermin at all, but I know it's still there.

Our pediatrician's office is closed until tomorrow.  The pediatrician's office who is on call is closed for lunch until 1:30.  It's 12:30.  So, I load up the crew and we all head to the urgent care clinic.  Doug is out of town, so we have to make it a family affair.  One hour later we finally get called back. Annsley is way past boredeom.  Andrei is getting high from no sleep.  And Kennedi needs to be duct taped to a chair by now. I'm guessing Kennedi did enough somersaults and shimmy shakes on the leather sofa at the clinic all while chasing Andrei who made the rounds in waiting room that she loosen up her macaroni.  The nurse had her blow and out it came.  "Do you want to still see the doctor?" the nurse asks.  No, thank you. That will be all.  $40 later and minus our elbow pasta, we leave.  Nobody has had naps today.  They are all on forced outside play right now.  I'm enjoying my quiet...just me and my keyboard...