Month: February 2017
Benchwarmer Beer Dip
My good friend, Tess is originally from Minnesota and she gave me this recipe years ago when I got married. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made it – but Texans, Dutch, Cajuns, Belgians, Estonians, Chicagoans, Romanians, and Italians have munched on this cheezy goodness with pleasure. Of course, it took me a while to figure out a substitute for Velveeta in the Netherlands – “What IS a substitute for Velveeta?!” Tess gasped when I told her my dilemma – but once I did, I’d stock up when I found it. Preppin’ 8 oz. (180 gram) cream cheese,
Cranberry-Peach Bread
I was so excited to find Ocean Spray cranberries in the Netherlands grocery stores when we first moved overseas. The happy bag of red berries was an instant passport to memories of Thanksgivings and Christmases in Texas. If you’re lucky enough to have a freezer in Europe, grab an extra bag or two and save this recipe for when peaches are ripe next summer, cranberries freeze well! Or open up a can of peaches, drain excess liquid, and enjoy this bread with a warm cup of tea in the wintertime. Preppin’ 1 cup (120 grams) all-purpose flour (patentbloem in Dutch)
Slutty Brownies
A few months after returning to Texas we had a housewarming party, of course! Like any good southerner would do, we invited everyone from high school to college to old co-workers, and bring your friend or two! In Texas, it’s customary to bring a contribution to the party – either an appetizer, dessert, or drink. Well, my good friend Caroline, brought these little goodies, and oh my, they were the HIT of the event. I’ve made these slutty brownies several times over using box mixes in the U.S. and from scratch in Europe, and no matter what, they aren’t a
Strawberry Bread
I have a whole slew of quick breads in my repertoire but this one is probably my all-time favorite! It’s great year-around but it’s so much fun for Valentine’s Day. Years ago, I whipped up a whole batch in mini disposable loaf pans and distributed them to my auditing co-workers for Valentine’s Day. (Yes, I was THAT kind of accountant? Weird.) Anyway, my best friend Carrie, who is as thin as a rail, sat down in her cube, grabbed a fork and ate her whole mini loaf in one go. It’s just love in a pan! This recipe makes enough
Cornbread
Before the South was ‘The South’ and the settlers were navigating pine tree forests, swamps, and battling all mess of creatures from alligators to mosquitos to racoons, the women were in charge, like they are from now until eternity, for feeding the families. Imagine the original European settlers, or mind you, the new women of the south’s frustration when they discovered they had to adapt their recipes to exclude the white European flour they had always used to bake bread. With the absence of flour in the South and an abundance of corn, these strong women created a new kind
Wacky Cake
Fridays was always Pizza Day in my elementary school in Texas. Sure, they served it with onion rings and corn (which I wouldn’t touch) but I begged my mom to let me eat at school those days because what kid doesn’t want PIZZA and WACKY CAKE for lunch. (and with a carton of milk, this is part of a nutritional meal, right? I’m sure those days are long gone.) BUT, lucky for you, I have, in my possession, the secret passport to all those youthful fantastic fridays. In grown-up world, I found this was a handy recipe for other reasons.
Shrimp & Chorizo Stew
One of the first things I noticed after moving overseas was that the winters in the Netherlands are long and cold. “We ain’t in Texas, anymore” The second was the energy I expended daily just living in Europe – the walks to and from the store (the library, school, the train station, etc.) are just as long and cold as the winters! My old days of a simple canned soup and grilled cheese sandwich for dinner were quickly unfulfilling. “I’m so famished, I’m about to faint!” I’d tell my husband after pushing a double stroller through the streets of Leiden.
Cowboy Cookies
My first two children were born in Dallas, but our third was born in the Netherlands. It was such a different experience – the doctor’s were much more hands off – which I appreciated. (They never even weighed me!) As the big day came nearer, and my nervousness grew for my most bravest expat experience, yet – my sweet friends threw me a baby shower. As a thank you, I prepared these cookies in jars from Xenos and had my mother bring me blue colored M&Ms from America. Needless to say, my expat friends loved them. Of course, these cookies
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