A Chocolate Chip Cookie Kind of Day

The first two cookie sheets full are in the oven.  I haven't done much baking lately and was craving cookies.  I may have to make some gingersnaps, too.  The gingersnaps bring to mind evenings on the porch with family and friends.  Mother always served gingersnaps in the summer with ice cold glasses of homemade lemonade.

I thawed out eight quarts of sliced apples, with another eight or so still in the freezer for another day.  I filled quart jars and used plain water to cover them.  They were in the boiling water bath for 20 minutes.  They will be good to use for desserts like apple crisp.

I found two whole chickens underneath the apple slices.  They look OK - no freezer burn.  I think later this week I will boil them up and can the meat in half-pint jars for use as sandwich meat.  I am low on chicken broth, so I will be able to can that as well.

I also found ten quart bags full of pumpkin and another dozen bags of butternut squash.  I haven't decided what to do with them, but am leaning toward dehydrating.  I have seen where others have dried both pumpkin and squash and then ground them into a powder.  It seems they rehydrate well and can be used anywhere one would use canned squash or pumpkin.

And way underneath the squash and pumpkin are maybe four quarts of shredded zucchini.  One day in a week or so, those will go into a few loaves of zucchini bread.

I think I actually caught a glimpse of the floor of the freezer.  When it is all cleaned out, I will ask Duane to come over and wipe it out.  I am way too short on one end to do it.  Chances are if I tried to clean the bottom of the freezer, I would wind up with my head inside and my legs sticking out the top.   Not a good position for a chubby granny.  :)