Chit Chat - Welcome Center

I have loads to upload...but cant get the server to upload...so will try in the morning when there is less traffic on the servers.

Hiya Walter....Thank you for posting...welcome aboard

I am on countdown...will finally get to go home next week to be with my family...am so homesick....will get there providing there isnt any problems with the fights with them finding bombs on all these planes...

We found a sitter for Sadie (my Havaneser) We visited 2 places...First one had 4 large dogs and Sadie about had a fit...She shook all the way home..lol..lol..Scared her to death...Then there was the doggie hotel...lol..lol.. That was a hoot...almost 425 Euros...lol..lol...more if we wanted her to have massages,,,ya right...lol..lol...less since I make all her food...otherwise more if she had to cook daily for her...lol..lol....sad part is people here would pay these prices...lol..lol...Peter was worried he might have to stay here with her....but would of found someone as he knew I wouldn't make that return flight...lol..lol..I told him who would willingly return...lol..lol...But last Sunday we visited the family of one of his Engineers...Lovely people and have three children in their teens...they are looking forward to Sadie visiting with them. Anyhoo thats all sorted..

I will get the Nov and Dec calendar up this week....cheers

Here is my snaggletooth....she is so adorable missing her little toothy

John with his deer he just got..this was a nice deer....Poor Bambi

Edit this to add....am laughing because I just looked at this picture with my glasses on...the deer is hanging...lol..lol...I thought at first John was just holding the head...lol..lol..lol..lol....yea I can see...lol..lol....not

Soooooooooooooooo adorable

My two wonderful daughter in laws with my two new grand children...

Jeff took me to Charleston...Kisses and hugs...

Opened my mail to a beautiful pic of my granddaughter with a note giving me a smile...I truly needed that smile today. Her beautiful smile could light up a night sky

My trip was sooooooooooooooooo wonderful...Spent the entire trip just spending time with my kids/grandkids....The transatlantic flight back only took 8 hours...but sat in Munich for 6 hours due to flight delays with all the snow...by the time I got home I was ready to fall over...Slept til noon on Saturday...I am always up by 6 so you know I was dead..Peter got up at 4 in the afternoon...lol..lol...but he would sleep like that regardless...you can rest assured if I slept that long I would never be able to crawl out of bed...lol..lol....With all the snow we still havent picked up our car...Peter is riding the streetcar to work which puts him home late as it takes over an hour from his work...so havent transferred the pics to upload..but will this weekend...I will also do the December calendar by then also...Spending this week just resting as I am still very tired

Meant to add...coming in customs had a free for all with my suitcases...custom lady will be giving nice Xmas gifts this year...lol.lol...the only time they check is if your suitcases arent picked up...took so long getting through that by the time I got to baggage they were already set aside...which meant custom lady lighting up her Xmas tree with my specialty items...lol..lol...I had all the boys cuckoo clocks made in the Black Forest...those she left....whew....then 2 each of sausages...10 taken....each a wooden box of block cheese ...5 taken....then got necklaces...those she left...lots of candies, chocolates, cookies, perfumes´ect...that she left...wines...taken...guess she felt would be good served at her Thanksgiving feast along with the sausages and cheeses...lol..lol...Certain liquors that you can only get in Europe...taken as she stated contained too much alcohol...lol..lol...the topper was the kinder eggs...its a chocolate egg for kids then inside is a prize....taken...she stated a child might choke...those she used as her stocking stuffers...lol..lol..Your only allowed one suitcase now each on flights and mine was stuffed with items...even with all she took I was still able to over flow their bags with goodies...

Lately had many requests for Dandelion Wine...so here it is...

Dandelion Wine

1 package dried yeast
1/4 cup warm water
2 quarts dandelion blossoms
4 quarts water
1 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
8 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped orange peel
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped lemon peel
6 cups sugar

Dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Set aside. Wash the dandelion blossoms well. Put them in the water with the orange, lemon and lime juices. Add the cloves, ginger, orange and lemon peel, and sugar. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for an hour. Strain through filter paper (coffee filters work great). Cool. While still warm (but not hot), stir in the yeast.

Let stand overnight and pour into bottles. Allow uncorked bottles to set in a darkened place for three weeks. Then cork and store bottles in a cool place. Makes about 4 quarts.

Also many wanted to make Mulled Wine....

Mulled Wine

1 bottle (750 milliliters) fruity red wine
1 cup brandy
1 medium orange, sliced
1 medium lemon, sliced
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches)
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon aniseed
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
3 whole cloves
Garnish: Cinnamon stick, star anise and orange twist

In a large saucepan, combine the wine, brandy, orange, lemon, sugar and nutmeg. Place remaining spices on a double thickness of cheesecloth; bring up corners of cloth and tie with string to form a bag. Add spice bag to wine mixture.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Cool; cover and refrigerate overnight. Strain; discard fruit and spice bag. Reheat wine; serve warm in mugs. Garnish as desired. Makes 5 servings.

Also here is the Black Cake many requested

Christmas Black Cake

1 pound raisins, chopped
1 pound prunes, or dates, chopped
1 pound dried currants, chopped
1 pound glace cherries, chopped
6 ounces candied lemon peel, chopped
6 ounces candied orange peel, chopped
3/4 liter any sweet red wine
3/4 liter dark rum
2 pounds dark brown sugar
4 1/4 cups cake flour (I use regular and just sift it twice)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups butter
10 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla

In a large bowl, mix all the fruits with the wine and rum. Cover and let sit at room temperature for two weeks.

In a heavy skillet, combine 1 pound brown sugar and 1 c water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg. Gently boil for several minutes, or until is it slightly "burnt" or dark brown, and thickened to about 1 3/4 c. Let cool.

Mix the flour and baking powder. with a mixer, cream the butter with the remaining sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the vanilla, the flour mix, and 1 1/3 c of the burnt sugar syrup.

In another large bowl, mix the flour mixture and the fruit mixture. Divide the batter between two buttered and floured 10" springform pans (you can also use bread pans, but be sure not to fill them too full). Bake in the middle of a 350 degree preheated oven for two hours, or until a tooth pick comes out with some crumbs attached to it, and no dough. the centers will be very moist.

Let the cakes cool at room temperature. Remove the sides and bottoms of the pans and wrap in foil or wax paper. let the cakes set at room temperature for a week.

If you want to, you can roll out 3/4 c of almond paste for each cake and drape it over the top of each cake like icing or fondant.

If you want to ice it, mix 2 pounds of powdered sugar with 6 room temperature egg whites and 2 tablespoons lemon juice until stiff peaks form. Use a spatula to put the icing on the top and sides, then use a pastry bag to pipe designs on. Traditional decorations are dragees (pronounced Dra-Zays) and are colorful chocolate coated nuts and dried fruits or seeds. I don't do the icing or the candies.

To make glace cherries if you can't find them in the store: Wash, stem, and pit 1 pound of cherries. Combine 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water with a whisk over medium heat and bring to boil, stirring often. Add cherries and half of a lemon. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes, or until the syrup is red and thickening. Put in a covered, airtight container and let stand overnight (or at least several hours). Strain the cherries, reserving the syrup. Discard the lemon half. Combine the syrup with 1 cup of unsweetened apple juice and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, then add the cherries. Reduce heat and cook over low until the syrup is thick, and around 220 degrees.

To make candied peels if you can't find them in the store: Take 6 large citrus fruits. Cut the tops and bottoms off the fruit, then use a knife to score into quarters and remove the peels. Cut the peels into 1/4 inch wide strips and put them in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Drain. Cover with cold water again and bring to a boil a second time. Repeat twice more (for a total of 4 cold water/boil sequences). In a new saucepan, combine 4 1/2 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups water. Whisk over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 8 or 9 minutes - to 230 degrees. Reduce heat and add peel slices (can mix citrus peels). Simmer gently about 45 minutes, or until the peels turn clear-ish. Do not stir - you can swirl the pan by the handle like you are shaking popcorn if you absolutely have to. Drain and roll in sugar. Dry for 4 or 5 hours before storing or cooking.

Butter Almond Stollen

1 cup golden raisins
1 cup candied lemon peel or mixed peel
1/3 cup rum or Marsala
2 packages (2 tablespoons) active dry yeast
1 cup lukewarm milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg plus 1 extra yolk, lightly beaten

About 5 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
1 cup chopped or slivered almonds
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup ground almonds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for topping
1/4 cup sugar, for topping
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar, for topping

In a small bowl, combine the raisins, candied peel, and the rum. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl (preferably the bowl of an electric mixer), stir the yeast into 1/3 cup of lukewarm water. Leave it for about 10 minutes, until it has softened and looks a little frothy at the edges. Now add the milk, sugar, egg and yolk, 2 cups of the flour, almond and vanilla extracts, and mace. Mix to combine. Cut 1 stick of the butter into 3 or 4 pieces and blend them into the mixture one at a time. When the mixture is smooth, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and leave in a draft-free spot for about 30 minutes or until the mixture is bubbly.

When ready, stir the mixture, then mix in the raisins and peel and any unabsorbed liquid, chopped almonds, salt, and about 1/2 cup of flour. Stir in the ground almonds. Gradually mix in the flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Knead on a work surface (or using the dough hook of an electric mixer) until the dough is smooth. Use 1 tablespoon of butter to grease a large bowl. Use another tablespoon of butter to grease your hands. Form the dough into a ball and place it in the buttered bowl. Turn it with your hands until the surface of the dough is well buttered. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a towel and set it in a draft-free spot until it has doubled in bulk, which will take about 1 1/2 hours.

Grease a cookie sheet and cover it with parchment or sift a dusting of flour on it. On a floured board, divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. Knead each piece of dough for 3 or 4 minutes until it is elastic and smooth. Roll out each piece into an oval measuring about 12 inches by 8 inches. Press the rolling pin down firmly in the center of the dough to make a crease. Melt the remaining butter and brush it over the surface of the dough. Fold the dough over. (Traditionally, the top should not quite cover the bottom.) If the top surface of the dough has raisins or nuts sticking out, remove them and tuck them inside. Press the edges together to seal and shape the ends so they are round, not pointy. Place both loaves on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a cloth. Let rise again for 1 hour.

Set the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the stollens for 25 to 30 minutes or until they sound hollow when rapped. They should be golden brown. Transfer them to a rack, then brush immediately with the melted butter. Sprinkle them with the sugar. When the stollens are completely cool, wrap in foil, seal tightly, and store for a week in an airtight container. For serving, sift the confectioners' sugar on top, using enough to thickly cover the stollens. Makes 2 loaves.

My beautiful granddaughter with her precious smile

My precious little Ethan with his first tooth

Soooooooooooooooooo beautiful...but as I say this they are my grandkids so you know they take after their grandmother....lol..lol.

My little prince at daycare

My beautiful granddaughter