A Homemade Life
Oh the joy of being able to cook and bake again! I think I cannot resist tying on the apron strings any longer. I think it’s something about the approach of fall. The crisp air, the taste of apples, farmers markets pulling out sliced pumpkin… it’s true love at our house. Does autumn do this to you? Do you get this overwhelming sense to nest?
You and I had so much fun crashing weddings from around the world that I started thinking, “What comes next?” For my family, every day ends in a meal together. Eating with family and friends becomes this incredible experience where we get to share our lives and grow together.
We get to know one another over food. Sometimes it’s for a meal. Other times, it’s homemade cakes when friends come over or late night snacks with visiting relatives.
So many of you have requested more recipes on Making This Home. That’s why tomorrow I’m so happy to begin our newest series of yummy treats. Of course, every one of these recipes will be vegetarian. They’ll also be compatible with ingredients I can find in both Germany and the United States, so hopefully you can all work with them and adapt to what you have available.
But what’s a recipe without a piece of history? I don’t mean history like the story of German Chocolate Cake necessarily (even though you might love to know that German Chocolate Cake has nothing at all to do with Germany). I mean stories from the table – stories that have changed my perspective on food and might change yours, too. They’re stories about passion for food – like the day I was so sure Martin would be the most popular guy at work here in Germany last year when he brought chocolate chip cookies, only to find that nobody would eat them because someone purchased traditional German pastries. So I ended up eating way too many cookies. That’s the kind of story I’m talking about. That’s the kind of writing I most love because I like thinking about people and our senses and the way we speak and respond to life.
I’m most excited about this project because it’s completely seasonal. The grocery store where we shop works directly with farmers to provide our produce. So if things aren’t in season, I probably won’t be able to readily find them. So no strawberry pie around here for a while. (drats)
So what do you think? If you’re thinking, “Katie, you should be sharing a recipe Right Now,” perhaps I can tie you over. Here is the list of recipes on Making This Home thus far:
American Chocolate Chip Cookies
To kick things off, won’t you take a moment to share a food story with all of us? With the school season starting off all over the world, let’s start with the basics. What’s your favorite sack lunch sandwich? Are you still a pb&j kinda gal? Or maybe you’re all about the baked tofu (maybe that’s just me?) or turkey or salami. Whatever it is, please spill. Lunch time comes a little faster around here than we’re used to from a summer in the US, you know.
September 17th, 2009 at 4:14 am
I’m all about soup. My husband isn’t. So when I make a big pot of soup, I bring in about a quart and a half to work the next day and share. Our office bonds over my soup.
September 17th, 2009 at 4:34 am
Hi,
I found your site recently, and have had great fun reading through some of the old posts. I live in England (and am English!), so it’s really interesting hearing how Europe seems to a non- European.
My recipe is for Smoked Mackerel Pate, which I am eating as I write this, and is in my childrens’ packed lunch at school today. It’s so simple- smoked mackerel fillets , skinned if you like, but I don’t always bother, with some black pepper, lemon juice and either cream cheese or yogurt. I had some homemade yogurt cheese that needed eating, so today I used that and a bit of natural yogurt too. Mash it all together and eat in sandwiches, on toast or in wraps. Yummy! Today we had it with sliced apple in the sandwich too, otherwise cucumber or lettuce is good.
Another (veggie) favourite is butterbean pate. I think they are called Lima beans in the US? Blend with olive oil, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice and chopped garlic to taste. Good with sliced tomato in a sandwich or as a dip.
Hazel
September 17th, 2009 at 4:38 am
You don’t cook and bake in the US?
September 17th, 2009 at 6:05 am
Oh Katie! I am so excited for your new series! But, I cannot think of a food story right now. Probably because I am so excited to make some of your roasted applesauce!
September 17th, 2009 at 6:24 am
Sprout,
The last two weeks in the US were completely consumed for both of us with the preparation of my flight exams. We had given away a lot of baking supplies to people who could use it so that it wouldn’t go bad, then we moved into an airplane hangar for the last 12 days we were in the US. So not much true cooking happened like what usually does at our home.
Good question!
Katie
September 17th, 2009 at 6:25 am
Hazel, your recipe sounds a lot like what I might dub a humus. I’ve never thought of trying lima beans/butterbeans. But oh it sounds good! We always buy dry beans and cook them ourselves… I think I’ll have to try your suggestion! Thanks.
Katie
September 17th, 2009 at 6:31 am
Yes, it is pretty much humus but with butter/lima beans. I make that too, but add tahini with the chickpeas and leave out the parsley. (I should have said I sometimes use chives instead of parsley because they grow so well in our garden and my 5 year old put herself in charge of chive picking. We have chives quite a lot in our house!)
It makes a change, anyway. Hope you enjoy it!
September 17th, 2009 at 6:40 am
Yay!! So excited for your new series. I have fresh garden beets so I’m hoping to make some borscht soon.
Thanks for sharing with us about Plain Jane Skincare I’ve already placed two orders. Really, really enjoying all of her products:-)
September 17th, 2009 at 8:24 am
I’ve been taking a “Vollwert” cooking class on whole grains like millet (Hirse) and farro/spelt (Dinkel) and it’s been really interesting. We also had a good class this week on alternative sweetners. I have to say that all the food examples were German-style, so I suppose it’s my back-door way into German cooking!
btw-I haven’t tried too much ‘real’ German cooking b/c I just can’t stomach how unhealthy it is (white potatoes, fatty pork, cream sauces, etc)!!! Poor hubby only ever gets mashed potatoes when we visit his mom….evil laughter…hahaha!
September 17th, 2009 at 9:00 am
I’m curious to know–were you and Martin both vegetarians before you met, or did one of you ‘convert’ the other? Also, if you have good tofu recipes/tips, I would love to hear them!!!!! We’re not vegetarians, but try and eat meatless dishes often, for health and frugality. I’ve experimented with tofu, and have never been successful, but would love to try again!! Love your blog!! :-)
September 17th, 2009 at 9:24 am
Gretchen’s comment, ‘I’m all about soup…’ reminded of one of my early attempts at hospitality. I love to have people over but do not feel confident about my cooking at all. So, bolstered by a book about homemade soups and cozy autumn gatherings where “people are just happy to share a meal whatever you’re serving”…I invited four other couples over for dinner.
I made split pea soup and chicken noodle soup and chicken corn chowder and pumpkin muffins (in the shape of acorns!) and corn bread and a big green salad. I won’t even tell you how cute the table looked. One of the friends, I’ll call Larry, slurped up the remains of his soup and said, “All right, now, where’s the BEEF????”
September 17th, 2009 at 9:29 am
Angie,
Actually neither of us were vegetarians when we met. I was playing with the idea a little, and Martin wasn’t a huge meat eater. I “made the leap” about two months later. Martin followed just two years ago.
Juliette,
I don’t make the traditional German food at all, either. Every so often, Martin just has to make a journey to a traditional German or Czech restaurant for a fix. I don’t know how these boys can can love that stuff. :)
Katie
September 18th, 2009 at 4:01 am
Ah, Vicki, that’s awful. I had all of the ladies over for lunch one Monday when I had the day off and made a pot of tortilla soup with fresh fried tortilla strips and quesadillas. It was a great hit. That guy was an ass. “where’s the beef?’ how about “where are your manners??”