Caught up on the laundry today. While I was in the basement, I collected a lot of loose stuff and hung it on hooks on a pegboard. All of the posts about eating better got me planning to cook more from scratch. Last night I put some dried beans into water to soak, and they're baking now. (They've started smelling good, but they're not ready to eat yet.) Also made a bowl of mixed fruit with a lime-anise-mint sauce.

Minted Cantaloupe Medley

½ C sugar
¾ C water
2 T lime juice
1 t chopped fresh mint
½ t anise seed
dash of salt

5 C fresh cantaloupe, cut in chunks
4 C fresh peach or nectarine slices
2 C fresh blueberries

Combine sugar, water, lime juice, mint & anise seed in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil & let it boil for a minute, then turn down heat and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Place fruit in a bowl & strain syrup over fruit, to remove seeds. Cover & chill for 2 hours or more, or until ready to serve the same day. Makes 10 servings.

Maryanne