Day 5: Challenge Wednesday

Today we have a special treat.  Remember my real life friend Jen, who writes over at A Drop in the Bucket?  Well, last week I challenged her to make a staple food item from scratch, and today she is reporting on how that went.  Serendipitously, it fits right in with my 31 Days to Home Made, so she is guest posting here today.  Read on...


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Hello friends.  Happy Wednesday!  Wednesday?  Say wha?   That mean’s its time for the Chaos Bucket challenge.  Yup.  So, last week Tracey challenged me to make something, any staple item, from scratch.

Whoa….this is something a bit new for me.  I am a bit dependent on convenience foods.  Probably comes from my days as a working mom.  Or just being plain lazy.  But I was excited to see what would happen.  Can I do this?  Would I want to do it again?

So, the one item that is a major staple item in our home right now?   {Please note, I have an eight month old. }  Baby food.

Guess what?  I made not one, but TWO different baby foods from scratch.  Yeah, I know, you are probably thinking, “girl, that isn’t so impressive…just blend that stuff up”, but if you knew just how much of a novice in the kitchen I am {er…was}, you would understand.

First up?  Avocados.  They went from this…

to this…

Yup, pretty much some of the easiest cooking I have ever done.  If it can even be considered cooking.  And guess what?  Totally natural.  I don’t have to wonder why it has that hard, crusty appearance on the top {you know, from being on the shelf for too long?}.

Next up?  Applesauce.  I know.  Easy stuff.  But I can’t even tell you how proud of myself I was when I finished.  The process:

Apples.  Duh.

In the pot, waiting to be boiled.

Daughter {J#4} waiting for apples to be boiled.

Finished product

And looky there…I even put it in a fancy jar.

J# 4 LOVED it.  And I had a goofy smile on my face feeding it to here because I knew I made it. I may have even added a bit of cinnamon to it.  Gave it my own twist.  Okay, so thats not really my own twist, but it wasn't in the recipe I was following.  ;-)

So yes, I CAN do this.  And, for sure, yes, I will do this again.

So, challenge #1 for A Drop In The Bucket? Successfully completed.

And thank you Tracey, this was so fun.  I can’t wait to figure out what I am going to make from scratch again.  I think I am going to compile a list and add it to my bucket list.

Now it is my turn….Mrs. Control the Chaos herself, has to complete a challenge.  Hmmm…. Well, I know that making these homemade items is going to end up on my 1000 gifts  list.  So, I challenge Tracey to start her own list.  I will let it be up to her to decide the length, the number, etc.  but, over the next week {and hopefully beyond} I challenge, you ,Tracey, to come up with a list of “gifts”.  Every day moments, people, events…anything that help you appreciate the NOW.   Because intending to live life in the moment means appreciating what we have.  Right now.
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Thanks, Jen.  Looks like you did a great job, and had fun too.  Tune in next week when I report on my 1000 gifts list.  I think I have some work to do.