How to Make Christmas Tree Pancakes

On the off chance that you have a shred of energy left this week and want to wow your family with a special breakfast, give these adorable Christmas Tree pancakes a try!

You will need two empty condiment bottles and a funnel.

Start by adding food coloring to your favorite pancake batter. You will need to thin the batter a bit more than usual (with milk) and you will also need to mix it up more thoroughly than usual to make sure it can be squeezed out of the condiment bottles.

Scoop some of the batter into a small bowl and add red food coloring. Then funnel it into a condiment bottle.

Rinse out that small bowl and add more batter to make the green accent color. And add that to the other condiment bottle.

Heat up your pan gradually, over medium-low heat. If your heat is much higher, you will brown the pancakes too much and spoil the color.

Make a Christmas tree outline.

Working quickly, decorate your tree pancake with the red condiment bottle. I usually do dots for "lights" or zigzags for "garland."

Then take a 1/4 C measuring cup and pour green batter from the large bowl into the outline, being careful not to overshoot. The batter will gently spread to the edges and fill in the tree.

Flip as you start to see the bubbles. It's tough to make sure not to brown them too much. But seriously, kids are so impressed with whatever we do, it doesn't really matter if it's picture perfect, right?

Whenever I make "fun" pancakes, I give the girls a ramekin of syrup on the side so they can dip instead of having to cut them up.

As you can see, Christmas tree pancakes are a bit involved, but it's a fabulous way to get some holiday smiles from your favorite loved ones!

A very Merry Christmas from our house to yours! 

Recipe | Mom Aiduk's Creamy Dreamy Potato Salad

Ah, potato salad. This is the recipe you want to have on hand to make your man fall in love with you again.

Especially after he's done something awesome (the particular potatoes in question were to celebrate him nailing his most recent pt test.) And he'll totally fall madly in love if you pair this salad with grilled steak. Just saying.

Now, this isn't the healthiest recipe I make. But it is definitely one of the most popular!

A huge thanks to Jesse's Mom (hi, MIL!) for passing along this super simple, super awesome recipe. I always think of you when I make it! HUGS from Germany!

Mom Aiduk's Creamy Dreamy Potato Salad

10-12 large potatoes
12 eggs
1/2-1 onion, to taste
1/2-1 cup mayonnaise, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

[side note: I don't mess around when I make this stuff - it's "go quadruple batch or go home." You could obviously make a smaller portion. We just really love the stuff and often end up sharing it with friends, so I like to make sure there are plenty of leftovers for My Love.]

So the night BEFORE you want to enjoy this deliciousness, boil the potatoes and eggs, whole. I know, advance prep = EW. But trust me when I say this recipe needs time to marinate in the fridge cold... and if you try to rush the process it's very stressful. I should know. Plus, it doesn't turn out as yummy.

I boil the potatoes and eggs together cause that's what my MIL taught me and it's super smart. Sometimes if I'm really on top of my game I take the eggs out shortly after the water starts to boil.

But I may or may not often leave them in there till the potatoes are done, and it still turns out wonderful.

When the potatoes are cooked fork-tender, drain the whole shebang and put it in the fridge. (I usually use the same pot I boiled them in, to save dishes and time.)

The next morning, you gather all the star players and get ready to make some magic happen.

Chop your potatoes and eggs baby! 

I don't even peel the potatoes cause I'm lazy. But you can if you want. (Also, I heard a rumor that most of the nutrients of potatoes is concentrated near the skin, which further supports said laziness.)

If you're bummed about the thought of peeling a dozen eggs, fear not! Awesome MIL tip to the rescue - just take a sharp knife and cut the eggs right in half, shell on...

Then use a spoon to scoop out the egg right from the shell! Genius, right? You're welcome. (all you have to do is watch out for wayward shell pieces!)

I generally go for a medium chop of everything. Most of it will break apart during the mixing phase anyways. And I like texture in my potato salad.

I do chop the onions pretty small.

When it comes to the onion part, use caution. The onions are super important, since they add the majority of the flavor. BUT one can have too much onion flavor. 

Trust me, from experience. Again.

So the smart move is to start with half an onion and then add more as needed. 

Once you have everything chopped and in the bowl, you add gobs and gobs of super healthy absolutely delicious mayo.

Again, start with half a cup, and add more as you stir it in. You want a moist consistency but not too much. With the batch this big, I did end up using a whole cup.

As you're stirring, liberally add salt and pepper. The salt is especially important!

The last step is to let it all sit in the fridge till dinnertime! The longer the better, really. We even like it better the day AFTER I make it. But who has the patience to wait that long? ;o) Not us!

Best potato salad of your life! 

Excited to try this recipe? Share it on facebook or pin it to your recipes board!

Travel Adventures | What to Eat [and Where!] in Colmar, France

You're going to want to have a snack nearby (or at least a full tummy) when you see this post. Don't say I didn't warn you... but I am a little sorry if I make you drool.

Here you will find everything you need to know about our favorite eats in Colmar. 

[And you will find the first post on Colmar sightseeing here.]

Since breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, we'll start with Bagelstein for an old fashioned, homemade bagel sandwich to die for!

We liked it so much that I almost cried a little the next day when we were hoping to go back for sandwich number two, only to find them closed! BOOOO!

So make sure you find your way to 55 Grand' Rue.

The manager's name is Philippe (can you get more French?) and he speaks fabulous English, for those of us who speak zero French. He's Mr. Smiley in the top corner there. He really likes to joke. It makes for a great, cheerful atmosphere in the shop.

Great food, great coffee. Don't miss this one!

When traveling anywhere in France, my biggest sweet treat splurge is going to be a macaron (or 12)... and this is the place to find them! 

So pretty! So yummy! So French!

These beauties can also be found on the Grand' Rue, number 60. It's all right centrally located near Little Venice and the Altstadt. 

Right about the time you're getting hungry for lunch is the PERFECT time to stop by the old covered market at 13 Rue des Ecoles.

You can wander the stalls and see all sorts of interesting foods. Maybe pick up a few gourmet jams or fancy star shaped cheeses... or wonder what exactly you'd do with a whole fish?

But then you can sit down to enjoy something completely sensible and delicious, like quiche lorraine!

Another lunch option is the quaint Bar JH. It's a small restaurant on an out-of-the-way street near the Cathedral (5 Rue Saint-Martin) and it was perfect for one of our lunches that we just wanted something small. The service from the bartender was fabulous and friendly.

We ate outside in the beautiful sunshine and it was just lovely. 

Now it's time for dinner! 

Make sure if you have your heart set on a certain place, you stop by earlier in the day for a reservation. They fill up pretty quick.

You obviously have a million options in such a great city, but we tried and thoroughly enjoyed these two...

Right near Little Venice is a restaurant appropriately called Little Venice. It's on the Rue de la Poissonnerie.

The atmosphere in here was so adorable. 

Tons of old, interesting decorations. An upbeat staff. Great wine. And the smells... ohmygosh the smells coming from the open kitchen! YUM!

Steak with mushroom cream sauce! And just looking at this picture reminds me that those were pretty much the best mashed potatoes of my life.

Okay here's the second one... see that beautiful yellow building? It's super iconic, you won't be able to miss it.

It's called Aux Trois Poissons. Located at 15 Quai De La Poissonnerie.

Here you will find a LOT of fancy and a LOT of local charm! It was some of the prettiest, tastiest food I've had in a long long time. Maybe ever!

And that, my friends, concludes the drool fest my food recommendations.

If you made it to the end without your tummy growling you deserve a cookie! 

If you liked this post be sure to pin it to your travel board!

Recipe | Easy Weeknight Stuffed Squash with Sausage, Feta, and Basil

We don't enjoy squash nearly enough in this house. Each time I make it I remember how much I love it!

So this was a recent favorite... even got two thumbs up from Double Trouble!

They might have been more excited to eat out of the "squash bowls" but hey, making mealtimes fun means they sometimes eat more of the meal!

While the sausages were cooking, I was roasting the squash in the oven. 

Just preheat the oven to 400 degrees, cut each squash in half and remove the seeds. Brush with oil and roast cut side down for 40-50 minutes until you can poke a fork into them without resistance.

[ side note: I've said it before and I'll say it again, the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook has been my constant friend in the kitchen ever since I got married. It basically taught me how to cook. Every home should have one. And if you follow my amazon link then they will give me a financial high five for referring you! Thanks for your support! ]

Once they are cooked through, I carefully flip them over and fill them with stuff. This particular night I had sausages, feta, basil, and a little bit of sun dried tomatoes on hand.

So I splashed some balsamic on them and popped them back in the oven until the cheese was getting all melty and delicious.

This just in: watching little kids try to imitate the way you eat with a fork and knife is freaking hilarious!

Yum. Now I'm hungry for squash!

What do you like to stuff into winter squash? Leave me a comment with your family favorites!

Recipe | German Wurstsalat - Sausage Salad | When in Rome...

In this "back to school" busy season, I am constantly on the hunt for super fast food. Bonus points if it's pretty healthy but feels kind of like comfort food. 

This wurstsalat (sausage salad) was a super easy dinner a few nights back.

I had it for the first time in a restaurant in the Black Forest and then just the other day I saw that Wasgau carries pre-sliced and ready to go wurst! Which is essentially bologna.

All you do is cut up your cheese into ribbons (and your bologna, if you don't have access to a German grocery store!) and mix it up.

I stored this whole bowl in the fridge "un-dressed" because I didn't want it to get soggy. But it's generally served with a bit of oil and maybe a splash of vinegar. I added some salt and pepper but if you're using sauerkraut don't add too much salt like I did. Oops. (WHY do I do that so often? Seriously you'd think I'd learn!)

You garnish the wurstsalat with a generous scoop of sauerkraut. Unless you're My Love cause he hates sauerkraut. And then I totally went crazy and added some cherry tomatoes. Not sure if that's even allowed in Germany but shhhhh. We served it with some pieces of crunchy baguette. YUM.

It kind of feels like a fancy version of a bologna and cheese sandwich! 86 the wonder bread and mayo, sub sauerkraut. And baguette.

Wurstsalat gets 4 Aiduk stars. And an extra one from Mom because it's just plain fun and kind of pretty and super easy to make! I'm thinking it might be a popular portable lunch item, too! The kindergarten teachers will be super impressed with my wanna-be-German-ness ;o)

So what do you think? Sound like something you'd try? Tell me in the comments if it totally weirds you out or if it kind of sounds yummy! 

And PS I don't recommend using Oscar Mayer. I feel like it would bring down the classy-factor a bit. Go for some high quality deli meat and a mild cheese. I used butterkase, which reminds Jesse of American cheese and is pretty popular with the kiddos.

Guten Appetit! 

Recipe | Very Berry Rainbow Salad

This is the only salad my girls will eat. And by "eat" I don't mean "gobble up", I mean "have a few bites, mostly berries, sometimes tomatoes and feta." But they're about ten times more likely to try this salad than they are to try taco salad. Which is my favorite. Darn them.

My friend Melissa introduced me to this gem of a salad this summer. I have found it to be a huge hit with my family and incredibly versatile and delicious! So thanks Melissa!

The stars of the Very Berry Salad show are the berries, of course. But the other key players are cucumbers, tomatoes, almonds, feta cheese, and chicken (optional.) (Um don't forget the lettuce. Just saying)

Melissa usually uses strawberries and I prefer it that way, too, but on the particular day in question the strawberry selection at the store was looking a little past it's prime. So I improvised and went with raspberries instead! Success!

Blueberries are the girls' favorite part of this salad. (possibly because they're a rarity in this house... why OH WHY do they have to be so expensive???) Anyways if they're feeling particularly fussy about eating salad, they turn it into a game of "find the blueberries in the salad and then tell Mom you're done." Charming little buggers.

Isn't she a beauty? And obviously you can use any variety of veggies, fruits, cheeses, or nuts that you prefer. Apparently my husband is developing an almond allergy so I might have to try cashews or something. 

I think I might add some yellow next time... mango? peaches? cantelope? I've also used grapes, which were delicious.

I think the other huge part of the success of this salad is the sweet dressing. I really like trying the fruit vinegars I found at the store in Globus (this one is cranberry.) We've done blueberry and raspberry, too.

If you don't have fruit flavored vinegar, you can still make your fruity dressing! Just combine two generous spoonfuls of strawberry jelly with balsamic vinegar and shake before you add the oil. You can use whatever jelly flavor is your family's favorite!

This is roughly the proportion I use of vinegar-to-oil for my dressings. If I'm adding jelly, I shake the jelly and vinegar first to make sure they're combined well. Then add the oil. A generous dash of salt and that's that! Just taste it to make sure it doesn't need more of something. (I usually need more oil so it's not too tangy, or more salt because DUH salt is amazing)

Speaking of salt, if you're a freshly ground salt and pepper snob like me then you have to check out these new salt and pepper grinders Jesse got for me! After years of buying cheap grinders that either don't work well or end up broken, he finally did some America's Test Kitchen research for me and we splurged on these beauties! 

Cole and Mason Derwent Precision Gourmet Salt and Pepper Mill

They are absolutely glorious additions to my kitchen :o) But I digress...

Meat is optional for this salad, but if you want it, chicken is the way to go. And if you're going with chicken, grilling is ALSO the way to go! But maybe that's just me. I'm pretty partial to grilled chicken on top of salads.

Very Berry Rainbow salad is best enjoyed on the balcony in the summer sun with a glass of white wine. But seriously I swear as soon as I took these pictures Germany sucked all the sun back into it's deep dark hole of overcast sky!

So you can also enjoy it whenever and wherever the heckity-heck you want. Give it a try and let me know if your kids like it! And let me know in the comments if you've added other yummy fruit to salad before. This is a relatively new thing for me (fruit AND veggies on salad) and I'm totally in love!