The Event ~ Making Cottage Cheese Dinna Kuchen

Cottage cheese dinna kucken is a German dish that my Grandma Gallwas made and my mother made when I was growing up.  I remember my mom making lots of dinna kucken.  Sometimes she would make it with peaches, sometimes with plums, but mostly with cottage cheese and a bit of crushed pineapple.  That was my favorite.  I made it many times in the first 20-35 years of marriage, but I think the last time I made it was probably at least 10 years ago!  My children acquired a taste for it too, and it became one of their favorite memories as well. 

Since Tim and I were again hosting the Stricker family Christmas at our house, I decided to make cottage cheese dinna kuchen as a treat for my children and to try it out on the extended family. 

Following is the recipe, including the sweet roll dough, which can be used for cinnamin/carmel rolls as well.

SWEET ROLL / BREAD DOUGH   (Kuchen recipes follows)

1 cup milk, scald in microwave, pour into mixing bowl, and let cool

1 cup warm water, 2 heaping Tble yeast , 1 tsp sugar dissolved together

Add yeast mixture to cooled milk in mixing bowl.  With beaters, mix  together.

Add 1 ½ cups flour to milk & yeast, mix until smooth, let set 10 minutes.

Beat together 3 eggs, ½ cup oil, ½ cup  sugar, 1 tsp salt.  Add to yeast mixture and mix well.  Add 5-6 cups flour and knead with dough hooks or hands.  Let rise.

Shape into desired shape.  For kucken, below, divide into 9 equal parts.  Cover with towel.  Pat 3 parts into bottom of 3 greased  pie tins.  Let rise.  Then pat up sides of pans.  Let rise again.  Poke dough with fork before adding fillings.  Repeat, 3 pans at a time.

COTTAGE CHEESE  KUCHEN  (From Gr Grandma Gallwas & Grandma Corneliusen)

Cream Mixture for 9 kuchen: 

4 eggs beaten, 2 cups cream, ½ cup sugar, ½ - ¾ cup flour.  Mix  till smooth and medium thin consistency.  Spread cream mixture on dough in pans.  Sprinkle with crushed pineapple and cottage cheese filling (below).

Cottage Cheese filling

6 cups dry cottage cheese  (1# package is 3 cups)

7 eggs beaten

2 ¼ cups cream

1 ½ tsp cinnamon

1 ¾ cups sugar

2 tsp vanilla

Mix together above ingredients.  Put crushed pineapple on dough in pans first.  Fill pans with cottage cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon mix.  Bake at 350 – 375 till set. 

M-m-m-m.  It is very easy for me to eat a whole pie kuchen by myself.  This was truly an event to make these after such a long hiatus.  Ohm, warm eventful, enjoyful eating for sure!   This recipe should be archived, never to be lost in the line of descendents.  Are you listening, children??

The Event ~ The Table Makeover

Above is a picture of my dining room table and chairs that I have had for about 35 years.  I purchased the old oak table from a junk lady north of Bridgeport.  The oak school teacher chairs also came from her junk house.  She said she rescued the table from a farmers shop ~ that he was using it as a work table!  Consequently, all the scars on the table top.  It's called "patina". 

I sanded and refinished the entire table and the chairs.  The set has served our family well through the years.  Many a memorable time has been shared around this table with family and friends.  I never had real leaves to extend it, but had three leaves made from pine lumber that never did match or fit very well.  But throwing a table cloth over the extended table hid all that imperfection. 

Tim has been encouraging me to buy a new dining table set.  But I so loved the heavy square pedestal and wanted to keep that.  Tossing out the table seemed to me like I would be tossing out all the precious memories attached to that table.   So instead I chose to have it refurbished.

A new church friend and neighbor who was an excellent woodworker agreed to do the table makeover.  We delivered the old table to him a mile away the first of April 2013.  I didn't get the "new" table back until the end of October.  That was seven months without a table!  We just didn't have much company in those seven months, and when we did, we brought in an 8' folding table from the garage!

 Above is the finished makeover.  I also ordered four new chairs.  After extensive research, I found an Amish furniture store outside of Lincoln, NE that had a very wide selection of chairs.  Tim and I visited the store, sat in many, many chairs, and settled on the ones in the above picture.  I ordered them unfinished and then I stained them to match the table.  My friend Bill Gregory also made three 14" leaves for the table, which extends it to sit 12-13 people.  I kept my four old oak chairs that still match pretty good.

As always, I enjoy this beautiful new table.  Many more eventful memories to be made around it.  A dining table can be the center gathering place in a home.  It's always an event when we gather around the table for feast or fun.  Eventful memories for sure with family and friends!

The Event ~ Wedding in Mexico

It was a happy day when Alexis discovered  true love and a true soul mate in her new friend Val Ornoy.  It was their mutual love for dogs that opened the doors to a love relationship that both had desired for a long time.

It was a happy day when Val telephoned me in November 2012 to tell us of his intent to propose to and marry Alexis.  I remember his excitement and his nervousness as he told me he had never ever considered this very serious and important action before because he had never met the one person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with until he met Alexis.  And, in Val's words, "You only make this one-time commitment when you know it's for the rest of your life."   

It was a happy day when Tim and I,  Janel and Tim, and Cash and Annie all traveled to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico for the November 23, 2013 destination beach wedding of Val and Alexis. 

It was three happy days on the beach, enjoying the beautiful resort, the relaxing infinity pools, the warm ocean waters, and the family time together.  I love the ocean and I loved snorkeling again, and kayaking for the first time. 

Alexis and Val had a following of about 45 close friends that came for the wedding.  That speaks highly of them and their circle of friends as it’s unusual to get that many people to travel to a destination wedding.   It was fun to meet many of them.  I especially enjoyed meeting Val’s parents and brother.  His cousin Hannah and I bonded fast, and we are keeping in touch and look forward to many visits in the future.

 

Alexis was/is a beautiful bride, Val a handsome groom.  We welcome him into our family and are pleased to claim him as our new “son”!   The wedding ceremony was a special and eventful time for our family.  When my children are happy, I am happy.  Family happiness is an event to be treasured!  It’s an ultimate blessing!  A lifetime of blessings are wished for my daughter and new son-in-law. 

 

 

 

The Event ~ Farm to Table

Tim and I drove 28 miles south to a farm in the middle of nowhere (south of Harrisburg!) to be guests at a farm-to-table dinner.  The long table set for 45 guests was set up in the garden area, where baby turkeys were free-roaming, and right next to a stack of big round hay bales.  The event was to highlight foods grown from local producers.

Wine was served from a local winery.  Cheese provided by the local Victory Hills Cheese farm, honey from the local honey producer, chicken from the local farm, artisan bread from a local bread maker, corn on the cob from a local farmer, and Colorado peaches.   It was a five-course meal.

It was a fun evening.  We went with good friends Ernie and Connie Bussinger.  To my surprise this little farm had its own unique country market place.

 

It was a fun evening, weather was perfect, food was great, fellowship was inspiring.  I was lucky to get the last four tickets available after reading about it in the newspaper early one morning the week prior.  One instance where my new i-phone really was useful - getting on line to order tickets instantly!  A great event!  Glad we were among the guests to enjoy it! 

The Event ~ God's Handiwork

How can anyone deny there is a God ~ just marvel at the beauty of His creation.  This is the beauty I am privlidged and blessed to be able to enjoy daily!



Sunrise - August 20, 2013



Sunset - August 20, 2013

The Event ~ Horses No More



Tim has had horses nearly all his life and has always enjoyed riding, roping, checking cows on horseback.   For the past 10 years or so  he hasn't done any riding--just feeding the two horses.  He hasn't ridden a horse for a long time now.

AFter a few discussions, we thought it was probably time to get rid of them.  Tim took our two horses to the horse sale auction in Crawford a couple weeks ago.  They didn't bring much.  Should have brought a little more.  But that's the way auctions go. 

One of the horses was an old gentle horse we've had for awhile that we got for the grandkids to ride when they come out.  But the kids and the horse were only good enough to ride around in the corral, not let out in the  open fields.  On their most recent trips to the farm, the grandkids seem to have lost interest in riding and no longer found it exciting to do.

Annie

The other horse was a young unbroke colt Tim traded for when a hay customer didn't have enough money to pay for his hay.  So Tim took the horse instead.  He tried to have a few different people break the horse to ride, but seems they never really had to the time to devote to getting the job done. 

Jonathan and Mathilda

Mathilda

Consequently, Tim has just been feeding them, keeping them penned in the corral.  Not much enjoyment there.  So we finally sold them. 

Janel

Alexis on horse, and Janel

Cash

When our kids were young, they enjoyed getting on the horse occassionally.  Janel would ride in the pasture with her dad checking cows.  I don't remember Alexis riding much, and Cash took horse in 4-H one year when he was about 12 or so.  I remember both Janel and Cash getting thrown off the horse.  Janel got back on.  Cash was not so eager to ride again, but he probably did (he got knocked out and Dad had to call the medics!)
Horses were a fun eventful time on the farm as long as we spent time with them.  We will probably miss having horses around the place.  It's a nostalgic eventful farm life memory.

The Event ~ Mother's Day May 12, 2013

Just being a mother to three beautiful and talented children who are now well-rounded, gifted, and loving adults makes every day mother's day.  Once a mother, always a mother ~ a gift that can never be taken from me.

Then those special Hallmark days come along, and reinforces once again the three blessings that have enriched my life for nearly 41 years.

Thank you, my dear children ~(always my children even through mature adulthood) ~ for your thoughts, love, prayers, gifts, respect, conversations, understanding, and whatever else connects our hearts, souls and minds  across the miles.

Thank you Janel and Tim for the Mother's Day  gift certificate for plants and flowers to beautify my yard, and for being the wonderful parents of my seven grandchildren.

Thank you Cash and Annie for the Mother's Day homecoming  and your gift of loving labor working in my yard and and for the beautiful personal note written to me.

Thank you Alexis for sending the beautiful zen floral arrangement and the loving words expressed on the card. 

Thank you to my dear soul mate Tim for making Sunday morning breakfast and prime rib for Sunday evening dinner.  After an afternoon of hard work, we enjoyed an early evening outdoor meal with the best in-law parents and Tom, treating Tim's parents to a Mother's Day meal.  I always appreciate the cooking Tim does for me.  The weather was calm and perfect for a patio meal ~ no wind, no flys, no bugs.  Just good fellowship.

It's a blessed event every day to be called Mother by Janel, Alexis and Cash!

I gave you life, but cannot live it for you.

I can teach you things, but I cannot make you learn.
I can give you directions, but I cannot be there to lead you.
I can allow you freedom, but I cannot account for it.
I can take you to church, but I cannot make you believe.
I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot always decide for you.
I can buy you beautiful clothes, but I cannot make you beautiful inside.
I can offer you advice, but I cannot accept it for you.
I can give you love, but I cannot force it upon you.
I can teach you to share, but I cannot make you unselfish.
I can teach you respect, but I cannot force you to show honor.
I can advise you about friends, but cannot choose them for you.
I can advise you about sex, but I cannot keep you pure.
I can tell you the facts of life, but I can't build your reputation.
I can tell you about drink, but I can't say "no" for you.
I can warn you about drugs, but I can't prevent you from using them.
I can tell you about lofty goals, but I can't achieve them for you.
I can teach you about kindness, but I can't force you to be gracious.
I can warn you about sins, but I cannot make you moral.
I can love you as a child, but I cannot place you in God's family.
I can pray for you, but I cannot make you walk with God.
I can teach you about Jesus, but I cannot make Jesus your Lord.
I can tell you how to live, but I cannot give you eternal life.
I can love you with unconditional love all of my life...And I will.......



The Event ~ What's for Dinner?

Cookbooks intimidate me.  I have several with lots of good recipes, but I don't use them enough.  The one that gets used the most is a 2001 version of Better Homes & Garden.  I use it more as a reference and not much for actually making recipes out of it. 

Occassionally I use our 2007 Family Reunion Cookbook, and once in a while I will refer to one of the church cookbooks.

What I tend to use most is a pile of printed recipes and clippings.  The printed recipes come to me in emails or via facebook, and I think, "Oh this looks so good.  I can make this."  So I print the recipe and add it to the stack.  Facebook and Pinterest are being inundated with fabulous mouth watering recipes that I print.  I want to just say "STOP IT!  STOP POSTING THESE DROOLING RECIPES!"

A while back I finally went through all the recipes and put them in file folders specifically labeled by ingredient, ie:  "Zuchinni"  "Rhubarb"  "Pumpkin"  "Ground Beef"
"Chicken" and some by catergory such as "Mexican" "Canning"  "Breakfasts"  "Desserts"  "Cakes"
"Soup"  "Salad" "Miscellaneous" etc.  Get the picture??

But when it comes to dinnertime, I always ask "What can I make".  The folders of recipes have become as overwhelming as the cookbooks!

So this week I have started going through each file folder, carefully reading through each recipe, throwing out the duplicates or the ones I decide I really don't want after all, making notes on them, and mostly keeping the ones that are obviously very easy, and that I know I can make with ingredients I usually have on hand. 

Sorting through the Mexican recipes

I am actually excited about this, because I feel confident that when I am all done, I can go to any folder, choose any recipe, and make it immediately.   I am excited to make every recipe that I've kept in my file folders.  My chicken folder is done and last nite I made a sweet and sour chicken that I put in the crock pot at noon and dinner was ready when I got home.  I just had to cook the rice to serve with it.  It was so-o-o good!  I can't believe I could actually do that!

A few weeks ago, I made shrimp and angel hair pasta.  Me?  Make shrimp?  With pasta?  Wow, that's almost unbelievable.  But I printed the recipe and made it before the recipe got buried in the pile.  And it was so simple, and so good!

I am in the middle of sorting through the "Mexican" recipe folder.  I will have to sort that folder twice because right now I have a pile of about 16 different enchilada recipes in one pile alone, in addition to the mexican casseroles, the fajitas, the burritos, the mexican desserts, etc.  So after the initial purging, I will have to go back through and purge again.  I don't think I need 16 enchilada recipes!  I must be a little more diciplined in this! 

Tonite we are going to an event during the dinner time at which we will graze, and that will be our supper.  I was actually disappointed that I didn't have to make dinner tonite!  SHOCK!

I should no longer be at a loss as to what to make for dinner!  I wonder how long this "high" will last.  One could bet money on it!!    Anyway, I just want cooking not to be so hard for me.  I want to enjoy it more, and not have fixing dinner be such a chore!  I want dinner preparation to be a fun, exciting and enjoyable event with new creations!  Time will tell. . . . . . .