Memory Strasse

Here's a bit of eye candy and a few fun

facts to wrap up the "german" week.

 

Thank you for joining me as I blog along!

 

 

The Imperial Baths (Kaiserthermen) were built in the 4th century
by Roman Emperor Constantine.
Trier
also known as Roma Secunda or Second Rome
 



Schloss Linderhof was built from 1870 to 1878.
It was one of the smallest of King Ludwig's castles.
Ettal

 



Driving on snow laden, mountainous roads in Germany
is not for the faint of heart!
Near Austrian border
 



View of the snow covered German-Austrian Alps.
Near Germany-Austria border

 



Luftlmalerei is the name of the typical
painted architecture in Bavaria.
Schwangau
 



Built in the 19th century, Schloss Neuschwanstein
sits perched on the side of a mountain.
Schwangau

 



Reiterlesmarkt in Rothenburg is the oldest in Germany.
This Christmas market dates back to the 15th century.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber

 

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Porta Nigra (Black Gate)
was built around 180 AD by the Romans.
Trier

 

Liebfrauenkirche or The Church of Our Lady was completed in 1260 AD.
It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Trier

Christmas lights add ambience
to a foggy winter's night.
Kusel

 

Burg Lichtenberg was built around 1200 AD.
Illuminated every night, it could be seen from our third
floor bedroom window.
Kusel

My beloved Rheinland-Pfalz blanketed in white.
Blaubach, near Kusel

 

Stone with city crest upon entering the community.
Blaubach, near Kusel
.

Felsenkirche is uniquely built in a natural niche of the rock formation overlooking the city.
There is an interesting legend surrounding the construction of the church.
Idar-Oberstein

 

Kolner Dom (Cologne Cathedral) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Construction began in 1248, but was not completed until 1880.
It is the tallest Gothic church in Northern Europe. It also has
the second tallest spires and largest facade of any church
in the world. This photograph does not truly capture its impressive
size.
Cologne

 

Kaiserdom zu Speyer (Imperial Cathedral of Speyer) is a major monument
of Romanesque art in the German Empire. It is also listed as a UNESCO
World Heritage Site. It was commissioned to be built in 1024 AD.
Speyer

 



View of the Rhineland wine region.
Rhineland-Pfalz

 

The Romerbrucke's (Roman bridge) stone pilings date back to 144-152 AD
making it the oldest bridge in Germany.
Fascinating to see that it is still IN USE today.
Trier

 

*all pictures were taken by me and may not be used without permission*

Sauerkraut, Schnitzel and Beer Sauce

Schnitzel is a common meat serving used in variety of ways in restaurants throughout Germany. In a previous post, I provided an example of gypsy schnitzel. My recipe today is a traditional-type plate of schnitzel served with sauerkraut and pumpernickel complete with a beer sauce and German mustard on the side.

 

First things first, you must make the sauerkraut. This requires an all day simmer in a crockpot. You will need a package of Johnsonville ORIGINAL brats, cut into pieces. Place the pieces into the bottom of a crockpot. Put Bavarian-style sauerkraut (can be found at Wal-Mart, Big Lots and the Commissary-has a blue & white checkered pattern on jar) into a sieve and rinse very slightly. Add to crockpot. Add one can of beef broth and just enough water to cover sauerkraut. Sprinkle in a few Wacholderbeeren (juniper berries). Begin cooking on high for the first hour, then reduce to medium for the remainder of the time. Brats should be done in about 6 hours. Do not let kraut run dry. Add more water if it cooks out too fast.  

 

To make the schnitzel, use thin pork cutlets (scallopini, escalope). Run pork through an egg wash and coat in bread crumbs seasoned with garlic powder, salt, pepper and onion powder. You may use flour or crushed corn flakes instead. I used flour in this pic, but have used all three coatings to create the breading (depending on what I had on hand). Fry the cutlets in REAL BUTTER until done. Set aside.

 

For the bratensoße (beef broth sauce), add one cup of water and scrape bits off of the bottom of the skillet. Add two cubes of beef bouillon (or I used german bratensoße cubes) and cook until dissolved. Add about 1/2 cup of german beer to broth. In seperate bowl, combine a tablespoon of cornstarch and just enough water to make a slurry. Add a little at a time to hot beef broth, stirring well, until broth is just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Cook for one minute.

 

When serving, top schnitzel and sauerkraut with "bratensoße". Place sliced pumpernickel on the side. Add a dollop of (mittelscharfer senf) medium hot German mustard and you are good-to-go!

 

 

And as always, this recipe is shared with love...from my kitchen to yours.....



Pumpernickel Vorspeise (appetizer)

Since posting the German recipe (gypsy schnitzel) last week, I decided that I will make it a theme by adding more recipes of our house "german" favorites.

 

The first is going to be an appetizer made with Pumpernickel bread.

 

I first tried something similar at a quaint restaurant in the town of Kusel where I lived. I was reluctant to try it since I was not a fan of dark breads. I once tried rye as a child and hadn't attempted it (or other dark breads) since. I was pleased to find that the German Pumpernickel was milder than the American rye. The complexity of this dark brown bread's sweet, dark chocolate,  almost coffee-like, earthy flavors had me begging for more. I especially liked how well it paired with the herbed cream cheese (quark).  

 

After returning stateside, I attempted to make the appetizer I so enjoyed at the

Deutsches Haus. I have not been able to recreate it exactly.However, I have created

something that is comparable and delicious nonetheless.

 

 

 

Pumpernickel Bread

cut into small squares

 

Cream Cheese

 

Finely Ground Herb Blend

garlic, parsley, salt, white pepper, nutmeg, tumeric and fenugreek (if u have the last 3)

 

Petite Diced Orange Sweet Peppers

 

Fresh Dill

 

Mix the herbs together a little at a time. The strongest flavors should be the garlic and parsley with only hints of the others. *I do not have exact measurements for this recipe. I usually go by taste when trying to recreate something I've eaten at a restaurant* Blast the herbs a couple of times in a coffee grinder to finely grind and blend well. Adjust to taste. Mix with room temperature cream cheese. Place mixture in the fridge and let set for at least an hour. Spread cream cheese onto bread squares. Top with diced peppers and sprinkle with fresh dill.

Enjoy your delicious vorspeise!

 

With love, from my kitchen to yours.... 

 

TOO OLD FOR TRICK OR TREATING (a COOL homemade costume)

 

"I'm getting too old for trick-or-treating", said my eleven-year-old son last Halloween. I asked him to indulge me just one more year. "Fine! But I'm not wearing one of those little kid costumes," he exclaimed. We brainstormed for a bit and then he asked if I could possibly create an iPhone costume.

 

Whaaa??? Was this child of mine doubting my awesomeness? ;o)

 

I mean, I'm no McGyver......but I'm pretty sure that given the right circumstances, I could make a Halloween costume out of a paper clip and some string!

 

 

 

 

I knew, despite my brief delusion of SUPER MOM grandeur, that producing an iPhone costume from paper clips and string would fail epically. Soooo....off to Hobby Lobby I went in search of "realistic" materials. I was excited to create this one-of-a-kind costume for my kiddo. Mostly, I did not want to fall short on his idea. It was, as he so proudly declared, his LAST halloween.

 

For this costume, you will need:

 

*Black Cardboard*

*Silver Poster Board*

*White Paint Pen*

*Silver Paint Pen*

*Black Sharpie*

*Sticky Tack*

*Black Spray Paint (small can)*

*Velcro Strips (hook and loop)*

(long enough to go around the arms near shoulders and attach to the board)

*Glue Gun With Sticks*

*Black Duct Tape*

*Printed Images of Apps/Widgets*

*Scissors*

*Box Knife*

 

 

 First, cut off about 5-6 inches lengthwise on one side of the black cardboard to make it more narrow. Next, round the edges off using scissors. This creates the shape of the iPhone. Then, spray paint the back of the black cardboard with the black spray paint if needed (the back of mine was regular cardboard brown...smh). Let this dry completely before continuing. From the computer, print out images that your child wants displayed on the "screen" and images for the "home row". Try to space the screen images evenly and attach them with sticky tack to keep in place. I made adjustments on size until I could fit 9 images with even spacing on the screen. Use one of the images to trace a space in the center. Then, cut out that area with the box knife to make a face hole and label it "facebook".  Apply the home row images with sticky tack onto the silver poster board along the bottom. Using scissors, cut the silver poster board following the line above the images. Here the glue gun is used to hold the silver band in place. Use the black sharpie to make a circular on/off button below the silver poster board. Also use it at the top to create a long, slim line similar to speakers. The silver paint pen is used next to make the square on the on/off button. Then, the white paint pen is used to write the names of the apps/widgets on the screen. To create the edge around the iPhone, color with the silver paint pen. While your child holds the iPhone with his/her face in the center hole, mark the spots where velcro would go below his/her armpit areas and two more near the rib cage (dad or an assistant may need to help mark areas for the velcro placement). Attach a good-sized strip of hook velcro to these areas using the glue gun. After the glue dries, have your child hold the iPhone again in place and attach him/her to the hook velcro by using the long strips of loop velcro around his arms. On the top velcro sets, use the black tape to secure the hooks and loops from pulling apart. Your child can get in/out of the costume using the bottom sets of velcro or by sliding them off of his/her arms. Make sure to measure them exactly before gluing. It is trial and error getting them placed perfectly to keep the iPhone from sliding down making his/her face off-center. You may come up with a better way of attaching it to your child. I needed something that my child could easily get in and out of. We had to get into/out of our car repeatedly for our trick-or-treating route. 

 

 

 

 THE FINISHED PRODUCT!

(he was holding it in this pic because we had not yet attached the velcro)



 

 

 I wish you the best in creating this costume for your
not-so-little-anymore
trick-or-treater!

With love, from my home to yours...

 

 



Quick and Easy GYPSY SCHNITZEL

The majority of my posts will probably have to do with cooking. That is one of my passions. I get immense satisfaction listening to my family and guests "mmmm" and "oh my goodness" over the meals I've prepared for them. Not all of the are OMG worthy, but the ones that are will most likely find their way here. My recipe today comes from the land of pork and potatoes, beer and brats. You guessed it. Germany! I fell in love with German cuisine as a child. We lived in a military town with neighbors from all walks of life. A couple of them happened to be German. We even had a German market and deli a few blocks away from our house. I grew up eating Rolladen on a regular basis in our home. I was exposed to an even greater variety of German specialities while stationed overseas. I have adapted many dishes into our regular menu using items that I can find stateside. Today, I'd like to introduce you to a quick and easy

Gypsy Schnitzel. 

Gypsy Schnitzel or Zigeunerschnitzel as it is referred to in Deutschland is common fare at local restaurants. It is almost always a fried pork scallopini cutlet covered in a tomato-based sauce with bell peppers. Very, very good! For my recipe, all of the items can be purchased at your post/base commissary. I am all about using what you have on hand. If you do not have a specific ingredient, improvise!

 

Let's Get Started:

 

 

Make an EGG WASH with one egg and a cup of milk.

 

 

Combine 1 teaspoon of each: GARLIC POWDER, ONION POWDER, ORIGINAL CHICKEN SEASONING. Add 1/2 teaspoon of SALT AND PEPPER.

 

 

Place BREAD CRUMBS into a dish. Add above SEASONINGS to crumbs.

(use plain bread crumbs of any brand or crushed corn flakes if you have those on hand)

 

 

Dredge PORK LOIN CUTLETS through egg wash and seasoned bread crumbs.

(the commissary was out of pork scallopini cuts, so I had to use a thicker loin cut. No worries!)

 

 

FRY CUTLETS in melted butter, olive oil or canola oil until done.

REMOVE from pan.

LEAVE BITS in pan.

 

 

Add SWEET RED, ORANGE AND YELLOW PEPPERS WITH 1/2 SLICED ONION.

(can add/omit any combo of mushrooms, green onions, green bells pepper and above)

COOK until onions are clear and peppers are just done.

REMOVE AND SET ASIDE.

 

 

Use TWO PACKAGES OF JAEGER SCHNITZEL SAUCE MIX

made according to directions.

(can use brown gravy mix or make your own brown sauce from drippings)

 

 

 

HEAT UNTIL THICK.

 

 

 PREPACKAGED DRY SPAETZLE

cooked according to directions is a perfect side for this dish.

(can use any pasta or potato side instead)

 

 

 

Plate schnitzel topped with peppers and sauce.

Then, spread a bit of sauce on the plate and top with spaetzle.

Sprinkle parsley flakes and paprika over all.
Serve hot.

 

I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR TRIP TO DEUTSCHLAND!

 

With Love, From My Kitchen To Yours.....

 

Does This Car Make My Butt Look Big?

Does this car make my butt look big?

I grew up around dogs. All types of dogs: German Shepherds, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, Coon dogs, Shih Tzus,  Poodles, Dachshunds and Terriers. I had a particular fondness for Shepherds, though. I loved them for their intelligence and saddleback coats. Beautiful creatures. I'd had a German Shepherd named Homie (yes, that was his name...do you remember "Homie the Clown don't play that!" lol). I had raised him from a six-week-old pup and cared for him until he was 10 years old. He had accompanied me to my first PCS to Germany. He moved with me to Georgia and then back to Oklahoma. In Spring 2000, he was struck by a car and made his way home where he died with his head in my lap. He was a loyal companion up to his very last breath. After losing him, I considered getting a puppy. Being a new Mom at the time, I realized that I didn't have time to care for my little one and a puppy too. So, I sat that idea to the side. When my son was a toddler, he asked for a kitten. My husband and son were very much cat people. They tried to talk me into getting a pretty little kitty for snuggling on the couch. I had considered the idea of it, but had not put forth any effort into finding one for the "boys". By happenstance, a stray appeared on our doorstep about that time. I had never "owned" a cat in my life. I didn't even know where to begin. My sister proved invaluable in educating me on the care of the newest member of our family. And that one turned into another....and another. Throughout the years, we had many cats. Some were strays that we took in and rehabilitated until we found them good homes. We had several litters at different times because I was unaware that the Momma kitty we "adopted" was heavy with babies inside. I became accustomed to having a cat in the house. I eventually fell in love with them. However, there was always a part of me that longed for a dog. A big dog. Another German Shepherd.

One day, my son and I stopped at a convenience store to buy bottled water for my son before his horseriding lesson. As we pulled into the parking lot, we noticed a truck parked near the curb with a sign reading....MASTIFF PUPPIES~FOR SALE. My son begged me to go see the puppies. "Pleeeeease Mom", he said. "I just wanna look", he said. It didn't take much persuading. I am a sucker for babies! We made our way across the parking lot. We peeked into the back of the truck and saw the cutest.little.faces.ever!! There were two apricot-colored puppies with black masks staring back at us. The lady explained how the "accidents" happened with her female and her son's new male. They were not breeders and did not want to be. They used them to patrol her property and livestock. She stated that she was selling them, but if she could just find goods homes that she would just give them away. She said most people did not want a HUGE dog like the Mastiff breed. I told her that we were just looking at them....juuust loooking at them.....just.looking.at.them.....with those soft brown eyes....and those velvety black muzzles....and those big clumsy paws! I mean, who could resist a face like this???

 

 

 One of those became Sergeant (Sarge). The one who came home with us that day. From the first day, he was the best puppy I have EVER had. I have raised many dogs and know all about house training, kenneling, feeding, etc. I knew it was hard work and took dedication to train them. But Ole Sarge, he was a breeze. He never once peed or pooped in the house. He was not house broken when we got him. The lady had said so (she said he had been outside in a yard with the momma and hardly messed with). He instinctively knew to go outside away from his den. He would walk the farthest away that he could and in the back corner would do his business. Never ever by the house. Never ever in the house. He quickly picked up commands: sit, lay, rollover, stay. He then progressed to responding to "come" no matter where he was. With those mastered, we moved on to learning sign language. No, not ASL....that would be remarkable!  I'm talking visual commands made with simple hand gestures. As the days passed, this lil' pup grew.......

 

 

And Grew........................................................................







 

 

.................Annnd GREW...................................................................


 

into the big, goofy dog that we know and love today. This big baby is a treasured member of our family. I never imagined just how much of an impact this big dog would make in our lives. Shepherds? Pffft! Mastiffs have stolen my heart for good. Sarge is GREAT with children. He is a best friend to my son. Often sleeping beside his bed.

 

 

 

 

 He is GREAT with other animals. He played gently with six stray kittens that showed up at the house one summer. He follows my son as he rides his pony around the property. He stays right on the horse's heels wherever they may go.
 

 

Sergeant is the biggest lover dog there is! He will rest his head on your leg or chest whenever he needs extra lovin's. He attempts to sit in our laps. When that fails, he is content just leaning into you with all of his weight.
 

 

 

With strangers or welcomed guests in our home, he has never shown an ounce of aggression. Instead, his quiet confidence and stable temperment makes him the perfect family dog with little ones coming in and out of the home. He loves children and "shows out" whenever they play. He bows, chases thrown toys (for awhile..lol), will "look away" and "touch" for a treat. For those intimidated by his size, he rolls over and flashes his award-winning smile as if to break the ice.

 

 

 



 

You'll be surprised to learn that our Sarge is now an indoor horse....I mean dog. I have slobber trails and mammoth-sized pawprints on my floors that I clean throughout the day. But we were missing out on the best qualities of this breed by keeping him outside by himself. So, if you happen upon a black-masked sweetie in the back of a truck, don't hesitate to take him home. He'll befriend your child(ren) and take over your couch.....and he'll definitely win your heart!