Covet List - Kate Spade Bags

I've been looking for a summer bag for awhile now. I think these Kate Spade shoulder bags are very nice. I always wear true white clothing though. Anybody have an opinion on mixing a color like this with white?

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What's Cooking? - Vegetarian Christmas Dinner 2009

Menu:

Guava & Cardamom Glazed Tofu Brochette

Apple Raisin Stuffing

Coconut Mashed Yams

Luxurious Mashed Potatoes

Green Bean Salad

Spiced Apple Cider Cranberry Sauce

Black-Currant Cider Sparklers

Pumpkin Gingersnap Pie

Guava & Cardamom Glazed Tofu Brochette

serves 6

Make the glaze up to 4 days in advance.

1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom

1/2 cup guava paste

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup diced yellow onion

1 jalapeno chile, seeded

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

24 ounces extra firm tofu, diced

In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the paprika, cumin, coriander, and cardamom for 2 minutes, or until the spices are fragrant and turn a shade darker. Let cool. Place in a blender with the guava, orange juice, lemon juice, garlic, onion, chile, sugar, sesame seeds, canola oil, and salt. Blend until smooth. Season to taste. (Store refrigerated for up to 4 days.)

Preheat the grill or broiler. (For simplicity, I did not use skewers. I just marinated the tofu in a baking dish and then put under the broiler.) Skewer tofu. Place the skewers in a pan and cover with one-half of the glaze. Marinate for 30 minutes. Broil or grill the skewers 4 to 5 minutes per side, until the glaze is caramelized on the tofu.

Apple Raisin Stuffing

serves 8

Possible to dry the bread cubes and cook the vegetables a day in advance. May prepare the rest of the dish in the morning and refrigerate until 45 before dinner.

2 loaves Italian bread (about 20 ounces each), torn into bite-size pieces

4 tablespoons butter, room temperature, plus more for baking dish

4 celery stalks, thinly sliced

4 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

coarse salt and ground pepper

2 Granny Smith apples, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup parsley leaves, chopped

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cans (14.5 ounces each) vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange bread in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Bake until crisp but not browned, about 10 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add celery, shallots, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir apples and raisins. Cook until apples start to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook until evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.

To vegetables in bowl, add bread, parsley, and eggs. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; stir to combine. Mix in half of broth. Continue to add in more broth just until stuffing is moistened but not wet (there should not be any liquid in the bottom of the bowl.

Spoon stuffing into a 13x9 buttered baking dish. Cover with buttered aluminum foil, and refrigerate. About 45 minutes before serving, place covered baking dish in oven, and bake until warmed through, 25 to 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until golden, about 15 minutes more.

Coconut Mashed Yams

serves 6-8

I liked the idea of using coconut with yams but I found that the garlic and thyme overpowered the coconut. Next time I will leave out the savory seasoning and see how I like it with just the coconut and nutmeg. Maybe I would add a little brown sugar.

May be prepared up to 2 days in advance.

3 large garnet yams, peeled

1 teaspoon canola oil

3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup coconut milk

Slice the yams into 2-inch cubes and store them in cold water until ready to cook. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, add the yams, and boil, covered, for 15 minutes or until the yam cubes are soft and easily crushed with a fork. Drain the yams in a strainer or colander, leaving them there for 5 minutes.

In a small saute pan over medium heat, heat the oil and add the garlic and thyme. Saute for 1 minute, or until the garlic is golden. Remove to a large mixing bowl.

Add the drained yams, nutmeg, sea salt, and 1/4 cup of the coconut milk. Mash with potato masher or large whisk until the mixture is smooth. If the mash is overly stiff or lumpy, add the remaining 1/4 cup of coconut milk. Store for up to 2 days refrigerated, covered, and airtight.

Luxurious Mashed Potatoes

Serves 6

These were the best mashed potatoes I've ever made! They received a rare 5-star rating from Kenny. Usually only desserts receive the highest rating of 5-stars.

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

coarse salt and ground pepper

1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 1/2 cups heavy cream, warmed

In a large pot, cover potatoes by 2 inches with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Drain thoroughly and pass potatoes through a ricer or food mill into pot. (I just used a masher, but this is a nice touch if you want absolutely lump-free potatoes.)

Over low heat, add butter, and stir until melted. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until potatoes are stiff, about 1 minute. Gradually add cream (you may not use it all), stirring constantly to combine, stopping when you've reached the desired consistency. Using a rubber spatula, pass potatoes through a fine-mesh sieve. (Again, I skipped this step because I was already pleased with the consistency.) Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Green Bean Salad

Serves 4

Needs to marinate for several hours, so may be prepared earlier in the day.

1 pound young tender green beans, preferably French filet-type

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic finely minced

2 bay leaves (Turkish) or 1/2 bay leaf (California)

Salt to taste

1 lemon

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.

Trim the ends off the beans and drop beans into rapidly boiling water. Boil them, uncovered, until they are bright green and just crunchy-tender. Taste one after 5 minutes. You do not want them overcooked.

Drain the beans and cover them with cold water to stop their cooking. Drain them again thoroughly, then dry them in a kitchen towel and toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, garlic, bay leaf, and salt to taste.

Use a vegetable peeler to remove 4 strips of yellow zest from the lemon. Add these to the beans, toss well, and let them stand, covered, at room temperature for several hours until the flavors merge.

Remove and discard the bay leaf, toss well, and serve.

Instant Spiced Apple Cider-Cranberry Sauce

Makes about 4 cups

May be prepared up to 1 week in advance.

2 12-ounce bags fresh cranberries

2 cups apple cider

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

Sugar to taste

In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries and apple cider with the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cardamom and bring to a boil. Cook over moderately high heat, coarsely mashing the berries with a wooden spoon until the sauce is softened and jam-like, about 5 minutes. Stir in sugar to taste. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Pomegranate Cider Sparklers

Makes 2

To tell you the truth, I didn't notice all that much a flavor difference between this and a flavored sparkling cider. In the future, I would not go to the extra effort when preparing a large meal.

Combine 1/4 cup pomegranate juice with 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Add 1 1/2 cups chilled sparkling cider. Divide between 2 glasses, and garnish each with a lemon peel.

Pumpkin Gingersnap Pie

Makes 8-10 servings.

Can be refrigerated for up to 1 day in advance.

I ended up baking this for quite a bit longer than the suggested time due to the quirkiness of my oven. I was worried that it would be ruined. It did crack in the middle but it tasted delicious anyway. It is a fun spin on the traditional pumpkin pie.

2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (from about 40 cookies)

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

5/8 teaspoon salt

5 Tablespoons melted butter

2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar, plus more for garnish (optional)

2 Tablespoons honey

1 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 1/4 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup whole milk

3 large eggs

1 cup fresh cranberries

1/4 cup orange juice

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F; place a rack in center of oven. Combine cookie crumbs, walnuts, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Stir in butter and transfer toa 9-inch deep-dish ie pan. Press crumb mixture firmly and evenly into bottom and sides of pan (put a piece of plastic wrap on top of crumbs to keep crust from sticking to hands). Bake 10 minutes; transfer to a cooling rack.

In a large bowl, gently whisk remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt with rest of ingredients except 1/4 cup sugar, cranberries, and orange juice. The mixture should be smooth and have no bubbles. Place cooled piecrust on a baking sheet; pour in pumpkin filling. Use an offset spatula or the back of a large spoon to smooth the top; transfer to oven. Bake until pumpkin filling is set but still has some wiggle in the center, 60-75 minutes. (If edges of pie get too dark toward the end of baking, cover them with aluminum foil.) Cool on a rack.

Meanwhile, set aside a few whole cranberries for garnish (optional). Boil remaining cranberries with 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice, and 1/4 cup water until berries pop, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Press berries and cooking liquid through a fine strainer. While sauce is warm (not hot), spread across cooled pie with an offset spatula. Roll reserved berries in sugar (if using) and place on pie. Serve pie at room temperature or cold; it can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.

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Sophia Update - Selective Mutism and School

When we moved to Germany last summer it seemed as if Sophia had overcome her anxiety. She talked freely with adults and children. A couple of my friends even commented on how well she spoke with adults. She was even willing to speak in Italian and German to strangers. I was ecstatic! But then we began talking of my trip to Texas in November and she started clamming up again.

Today, I had a meeting with the director of her German kindergarten and her German teacher that she sees twice a week at the elementary school. They wanted to talk about the plan for her next year. They were concerned because she is so very shy. I went ahead and explained that it is more anxiety than shyness, that she started having issues when her daddy was gone for a year, and that the problems resurfaced when I went away for a week. I guess I should have told them in the beginning, but it was hard enough just to get the particulars worked out in German for her to attend school, and I was optimistic that she would be better.

Her teachers said that the anxiety explanation was very telling. She is excited to go to school and participate in all of the activities. She will talk to her good friends. She will talk to her kindergarten teachers alone or in a small group. But, she will not talk in a large group or to her German teacher or classmates at the elementary school.

Given my explanation, they do not think that the foreign language causes additional problems. It is their opinion that she would have the same trouble at American school. They think it is important to send her to German first grade next year even though she misses their age cutoff by one day. They say she is academically ready, and that she would benefit from the example of the older children and that she should not be held back with the younger children, German or American. They think that she would be better prepared for either more German school should our assignment be extended, or American school if we return to the States. They suggest that she have play dates with a German girl in her kindergarten that will also be going to her elementary school next year. Her German teacher will help select the best of three teachers for the first grade. German elementary school ends before lunch but there is an after school program that could give her additional tutoring. They also recommend that we have her see an American psychologist to work on her anxiety issues.

So, how do I feel about all of this? I had pretty much decided that it would be better for her to go to American kindergarten next year. The decision was a selfish and lazy one. I would like to be more involved with her school and her teachers and I feel like the language barrier is very large. If she is going to go to first grade in German school then I really need to step up my learning of the language.

I am concerned because she is not yet reading in English. She only just turned five and is not yet in kindergarten so ordinarily I wouldn't be worried about it because that is what the kindergarten year is for. I would feel more comfortable having her miss American kindergarten if she already knew how to read.

In any case, no decisions have to be made until April. We will reassess then. Meanwhile, I guess I better be working on my Rosetta Stone.

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Covet List - Anthropologie

I've never had the pleasure of living close to an Anthropolgie store so I don't know how their clothes fit me. Some of the artsy blogs I follow often use the store as inspiration. I can see why. Their pieces have an artisanal quality to them.

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Covet List - Earring Jackets

I have diamond stud earrings. I think it is very clever that they can wear jackets.

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Covet List - Bib Necklaces

I love how you can add a bib necklace to a simple top or dress to create a special occasion look.

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Covet List - Cricut Expression

My poor husband. He asked me what I wanted for Christmas and all I could think of was an iPhone and a Kindle. It is not the right time to get either of these things. We don't want to be stuck with a European contract for the iPhone because we won't be here very long. He spent a lot of time researching the Kindle and read that unless you absolutely have to have one right now it is better to wait because a lot of changes are being made to e-readers and Apple is developing something which will probably be pretty great.

I've been thinking about making a covet list for awhile now. I like to read magazines and blogs and often find things I like. Perhaps I can keep track of those things here and my husband can take a peek from time to time and perhaps find inspiration. It's a little late to order anything this year so he's going to have to come up with something. Good luck to him!

I've heard nothing but raves about the Cricut family of machines. I spend a lot of time cutting out letters and shapes for cards and scrapbooks so I'm thinking this machine would be pretty handy. Sophie would probably like to use it too for craft and school projects. I've read it even cuts fabric so I could incorporate it into quilting as well. This particular machine makes cuts up to 23-1/2 inches so it would work for signs, banners, and decorations.

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Travel - Schloss Burgtresweitz Christmas Market

We were all feeling well enough today to enjoy the Christmas season.

We were able to buy a Christmas tree at a hardware store in town. When we lived in Stuttgart we couldn't find the typical Christmas tree to buy. We had to buy a small potted tree. Not sure what the difference is here but many places carried trees. We let Sophia pick out the one she wanted.

We brought in the tree and decorated it right away. It ended up being the perfect size. Any wider or taller and it would not have fit in the space we had available.

Sophie was hungry by the time we finished and she requested eggs and potatoes. So, a greasy spoon lunch it was. She made the eggs and was very proud.

In the afternoon we went to the Schloss Burgtresweitz Christmas market. It was a nice market because we could watch people making things. There was a woman spinning wool. A man was making an old-fashioned rake out of wood. A woman was folding paper in an origami-like way that held a candle when she was finished. There was a men's choir that sang while we browsed. A man selling toys spent a lot of time showing things to Sophia. I asked her later if she understood what he was saying. She said no, but she followed along well and did what he told her. So either she's getting really good at reading body language, or her comprehension of German is improving quite a bit.

There were lots of yummy treats and little fires that we could gather around to eat. We had noodles that were about the size of french fries that we dipped in applesauce. We had a deep-fried onion that we dipped in yogurt sauce. Sophie has been collecting chestnuts since she started school and she finally got to try some roasted ones. To finish, Sophia had a star-shaped cookie that had a star-shaped jelly center that she wouldn't eat until she got home. She wanted to draw a picture of it first because it was so pretty.

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Kids' Activities - Mini Christmas Tree

Sophia is five and she is orchestrating the Christmas decorating this year. We just got back from our Thanksgiving trip to Budapest. We're all sick, and I have unpacking, laundry, grocery shopping, etc. to do. But, she's excited to decorate for Christmas so we went ahead and got started.

She picked this mini live tree out at the Commissary and wanted to decorate it with bows. She measured and cut the ribbon to 12 inches and I tied the bows. I took the opportunity to explain that 12 inches make one foot. To top the tree I stamped two stars. Sophia cut them out. I adhered three points with glue dots. Sophie poked the top of the tree into the open part of the star. Then we picked out some fabric that I had on hand to use as a tree skirt. She requested that we put the small presents under this tree. She also requested that we take a picture and put it up on Facebook.

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