Sauer Braten = Happy Germans

Sauer Braten is a German pot roast, it has a sour taste to it and when cooking it you can really smell the red wine vinegar. We really enjoy it, if it's been a while since I've made it my family requests it like this: We better have Dad (or Grmpa) over for supper and you can make Sauer Braten. They all help-alot, and are more than willing to peel alot of spuds.

Sauer Braten

3-4 lbs bottom round roast
4 tbls. oil
salt & pepper to taste
4 cloves garlic-finely chopped (I use a garlic press)
2 large onions thinly sliced
2 bay leaves
1/2 can tomato paste
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 cups red cooking wine
2 cups water
1-2 tsp. Lawrys
1/2 cup sour cream

What you see below is a doubled recipe--feeding teenage boys. When I double this I don't always double the cooking wine, I just use 1 bottle of red wine vinegar and 1 bottle of cooking wine. No one has ever noticed the difference or complained.

Braze the roast, 2 tbls. oil, salt, and pepper. Set aside.

Slice onions very thin.

Saute 2 tbls oil, garlic, and onions in stock pot until almost golden, but not to tender.To the stock pot of sauteed garlic and onions add: brazed roast, bay leaves, tomato paste, ketchup, red wine vinegar, red cooking wine, water, and Lawrys. Simmer 1 hour, turn roast, and simmer 1-2 hours.

Remove roast and slice a bit less than 1/2 inch, return to stock pot, bring to boil then reduce to simmer for 1/2 hour. Most of the onions will cook into the mixture.

Add 1/2 cup sour cream, stir in well. You can pull the bay leaves out if you wish, I don't bother.

Serve over mashed potatoes or egg noodles, my family prefers mashed potatoes . I have never served instant potatoes with Sauer Braten, I think they would be to mushy. I mash the potatoes on the dry side because the sauce is not thick and the potatoes will get soupy. This meal is worth the work. Sometimes I will prepare it part way, refrigerate over night and then finish the process the next day, especially if we have it for dinner (dinner as in the noon meal).

Covered in Love

This is not the first time I have been covered in love, I talk about it here, and you can see me covered here. My very dear friend Barb has covered me once again--as she has so many times over the years. Barb and I met at a home school group 19 years ago. Our daughters are friends. We have hauled home a bunny, kitten, buckets of soup, pans of rolls and bars, from their log home in the hills near Winona, but mostly we hauled home the love. The love of the pure and simple, the love of their Savior that is fleshed out in word and deed. An example that has challenged me and caused me to say on many occasions "I want to be like Barb when I grow up." She has shared her heart, wisdom, home, books, beads, patterns, and more. Together we have watched our children grow, went on home school field trips, women's retreats, and ridden in an ambulance. We have laughed until we cried and cried until we laughed! I love my Barb, and am blessed in more ways than I could count in our friendship.
Here I am all covered in my new apron that Barb made for me. The fabric is me through and through. When I tie this on I feel pretty. I feel in touch with the many women in history who tied on an apron every morning like a uniform and began the work of caring for, and sharing the fruits of their labor.

And look, Barb also covered Grace in some love!

Thank you Barb.

Five Nomad's Visit cont.

The General sounding the drums...

and preparing the troops.

The Princess, tickling the ivories...
...and her aunties heart!
(I have worn out my kids with crafts,
when I get to craft with someone else's child it makes my day)

Chocolate dog by his side and chocolate milk with J.J.

--his two favorite things at our home.

Tami calls him Bubby.
I call him Bubby-licious!

Five Nomads Visit

My sister of Five Nomads-here has been visiting for the past couple of days. They are back on the trail westward. I will post pictures in a day or so...

...I need a nap!

The Nomads have left the building. The drums in the garden shed are quiet. The piano in the dining room is quiet. The pencil sharpener is quiet, no snip-snip of craft scissors. The Star Wars dudes, American Dolls, and Cars are packed and gone. No discussions on weapons and baseball, no ballet pirouettes to entertain me while I'm in the kitchen. No little curly haired 3 year old bossing the 80 lb. dog or telling me that there is shiny grass in heaven. The Nomads are gone and for a few short hours our home is empty.

My heart is full.

I Dare You

Jon and I are doing the Love Dare book from the movie Fireproof. One of the days you are to buy your spouse a thoughtful gift. I made my gift to Jon--do you think I will get extra credit or a pass when its a hard challenge???

Jon has to wear safety glasses upon entering the building at his work. His safety glasses live on the dash of the van. Every Sunday on the way to Church as he turns a corner, I'm catching his safety glasses. I actually couldn't find a case that would be open enough, I knew he wouldn't want to mess with an open/close case. So inspiration was born!

I cut a pocket from old carpenter jeans with the seat fabric still attached.

To firm it up I used an ice cream bucket lid cut to size. (we all know I have extras of those)

I stuffed the cut plastic in to the pocket and then stitched the pocket closed.

(I did use an industrial sewing machine that I borrowed from Jon's brother Dave.)

I cut a piece of denim from the same pair of jeans for the back of the case.

I cut that piece the same size at the pocket bottom,

but smaller by about 3/4 of an inch on each side at the top.

This is so it stays open.

I cut it longer than the pocket, the excess is towards the opening.

I then sewed that piece onto the back of the pocket.

Last I folded the excess fabric over and hot glued a hem in it.

Total sew time was about 3 minuets, it took longer to heat the hot glue gun than it did to sew it.
I thought Jon would Velcro it to the dash but he tucked it in the corner by the windshield and it stays put.

A small labor of love, Jon loves it,

he thinks I should mass produce them!

I have been gifted some chocolate and an African Violet (to replace the one that died when our furnace went out when we were gone over Christmas). He sure knows how to flatter and woo me! FYI I won't be taking a pass. I'm lovin' this challenge and would not want to miss out on one single blessing! I would highly recommend the movie and the book, actually I dare you!

Haredini

Benjamin Bunny became Haredini, if only for a day! He chewed away at his cage and finally hopped out of the hole he made. He's getting crafty in his old age. Ben is over 5 years old, to be honest I thought he wouldn't live threw the winter. Its been cold and he has lost alot of weight, even though he's a well fed bunny.

The Great Bunny Rescuer...

...and resident hutch fixer!

Jon was outside when he felt something tugging at his pant leg. Ben was letting him know some maintenance was in order. His little stunt landed him in the bath tub while we found something tall enough to put him in, he got to spend the night in the house. For a tiny-and I do mean tiny-bit I thought how fun it is to have a house bunny. Then I snapped myself out of it with the memory of Ben's predecessor Pete (Peter Rabbit-we are so original) who was a house bunny, and was a ton of fun-but pooped a ton!
Grace was a hoppy--I mean happy girl when she learned Ben had been rescued!

St. Patricks Day at our Home

Avery, Mel (Jon's sister), Jon, Willy, Grace, Mama Lou, & Jerry

We never pass up on a holiday that involves good food.
Besides, everyone is Irish on St. Patrick day, even a bunch of Germans.

Mama Lou & Mel drove down for Willy's band concert, they were happy when the realized they would be a part our celebration. We were blessed to have them. Jerry (Jon's Dad) usually spends St. Patricks day with us.

Cabbage, Colcannon, Corned beef.

Oh yea and a table cloth, its officially now a party!

Grma & Grace
Passin' around the green!

Mama Lou loved the Irish Soda bread so its a keeper for next year. Jon and I both enjoyed it better the second day toasted.

Grace did ALOT of work-- start to finish!

Leapin' Lepre--doodle!

Ok so he's a labradoodle... but boy can he leap!!! And we aren't even Irish but we will be having corned beef, cabbage, and little red potatoes. This year I'm going to make Irish soda bread, if it goes over with my family we will add it to our St. Patricks day menu. And for just a touch O' the green we will make pistachio bread.

Avery and Otto were out trouncing in the snow a few short weeks ago. Now it's mud, mud, mud!

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY!!!

Bonus Day with Agnes?

These are Grace's "driving gloves" she bought them last fall at a thrift store for 50 cents. She got in the car put them on, then took them off and put them out of sight, they were to "distracting"--she couldn't stop chuckling! Grace is chauffeuring me to a dr. appointment. When we arrived she said "BONUS" Look for our listening pleasure!

The harp is so pretty, with so much detail.

This nice lady let me take pictures. I should have asked her name . I imagine her as an Agnes, my Grma Brown had a friend named Agnes Stoltz. So Agnes the Harpest it is!

A bonus day indeed!

Learning to Live Without...

This post is copied from my sister Tami's blog (here). Although I have never met Keeghans family, I have prayed for them when Tami has talked of their struggle.

Remember Keegans family as they are remembering their boy on his birthday.

Happy Birthday Keeghan. . .we miss you.
To remember Keeghan on what would be his 13th Birthday, I asked his mom to write something for my blog.

Keeghan Barry was a 12-year-old boy who wanted nothing more than to grow up and find a cure for cancer. Keeghan was taken from this life on August 31, 2008 by brain cancer. In an effort to continue his dream, his parents are trying to raise money for cancer research, as well as to help other families still on this journey with pediatric cancer, through Keeghan’s Cell by Cell Fund.Donations to the Fund can be made in two ways. First, by mailing donations directly to Keeghan’s Cell by Cell Fund, c/o Bank of America, 185 Chappie James Blvd., Bldg 4570, Bolling AFB, DC 20032. Second, through the purchase of jewelry made by Keeghan’s mom, Shannon, at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5036403. In memory of Keeghan on what would have been his 13th birthday, 100% of all jewelry sales in the month of March will go to the Fund.Please feel free to copy and post Keeghan's story on your own blog, or link back to this site. If you would like to know more about Keeghan and his family you can visit them at http://www.skeleigh.com/ .