Snow Day

Tags

Childhood, Memories, playing, sledding, snow, Snow day

We got several inches of snow last night. The little one and I went out to explore. However we didn’t last long. It was way too cold out there and windy! His cheeks were as red as apples by the time we came back in.  Some warm milk and a snack helped us defrost. For lunch some warm chicken soup that I made yesterday will be perfect.

Remember being a kid and playing outside in the snow until your mittens were soggy, and you couldn’t feel your toes? Those are some of my best memories as a kid. Do you remember the wonder of waking up to a world transformed over night into a winter wonderland? Then playing in the snow, sledding, making snow angels, building forts, and the never-ending neighborhood snow ball fights. Finally we would come inside with bright red cheeks, wet and exhausted. Our mom would always have something warm for us to eat.

Today, I don’t see as many kids playing outside.. Maybe its just our neighborhood.. I just hope my kids will be able to experience the wonder and delight of a snowy day. Then come home so I could feed them something warm and comforting, while they tell me about their adventures… I feel like it’s a necessary part of childhood.  ..or am I just sentimental?

-Elza-

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How to Decorate Easter Eggs

Tags

Christianity, Decoupage, Easter, Easter egg, Egg decorating, holiday, Traditions

So I wanted to do a little holiday inspired post.  Easter is around the corner, and I thought I would post a little tutorial on decorating Easter eggs.Usually we use candle wax to write or draw on the eggs and then dip them in dye. However I wanted to try something different. I came across this decoupage-style method, and I love how they came out, so I thought I would share.

To get started you need:

• – eggs, hard-boiled (however many you want to decorate)
• – 1 slightly whisked egg white
• – a small brush 
  
• – some pretty 3-ply napkins or pretty tissue paper

Separate the napkins so that you have only the top printed ply of the napkin. The thinner the napkin the better.I found that tissue paper worked well too, if you can find a pretty print that you like. Also, prints surrounded by white work best, because they blend better with the egg. Solid full-colored prints show creases more.

Cut out whatever piece of the print you want on your egg. Then hold the napkin against the egg and use the egg whites as you would Modge Podge to decoupage the napkin onto the egg.

Smooth out any wrinkles, and then place them on a plate in the frig. to dry over night.  The next day rub a little oil over them to make them nice and shiny, and voila, you got some fancy looking Easter eggs you could use as decorations or serve.Technically you could eat these. Just peel the shell and there is a perfectly good egg inside. However I prefer them for decorative purpose. I made a little moss nest inside a bowl and will use them as part of an Easter table centerpiece. I like these because they remind me of Fabergé eggs, made popular by Russian Czars.

Did you know that the tradition of decorating eggs can be traced all the way back to the early Christians of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ, shed at his crucifixion.   In Christianity, they also symbolize the empty tomb of Jesus. Though an egg appears to be like the stone of a tomb, a bird hatches from it with life; similarly, the Easter egg, for Christians, is a reminder that Jesus rose from the grave, and that those who believe will also experience eternal life.  (Source: Wiki.)

Hope you have a blessed day,

-Elza-

For the Love of Cookbooks

Tags

Agriculture, Coffee Table Book, Cookbooks, Cuisine, Culture, Food and Drink, German Food, History, Photography, Recipe Collections, Russian food

So I have this little obsession with cookbooks. I’ve managed to acquire a bit of a collection during the few years I’ve been married, and yesterday I ordered another one. (sheepish look)  I don’t know what it is, but I love reading cookbooks, particularly ones with good photography.  I find them inspiring, and I love making new dishes!  I do have a few favorite cookbooks that I always seem to turn to. One of these is The Food & Cooking of Russia by Elena Makhonko.

 This cookbook is great. It has beautiful photography, and a good collection of recipes.  I find the recipes to be authentic. There are quite a few Russian classics in here and some new ones I’ve never tasted before.

It even has a bit of history on Russian cuisine, agriculture, and culture.  Just enough to make this book interesting even for those who don’t cook. (It would work well as a coffee table book.)

I have The Food and Cooking of Germany also, which is just as good, and I’ve ordered myself The Food and Cooking of Belgium, which I’m sure will not disappoint.

Is anyone else in love with cook books like I am? Are there any favorites I should know about? 🙂

-Elza-

Life is in the details…

Tags

Details, Fish, French Bistro, lunch

  While my little munchkin was happily bouncing in his jumperoo, I fixed myself a quick lunch.  Earlier I had thrown some fish in the oven. After chopping up a bit of tomatoes, and a dash of tartar sauce, Voilà.., a satisfying lunch that was delicious  and aesthetically pleasing.  I can’t tell you how much a little attention to detail improves my day.  Even though I was getting up every few seconds to give the Muchkin a taste of mommy’s intriguing food, I still felt like I was casually dining in some French Bistro. 😉

Life is what you make it people…

Orevwa!!,

-Elza-

Healthy Lunch

Tags

Healthy eating, lunch, Stay at Home Mothers

When you’re a stay at home mom it’s so easy to just scarf down whatever is at hand for lunch. One of my resolutions this year is to eat more health consciously. Though our refrigerator is usually stocked with healthy options, I often don’t take the time to prepare myself a meal and eat it. Usually I would grab something random in passing, while cleaning or attending to the baby.  Half the time not even aware of what and how much I ate. Thus I’m trying to make an effort to consciously sit down and eat something, allowing myself some time to savor my food, and for it to mentally register that I am satisfied.

I find that I have to push lunch back an hour or two so I can eat while the baby naps, but it is so worth having those few moments to myself. (To feel human for a bit 😉

Hope everyone has a great day, with some time to sit down and savor some healthy food.

As Always,

-Elza-

 

Natures’ Cold Remedy: Raw Honey

Tags

Home remedy, Honey-Comb, Natural Cure, Raw honey

Colds seem to be going around at this time of the year, and nothing fights a cold or sore throat better than raw honey.  I was lucky enough to get some raw honey straight from the source, still within the honey comb.
 Isn’t it beautiful? The taste doesn’t even compare to store-bought processed honey. It is very aromatic; you could almost smell all the different flowers the bees traveled to.
To eat it, I cut my desired portion, and then slice a thin layer of the wax off. The honey will drip out of the honey-comb.  Another more traditional way of eating this, is to break off a piece of the honey-comb and just put the entire thing in your mouth.  After chewing and savoring all the sweetness you just spit out the remaining wax.  Sounds strange but it’s really good!

Hope everyone has a great day full of sweetness!

‘Till next time,

-Elza-

Thanksgiving

Tags

Family, Food, God, holiday, Thankful, Thanksgiving

We had a lovely Thanksgiving at my mother’s house. There was lots of food, laughs, and good people.

We try to make sure that Thanksgiving is not only about food. So every year we hand out stationary at the beginning of the meal, and everyone has to write what they are particularly thankful for this year. Then while we eat dessert, someone, (usually me) reads what people wrote out loud. It is very nice to hear what everyone is thankful for.  As for myself, I am thankful for my wonderful husband that he is healthy and back to his fun-loving self. I am very thankful for our little darling boy, who brings so much love into our lives. I am also thankful for our parents (both sides) for being supportive and loving during the good and bad times we had this year. And last but not least, I am thankful for our home, and that God provides us everything we need and much much more!

William had a great time, at his first Thanksgiving.  We brought his high chair, so that he could sit at the table with us. He was having a good time trying different foods, and of-course he got plenty of attention, being the cutest guy there! 😉

In the Holiday Mood

Tags

Baking, Cake, Holidays, Napoleon, Pomegranates, Thanksgiving

I love the holidays!  I totally get into the spirit of the season, and I love absolutely everything about it.  This is definitely my favorite time of the year! This week I’m  in the holiday mood, and I’m really excited to be able to share this time of the year with my little one.  Some day I hope to instill the meaning of the holiday season in him, particularly Christmas. However until then, I want him to to feel all the excitement of the holidays with a warm home, family, delicious smells, and all sorts of festive sparkle.

Last weekend I did some major house cleaning.  I love having a spotless house for the holidays, everything organized and in its place. Now I’m free to do some decorating and cooking.

This year I am bringing Russian Napoleon cake to my mothers for Thanksgiving, along with a pumpkin pie and deviled eggs. Also, this year I want to try roasting a turkey with stuffing for my husband and I, for the first time ever. (Instead of stealing all my mom’s leftovers.) Thus, we purchased the smallest turkey we could find and I will roast it Wednesday night.

Yesterday, I started baking the layers for my Napoleon cake. If anyone knows anything about traditional Russian Napoleon cake, it’s a pretty involved process. The cake has about 10 layers which get rolled out and baked individually. That is why I start early; It’s pretty time-consuming. However I have made this cake twice before, using my grandmothers recipe, and it was a huge success. (My husband has been requesting it for about a year now, however with the baby I could never find time.)The secret ingredient is Vodka. 🙂 Hey we are Slavic; what more can I say. 😉

My layers are ready, and the scrap pieces are for decorating the cake. On Wednesday I will make the custard cream and assemble the cake.

On a side note…  How beautiful are pomegranates at this time of the year. Love them. Wish there was a way I could let my little guy try them… The seeds are a bit of a choking hazard.

P.S.

On Sunday we dedicated our little one to the Lord. His Grandpa our Pastor, prayed for him. It was a very sweet moment. I will post the pictures when I get them.

Picking Pumpkins

Tags

Apple Crisp, Caramel Apples, Cider, Fall, Harvest, Martha Stewart Living, Pumpkin

 

Today we went to our local farm to buy some pumpkins!  It was the perfect chilly fall day, and the farm was filled with the bounties of the harvest season.  Our little one loved the pumpkins,  and we had a lovely time looking at all the orange, yellows, and greens of fall.  We purchased some pumpkins for our front-door steps, pretty yellow mums, and a bunch of gourds that I’m hoping to make a fall centerpiece with.  I’m particularly in love with the white pumpkins this year. I think they look so fashionable! ( If a pumpkin could be fashionable 😉) I’m definitely in the fall mood now. This week I want to add some fall touches to our home, and hopefully do some seasonal cooking.  Last week we went apple picking, and I want to start baking apple crisp, and make some kind of compot or cider, so that we could enjoy by the fire.  Also I’ve been thinking about hosting a caramel apple making party!  There was a spread in last Martha Stewart Living with caramel apple decorating ideas that look spectacular.

-Elza-

 

Our Garden

Tags

Garden, Plant, raised garden bed, Tomato

This year was the first time we ever attempted to grow a garden.  My husband built two raised beds in the spring, and planted some of the veggies from seeds.  I have to say, for our first attempt, I think it is pretty successful.  We are really enjoying having home-grown veggies. We have been making fresh salads all summer!  I especially enjoy the tomatoes.  I eat them like apples, because they are that good.  (Way better than store-bought!) Next year we want to expand with a third bed, and maybe try some other  fruits or veggies.  We did have some trouble with the bugs and critters, thus we also want to consider some sort of defense.  (scarecrow maybe?) If anyone has any suggestions about how to defend a garden, it would be much appreciated!

Hope you were also able to enjoy your gardens bounty!         -Elvira-

P.S. I couldn’t resist staging a photo session with William and the veggies. Some of them were bigger than him! 🙂