Tag Homemade meals

Adventures in Cooking–2 course meal

Anna--The Adventurer

I do not stick to rules when cooking. I rely on my

Salad and Entree

Salad and Entree

imagination.

Akshay Kumar

Working on the dream list of cooking more often is becomign quite fun…groceries in Germany are relatively inexpensive, especially compared to American grocery costs.

Thomas, thankfully, is pretty open to trying new things, even when it is me that is cooking.  Spending time in the kitchen is well worth the while when there is someone to feed.

This evenings meal was a two-part evening–salad as a appetizer and then the entree. I have not quite learned or mastered the art of pairing wine or an adult beverage with food yet but one step at a time…

Salad:

Baby spinach—chopped walnuts–cranberries–crumbled goat Feta cheese–diced roma tomatoes–oil and vinegar dressing

Entree:

Steamed Green beens with salt, topped with sauted red bell pepper spears

Pork loins..seasoned with black pepper, garlic salt, and paprika and lightly fried on low heat in Sunflower oil.

I think food always tastes better when it is arranged in a pretty way—edible art?

 

Moonsbronn Church

Anna--The Adventurer

Moosbronn, Germany

Moosbronn, Germany

moonsbronn2 moonsbronn3

According to the legend Moosalb was located
in the vicinity of the source in the village Moosbronn
at a mighty old linden wood was painted a Madonna image .
A farmhand , which broke the chain brake  his on vehicle while planting  on a steep mountain slope ,in 1680, called tothe
Virgin Mary with Mary to help and the wagon stopped .
In gratitude he founded in 1683 a small wooden chapel ,
which amoonsbronn5ttracted pilgrims soon. 1749 present Baroque
pilgrimage church of Maria Hilf was inaugurated .

 

 

The Porcelain Palace–

Anna--The Adventurer

Amazing day!! The chapel is not normally open to tourists-visitors but today, with special perimissin, Thomas and I not only got a tour of the private chapel on estate grounds but I also was given the opprotunity to cross something off my bucket list–our guide ENCOURAGED me, with full permission (without me even asking) to ring the bell in the chapel–all after an amazing, personal tour of the estate–including the private chambers of the Margravine Franziska Sibylla Augusta of Sachsen-Lauenburg.

A week after touring the estate, Thomas and I were invited to attend a classical concert at the estate–an amazing evening where the musicians dressed in period correct costumes.  Champagne and delights were served during intermission and oh, what fun!!!

History Courtesy Wik.

Schloss Favorite is a castle on the outskirts of Rastatt-Förch in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Built by Johann Michael Ludwig Rohrer between 1710 and 1730, it was a pleasure and hunting palace (French: Maison de plaisance) used by Margravine Franziska Sibylla Augusta of Sachsen-Lauenburg, widow of Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden (‘Türkenlouis’). It is the oldest of the German so-called ‘Porcelain Palaces’ and the only to survive intact to this day. The castle was only used for several weeks a year as a summer residence.

The castle houses a large collection of Chinese porcelain, black lacquerwork and Schwartz Porcelain.

Address: Am Schloß Favorite 5, 76437 Rastatt, Germany

Bean Buzz

Anna--The Adventurer

Leaving on a jet plane

Anna--The Adventurer

moving-day

Packing up the house, putting things in boxes

Wow, so many things have occured over the past week so so.

Moving is always such a large chore but when moving across the ocean, it is even more challenging.  Last week,  I packed up a few tubs of things I chose to keep but would not be moving with me–and put them in storage (a.k.a. the garage of a family member) and cleaned out the rest of what was in the house I was renting–yes, there were things left over even after the giant yard sale that was hosted last autumn.

My mother came over and helped me host one last hoorah of an indoor yard sale and everything had to go–and it did!!! Now, I am living out of 2 large suitcases–everything in which I am taking to Germany with me fits in those two suitcases–it is kind of scary and liberating at the same time.

I would not consider myself a person whom owned or collected a lot of things but when dumping and shedding the entire contents of your home to move, it is a lot!! Everything from my bed to music cds to pots and pans got sold on the last yard sale–even my coffee pot (and I am a caffeine junkie!!)

The few tubs (like what one would store christmas decorations in) hold photo albums and memorabilia, simple things that are worthless to others but are priceless to me, things I could not bear parting with or replace.  Thankfully, I won’t have to pay storage fees or fret about the quality of the safety of the storage as it is with family–blessings come in many forms.

This past week, I spent time with friends and family, which has been super lovely–and then I sold my pickup, my only mode of personal transportation (with no public transporation available.) Why?? Well, I could not pack it, I did not want to store it and some extra money to start my new life is a good idea, right? Rosie, my little red 1996 Ford Ranger, drove me all over the United States and we had many adventures together…

Friday evening, my family hosted a going away party for me, which is always fun. I am going to miss the sound of the laughter of family and friends…alas, there is a bit of sorrow in leaving as well.

Yesterday, I spent the day with family from near and far, for a sad occasion as we all gathered for a funeral–my grandmother passed and the services were held–a time of loss is never easy.

I hitched a ride to Denver with my sister, loading up my 2 suitcases and bookbag into her SUV, feeling a bit overwhelmed with all that has occured this week.

My best friends baby shower–she is expecting her first child in June–and life has come full circle and her adventures as a new mommy are soon to arrive–so much to do and we did it all.

My sister and brother will be taking me to the airport tomorrow morning…so with my ticket in hand and a repacked suitcase (with insistance from my best friend and siblings that I had not packed it correctly).

Thomas is awaiting for my arrival on the other end…here I go.

 

Making a Plan

Anna--The Adventurer

The New Year has officially begun….and thus my brain started reeling of all the exciting things that the New Year will hold for me.  Daydreaming, I admit, is a ‘bad’ habit I possess; I am guilty in relishing in this habit as well, practicing it often, sometimes daily for hours on end. Whew!!

A fascinating article (5 Important Lessons You’ll Learn About Your Life When You’re Following Your Dreams) has prompted (inspired, encouraged) me to write down, list the things I dream (a.k.a. day dream) about doing…a bucket list of sorts but I am not about to keel over, no worries.

Dreams of Mine

(in no particular order, at this time!)

  • Swim with Whales
  • Whale Watching off the Coast of Alaska
  • Road Trip Across America with Friends
  • Niagara Falls
  • Dracula’s Castle, Borgoe Pass, Carpathian Mountains, Romania
  • Write a Novel
  • Plant and Maintain a small Fruit and Nut Orchard
  • Soak in the Hot Springs of Iceland
  • Marriage and Children
  • Build a Garden shed and chicken coop with my own hands
  • Make a Quilt from old T-Shirts
  • Write and illustrate a children’s book
  • Start-own-run a small farm-dairy
  • Be Fully Self Employed
  • Adopt a Shelter Pet
  • Sell an original art piece of mine
  • Be a ‘tour guide’ for my family on a fun adventure I designed for them
  • See the Heather blooming in the Scottish Highlands in July
  • Write a Love Letter, old school style
  • Dye My Hair a funky color
  • Send a random letter to a person, see if they write back
  • Send $10 to a random address, just because
  • Write a letter to myself to open in ten years
  • Decorate an outside (living) tree for Christmas
  • Ride a Bicycle for a whole day ( to run errands, everything!!)
  • Attend-Host a fancy tea party, wear a big hat
  • Learn to sew (with a machine), make myself something to wear
  • Learn to Knit
  • Clip Coupons and use them to purchase canned-dried goods to donate to a local food bank in a needy area
  • Pay for a strangers meal
  • Go to Veterinary School, become a licensed Vet.
  • See Fairy Pools, Loch Ness, and Standing Stones in Scotland
  • Live in another country
  • Go to a Swiss dairy farm
  • Learn to play the piano
  • Plant-Maintain a perennial herb-vegetable garden
  • Ring the Bells (the kind with a dangling rope) in a Church
  • Fill my passport with stamps
  • Collect 100 smashed souvenir pennies
  • Do something nice for someone else
  • A Random Act of Kindness
  • Purchase land with a home on site
  • Fly First Class
  • Host a game night at my house
  • Adventure to places I have never seen
  • Cook a meal for someone
  • Practice Cooking
Why not??

Why not??

Literary Adventures

Anna--The Adventurer

As the year is winding down and wrapping up, I reflect on how I have spent my time in 2015–and the pages stare back at me, full of wonderous, fulfilling things–between the pages of literature (when I am not working or out and about with enjoying life with other humans)

I am blessed with a long history of reading and share in the delights of a family of readers (which, by the way, really is a super benefit when playing Scattegories–literature provides a whopping amount of double and triple pointers  for the game). Books can be costly (oh but they never go out of style and require no batteries, chargers, or updating!!) but oh the wonders of family family book swaps, reading pools, thrift shops, used/second-hand book stores, and the list goes on and on and on–and yet, I continue to seek new material to enjoy, why??

Reading is an adventure–on cold days with a cup of coffee, summer evenings with a glass of iced tea, anywhere anytime. I often find I need to ‘snap back to reality’ when in the midst of a good book as I daydream about the plot, eyes glazed over, and pondering what will happen–even whilst I am out with others; alas, those whom know me well are also great readers and are happily willing to discuss books or anything read, regardless the source.

I stumbled upon this article (I am unsure of the author but here is the link from which it was derived as the author really does deserve due credit) upon the importance of reading.

Why is reading important? It is how we discover new things. Books, magazines and even the Internet are great learning tools which require the ability to read and understand what is read. A person who knows how to read can educate themselves in any area of life they are interested in. We live in an age where we overflow with information, but reading is the main way to take advantage of it.

 Reading develops the imagination. TV and computer games have their place, but they are more like amusement. Amusement comes from two words “a” [non] and “muse” [think]. Amusement is non-thinking activities. With reading, a person can go anywhere in the world…or even out of it! They can be a king, or an adventurer, or a princess, or… The possibilities are endless. Non-readers never experience these joys to the same extent.

I can not even being to list all of the books I have read over time–some linger still in the recesses of my mind and other, though good, left a smaller, less powerful impact and thus have been left behind.  Here is a list of books I personally recomment reading, although is not inclusive, I have read every one (and they are in no particular order.)

  1. The Outlander Series, Diana Gabaldon

  2. All Creatures Great and Small-James Herriot

  3. All Things Bright and Beautiful-James Herriot

  4. All Things Wise and Wonderful- James Herriot

  5. The Lord God Made Them All-James Herriot

  6. The Book of Secrets–Tom Harper
  7. The Age of Innocence–Edith Wharton
  8. Jude, the Obscure-Thomas Hardy
  9. Dracula–Brahm Stoker
  10. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde–Robert Louis Stevenson
  11. The Scarlett Letter-Nathaniel Hawthorne
  12. Treasure Island–Robert Luis Stevenson
  13. Jane Eyre–Charlotte Brönte
  14. The Grapes of Wrath-  John Steinbeck
  15. The Alchemist -Paolo Coehlo
  16. The Good Earth- Pearl S. Buck
  17. Cathedral by the Sea-Ildefonso Falcones
  18. Pillars of the Earth–Ken Follett
  19. Pride and Prejudice–Jane Austen
  20. Sense and Sensability-Jane Austen
  21. Persuasion–Jane Austen
  22. Tarzan of the Apes–Edgar Rice Burroughs
  23. Robinson Curusoe–Daniel Defoe
  24. To Kill a Mockingbird—Harper Lee
  25. Frankenstein–Mary Shelly
  26. The Alienist–Caleb Carr
  27. The Secret Garden–Frances Hodgeson Burnett
  28. Siddhartha–Herman Hess
  29. Moby Dick–Herman Melville
  30. The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Alan Poe
  31. The Chronicles of Narnia–C.S. Lewis
  32. Rebecca–Daphne Du Maurier
  33. The Outsiders–S.E. Hinton
  34. The Fifth Mountain–Paolo Coehlo
  35. Leaves of Grass–Walt Whitman
  36. My Antonia–Willa Cather
  37. Oh, Pioneer!-Willa Cather
  38. Pilgrims Progress–John Bunyan
  39. Shepherd of the Hills–Harold Bell Wright
  40. Wings of a Dove–Henry James
  41. The BFG–Roald Dahl
  42. The Old Man and the Sea–Ernst Hemingway
  43. Alas, Babylon–P. Frank
  44. Charlotte’s Web–E.B. White
  45. Emma–Jane Austen
  46. Bless Me, Ultima–Rudolfo Anaya
  47. Like Water for Chocolate–Laura Esquivel
  48. Running the Iditarod–Gary Paulsen
  49. World without End-Ken Follett
  50. Modoc–Ralph Helfer

Top Favorites

Dracula

Dracula, Brahm Stoker

Outlander

The Outlander Series    Diana Gabaldon

Modoc.jpeg

Modoc,        Ralph Helfer

A sweetheart sends a note

Anna--The Adventurer

Dear Anna,
my love, thank you so much for the nice photo you sent me. I am sending you one of me.
Thank you also for your cards, they are nice. I think of you every day and I miss you.
I wish you a very nice Christmas and a happy New Year! Send greetings also to your family and friends and especially to your grandmother.
I hug you and kiss you all over
Yours forever,
Thomas