Caroline's Small Somethings

Dress Up

2010-12-09T10:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, I have been MIA for several weeks...OK it's been more like months now, but I am hoping to start blogging more regularly once again. :)

Over the last few months Annsley has found a new favorite past time, playing dress up! Here are a few snapshots of Annsley in all her fabulous wardrobe choices!

We definitely have a girly-girly in the making.

September/October At Our House

2010-10-16T01:36:00.000-07:00

I love Fall. I love the bright blue skies and chilly morning air that lingers until early afternoon. I love the spices and find their way into different baked goods of the seasons, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger. I love the comfort food that comes with colder nights and the way you just want to snuggle up with a good book and a cup of cider. This fall in the Stover House we have had many of those wonderful evenings at home as a family, we have also had a number of fun outings celebrating different things. Here are a few snapshots of our family over the past 2 months!

Here is one of those cosy evenings at home where Annsley was helping with the laundry.

We had a blast the the Hitscherhof Farm Fest, Annsley didn't really know what to do with the big pumpkins.

Luke and Annsley in the "Labyrinth" aka: the corn maze

More BIG pumpkins!

Annsley this time playing in the laundry basket.

The beginning of October I accidentally bumped the trailer hitch of the car parked on the other side of my parking space (in my defense he was sticking into my lane and the hitch was so low I couldn't see it). Both of the cars were fine but the bump unlocked the license plate holder, I thought the plate was screwed in like they are back in the states so I didn't worry to much about it, well as I was driving home the plate fell off, and was nowhere to be found. Long story short, Luke, bless him, was able to get it all sorted out with the police, auto registration and I was back on the road a few day later. In the mean time though we did a lot of car seat juggling and Annsley found a new toy to play with in the house....

We also ran the local Breast Cancer Awareness 5K, the whole family, this weekend.

Before the race...

Aunt Natalie ran it with her coffee shop co-workers and their team won second for the Spirit Award, dressed up in fun costumes.

Luke and Annsley after the race, all smiles!

It has been a busy last few months and we are looking forward to the rest of the beautiful autumn here in Germany and moving into the Holiday season!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

lambie love

2010-09-18T04:38:00.000-07:00

Annsley has this little floppy lamb that she received for her birthday from our friends Mariana and Rueben. Over the past few months Annsley has come to ABSOLUTELY ADORE her lambie. Here are a few pictures of her giving lambie some love.

These Feet Were Made For Walking.....

2010-08-19T05:31:00.000-07:00

Homemade Butter

2010-08-12T00:44:00.000-07:00

Ok, so looking in my fridge this morning I found 2 unopened containers of heavy whipping cream that were a few days past the sell by date. I had gotten them to make a Chocolate Mousse which I never ended up needing to make. Anyways, I didn't want the cream to go to waste so I started think what I could use it for. Luke and I had just gotten done watching this PBS Frontier House program that we had gotten through Netflix.

On the program 3 modern families were sent back in time to the 1880's to homesteaded some land out in Montana. Everything was time period accurate so the families were truly living and working as 1880's pioneers would have, milking cows, making their own bread cheese, clearing the land and cultivating it, building their own log cabins, everything. So, having that fresh in my mind made me think BUTTER! We could make our own butter to use up the heavy cream. So I poured the cream into a mason jar, put a lid on it and started shaking. Annsley and Natalie both took turns and within about 10 minutes we had homemade butter and buttermilk. It was so easy and fun to do.

All you need is:

Heavy cream

1 Mason jar with lid and ring

2 hands to shake!

Shake until cream thickens, keep shaking until a ball forms, pour off and keep or drink the buttermilk. Then enjoy on some homemade bread or muffins!

Red Currant Jam

2010-08-03T23:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday at the Farmer's Market there were some BEAUTIFUL red and blue berries that were marked Johannisberries, well come to fine out in English that translates to currants. Now I have never really had currant jam but I thought that it would be nice to have the taste of summer come wintertime. So currants or Johannisberries, being native to Germany I thought it was appropriate to make some jam with them. Here is a recipe I found on a food blog called Real Food has Curves for Red Currant Jam.

Red Currant Jam

1 pound red currants, stemmed and washed
2 cups water
8 to 10 raspberries - (raspberries are naturally high in pectin so putting a few of them in was to help ensure that the jam set up nicely)
1 1/2 pounds sugar

6 to 8 small canning jars with lids - boiled in hot water for 10 minutes-keep hot

After stemming and washing the currants, place them in a large pot add the water and raspberries. Bring to a rolling simmer over med-high, then turn down to med-low and let simmer for 30 minutes.

Add sugar and return to med-high heat, stirring constantly, simmer for 20 minutes, continue stirring until mixture reaches 222 Degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer.

Once the mixture has reached 222 degrees, pour it into the hot jars, leaving about 1/2 inch unfilled. Quickly cover the jars with the hot lids and screw on the rings, turn the jars upside down and let sit 10 minutes then turn them right side up again and let sit until the jars seal. If any jar doesn't seal (you will know if this happened because you will be able to push the lid in), store it in the fridge and use within the next month or so.

Happy canning!

A Trip to Moses Lake

2010-08-03T22:56:00.000-07:00

Last month Annsley and I were able to take a trip to visit my family in Moses Lake. Most of my family had never met Annsley so the thought of introducing her to everyone was exciting, the only draw back...Luke was unable to come with us because of work. That meant it was the 2 of us girls flying across the Atlantic and then across the US by ourselves. Now normally that would be a problem for me but Annsley is at that stage where she does not want to sit still for long, so it was a little daunting the thought of 17+ hours of travel time with a 1 year old. Thankfully, God blessed us with smooth travel and Annsley did great, she is such a happy little girl. Once in Moses Lake we had a great time getting together with family and friends. Here are some pictures from our trip.

We spend a lot of evenings hang out outside by the fountain where it was cooler. Grandma Lolo and Grandpa Howard had such fun playing with Annsley!

Annsley's new best friend and new word of the trip..."Kitty!" She LOVED my parents new kitty Max!

Stuart, Caroline and Andrew came up from Oregon. It was so good to see them and the kiddos were so sweet to watch playing together. We also went to visit Grandma Fay, she really enjoyed seeing her great-grandchildren.

I was also able to meet up with some friends from High School and College.

It was so special to catch up with everyone and see their little ones. God has blessed me so richly with wonderful family and friends! Thank you all so much for making the trips and time to get together! I love you all!

Wordless Wednesday - playing in the grass

2010-08-03T22:38:00.001-07:00

Going, going, going

2010-06-27T22:53:00.000-07:00

This past month has been a blur with birthdays, trips and company so this post will catch you up on some things we have been up to. One of the biggest things that happened this month was Annsley's FIRST BIRTHDAY!!! We had such a special day celebrating our little girl, who is an incredible blessing in our lives.

Annsley, this past year (ok so it is closer to 13 months now) has been full of joy, learning, a few sleepless nights, and hundreds of sweet moments, we have loved every minute of it and are so thankful that we get to be your parents.

At one year Annsley you:

have 10 teeth
pull yourself up on things
give your toys and stuffed animals hugs

have started crawling a bit on your knees
like to walk with someone holding you hands
love being out and about in the backpack
continue to "talk" all day long, your most popular sounds are: "hi", "mama", "dada", and "nana"
LOVE books
like to be sung to, current favorite song: The Church is One Foundation
love your new red rocking moose

are very European in your choice of beverages
have started noticing other babies
love to look at animals
have started dancing when music is playing

You bring us such joy Annsley, we love you so much!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

We celebrated my 27th birthday a few days later.

Then it was off to Switzerland for a church retreat. We spent a week in the beautiful mountains and crisp air. Unfortunately Luke could not get away from work so it was just us girls, we had a great time though.

Once we got back from Switzerland, we took a family day trip. We took a 2 hour train ride to Trier (which by the way is the oldest city in Germany, dating back to height of the Roman empire) where we spent the day taking in the sights.

We saw the old Roman baths

the amphitheater were gladiatorial games were held and the Porta Nigra (one of the gates into the old walled city)

beautiful cathedrals

palaces

and baroque churches

It was a long, exhausting, but fun day.

And that has been our month of June !

Wordless Wednesday - Neuleiningen and Neuleiningen Castle

2010-06-01T22:39:00.000-07:00

Fun in the Sun

2010-05-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

We have had some pretty crazy weather here this spring! Some days it will be 50 degrees and pouring down hail and rain and then the next day it will be 80 degrees with bluebird skies. On the latter type of days we try and spend as much time outside as possible.

On this day Natalie and I had just finished our first "long" training run for the Dublin Marathon that we are planning on doing this fall and were drinking fruit smoothies on the patio to cool off, once we were done with the smoothies Annsley had a ball playing and chewing on the straws, here are some pictures...she is just too cute if I do say so myself!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-05-26T12:51:00.001-07:00

11 MONTHS!!!!

2010-05-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

Have 11 months really gone bye since we welcomed you into the world sweet baby girl? Thinking back to that day we brought you home from the hospital, you were so little and such a string bean but the space you took up in our hearts was already so big. During the past 11 months that space has just grown and grown as we have seen you grow and develop into the beautiful, happy little girl that you now are. We love you SOOOO much. Each day your smiles and giggles brighten up our every moment and we so look forward to the little hugs and snuggles you give us. You are one of our BIGGEST blessing Annsley and we thank God for choosing us to be your parents.

At 11 Months you:

love to welcome daddy home by meeting him at the door in your little walker with a BIG smile

have started to "crawl", though it looks a little more like you are trying to do some sort of funky Yoga
enjoy being with mommy in the kitchen
would eat Cheerios ALL day if we let you
have started eating some table food
have decided you do not like and will not wear cloth diapers
have started pulling yourself up on things if you can reach them

RUN in your walker, around and around the dinner table
like to play chase
have been to 6 different countries

are very expressive and LOVE to talk but still don't say any "real" words
have started sitting in a big girl car seat and are facing forward, which you enjoy
like asparagus, olives, and portobello mushrooms
have 6 teeth in and are currently working on 2 molars
are starting to learn some sign language, like "more", "eat", "thank-you", and "please"
LOVE being outside in the sunshine

still get so excited to see Lucy and look for her when we say "Kitty"

Each day you learn so much more and it is so wonderful to be able to share in each new experience with you. We love you all the world peanut!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

Tulips + Windmills + Friends = Fun in Holland!

2010-05-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went to Holland with some friends from church. The main reason we went was to visit the Keukenhof Gardens, where thousands of tulips and other flowers bloom each spring and millions of people from around the world come to see them. We had a BEAUTIFUL afternoon in the garden, the sun was out the skies were blue and every color of the rainbow was splashed across the ground. It was amazing and truly a blessing from God because it poured rain all morning and just as we were driving to the gardens the sun came out and the clouds stayed away the rest of the day.

We also went in to Haarlem and visited the home of Corrie ten Boom, a Christian woman who hid Jews from the Nazis during WWII. Later she, along with her father and sister, were betrayed and taken to a concentration camp. Corrie was the only one to survive the camp and was released after the war. The book and movie "The Hiding Place" tell her incredible story of bravery, love for others, and above all else, her love for God.

This was Corrie's room where they build a false wall for hiding those from the Nazis. There was room for 6 people standing up in this little hallway of a room.

We arrived in Haarlem a bit early so before we headed to the ten Boom Museum we hit up the local open market and took in the sights of this quaint old city.

We had the perfect ending to the perfect day. We took a short drive to the beach, where we watched the sun set over the North Sea as we ate dinner on the patio outside.

A Day of Remembrance

2010-04-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

This past Friday we took a road trip to visit some WWII memorials and battle sights. The first place we stopped was Bastogne.

Bastogne is located in the Ardennes Forest of Belgium and is the sight where the "Battle of the Bulge" took place in the winter spanning 1944 and 1945. In Bastogne there is a Star shaped Memorial dedicated to the over 76,000 Americans who gave there life defending the city of Bastogne and it's surrounding area. Written on the memorial walls is the story of our boys' heroic efforts, the locals kindness, and the friendship that was forged in the camaraderie of fighting the same enemy. Near the memorial is the Bastogne Historical Center, which has uniforms and weapons used by both the Americans and Nazis during WWII.

The second place we visited was the American Cemetery in Luxembourg. Being in the cemetery brought home the loss of so many Americans and the great cost of the freedom we and so many Europeans enjoy. I am so thankful for their efforts and I am so proud of my husband who serves our country so that we can continue to have our freedom and so that others may have the hope of freedom.

Afternoon Fun!

2010-04-17T06:19:00.000-07:00

Today we went on our first family bike ride! It was so nice, we just HAD to be outside. Not far from our village there is a field where you can go and cut your own flowers, so we headed there first and then rode out in the countryside and through a number of neighboring villages. It as so fun to be together as a family and God blessed us with a beautiful afternoon!

Annsley thought the tulips were SO funny, she just go so excited by them!

(That's a laugh not a cry)

This was Annsley's first bike ride as well, she had so much fun sitting behind Daddy, I think she smiled just about the whole way!

Grammie's Dress

2010-04-11T05:46:00.000-07:00

This sweet dress belonged to my Mother-in-law when she was a little girl. Annsley looked so precious in it we just had to take pictures. Thanks for sharing Grammie!

All the Fixin's for YUMMY Gyros!

2010-04-10T02:39:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite meals! Greek Gyros! I found the recipe in Cook's Illustrated a few years back and we have been enjoying them ever since. You can find the recipe at cooksillustrated.com after you sign up for your free 14 day trial subscription.

Ground Lamb mixed with pita bread crumbs, garlic and herbs

Tzatziki sauce, yummy Greek yogurt mixed with cucumber, dill, garlic and lemon juice

Delicious pita!

Fresh tomatoes!

Feta....just plain goodness

Fresh lettuce

Happy Easter!

2010-04-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

HE IS RISEN! He is risen indeed!

All praise and glory be unto Jesus Christ our risen Savior!

"We acclaim your life, O Jesus, now we sing your victory; sin and hell may seek to seize us, but your conquest keeps us free. Stand in triumph, stand in triumph, worship Christ the risen King"

Worship Christ, the Risen King

By: Henry T. Smart 1867

Annsley's first Easter and our first Easter in Germany was one filled with celebration, fellowship, joy and laughter. We are truly blessed to be apart of a wonderful church family here and are so thankful for those God has placed in our lives.

Happy 10 Months

2010-04-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

In the past two months a lot has happen in our family. Things that have been sad and things that have been joyous. We lost a friend, brother, and uncle and yet new friends were made and family was reunited. Through it all we have felt God's faithful presence and have seen His mercies anew each day. Annsley you have brought so much joy to our family these past two months in a way that only a 10 (WOW!) month old can. Your smiles have lit up the faces of so many and your contagous silly noises have been known to make grown men (ahem...Grandpa Bob) sound sooo silly right along with you. :)

At 10 Months you:

are trying to crawl (so far you can only go backwards)
have 6 teeth (4 top, 2 bottom)
love cruising in your walker at Grammie's and Grandpa's
LOVE Cheerios, Puffs are SOOO 9 months!
have started eating beef (it's what's for dinner)
are getting over your first big, nasty cold
graduated from the little bath tub to the BIG one (you love to splish and splash)
sit and sorta stand like a pro

love to play with your barnyard puzzle from Grandma Lolo and Grandpa Howard
are fitting into some 12 month clothing!
still like jumping in your Johnny Jump Up
LOVE to point at different things and immitate sounds
LOVE saying "sssstt" and "dadadada"
LOVE the wind in your face
Loved playing with your cousin Mason

We love you so much Annsley, you are such a joy to us!

All our love, Mommy and Papa

Jollygood Lemon Squares

2010-03-31T06:26:00.000-07:00

This is a YUMMY dessert that I make at least a couple of times come spring and summer. It is light and refreshing and soooo good. It's a cross between a lemon cheesecake and mousse....need I say more? I got the recipe from my good Canadian friend Mary, who is really good at cooking light and healthy food.

I actually couldn't find lemon Jello at the Commissary or any of the German stores, so I ended up making it with lime this time and I think it turned out just as good. Be your preference lemon or lime, both are a good option for this recipe!

Jollygood Lemon (or Lime) Squares

1 sm. pkg. lemon or lime Jello
1 c boiling water
1 1/2 c low-fat graham crackers -crushed
3 T butter - melted
1 T packed brown sugar
8 oz light cream cheese -softened
1 c sugar
2 T lemon or lime juice
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp lemon or lime zest
4 c light cool whip -softened

In a sm bowl dissolve jello in boiling water. Refrigerate until slightly thick but not set (about 45-60 min.).

Meanwhile prepare crust: combine graham crackers and brown sugar and melted butter, stir well. Spray a 9x13 pan or pie plate with non-stick spray. Press crust mixture into bottom of pan - refrigerate.

Filling: beat together cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and thickened jello -blend well. Then FOLD in softened cool whip. Pour filling onto crust, spread until even and smooth. Chill 4 hours or overnight.

I like to eat it plain but it is also good served with berries and whipped cream or more cool whip. I actually made this dessert for tomorrow night's Bible study so I couldn't dig into it right away.....I did however lick that bowl CLEAN!

Here is a little video of my little kitchen helper, she is quite skilled with the measuring spoons! (sorry about the sideways angle, I can't seem to figure out how to rotate a video once it's on my computer and I keep forgetting NOT to shoot videos the long way on my camera.)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-23T22:04:00.001-07:00

Wordless Wednesday

2010-02-17T07:18:00.000-08:00

Ode to Moose's Tooth

2010-02-13T09:46:00.000-08:00

Oh, Moose's Tooth, how I long for thee!!!

This is an ode to Moose's Tooth our favorite pizza place in Anchorage...ok so maybe more like our favorite pizza place ANYWHERE! The inspirition for this pizza came about by trying to use up random left overs and remembering one of our top five most ordered pizzas from Moose's Tooth called the Spicy Thai. This pizza has Peanut Sauce, Chicken, Red Onions, Bean Sprouts, Carrot Threads, Cilantro, Mozzarella and Garlic and Oil on it. Amazingly enough I looked in my fridge and I had everything I needed except the bean sprouts! So as it is baking in the oven as I write this I am excited to see if it turns out as good as the one from Moose's Tooth. Here's hoping...

Happy 8 Months Annsley!

2010-02-05T01:57:00.000-08:00

Annsley, sweet girl, Daddy and I love you more than words can say. We are so thankful that God saw it fit to bless us with you. As you get older with each passing day our prayer for you is that you will come to know and love the LORD with all of your heart, soul, and mind. As your parents we want to show you not only the love we have for you but the love that God has for you through our actions and words. With God' grace, mercy and help you will be raised according to His Word. We love you Annsley!

"Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6

"And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts, living within you as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love; and may you be able to feel and understand, as all of God's children should, how long, how wide, how deep and how high His love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God Himself" Ephesians 3:17-19

A week in Bavaria

2010-02-03T00:49:00.000-08:00

This past week Luke had a work conference at Edelweiss Resort, which is an Army ski resort in a little Bavarian village called Garmish. Anyways, Annsley and I decided to tag along and after a 5 hour drive and a mini version of The Clampits go on Vacation we pulled into a charming little village at the base of the German Alps covered in snow. What followed was a week of slow days filled with reading, relaxing, sight seeing, spending time at the pool and enjoying the quietness of falling snow, at least for Annsley and I, Luke's days were spent at the conference but even that was a nice change of pace from his regular day to day.

These are the beautiful German Alps, being among them reminded us of Alaska and our AMAZING 4 years there.

In the Lodge lobby they had some rustic rocking chairs next to a huge stone fire place and we found one "just right" for Annsley. She felt like such a big girl sitting in it.

One day Annsley and I took a tour of Ludwig II's Linderhof Palace and Oberammeagau, the village where the Passion Play of Christ is performed every 10 years. We had a great time, unfortunately you are not allowed to take pictures of the inside of the palace and it being winter, all of the outside statues and fountains were covered for protection. So, while it was beautiful, a trip during the summer months is in order so the full effect can be taken in.

Annsley also experienced her first trip to the pool.

At first she wasn't so sure, but once in her little belly boat, she loved it!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-19T23:45:00.001-08:00

Cooking Lights Spinach Artichoke Dip...aka: YUM!

2010-01-19T13:47:00.000-08:00

This is my go-to-dip for any occasion, baby showers, holiday parties, Superbowl get togethers, you name it and this dip is the perfect fit for the food spread. Not only is it super yummy, it also is figure friendly, which makes it my kind of recipe! It is delicious served on crackers or thinly sliced baguette.

Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

2 c part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 c fat-free sour cream
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 8oz pkg of 1/3-less fat cream cheese
1 8oz pkg fat-free cream cheese
1/2 pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 14oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

Pre-heat oven to 350

Combine 1 1/2 c mozzarella cheese, sour cream, 2 T Parmesan, and next 6 ingredients. Stir until well blended. Pour mix into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 c mozzarella and 2 T Parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 min. or until bubbly and golden brown.

Wordless Wednesday...well, ALMOST wordless

2010-01-13T02:06:00.001-08:00

I'm a big girl, look at my two bottom teeth..

...and my top one!

I'm really excited about my teeth, can you tell?

7 MONTHS!!!

2010-01-06T04:30:00.000-08:00

Annsley once again we have blinked and another month has gone by and you are now 7 months old!! You still continue to amaze us by how much you have developed and learned in such a short amount of time. In this past month you celebrated your first Christmas and brought in the New Year with(out) a bang, though you did sleep through EVERY loud bang made by the fireworks going off right outside your window. You played baby Jesus in a Christmas play and became quite a little traveler going to Rothenberg, Germany and Metz, France. Grandma Lolo and Grandpa Howard came a spent the holidays with us and you loved every minute of their visit and of course they spoiled you like crazy. We all love you so much and can't get enough of your smiles and little hugs.

(This is the little tea set Daddy got you for Christmas)

At 7 Months you:

have 3 teeth and are working on your fourth

LOVE the new little dolly Grammie and Grampa Bob sent you for Christmas

put EVERYTHING in your mouth

enjoy our morning runs
love being outside

have a new favorite meal - sweet potatoes and peach yogurt

have a ball in your Johnny Jump Up
are starting to like the game Peek-a-Boo

smile really big at people you know

have started giving the sweetest little hugs
love to experiment with noises and sounds

are sitting up all by yourself

love to look around and take in everything that going on

are scared of the coffee grinder
still like to help Mommy in the kitchen

get REALLY excited about things
are starting to get ticklish
are getting too big for your little bathtub

like to touch peoples faces and hair (your own hair too)

LOVE oranges
still continue to make Mommy, Daddy, Aunt Nattie and everyone else fall in love with you more and more each day

(This is us on the wall surrounding Rothenberg Germany)

(Helping Daddy drive home from Rothenberg)

We love you more than words can say!
XOXOXO Mommy and Daddy

Nutmeg Logs

2009-12-17T23:29:00.000-08:00

These delicious Christmas cookies taste like a bit like eggnog (heaven in liquid form!) and go perfectly with a cup of hot coffee or tea in the morning or as a small after dinner dessert. They also are a beautiful addition to any Christmas cookie platter.

The first time I had these cookies was in Anchorage, AK during a bake day with my wonderful friends Mary and Patti. Making them again this year brought back sweet memories of spending time in Patti's kitchen eating, chatting, baking and laughing. I am so blessed by all of the AMAZING people that God has brought into my life and I am so thankful for each one of them!

I pray that His joy is present in your hearts this Holiday Season and that the Miracle of Christmas awes you anew each day!

God bless and Merry Christmas!

Nutmeg Logs

Makes about 8 dozen cookies.

Sift together :
3 cups flour
1 tsp. nutmeg

Cream together:
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar

Blend into butter mixture:
1 unbeaten egg
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. rum flavoring

Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Shape the pieces of dough on a lightly floured surface into long rolls, one-half inch in diameter. Cut in 3-inch lengths; place on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes until light golden brown. Cool, spread frosting on tops and sides of cookies. Mark frosting with tines of fork to resemble bark. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg.

Frosting:
Cream 3 tablespoons butter with 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. rum flavoring. Blend in 1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar, beating well. Add 2 cups additional sifted confectioners sugar alternately with 2 to 3 tablespoons undiluted evaporated milk or cream, beating well after each addition until of spreading consistency.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-16T03:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I meant to post this LAST Wednesday, and then I meant to post it yesterday and I am now just finally getting around to it. This is a clip of Annsley's first time in her Jump-Up-Johnny last week, she had so much fun in it.

Sorry about the video being sideways, I couldn't figure out how to rotate it. :)

Spinach Sausage Quiche

2009-12-08T10:52:00.000-08:00

When Annsley was born the wonderful women of our church in Anchorage, AK brought meals to us twice a week for several weeks in a row, it was such a BIG blessing and a beautiful example of Christian love. One of the meals brought to us was a spinach and pepperoni quiche, it was AMAZING!

So when I was digging through the fridge on Sunday to see what needed using up I came across some German smoked sausage and immediately that quiche came to mind, so I thought I'd try making my own version and here is what I came up with...

Spinach Sausage Quiche

Pie Crust:
1/2 c Crisco
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp salt
3-4 T ice cold water

Filling:

1 whole egg

3 egg yokes

1 can evaporated milk (I use skim or low fat)

pinch of salt, nutmeg and cayenne

one package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

one large German sausage link, thinly sliced

1/4 package turkey pepperoni

3/4 c cheddar cheese, shredded

To make the Crust:

In a med. sized bowl add flour and salt, cut in Crisco with a pastry cutter into coarse crumbs. Add water 1 T at a time until a soft dough is formed. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface into a circle 1/8 of an inch thick, line an 9 in pie plate with formed crust.

To make the Filling:

Spread spinach evenly over the bottom of the pie crust, evenly distribute sliced German sausage on top of the spinach then do the same with the pepperoni, then sprinkle cheddar cheese over the pepperoni.

In a med. sized bowl, whisk together egg and egg yokes, evaporated milk, salt, nutmeg, and cayenne. Pour egg mixture over quiche fillings, making sure it is evenly distributed.

Place quiche in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the middle of the quiche is set and golden brown.

This quiche is yummy served warm but I thought it was even better the next day when I had it reheated for lunch.

6 Months...can it be?

2009-12-06T11:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday you turned 6 months old Annsley, can half of a year gone by already? Each day, Annsley, you dazzle Daddy, Aunt Nattie and me with your smiles and laughs.

You bring us all so much joy! You have taught us so much in these last 6 months about how to put others first, you have helped us learn how to love even bigger and having you in our lives has given us an amazing example of the kind of love our Heavenly Father for His children, only His love is so great we can't comprehend it.

At 6 Months you:

are rolling from your back to your tummy and from your tummy to your back

almost sitting up by yourself

have your first tooth

are pushing yourself up with your arms

love to pet Lucy

sleep about 12 hours a night

still takes 2 good naps a day

loves riding in the Moby

love touching faces

have so much to say, just don't have the words

have added avocados, bananas, carrots, peas, and peaches to your diet

love to laugh

love tummy "raspberries"

drool like crazy

put everything in your mouth, including your feet

like to help Mommy in the kitchen

Annsley we love you so much!!!

XOXOXO Daddy and Mommy

Delicious Pumpkin Coffee Cake

2009-11-24T22:40:00.000-08:00

Here is an amazing coffee cake recipe, I got it from my sister-in-law, Caroline and if I remember right it is based on a Martha Stewart recipe. This coffee cake really gets you in the holiday spirit and would be perfect to serve on Thanksgiving morning as a light breakfast so you save room for the feast later that day.

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Here are a few pictures of my big kitchen helper!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-11-11T00:58:00.000-08:00

Is it "fo-CA-ccia" or "fo-KAY-ccia"?

2009-11-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

What is better on a cold fall day than homemade bread straight from the oven? I love this focaccia bread recipe, it has a yummy herby flavor and the touch of Kosher salt sprinkled on top makes your mouth water.....hmmmm, just typing this makes me want to go and get another piece!

The sky is the limit when it comes to this recipe. You can top it with Parmesan cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives, any type of herbs (dried or fresh) or it would make a delicious pizza crust. Use your imagination!

Focaccia Romana

Bread

1 package quick raising yeast

1 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil

2 T vegetable oil

1 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt

2 3/4 - 3 cups flour

Topping

3 T olive oil
1 med clove garlic, minced

2 tsp minced fresh rosemary leaves or 1 tsp dried

1/3 - 1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Dissolve yeast in water in large bowl of an electric mixer, add both oils, sugar, and salt. Mix in 1 1/2 cups flour, add remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time. Dough will become quite stiff. Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface, knead dough until smooth and no longer sticky, about 10 minutes. Let dough raise in an oiled bowl, covered, for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down. On a large, greased cookie sheet, use your fingers to press dough into a large disc about 1/2 in thick. Let raise 30 minutes.

Mix oil and garlic for topping. When dough has risen, brush oil over dough lightly. Sprinkle with rosemary and salt. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Luscious Low Fat Lemon Cake

2009-11-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

I am always on the hunt for healthy recipes that also taste delicious, a tough task sometimes. This one is light, refreshing, FULL of flavor and has less than 10 grams of fat per serving! So indulge and enjoy!

Low Fat Lemon Cake

2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup soft unsalted butter
3 lg eggs
1 cup nonfat buttermilk
2 T lemon zest
2 T fresh lemon juice

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix well. Mix in flour, powder, soda, and salt. Add zest, juice and buttermilk and mix until well combined. Pour into 2 8 or 9 inch round pans that are greased and lined with wax paper. Bake at 350 for 30-32 minutes.

Icing

3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 T lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice

Mix all ingredients until creamy and smooth. Spread 1/2 of icing on the top of one cake round, place second cake round on top, spread remaining icing on top letting it ooze down the sides a little. Store cake in fridge.

This cake is also delicious served with fresh blueberries!

Happy 5 Months!

2009-11-05T01:31:00.000-08:00

Annsley, you turned 5 months today! It is hard to believe that not too long ago you were still in my tummy! You have grown so much in these 5 short months! You are a pretty happy baby though you have your moments of fussing, especially in the evenings. :)

At 5 months you:

love to suck on your fingers
adore bath time especially when Mommy sings "The Way You Look Tonight" to you

"Amazing Grace" and Grandpa Otto's song "Way Up In The Snowy Mountains" are your favorite songs, except in the bathtub :)

are full of smiles and giggles

roll from your tummy to your back

love to talk/babble

like to stand

like to look at trees on our morning runs

are starting to notice our kitty, Lucy

have started eating rice cereal and pears, YUM!

love to play with Raffy the Giraffe

Annsley you are such a blessing to us and Daddy and I love you so much!

XOXO Mommy

Maple Nut Granola

2009-10-28T23:43:00.000-07:00

God has given me a joy in cooking for my family and trying out new recipes. This one I got from my friend Heather. It is really easy and has a bunch of ways to tailor it to your own liking. Enjoy!

Maple Nut Granola

Preheat oven to 350.
  
4 1/2 cups rolled oats (I use Old Fashioned Quaker Oats -- DO NOT use the quick cooking stuff) 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup nuts (Almonds, Pecans, Walnuts and Hazelnuts -feel free to mix and match whatever you have)
2 cups plain, puffed cereal (I use Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs, but you can make your own mixture at the health food store, or whatever you want -- you could probably even use Rice Krispies.)
1/3 cup vegetable or light/reg olive oil
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 T barley malt, molasses, or brown sugar (they each give their own subtle flavors, so experiment for the one you like best -- or use whatever you have on hand)
 
Place all dry ingredients in a great big bowl and mix well.
Put all the wet ingredients together (oil, maple syrup, and barley malt or other) in a separate small bowl, and stir very well until thick and completely combined.
  Pour wet ingredients over dry and stir until completely coated. Lightly grease a sided cookie sheet/jelly-roll pan, and spread granola mixture evenly. Bake for 20 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Stir half-way through so that the browning will be even.
  Remove from oven and put pan on top of cooling rack. Stir. Continue to stir every so often until cooled.
  Add raisins or other dried fruit if you wish to the completely cooled granola, and eat!

NOTE: Variations are endless. Substitute or add more/different kinds of raw seeds, vary up the fruit, add unsweetened or sweet flaked coconut, chopped dark chocolate or tiny chocolate chips. Whatever sounds good probably is. If you have a great variation idea, I'd love to hear it, so tell me all about it in the comments.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-28T09:29:00.001-07:00

Warm Kitchens = Little Joys

2009-10-23T03:15:00.000-07:00

This morning was a bit chilly and foggy. Coming in from my morning run with a red nose and cold cheeks something hot sounded good. So looking in the fridge to see what needed using up I decided to make some raspberry filled muffins. Thus using up the raspberry cake filling Natalie made for a cake that sadly did not end up coming to fruition. See picture.

We tried to salvage them but the bottom was doughy and the top was gum-chewy and...well we ate a bit of it but just couldn't stomach the rest. Needless to say I am still trying to figure out my European oven!!

Anyways, the recipe I came up with was Raspberry Filled Lemon muffins. I found a recipe on Allrecipes.com but did a bit of tweaking. Give them a go they turned out pretty well.

Raspberry Filled Lemon Muffins

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used vanilla yogurt with strawberries in the bottom and just left out the strawberries)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice (I put in about 2 T)
2 egg whites (I used one whole egg)
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (optional) -(I left it out)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup frozen raspberries (instead I used the raspberry cake filling I had, the recipe for that is included below the muffin recipe)

2 tablespoons white sugar for decoration (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease a 12 cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners.
In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, egg whites, and, if using, lemon extract. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, 3/4 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just blended. Gently stir in the frozen raspberries. Spoon batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle remaining sugar over the tops for decoration, if desired.

**If you decided to do the cake filling instead, fill the muffin tins 1/4 of the way full, put 1 1/2 tsp raspberry filling on top of the batter then put more batter on top until the muffin tin is 2/3 full.

Bake for 17 to 22 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool muffins in the tin on a wire rack.

Raspberry Cake Filling Recipe:

12oz frozen raspberries. partially thawed, but not drained

4 1/2 tsp. cornstarch

3 T sugar

Juice of 1 lemon

Puree all ingredients. Cook on medium low, stirring frequently, until filling bubbles. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, or until filling loses it "cornstarch" taste. Remove from heat, chill until cold and set. Makes 1 1/2 cups filling.

This makes enough for about 5 batches of muffins. This is also great in layer cakes with white chocolate frosting!

The Glories of Fall

2009-10-15T02:50:00.000-07:00

This morning didn't start out as I would have liked. God, in His infinite wisdom, saw it fit to humble and reveal my sin to me once again through my amazing husband. I was shown just how selfish I still am (You'd think that after almost 4 years of marriage I would be at least a little bit better). After Luke left for work, God "worked" on my heart. Reading through "The Cross Centered Life" by C.J. Mahaney, I was once again reminded of my desperate need for The Savior and that like Paul, as he wrote in 1Timothy 1:13, I to have been" shown mercy" in my helpless state.

You are probably wondering by now, what does this all have to do with the glories of Fall? After I finished my quiet time I bundled up Annsley, put on the old Asics, and set out with Natalie and Annsley for our morning run. It was FREEZING and as we started running I really just wanted to turn around, go back in the house, make a cup of hot cider and curl up on the couch with a book, however, we pressed on and and I am so glad that we did because we were greeted with the most glorious site. Our running path leads us through a patch of forest and when reached that spot the sun was streaming through the branches making the autumn leaves of red and gold, shimmer and glow in the morning light. I felt my breath leave me (it could have also been the cold air but I like to think it was beauty of the trees) and I was filled with awe at God's handy work. His mercies are new each day! I had started the day off living for self and God in his mercy not only revealed it to me and forgave me, but also blessed me with one of the glories of Fall. His beautiful design of the changing seasons. Praise be to God and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit!

I later rode my bike back to the place and took a picture.