Thanks to Elisa and T.J. for a great party! Loved the chili and cornbread, and our little Luna Bug had a blast!
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Heart Warming Pea Soup
Another good fall recipe... pea soup! Serve it with homemade cheddar toasts, or good chunky bread. This recipe makes enough to serve four or more, and freeze another family sized portion, so it could be halved easily. It's a combination of different recipes I've tried, and results in a pretty thick consistency. But if you like it a bit less thick, either blend the peas up more, or add more water or stock.
2 Tbsp oil or butter
300 g 1/2 thick slab bacon, diced in large chunks
1 large onion or several small ones
2 peeled carrots chopped
1 Tbsp dried thyme
4 bay leaves
1 Tbsp large crystal kosher or sea salt (we like it salty...)
1/2 Tbsp ground black pepper
2 cans condensed cream of celery soup
2 pounds or 1 kilo dried green split peas, rinsed and picked over to remove debris if required
6-8 cups veggie or beef stock
1-2 tsp fresh minced garlic
cubed ham or smoked sausage such as kielbasa
Heat oil or butter in large stock pot, over medium heat. Add the bacon until fat is rendered. Then add carrots and onion, sweat for 4 minutes, until tender.
Add Thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and stir to coat veggies.
Add split peas, stock, cream of celery soup, bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour - until peas are tender.
Remove the bay leaves and puree the soup in a blender or food processor in batches until desired consistency.
Return puree to pot and stir in ham or sausage and minced garlic. Heat through.
2 Tbsp oil or butter
300 g 1/2 thick slab bacon, diced in large chunks
1 large onion or several small ones
2 peeled carrots chopped
1 Tbsp dried thyme
4 bay leaves
1 Tbsp large crystal kosher or sea salt (we like it salty...)
1/2 Tbsp ground black pepper
2 cans condensed cream of celery soup
2 pounds or 1 kilo dried green split peas, rinsed and picked over to remove debris if required
6-8 cups veggie or beef stock
1-2 tsp fresh minced garlic
cubed ham or smoked sausage such as kielbasa
Heat oil or butter in large stock pot, over medium heat. Add the bacon until fat is rendered. Then add carrots and onion, sweat for 4 minutes, until tender.
Add Thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and stir to coat veggies.
Add split peas, stock, cream of celery soup, bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour - until peas are tender.
Remove the bay leaves and puree the soup in a blender or food processor in batches until desired consistency.
Return puree to pot and stir in ham or sausage and minced garlic. Heat through.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sewing Projects...
A week or so ago, I got a bit inspired and decided to sew some clothes for Luna. Partially because I couldn't find the kinds of things that I wanted to get for Luna at a decent price, and partially because I just got the creative bug. When it comes to sewing over here, I haven't done very much, because I haven't liked the fabrics I can find, and I figured using German patterns would be a hassle. But when I went to Karstadt recently I noticed that they had greatly improved their fabric selection, which got the creative juices flowing, and it kind of reminded me that I know how to make my own patterns, and that I've really got no excuses...
This is from about 6 Euros worth of lace I splurged on. It's a nude color, and the intention is to dress it down with a denim shirt or something. She's wearing this in the portraits I posted recently. She loves it!
This one looks really bright with the flash, but it's a pretty standard navy and green tartan. This one was 3.25 Euros worth of fabric! And she likes this one, too! "I can dance in it!" she says as she twirls...
This one is made from the leftover yardage of the Ikea drapes we have in our bedroom. So it only cost about 3 Euros for the satin binding. And I didn't feel like figuring out a closure, so I just did a self-tying, bound keyhole opening at the back-neck. Super easy! Love the bubble bottom...
And the last one is a bubble skirt I made with fabric leftover from the living-room couch pillows I made. Looks a little odd in the picture because of the angle, but it's super cute on. Put elastic in the back waistband, so also no closure! Although it did make the back lining shape a little challenging! The waistband length was quite a bit longer than the back sweep because of course it was lengthened to gather for the elastic - and I kept second guessing myself becaue the pattern peice looked upside down, eventhough I knew it was right... guess that's how long it's been!
Am also planning a grey, apron-front pinafore, with a gathered skirt, but had to stop because I needed to get cracking on her "Lady Bug Princess" costume... almost finished, stay posted!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Luna is Famous!
From the NordBayerische Nachrichten-
They did a dedication ceremony at Luna's kindergarten the week before last. I had no idea it was going on, but just happened to put her in a cute little dress that day! It made the paper! Just goes to show you never know what you're dressing your child for!
Click the photo to see it larger.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Easy and Super Yummy Meatloaf
OK - I must confess, I'm posting this for myself. I tend to use the recipes posted on here kind of as a recipe box, so by posting it here, I know I can always find it! The last few weeks we've been having meat loaf once a week (poor Bas - actually, I think he likes it) and I've been trying different things. Last night I made one that stood out - but since it's a combination of various recipes I've found I wanted to write it down somewhere!
It's super cheap, easy and quick. Usually I have everything I need for it, and just have to make sure I pick up the ground beef and soup mix at the beginning of the week.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
2 eggs
2/3 cup breadcrumbs or crushed salty crackers
1/2 cup milk
3 small or 1 very large chopped onion
1/2 tsp each or less - salt and pepper
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
1 packet dried onion soup mix
1/4 cup ketchup
1-2 tbsp. dijon mustard with unmilled seeds - or whatever you've got, most recipes just use regular mustard
1 tbsp prepared mustard
2-3 tbsp brown sugar
2-3 tbsp worcestershire sauce
butter, Pam or shortening to grease pan with
Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs in a medium to large bowl, add onion, milk, crumbs, soup mix, salt, pepper and sage. Crumble beef into bowl and mix well. Shape into loaf and pack into a greased loaf pan.
Combine ketchup, mustards, worcestershire sauce and brown sugar and mix well. Pour over meat loaf directly in pan. Place in oven and bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until done to your likeness.
It's super cheap, easy and quick. Usually I have everything I need for it, and just have to make sure I pick up the ground beef and soup mix at the beginning of the week.
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
2 eggs
2/3 cup breadcrumbs or crushed salty crackers
1/2 cup milk
3 small or 1 very large chopped onion
1/2 tsp each or less - salt and pepper
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
1 packet dried onion soup mix
1/4 cup ketchup
1-2 tbsp. dijon mustard with unmilled seeds - or whatever you've got, most recipes just use regular mustard
1 tbsp prepared mustard
2-3 tbsp brown sugar
2-3 tbsp worcestershire sauce
butter, Pam or shortening to grease pan with
Preheat oven to 350. Beat eggs in a medium to large bowl, add onion, milk, crumbs, soup mix, salt, pepper and sage. Crumble beef into bowl and mix well. Shape into loaf and pack into a greased loaf pan.
Combine ketchup, mustards, worcestershire sauce and brown sugar and mix well. Pour over meat loaf directly in pan. Place in oven and bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until done to your likeness.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Hello Big Girl Bed!!
Bye-bye beautiful crib!
Whatcha doin' Papa?
"We're giving you a pink, big-girl bed!"
"Oh, OK, I like that! But whatcha doin' with my crib?"
"We're putting it in the attic."
"But, I loooooove my crib!"
"Hmmmm."
"But I love my new bed, better!"
Friday, October 8, 2010
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