festival weekend

We spent pretty much the entire weekend going back and forth to this storytelling festival.  We've attended this festival many times over the years, but this is the first year that the boys were really old enough for us to commit to the entire weekend--songs and stories from Friday Night through Sunday midday.  It was truly fun, and I was thrilled that John McCutcheon was one of the tellers this year.  I never knew that he worked the storytelling circuit (he's more of a folk singer, or so I thought), but we loved his stories just as much as his awesome singing and instrument playing.  He is amazing.  Otherwise, there was tons of eating out, playing, reading to the boys, and we even had a little Mother's Day celebration since I'll be visiting Carrie next weekend.

And now we are down to the last 6 weeks of school.  Crazy! And oh so welcome and exciting. 

scenes from the weekend

How was your weekend?  We had a very dreamy, stay at home weekend.  I forced myself to do some chores and cleaning too, but there were many dreamy parts.  Dreamy highlights:  my very favorite thing was when we sat down to dinner on Saturday night and Rainer let out a contented sigh and said, "I love it when it's dinnertime."  Then Dieter chimed in and agreed he loves dinner.  Oh my heart!  We had a lovely afternoon on Saturday.  I went to a 1.5 hour yoga class then read my book by the pool and later Ken and the boys joined me there and we spent most of the afternoon swimming and cooling off and I read a lot too.  Very fun and just my idea of a relaxing weekend.  Also Saturday--in the evening we got ice cream downtown and walked to the park and the boys played in the dusk.

On Sunday, Dieter helped me wash the car (it's usually Rainer who goes) and that was very sweet too.  The boys watched Alice in Wonderland (classic Disney version) on Netflix Instant while I worked in the kitchen.  I was successful in cleaning out the pantry.  We did not make it to Santa Barbara that day, as I had hoped, but we will in the future.  I have in mind taking a Sunday day trip every week, but that's not very realistic.  Maybe every other week is more like it.

I have in mind that each weekend is a study in how to do weekends.  I can tweak and refine to my heart's content and apply what I've learned to the future.  If you posted about your weekend too, please leave a link and I'll pop over!  Happy Monday, everyone.

maleficent

totally unrelated picture of peonies

Ken and I took the kids to see Maleficent last night at our little local movie theater and you guys, it was so fun.  I was really surprised by how much we all four enjoyed it.  Our expectations were low--the previews made it look so dark and scary--but it was actually sweet on many levels and there were fairies and magical folk, and we always like that sort of thing.  I'm not a big Angelina Jolie fan, but she was not bugging me at all in this.  I was able to forget that she is "Angelina Jolie" and just get lost in the movie--so I guess she did her job.  And Elle Fanning was adorable. 

To tell you the truth, we live in a very small town and we rarely patronize our local movie theater--mostly because we don't really have a babysitter locally.  We end up going to the big multi-plex in Oxnard.  But lately I've been thinking about "voting with our dollars" and it's important to me that our local theater continues to stay in business, so we decided to see Maleficent in town last night.  And when we got there I was so pleased with the "feel" of the experience.  The theater is just so small and cute and we always see people we know (small town thing).  I was charmed by the snack bar--again, small and "local" feeling.  I think we are going to make more of an effort to see movies locally when we can.

Other ways I am "voting with my dollars"--I also shop quite a bit at our local market, which just changed ownership--and I basically refuse to go to a large supermarket like Vons and Ralph's (ugh--hate those places so much!).  (To be fair, we do do a large shop-up at Trader Joe's once a week as well, but are constantly running out to the local store for everythiing else and last minute stuff).

Do you like to shop locally?  Also, what did you think about Maleficent??

beach day

I'm not quite ready to give up my blog.  I've been struggling with posting.  I want to give this one last try by really simplifying things here.  I'm going to limit myself to posting only 1-3 photos per post.  That in itself is a big relief.  And I'm going to just post random stuff.  What appeals to me about continuing the blog is the journal aspect of it.  I love the memories and family photos.  My blog is the closest I have to a family album.  I hate to give up the documenting of all of that. 

We are on summer break now.  The first week we spent in Palm Springs--we had the funnest vacation--Ken and I and the two little boys.  I love a true "resort" type vacation.  Maybe I'll blog about it tomorrow (posting only 1-3 photos!  LOL).  Now were are back and settling into summer.  It's actually a harder transition than one might expect.  I thrive so well with structure and a schedule.  I love my ordinary day of commuting, working, coming home and making dinner, having pizza on Tuesdays.  I'm sort of at loose ends without that.  But yesterday was a better day and maybe I'm starting to hit my stride.  I took the boys to the beach in Carpinteria.  I kept the outing so simple and it turned out to be a great afternoon.  The boys were so good and barely fought and they even carried all our stuff down to the beach for me.  Dieter loves to jump in the waves and sit and think.  Rainer likes the waves too and he spent a long time working on a big sand castle complex.  I gathered rocks for him and placed them around the castle, which was awesome.  I love the sound of the waves so much and I love getting out of my head a little bit while being there. 

Also of note, I'm getting so so much better at driving the "mountain route" to Carpinteria, which is making me very happy.  I used to stick to the main highways, but I'm finding I love taking the mountain pass.  I like to take the curvy roads pretty conservatively, and yesterday I had plenty of practice with pulling over to let cars pass me. 

I'm thinking I want to take the boys to the beach twice a week in summer.  It's good for my soul.  We got a tiny bit sunburned yesterday (mostly me) so I'm vowing to be more careful re. sunscreen in the future.

I'm off to yoga right now--also a healthy summer thing. 

Baked Tomato Bruschetta

Seasons are changing. There is no denying it. Just yesterday I was still sitting on my terrace in the early evening, enjoying the diffuse light of a sun that is not reaching as low anymore - blocked by trees and buildings - but yet able to beam down on the higher parts of the house, painting those sharp, bright orange lines on the walls. The air was warm and tight; you could feel it. This summer was not one of those that genuinely deserve that name. It was unsettled, more cool and cloudy than anything else with one day after another looking like it was just about to rain or raining.

So last week it felt like summer actually had to proof something. Like it still wanted everyone to know that it actually existed. Suddenly it was hot. Not that hot you could hardly motivate yourself to do anything, but hot. For one week and if I am being honest, not even a full one. Then it was yesterday evening, and hell broke loose. Within moments, the sky was tinted in a deep gray with wind starting to build up. First lightnings already went down in the distance before it reached us and hastily I put all the flower pots and herbs I could on the floor. Torrents fell from the sky in a moment's notice. Wind. A strong breeze. A storm. Pots I thought where heavy enough went rattling to the ground. The place I just sat – soaking wet. It went on until deep in the night and had its last flare-up early in the morning.

Some Food Porn - always a good idea, right?

Now I am sitting again in my chosen place on the terrace, a mild sun shining on my face in clear and cool air. Autumn.

Yet still I am not ready to bring myself completely in that season's mood, so with this little recipe, I am clinging on the little rest of summer that is left.

It contains what I would call the queen of summer, tomato (with zucchini being king), and my personal holy trinity of summery herbs: Basil, thyme and oregano. Depending on the size of the bread you choose, this can either be an appetizer or a light little meal.

Baked Tomato Bruschetta

Makes about 6-10 slices of bread, depending on the size

Serve on your bread of choice. I recommend a nice baguette or ciabatta.

• 250g cherry/date/plum/any kind of small tomatoes (8.8 oz. but does not have to be exact)


• 1 ball of mozzarella


• 2 twigs of thyme


• 1 big twig of oregano


• a nice hand full of basil along with the stalk


• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar


• 1 teaspoon olive oil


• 1 medium onion


• 2 gloves of garlic


• Bread of choice, I used ciabatta but it is also great on a baguette or even plain white bread.


• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F).


2. Depending on their size, half or quarter tomatoes, removing most of the seeds (important). Set aside.


3. Finely chop up onion, add to tomatoes.


4. Remove leaves from the twigs from both thyme and oregano. Chop them up along with the basil. No need to remove the stalk (as long as it is green) – you can chop it up like chives. Add to tomatoes.


5. Pour in vinegar and olive oil, add salt to taste (a few dashes, probably), stir well.


6. Let sit for about 15 minutes. The herbs, garlic and onion will get stuck in the hollow parts of the tomatoes.


7. Lay out slices of bread on baking tray lined with parchment paper.


8. Place tomatoes, mostly cut side up, on bread. To help them stay that way, lay some of the onion/herb mixture on bread beforehand. The whole procedure does not only look prettier, it also keeps most of the nice juices in the tomatoes, preventing the bread from getting soggy.


9. Pour remaining mixture over tomatoes until there is nothing left.


10. Tear mozzarella apart with your hands and evenly place on bruschetta. It should be enough for all of it. You do not want to cover it up completely with the cheese.


11. Put in the oven for 15 minutes or until mozzarella is completely molten and slightly brown.


12. Add pepper to taste and serve immediately.

My little storm is nothing compared to the hurricane that is barreling towards New York and the East Coast. Let's hope for the best!

Creamy Zucchini and Basil Soup

I'm no vegetarian. Hell and I am miles away from being a vegan.

I love meat. Meat Meat Meat. I love me some juicy beef in my mouth. Yes. You heard me right!
Innuendos aside, I also am a complete hypocrite.
When it comes to eating meat, I block out the fact that what I am stuffing into my face has once been alive and kickin'. Whole fish with head and all is also not the most comforting sight to see.
Hey there big fella! You enjoy my filet? Don't mind me, I'm just watching you devouring my body. SHIIIIVERRS.

Is that a good thing? No. But that's the way it is with me and I doubt I'm alone with that.

Most people, including my humble self, are used to dishing up good ol' steak and Co. almost on a daily basis or at least too often. While many may argue at this point that ANY number is too often, I'll leave that aspect out for now. However, sneaking in some days where the only things on the menue never had a pulse is not the worst thing you can do to yourself and probably to your wallet as well. I mean, it should not be too difficult to find other nice things to spend that extra money on, right? (Like uhhm, a better camera...? Although that would take some major meat-omitting...so...hm.)

And then, there is the extra step again. Veganism. I know that to many, "vegan" is a term that equals "bland",  "boring" or, well, "thank you, but no thank you". Not. The. Case. Let that be told to you by an omnivore: Vegan cuisine DONE RIGHT can be down right delicious, comforting and filling - without leaving the feeling of anything missing.

A great resource for super healthy vegan cuisine is FatFree Vegan Kitchen. I love how Susan finds ways to veganize known and loved dishes and also reduces the fat to a minimum. You also find many recipes with Asian and Oriental twists. The only thing to critisize for me is that many recipes require spices and ingredients that I usually don't have myself and probably won't use completely before they expire. However, this is not the case with the following, which to me perfectly captures the way a mild evening in summer is supposed to be.

I served the soup with some nice oven-roasted herbed potato wedges, but some nice bread'll do just fine.

Directly adapted from her blog:

Creamy Zucchini and Basil Soup
Servings: 6; my own comments are put in italics.

• 2 pounds zucchini (about 5 small to medium)


• 1 large Vidalia onion, chopped (I just use onions I have got on hand)


• 4 cloves garlic, crushed


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper


• 3 cups vegetable broth (I simply use water and then add the needed amount of granulated vegetable broth directly to the pot)


• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, packed


• 3 tablespoons raw cashews


• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (I find the soup tastes just as good without the yeast. And a teaspoon of Marmite or Vegemite would do the trick just as good. Or simply another one of granulated broth)


• additional salt & pepper, to taste

1. Set aside one of the zucchini; trim and coarsely chop the rest.


2. Cook onion in a large saucepan for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.


3. Stir in the chopped zucchini, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.


4. Add the broth and simmer until zucchini is tender, about 15 minutes.


5. Pour into a blender (in 2 batches, if necessary) taking care to avoid burns by not filling the blender more than halfway. 


6. Add the basil, cashews, and nutritional yeast and blend until smooth.


7. Return soup to the pot, season with salt and pepper to taste, and keep warm. 


8. Shred the remaining zucchini with a spiral slicer, mandolin, or grater. Pour soup into bowls and sprinkle grated zucchini over top.  (I also garnished the soup with some cashews and crushed pepper)

Enjoy!

Zucchini & Pesto Pasta Salad

Yes. This is finally happening.

Ehhrm. Hi there! I'm Tobias - the "T" in the title - and a complete greenhorn when it comes to foodblogging.

Yet, here I am. And so are you. Thank you for that.

After a tough and lengthy time of planning how to pull this off  (do you know what an exhausting process it can be just to come up with a nice name?!) I can finally present you the very first post on my brand new nice and shiny foodblog! Tada! FYI, I just tapped myself on the shoulder for that.

Soo, what's to expect in the future?

There are certain attributes that I like.

I like me recipes:

Layed-back. Cooking and baking is supposed to be fun. At least for me. When I find myself in the kitchen close to a nervous breakdown, yelling things like "Why are you DOING this to me? What's WRONG with you?! I'm supposed to WHAT?! HOW?!! What MORE do I have to do to make this work?" - it's not fun anymore. It's stress. I'm not in a break-up fight. I'm cooking.

While sometimes it's worth going the extra mile, stepping out of ones comfort zone and acquiring new skills, it just has to seem FEASIBLE. This especially applies to weekday dishes.

Not too pricey. There is always a certain limit. When that is passed, it just does not seem worth it to me, anymore. So no matter how delicious, extravagant and gorgeous the finished meal may be, a price that's TOO high overshadows the joy.

PRETTY! C'mon! I am not going to spend my time in the kitchen just to force an unidentifiable beige goop down either mine or other's throats. Especially simple food dressed to impress has always something satisfying to me.

So, while there are always exception, my agenda is going to be: Delicious, pretty, DOABLE recipes. :)

Oh, and I am not afraid of NOT doing EVERYTHING from scratch! Embrace the semi-selfmade, people!

That's why my very first - did you just hear that? - recipe is going to be this super simple, quick pasta salad that still kinda got it. You can whip it up last minute for a potluck BBQ and I guarantee you it's still not going to be that weird dish nobody's taken just a spoon of. In fact, just this summer I brought it with me three times and on each occasion was asked for the recipe, so, there you go. ;)

Zucchini & Pesto Pasta Salad
This makes a huge portion to feed a crowd, so make sure your bowl is large enough or take two.

• 3 medium sized Zucchini


• 1 jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil (about 150g or 5.5 oz, drained)


• 190g - 200g Pesto alla Genovese or your favourite basil-pesto (self-made or store-bought, about 6.7oz)


• 1 bag of penne pasta (about 500g or 16oz, whole wheat or regular)


• 1 pack of baby leaf spinach (frozen, 450g or 16oz)


• 125g grated parmesan (4.4 oz, fresh or store-bought)


• 1 tbs oregano (optional)


• salt and pepper to taste (I use freshly ground mixed pepper)

1. Bring water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions.


2. In the meantime, using a kettle or another pot, bring another 1.5l (50 fl. oz) to boil


3. Slice zucchini as thick as a finger, half or quarter them afterwards. You want them nice and chunky, yet bite-sized.


4. In another pan or pot, thaw spinach under low heat until it is hot. Set aside.


5. Drain the dried tomatoes and slice them lengthwise into 3 stripes each. Set aside.


6. In a heat-proof bowl, pour the boiling-hot water from the kettle over zucchini to blanch them, leave for about 10 minutes.


7. Drain pasta and pour it in a very large bowl, tossing it with about 1/3 of the pesto to prevent the pasta from sticking.


8. Drain zucchini and combine with the pasta.


9. Add spinach to the mix.


10. Add remaining pesto along with the parmesan. mix well. As the ingredients are still warm, the cheese will melt.


11. Add tomatoes and oregano (optional)


12. Season with salt and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.


13. Let it cool and dig in!

That's it. So easy. So good. The Zucchini won't be raw anymore but still keep a nice crunch to it.
I'm sure that you can leave a nice amount of this salad home for lunch the next day.

My very first post. A summery salad although the blog title refers to cake. Yeah, that's how I roll. The next recipe sure has to be something sweet, right?

Enjoy!