I am trying to expand my social media efforts so I can connect with more people and share my blog. Eventually I would love to interact with people in the area so I can get feedback on travel/tourist locations I share, but I would also love to hear how recipes work out for others and read how they altered dishes to suit individual tastes and preferences. We'll see how this adventure goes!
Sarah
P.S. To all my current readers, thank you for your support!
http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/11673735/
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
Healthy Enchilada Dinner
A while back I made SkinnyMom's Sour Cream Enchiladas and loved them; however, for the past few months I have been on a Greek yogurt kick. I enjoy sour cream, but Greek yogurt has far less fat and calories while packing a punch with protein, so I have been substituting as much as possible in recipes that call for sour cream. The recipe above tastes great and is easy to follow. My only change is the cup for cup substitution with yogurt. To go with dinner I decided on a rainbow of sliced and sauteed peppers and black beans with cilantro and fresh-squeezed lime juice.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Tips for Train Travel in Germany 2: Getting Around
2. There are many useful resources to help you with scheduling. Google maps lets you look up specific dates and train times. This feature was incredibly useful; we used it before and during our trip to help plan. The information was reliable and provided a convenient way to check/alter our schedule from the hotel. At the station, there are several kiosks where you can enter your desired stop and pull up a detailed list of your best ways to get there. You can choose to print the schedule you decide on (for free) and then you have a portable reminder of where to go next and a great souvenir for your scrapbook. Lastly, when you choose to live on the edge and run from one platform to another in a panic, there are train schedules posted all around the station. Do you see a giant sheet with tons of tiny numbers and letters? That's it! Make sure you are looking at the departures for that station and not the arrivals.
3. Use the bathroom on the train. At most stations you will have to pay to use the restroom, and if you don't have coins handy, it can be a hassle. The facilities on the train are free and are most likely clean.
4. Make sure you are sitting in the right section of the train. If you did not pay for first class, you have to keep walking until you see the ones on the outside of the train turn into twos. Second class still has plenty of room to store luggage overhead, nifty coat hooks, and comfy chairs though, so you are not really missing out on anything. If it is an ICE train at a major station, be prepared to walk for a long time to reach the end of the train. Those things are huge.
5. If you can't get on the train because the doors are closed, push the button. There is a button on the outside of some (most?) train doors. Don't you wish the metro had those?
6. Lastly, be prepared to see some intoxicated teenagers if you are riding through large cities on a weekend. We were treated to a choir of Christmas carols when we arrived, and on the way back we saw some poor attempts at bowling with a drained keg. Yes, these kids brought a small keg onto the train along with cups and passed around drinks like it was totally normal. Ah, to be young. ; )
I hope some of this information will be beneficial to other travelers. If you choose to travel by train, soak in the views and enjoy the ride. The Deutsche Bahn provided a gorgeous ride through Germany and a low-stress experience.
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Tips for Train Travel in Germany 1: Saving Money
For our honeymoon, my husband and I spent a magical week in Germany over the Christmas holidays. We also chose to travel almost exclusively by train to minimize vacation stress. Here are some helpful tips for planning your own trip and saving money. The German train system was organized, timely, and clean and provided some spectacular views of the countryside. All aboard!
Ways to bring down the cost of your train ticket:
1. See if anyone in your party qualifies for a child's ticket. Although it is a weird feeling being grouped in the same category as a 4 year old, passengers 25 and under can enjoy a discounted rate for the Deutsche Bahn.
2. If you and your party will be traveling together at all times, look into a twin pass. The twin pass ended up being a more affordable option for the two of us. Keep an eye out for special discount offers as well!
3. Order with plenty of time before your trip. We were ordering about a week (maybe less) before our trip, so we decided to get expedited shipping just to make sure our passes arrived before we left. The tickets got here a few days later and we were ready to go, but we could have saved a little bit on shipping by ordering sooner.
4. Don't get a first-class ticket. The German train system is very nice and there are plenty of seats. We had no complaints sitting in second class.
5. There is an extension option if you want to travel to a major city in another country. Based on what I heard from others, a German Rail pass is more affordable than a Euro Rail pass. If you want to travel to Venice or Prague you can get an extension just for that city and save some money.
6. If you are only spending a weekend in Germany, there is a discounted ticket for you! For a Saturday or Sunday trip, you can pay less than 50 Euros for 1 ticket that allows you to travel with 1-5 people that day. This option can be purchased at the station or online.
Ways to bring down the cost of your train ticket:
1. See if anyone in your party qualifies for a child's ticket. Although it is a weird feeling being grouped in the same category as a 4 year old, passengers 25 and under can enjoy a discounted rate for the Deutsche Bahn.
2. If you and your party will be traveling together at all times, look into a twin pass. The twin pass ended up being a more affordable option for the two of us. Keep an eye out for special discount offers as well!
3. Order with plenty of time before your trip. We were ordering about a week (maybe less) before our trip, so we decided to get expedited shipping just to make sure our passes arrived before we left. The tickets got here a few days later and we were ready to go, but we could have saved a little bit on shipping by ordering sooner.
4. Don't get a first-class ticket. The German train system is very nice and there are plenty of seats. We had no complaints sitting in second class.
5. There is an extension option if you want to travel to a major city in another country. Based on what I heard from others, a German Rail pass is more affordable than a Euro Rail pass. If you want to travel to Venice or Prague you can get an extension just for that city and save some money.
6. If you are only spending a weekend in Germany, there is a discounted ticket for you! For a Saturday or Sunday trip, you can pay less than 50 Euros for 1 ticket that allows you to travel with 1-5 people that day. This option can be purchased at the station or online.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Overnight Oatmeal and the Start of Rotations
Around here 2014 is the year of rotations. As a student in medical school, my husband will be in and out of hospitals from January to December of this year sampling specialties, observing procedures, learning tons of material, and sleeping very little. We have had to rethink the morning routine since his morning now starts at 4am, and part of this plan was developing a way to streamline breakfast. Our coffee pot we got as a wedding gift has a cool clock/timer function, so that is now set up to brew automatically in the morning, and breakfast has switched to pre-portioned, ready-to-go containers of overnight oatmeal.
What is overnight oatmeal? It is a mix of several breakfast items all in one bowl. It is convenient and healthy. It is cold oatmeal that you can add many flavor combinations to. You can choose to mix ingredients in one large bowl and divide into smaller containers or mix each serving individually. We decided to make one large batch on Sunday so my early riser would have breakfast each day. I will post the numbers for an individual serving and six servings side by side.
Overnight Oatmeal
Ingredients for Base:
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats // 3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup milk of choice // 3 cups milk of choice
1/4 cup of Greek yogurt // 1 and 1/2 cups of Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp chia or flax seeds // 6 Tbsp chia or flax seeds
Directions: Stir and scoop into as many containers as desired.
Flavor Combinations for Individual Servings:
1 Tbsp of lemon curd and 1 Tbsp of dried blueberries
1 Tbsp of PB2 or peanut butter and 1 Tbsp of raisins
1 Tbsp of chocolate protein powder and 1 Tbsp of PB2
1 Tbsp of craisins and 1 Tbsp of chopped walnuts
-- You can add ingredients in whatever amounts you think work best. 1 Tbsp just seems to be a good ratio for individual portions. Feel free to get creative with flavor combinations, and remember if you want to add anything crunchy, you should add it in the morning if you want it to keep its crunch.
Thank you, mom, for passing along this recipe. It has been so very helpful!
What is overnight oatmeal? It is a mix of several breakfast items all in one bowl. It is convenient and healthy. It is cold oatmeal that you can add many flavor combinations to. You can choose to mix ingredients in one large bowl and divide into smaller containers or mix each serving individually. We decided to make one large batch on Sunday so my early riser would have breakfast each day. I will post the numbers for an individual serving and six servings side by side.
Overnight Oatmeal
Ingredients for Base:
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats // 3 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup milk of choice // 3 cups milk of choice
1/4 cup of Greek yogurt // 1 and 1/2 cups of Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp chia or flax seeds // 6 Tbsp chia or flax seeds
Directions: Stir and scoop into as many containers as desired.
Flavor Combinations for Individual Servings:
1 Tbsp of lemon curd and 1 Tbsp of dried blueberries
1 Tbsp of PB2 or peanut butter and 1 Tbsp of raisins
1 Tbsp of chocolate protein powder and 1 Tbsp of PB2
1 Tbsp of craisins and 1 Tbsp of chopped walnuts
-- You can add ingredients in whatever amounts you think work best. 1 Tbsp just seems to be a good ratio for individual portions. Feel free to get creative with flavor combinations, and remember if you want to add anything crunchy, you should add it in the morning if you want it to keep its crunch.
Thank you, mom, for passing along this recipe. It has been so very helpful!
Rum Balls
A delightful treat for any holiday, gathering, or Thursday night in, this recipe for rum balls couldn't be simpler.
Ingredients:
- 1 box brownie mix (plus required ingredients to make the brownies)
- 1/2 cup nuts, I like walnuts
- 3 Tbsp rum
Directions:
1. Bake your brownies according to directions on the box.
2. When brownies come out of the oven, rake them with a fork until all broken up and crumbled. Put these brownies into a bowl with a lid and place in the fridge for a bit. Go do something else and come back in an hour or so.
3. After brownies have cooled off plenty, add 3 Tbsp of rum. Then you can mix thoroughly with your hands or a kitchen instrument.
4. Chop a handful of nuts until fine. As needed, chop more to go with remaining brownies.
5. Shape brownie/rum mixture into small balls and then roll them in the nuts.
Voila! You have a rich chocolate dessert that is irresistible. Let the finished product hang out in the fridge a little longer if the rum flavor is too intense. They mellow out after resting for a bit.
Ingredients:
- 1 box brownie mix (plus required ingredients to make the brownies)
- 1/2 cup nuts, I like walnuts
- 3 Tbsp rum
Directions:
1. Bake your brownies according to directions on the box.
2. When brownies come out of the oven, rake them with a fork until all broken up and crumbled. Put these brownies into a bowl with a lid and place in the fridge for a bit. Go do something else and come back in an hour or so.
3. After brownies have cooled off plenty, add 3 Tbsp of rum. Then you can mix thoroughly with your hands or a kitchen instrument.
4. Chop a handful of nuts until fine. As needed, chop more to go with remaining brownies.
5. Shape brownie/rum mixture into small balls and then roll them in the nuts.
Voila! You have a rich chocolate dessert that is irresistible. Let the finished product hang out in the fridge a little longer if the rum flavor is too intense. They mellow out after resting for a bit.
Can't Follow Directions Corn Dip
I am terrible at following directions, even my own directions, so this recipe is very flexible. Sample your food while you are working and tailor it to your own tastes. That makes cooking more fun and the meal more you! This makes enough dip for a small group party (that has other snacks)- think book club sized. If you are attending a larger get-together or want leftovers for yourself, you will want to double this recipe.
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen corn
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup (or a little less) cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 small can green chiles
2 green onions (use kitchen shears)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 (more if you like spicy) cayenne pepper
a few splashes of hot sauce
Directions:
---Preheat oven to 375.
1. Cook (microwave) corn and throw in big bowl. Stir in yogurt, cream cheese, shredded cheese, and (drained) chiles. Stir.
--I thought the corn dip was plenty creamy and might suggest using a little less cream cheese; There are 4Tbsp in a quarter cup. Consider starting with 2 and working your way up to 4 Tbsp if needed.
2. Cut up green onions. Measure out spices and add to mixture. I prefer my food with a kick, so I added extra cayenne pepper and hot sauce.
3. Put dip in a baking dish and top with shredded cheese if you're feeling artistic. Bake for 10-20 minutes. I didn't wait for golden cheese to eat this concoction and I don't regret it.
-- You'll notice there are no pictures. It was amazing and we ate it all. I'll make more soon and snap some shots for you!
Ingredients:
2 cups frozen corn
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup (or a little less) cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1 small can green chiles
2 green onions (use kitchen shears)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 (more if you like spicy) cayenne pepper
a few splashes of hot sauce
Directions:
---Preheat oven to 375.
1. Cook (microwave) corn and throw in big bowl. Stir in yogurt, cream cheese, shredded cheese, and (drained) chiles. Stir.
--I thought the corn dip was plenty creamy and might suggest using a little less cream cheese; There are 4Tbsp in a quarter cup. Consider starting with 2 and working your way up to 4 Tbsp if needed.
2. Cut up green onions. Measure out spices and add to mixture. I prefer my food with a kick, so I added extra cayenne pepper and hot sauce.
3. Put dip in a baking dish and top with shredded cheese if you're feeling artistic. Bake for 10-20 minutes. I didn't wait for golden cheese to eat this concoction and I don't regret it.
-- You'll notice there are no pictures. It was amazing and we ate it all. I'll make more soon and snap some shots for you!
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Meatloaf Cupcakes
These have been on my Pinterest board since day 1. What a cool idea to turn meatloaf and mashed potatoes into beautifully sculpted cupcakes. Playing with food has reached a whole new level. After avoiding this recipe because it looked complicated (It's not!), I finally decided to make the meatloaf cupcakes for my husband's surprise birthday dinner. He is not much of a dessert eater, and since we already had birthday cake with his family when we were home, I knew I needed to make something different this time.
I have broken down these directions into 3 sections so they are easier to read. The meatloaf and mashed potatoes need to be cooking at the same time, so read through both and figure out how you need to time it. My potatoes started once the meatloaf was in the oven and finished before it was done since I cut them in small cubes.
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 finely diced onion
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 3/4-1 cup bread crumbs
- 4 splashes Worcestershire
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
For Potatoes:
-3 medium/large potatoes
-butter
-milk
-salt
-pepper
-green onions
-barbeque sauce
Directions for Meatloaf:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix together all ingredients in the first list except ground beef. Then add ground beef and use your *clean* hands to mix everything together.
3. Spray cupcake tin with cooking spray and fill each hole to the top with meatloaf mixture and press down firmly.
4. Spread your favorite barbeque sauce on top, put the tray in the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. (I had enough meat to make 12 cupcakes and a little extra. I just put that on my toaster oven stone and baked it as well.)
Directions for Mashed Potatoes:
1. Before making the meatloaf, you should start boiling water and peeling potatoes. This way your potatoes will be ready when your cupcakes are finished.
2. Dice potatoes in small cubes (about 1 inch) and add to boiling water.
3. Drain and prepare mashed potatoes to suit your tastes. Keep in mind these need to be extra smooth potatoes so they are easier to use as icing. I added more milk than I normally would and used the immersion blender to whip my potatoes.
-If you like extra potatoes, you will want to peel a few more. I had just enough to top each cupcake and accompany the little meatloaf.
Directions for Assembly:
1. When meatloaf comes out of the oven turn on broil and get to icing your cupcakes. If you have an icing bag, that would be great, but I just snipped the tip of a Ziploc bag and filled it with potatoes.
2. Put cupcakes in the oven for a few minutes just to brown the potatoes. Keep a close eye on them!
3. Use a knife to cut all the way around each cupcake so they will be easier to get out of the pan. Carefully lift your cupcakes out of the pan with a utensil on each side (these are a little top heavy).
4. Serve with green onion sprinkles and a barbeque sauce drizzle.
I hope you have fun with this recipe, I know I did! Helpful tip: If you choose to do these for a birthday and top with candles, you should place them in a candle holder so you don't get wax all over your dinner.
*The original recipe is linked to in the recipe title.
I have broken down these directions into 3 sections so they are easier to read. The meatloaf and mashed potatoes need to be cooking at the same time, so read through both and figure out how you need to time it. My potatoes started once the meatloaf was in the oven and finished before it was done since I cut them in small cubes.
* Meatloaf Cupcakes
Ingredients:- 2 lbs ground beef
- 1 finely diced onion
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp dried parsley
- 3/4-1 cup bread crumbs
- 4 splashes Worcestershire
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 eggs
For Potatoes:
-3 medium/large potatoes
-butter
-milk
-salt
-pepper
-green onions
-barbeque sauce
Directions for Meatloaf:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix together all ingredients in the first list except ground beef. Then add ground beef and use your *clean* hands to mix everything together.
3. Spray cupcake tin with cooking spray and fill each hole to the top with meatloaf mixture and press down firmly.
4. Spread your favorite barbeque sauce on top, put the tray in the oven, and bake for 30 minutes. (I had enough meat to make 12 cupcakes and a little extra. I just put that on my toaster oven stone and baked it as well.)
Directions for Mashed Potatoes:
1. Before making the meatloaf, you should start boiling water and peeling potatoes. This way your potatoes will be ready when your cupcakes are finished.
2. Dice potatoes in small cubes (about 1 inch) and add to boiling water.
3. Drain and prepare mashed potatoes to suit your tastes. Keep in mind these need to be extra smooth potatoes so they are easier to use as icing. I added more milk than I normally would and used the immersion blender to whip my potatoes.
-If you like extra potatoes, you will want to peel a few more. I had just enough to top each cupcake and accompany the little meatloaf.
1. When meatloaf comes out of the oven turn on broil and get to icing your cupcakes. If you have an icing bag, that would be great, but I just snipped the tip of a Ziploc bag and filled it with potatoes.
2. Put cupcakes in the oven for a few minutes just to brown the potatoes. Keep a close eye on them!
3. Use a knife to cut all the way around each cupcake so they will be easier to get out of the pan. Carefully lift your cupcakes out of the pan with a utensil on each side (these are a little top heavy).
4. Serve with green onion sprinkles and a barbeque sauce drizzle.
I hope you have fun with this recipe, I know I did! Helpful tip: If you choose to do these for a birthday and top with candles, you should place them in a candle holder so you don't get wax all over your dinner.
*The original recipe is linked to in the recipe title.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Happy New Year!
Now that I am home from vacation it is time to get back to blogging! My husband and I went on our honeymoon to Germany over Christmas break and then drove down to Alabama to spend a week with family. I have no idea how we crammed so much into two weeks, but it was a great way to wrap up 2013 and kick off the new year!
My 3 New Year's Resolutions:
Sarah
P.S. I will be posting vacation pictures and travel tips sometime soon. When looking for things to do in Germany over the holidays, I noticed that an overwhelming number of posts said don't go because everything is closed. While it is certainly not the best time to go for museum lovers, we still found plenty of fun stuff to do, and I would like to offer some hope and activities for those who are trying to travel during school breaks. : )
My 3 New Year's Resolutions:
- Make more time for reading (and less for watching tv).
- Play more games with family.
- Incorporate more fruits and vegetables into mealtimes.
Sarah
P.S. I will be posting vacation pictures and travel tips sometime soon. When looking for things to do in Germany over the holidays, I noticed that an overwhelming number of posts said don't go because everything is closed. While it is certainly not the best time to go for museum lovers, we still found plenty of fun stuff to do, and I would like to offer some hope and activities for those who are trying to travel during school breaks. : )
Pretzel Making
Brrr! It has been crazy cold outside. The dreary weather has made this a stay indoors kind of week, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. It is the perfect time to crank up your oven and get creative. While I was at home with my in-laws, we decided to experiment with homemade pretzels! The recipe we used worked so well that I will just repost the link here for you to use. If you need to use a baking sheet more than once, I would suggest lining it with parchment paper. By the end the baking soda had coated our pan and changed the pretzel flavor. All of those got eaten, though, so they can't have been that bad. We were too busy making shapes to whip up any spreads, but butter slathered on top of these soft pretzels was quite tasty!
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| Once the dough was made, everyone got involved making pretzel shapes. |
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