Rednek Piknik

This is what we do for fun around here. :) A little strange? Don't judge until you try a little bit of redneck yourself!

Credit for the planning of this party goes to Mitch who {very impressively} baked us chocolate cobbler {by himself & from scratch} just so we would all agree to get into Yoda {the much abused Toyota} and drive across the field to have a picnic by our own private lake {aka. the dugout}.

One Big Happy Family, Texas - Style

There is a reason that there has been a lack of activity on this blog over the last month. We were invaded (in the very best sense of that term, of course). For 2 1/2 weeks we had the privilege of hosting family on the little corner of Texas that we call home. They came in waves: Sarah & Sophia first; Mom & Mandy a week later; and Dad & Mitch a day later.

We shopped; we rodeoed; we visited with friends; we explored the school campus & the popular sights of the city; we got stuck in traffic (too many times :/); we missed the train; and we ate a little bit of chicken-fried steak, some cajun, a whole lot of BBQ, some fresh salsa, and Tex-Mex too. (Notice the attention given to food in that list. Everything's bigger in Texas, including us, as Sophia put it (referring to all the eating we were doing).) We taught them how to say yee-haw and y'all and by the end I think we were plain ol' successful at tuckerin' them all out.

Reunion with the Thomas clan.

Birthday Boys!

Look!

One of the many turtles that entertained us for a good while.

Sophia took the entertainment to another level.

Texas Wildlife

Trying on a little bit of "cowgirl" @ Justin Boots. 

Fried Pickles @ Razoo's Cafe...fried everything down here!

Stockyards Rodeo

Main-street, Grapevine

"What will you trade me for this nickel I made into a cowboy hat?"

Happy family...even though we missed the "real" train...

Fonduing it up!

I think there's a new tradition starting up in my family's Christmas season - it involves a lot of food, a lot of grease, a lot of batter, a lot of time, and a lot of chatting and fun. It's an event, not just a meal...because it takes nearly 2 hours of cooking to get everyone fed. Last year was the first (Mike and I missed out because we spent Christmas in Ontario with his family) so this was the second time around but already Mom and Auntie seem to have it perfected to a "T." 

Oreo Cheesecake

Cheesecake is a family favourite at just about any occasion...especially Christmas. So...in honour of Christmas and our Sunday School Christmas party I made...Cheesecake! And in spite of what most people think, it is extremely simple to make!

OREO CHEESECAKE

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CRUST:
1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
  1TBSP granulated sugar

FILLING:
3 - 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 TBSP flour
5 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
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CRUST: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in crumbs and sugar. Press into bottom of ungreased 9 inch spring-form pan. Bake at 350 degree for 10 minutes.

FILLING: Beat cream cheese, sugar and flour in mixing bowl until blended.
Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, until mixed. Add vanilla and sour cream. Mix. Pour mixture over crumbs.
  Bake in 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until set. 

Decorate with Oreos.

(Serves 12)

 

*Thank you Mom for the recipe! :)

Happy Anniversary to Us!

We celebrated the 2 year milestone with some Cajun food at Razzoo's in downtown Fort Worth. It is a restaurant that Mike spotted during one of our first times in the downtown area and he has been wanting to try it ever since. It took us nearly a year and a special occasion to finally do it! We didn't try any gator this time; we stuck with the shrimp, catfish, and a tilapia po' boy instead.  It was all very yummy!

Both of us are grateful for each and every day that the Lord gives us together. It is a blessing to be able to share life with someone, to learn from each other, and to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 3:18) together.

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And this [we] pray, that [our] love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment , so that [we] may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

-----Philippians 1: 9-11-----

Saturday Morning...

flap jacks + coffee + friends 

= a good morning :)

Tim Horton's fill-the-gap-er

Every true Canadian dearly misses at least one thing whenever they leave the country: Tim Horton's. (for our family & friends who are insulted by that statement, don't worry, you're on the "we miss list" right next to good ol' Timmy's ;)).

Well, like good Canadians, the other day Mike and I were bemoaning the fact that we must endure this crazy Texas heat without any access to a refreshing and so-delicious Tim Horton's Iced Capp. But the Lord has graciously seen fit to provide for us during this time in which we are outside of the great land flowing with maple syrup and iced capps :). Thanks to Suzanne who discovered and shared the wealth with us, today we enjoyed a Frozen Cappuccino from QT (Quick Tripp). While it is not quite on par with a Timmy's Iced Capp (impossible to match - its kinda like Texas and hockey...leave the ice to the Canadians), it was pretty yummy and it will definitely fill the gap.

Mike loves when I take pictures while he's trying to study - there's some good Canadian sarcasm for you ;)

P.S. If you non-Canadian's cannot understand the depth of our attachment to this place see the following link for greater insight as to the importance and to just how far the Canadians will go to ensure their daily cup of Timmy's: Tim Horton's in Afganistan.

A new venture...

I married the son of an Italian and little did I know but at that time I was also marrying myself to salami, olives, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, focaccia, pizza, pasta and everything and anything with a little garlic, basil, and parsley. Just a couple of weeks ago he told me that he probably wouldn't have married me if I didn't like balsamic vinegar (jokingly, of course ;)). When visiting Mike's family I often find myself amused by how much of the conversation can center around food; they know their food and they know how to cook it too (and it is delicious)! I thoroughly enjoy cooking for my husband and especially trying to make those things which he particularly loves, although he never complains no matter what I place on the table before him and very rarely leaves a meal without praising it and thanking me for making it (and even periodically joins in the fun of the preparation).

Well, my newest venture has a lot to do with my husband's love of food and has been something I have actually thought about trying to do for over a year now: growing some of my own herbs. Texas gets a lot of sun and our apartment has huge windows facing both east and west so it really is an ideal place and time to try it out. But I know nothing of it; well, nothing except what Google has told me. So hopefully I don't kill them before we can at least enjoy them a little.

Let me introduce you to parsley 1, parsley 2, and basil:

(...if I master these I just might try growing a salami tree - it would sure save us some money! ;)

dough-cooked-over-the-fire

Our family has started a little summer tradition in recent years - dough-cooked-over-the-fire (such an original name, I know). Actually, the first time Mike and I were introduced to this was when we went to Germany with Word of Life a few years ago. There, of course, we had it with bratwurst or Nutella. Here we've Canadianized it a bit and use plain old smokies...or Nutella. What is interesting about it is that while we learned it in Germany, Canadian history has a very similar traditional food called Bannock. Since I come from a German-Canadian family it seems very fitting, I suppose :).

It's fun! 

It tastes so yummy! 

And it's become a staple at our campfire cookouts.

So, I thought I would share it with y'all (as the Texans say). 

...so you can be as happy as Josh...

"mmm...sweet satisfaction"

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DOUGH-COOKED-OVER-THE-FIRE Recipe

1/2 cup warm water

3/4 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp of yeast

Mix above ingredients together and let proof until doubled in size.

In a mixing bowl place:

1/4 cup cream 

1 1/2 cups warm water

1/8 cup of sugar

3/4 tsp salt

2 cups of flour

Mix together until spongy.

Add the yeast mixture to spongy mixture and blend together.

Add about 2-3 cups more of flour.

Mix until it makes a firm dough.

Kneed dough for about 10 minutes on a floured surface.

(if dough is still sticky add more flour)

Then place dough in a large oiled bowl.

And let rise until doubled in size.

Form dough into small individual-sized bun shapes and place on a pan.

Take small ball of dough and wrap around the end of a thick stick, sealing edges well (we usually take a knife and scrape all the bark off the end we are cooking on...unless you like to eat that sort of thing).

 Cook until well-done over an open fire. 

Enjoy with sausages, smokies, hot dog wieners, jam, honey or Nutella...

...and many, many friends

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(thanks to Mom and Auntie Doris for perfecting a recipe that works perfectly!)

We Must Be Back in Canada...

The loyal fans...

A great Canadian legend, Don Cherry...

The game...a rather sad situation, unfortunately :(

The best part (in my opinion) ...thanks Auntie!

Our handsome waiter...