LECKER SCHENKEN

Na, ihr Lieben, fragt ihr euch auch noch, was ihr so zu Weihnachten verschenken könnt? Sabrina von "Lecker Schenken" hat mir geschrieben und mir ihre Webseite und die tollen Leckereien darauf vorgestellt.

Sie beschreibt die Geschenideen auf "Lecker Schenken" so:

Ganz im DIY - Do It Yourself Trend steht die Aktion, das heißt selber machen und ganz besondere und persönliche Geschenke verschenken. Es muss ja nicht immer die Massenware aus den Kaufhäusern sein, sondern mit den selbstgemachten Köstlichkeiten kann man den Liebsten zeigen, wie viel Mühe man sich nur für sie gemacht hat und verschenkt somit noch mehr Freude. Dabei werden aus den kleinen Naschereien auch noch besonders umweltfreundliche Leckereien, wenn man auf regionale, saisonale oder biologische Produkte zurückgreift, denn somit verleiht man ihnen ganz einfach einen nachhaltigen Touch, der sich auch darin äußert, dass diese dann ohne schlechtes Gewissen verputzt werden können.  Die Rezepte von Lecker schenken sind alle vegetarisch und einige sogar vegan und glutenfrei, sodass bestimmt für jeden Geschmack das Richtige dabei ist. 

Zu einem leckeren Rezept kommt man ganz einfach in drei Schritten: 

1. Was soll gezaubert werden? Soll es etwas Süßes, Pikantes, Flüssiges, Glutenfreies sein oder doch lieber Gebäck oder Aufstrich. 

2. Profi oder Anfänger? Nicht nur die geübteren Köche finden hier Rezepte auch einfache und welche, die schneller gehen lassen sich hier finden.

3. Wer soll überrascht werden? Soll das Geschenk für eine Frau, ein Kind oder einen Mann gezaubert werden? 

Wenn alles ausgewählt wurde, schließt sich der Deckel und es wird einmal kräftig gemischt bevor dann auch schon eine herrliche Geschenkidee erscheint. Das Rezept hierfür kann natürlich ganz kostenlos als PDF heruntergeladen werden und jede Datei enthält auch noch eine Verpackungsidee, die ganz einfach nachgebastelt werden können. Immer noch vorm Bildschirm? Na dann aber ab in die Küche und der Kreativität freien Lauf lassen: Mit Lecker schenken eine kleine Köstlichkeit für ganz liebe Menschen verschenken und ein Lächeln in ihre Gesichter zaubern. Viel Spaß beim Nachkochen! 

Ich habe die Seite natürlich direkt ausprobiert und das Mini Amerikaner Rezept bekommen.

Das werde ich auch nächste Woche probieren und euch dann erzählen, wie es war.

Also, wenn ihr zu Weihnachten etwas selbstgemachtes verschenken wollt oder noch eine Kleinigkeit für die Weihnachtsfeier sucht könnte "Lecker Schenken" genau das Richtige sein.

Einen schönen 2. Advent euch allen!

RECIPE - M&M COOKIES

It is no secret that I am addicted to M&Ms. My favorite are the peanut ones but I'll eat any M&M that comes my way. So when I found this awesome recipe (on the back of a M&M bag) I had to try it.

I tweeked it a little bit and the result were some delicious, chewy, M&M cookies.

Es ist kein Geheimnis, dass ich M&Ms liebe. Erdnuss-M&Ms mag ich am Liebsten aber ich esse auch alle anderen gern. Kein Wunder also, dass ich dieses Rezpet (das ich auf einer M&M Tüte gefunden habe) direkt auslrobieren musste. Ich hab ein bisschen was verändert und heraus kamen super leckere M&M Kekse.

Recipe/Rezept

for approx. 24 cookies

Für ca. 24 Kekse

Ingredients

1 cup butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup whote sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup M&Ms 

Zutaten 75 gr Butter

125 gr Brauner Zucker

125 gr Zucker

1 Ei

1,5 TL Vanille

250 gr Mehl

1,25 TL Backpulver

1 TL Salz

200 gr M&Ms

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350• degrees

2. In a large bowl, cream butter and both sugars until well blended. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix to combine.

3. In a seperate bowl, sift flour, baking soda, and salt together. Slowly add these ingredients into the butter mixture and stir until combine.

4. Fold in the M&Ms and chill the dough for 1 hour or overnight.

5. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto a lightly greased tray.

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Zubereitung

1. Den Ofen auf 180• vorheizen.

2. In einer großen Schüssel die Butter und die beiden Zucker vermischen. Das Ei und die Vanille hinzufügen und gut mixen.

3. In einer anderen Schüssell das Mehl, Backpulver, und Salz zusammen mischen. Diese Zutaten langsam zur der Butter-Zucker Mischung hinzufügen.

4. Die M&Ms hinzufügen und den Teig für eine Stunde oder über Nacht kühlen.

5. Mit einem Esslöffel den Teig portionieren und auf einem eingefetteten Backblech verteilen.

6. Für 8-10 Minuten backen.

RECIPE - (SPRING TIME IS) SMOOTHIE TIME

Once spring hits I exchange tea for smoothies. Not only are they fun to make but the also give you a boost of energy. Here is one of my favorites:

1 Cup of Milk

2 TBS Greek Yogurt

1 Handfull of Blueberries

5 Strawberries

1 Banana

Just throw everything in the blender, mix it together and enjoy!

Sobald der Frühling an der Türe klopft kommt der Tee zurück in der Schrank und der Mixer zum Einsatz. Smoothies sind einfach und lecker! Hier eins meiner Lieblingsrezept:

200 ml Milch

2 EL Greek Yogurt

1 Hand voll Blaubeeren

5 Erdbeeren

1 Banane

Einfach alles zusammen mixen und genießen! 

LIFE LATELY 11

Fact of the week: Father's Day in Germany was this week, while Father's Day in the US is not until the middle of June. So weird. But anyways, we took my dad out for a delicious dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.

Then my cousind came for the weekend and we had a girl's day filled with even more good food and shopping. I almost lost my faith in Aachen as a shopping city BUT Saturday changed my mind.

Plus the cake is always as treat. 

Some of my favorite reads this week:

Hello Giggles posted 10 words in the German langauge that have no equivalent in the English language.

I love these engagement pictures. They are different, fun and very natural. I want to be wearing a dress for my engagement pictures but I love the locations.

Of course I am always on the lookout for new DIY's and I'm definitely making some of these fabric frames and this flower crown.

Also, next week I am going to talk about hair. My hair. I can already tell you this much: This is NOT my daily hair routine, but it is close.

Happy start into the new week!

RECIPE - WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

A couple of days ago I found this recipe for White Chocolate Chip Cookies. They looked so good that I had to try them. And sure enough they turned out delicious! The perfect summer cookie, I just love the flavor of white chocolate combined with the crunchiness. You should definitely try it! Hop on over to Almost Makes Perfect for the recipe! 

Vor ein paar Tagen habe ich ein Rezept für 'White Chocolate Chip Cookies' gefunden, dass ich unbedingt ausprobieren wollte. Daher habe ich mir das Rezept geschnappt und es in deutsche Messeinheiten konvertiert. Die Cookies sind super lecker geworden, außen knusprig und innen schön weich. Falls ihr also Lust bekommen habt zu backen hier das Rezept:

Zutaten für 18 Cookies:

250 Gramm Butter, weich
225 Gramm Zucker
200 Gramm braunen Zucker
300 Mehl
2 Eier
2 TL Vanille 
1 TL Backpulver
2 TL heißes Wasser
1/2 TL Salz
300 Gramm weiße Chocolate Chips

Zubereitung: 

Den Ofen auf 180 Grad vorheizen.

1. Die Butter mit dem weißen und brauen Zucker vermischen und gut durchkneten. 
2. Dann die Eier nacheinander aufschlagen und untermischen und das Vanille Extrakt hinzu geben. 
3. Etwas Wasser aufkochen und das Backpulver darin auflösen. Das ganze dann unter den Teig mischen.
4. Salz, Mehl und die Chocolate Chips in den Teig geben und gut kneten.
5. Eine Esslöffel-große Menge aufs Backblech geben.

Wichtig: Genug Abstand lassen, da die Cookies sich ausbreiten. Ich mache 6 pro Backblech

Die Cookies im vorgeheizten Ofen 10-12 Minuten backen.

LIFE LATELY 08

I started liking Sushi. WEIRD. I always thought I wouldn't like it but I actually do. Russ ordered this platter full of goodies after coming off a cold and it just looked so appealing. So I tried the salmon and the cucumber and I liked it. That's it. I like Sushi now. This explains the pictures.

It was my best friends birthday. Russ made American Style Burgers, we had rosemary potatoes and a brownie cake. It was fun spending time together. The next day I worked at the EURAXESS event at my university and they brought a Photo Booth. YAY!

I also wanna share some of my favorite reads this week:

20 Weird Things About America That Americans Don't Realize.
I absolutely can relate to this. While I still don't understand the whole taxing thing I love free refills. I could add on to this list, but you get the point.

I also got around to reading one of the books that has been on my reading list since last year. I even mentioned it in this post. 'Me talk pretty one Day' by David Sedaris is just a blast! I had to chuckle quiet a bit and every story is so interesting to read.

Not really a read but still very enjoyable. The Fine Brothers put on a show on youtube, where they let children react to things. This time it was a walkman. Realizing that there is people that do not know what a walkman is or how to use it is just crazy to me.

I saw this DIY for vacation memory boxes on a Pair and a Spare and I wanna do this. It still have stuff my Russ and my trips to Amsterdam and Barcelona. What do you think? Have you done anything like this?

Last but not least, I found these recipes for P.F. Chang's Lettuce Wraps, Tomato-Mozarella Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Pesto Stuffed Chicken, and 13 Nutella Recipes - OMG!

LIFE LATELY 06

My summer semester just started back up and I've been trying to create an interesting schedule. I have to say that I'm excited for this semester since there are a lot of classes I have been looking forward to, such as a 9/11 literature class and class on the movements of the 1960s. Does that sound super nerdy? 

After my crazy first week I got to hang out with my friends, we grabbed some ice cream and enjoyed the warm spring weather (even at night).

I also made my first batch of brownies. I made some with a brownie mix before but never made any from scratch. So here we go, I make brownies now. And they were good. I added some fresh strawberries and Russ ate the whole plate in like 15 minutes. Yay! 

This is an art project that my sister made. It is a branch hung with origami animals. There is an elephant, a dinosaur, a turtle, a giraffe... I loved it so much that I hung it by the window and it actually started to bloom. I have to admit: Spring is my favorite season...

MY FAVORITE HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPE

There is only two occasions on that I really enjoy hot chocolate: When I'm sick and during Christmas time. Since those two came together today I decided to post my favorite hot chocolate recipe. It involves only two ingredient: Nutella and Milk.

For two full cups of Hot Chocolate:

1. Start heating some milk in a saucepan.

2. Add 3 spoons of Nutella ( teaspoons are fine, eventhough I use tablespoons - I really love my Nutella).

3. Stir the mixture until well blended.

4. Fill into two cups.

Enjoy!

If you like my cups watch out, there is a DIY coming up for those!

What are your favorite hot drinks?

DIY - RECIPE BOX

While packing to move into our new apartment I realized that I have tons of recipes flying all over the place. I rip them out of magazines, scribble them down on napkins, and print them off the internet. So I decided that I need to put the in order and make myself a cute little recipe box for the new apartment.

First of all I went on Pinterest to find a recipe card that I like. I decided on this one:

You can find these recipe cards on my Pinterest or directly on the LoveDesign website, where you will also find a lot more fun and free printables.

I chose these cards, because I like that you can add where the recipe originated. I have a lot of recipes from my mum, grandma, and great-grandma, so I love that I can put their names down. To make them even more special I decided to print them on colored paper. Next is a box to put the recipes in. I think I am going to use a shoe box and print the backside of the recipe cards to cover the sides of the box. That'll give it a unique look.

Where do you keep your recipes?

RECIPE - BACON WRAPPED AND PESTO FILLED CHICKEN

A new recipe that struck me with its simplicity and deliciousness. Therefore I want to share it with you. I paired it with rice out of the rice cooker and some caramelized carrots.

But first things first, here are the ingredients for 4 people:

4 chicken breasts
one glass of red pesto (It also works with green, although I haven't tried that yet)
250 grams bacon

Mozzarella

Start by cleaning the chicken breasts and slicing them half open. Take the pesto and a brush and beush the pesto onto the inside of the chicken breasts. Add a slice of mozzarella and close the breasts. Then stick tooth picks into the chicken breast to ensure that the pesto and mozz stays inside.

After you're done, sauté the chicken breasts in a pan until golden brown, then wrap each piece of chicken breast in bacon and put all four breasts into a lasagna pan.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and put the pan in once the oven is hot, then bake for 20 more minutes. And taaadaaaa. You have a delicious dish.

25 Things To Do Before I Turn 25.

I just realized that I am going to 25 in just a few months. A quarter century. It all started with my mama asking me if we should do something for our birthdays. I say birthdays because this year is a big one for the family. I will be 25, my mama 50, and my grandma 75. FUN! (and scary at the same time). Anyways, I have been keeping a list of what I really want to do for years. Some of the goals I have accomplished, others are still waiting. And what would be a better time to work off this list?

01. Plan my future. 
I completed my Bachelor's Degree in 2011. I have been working, traveling, and interning ever since then. Even though it was a lot of fun and I learned a lot it is time to continue my education. So I need to find a Master's Program in Germany. This is the Top 1 goal before I turn 25.

02. Let go of clothes that I do not wear (anymore). 
I am a hoarder, when it comes to clothes. "I will wear this again", "I might make something out of this", "I wore this on my first date". I am good at making up excused to keep clothes. So one of my big goals is it to sort through my closets, and let go of stuff. I started this process, and it was easier than I thought. Now I need to stick with it and do it on a regular basis.

03. Move into my first own apartment. 
Over the years I have lived in a bunch of different places. But I have always lived with roommates. Now that Russell and I have been dating for over a year it is time to make a place our own and I am really excited.

04. Try new workouts and stick with at least one of them.
I am very, very difficult with workouts, because I get bored really fast. But I actually found a workout that I love. It is called Cardio Barre, and  it is the perfect mix of everything. Check it out here.

05. See a musical on Broadway.
I did this with my sister last year, during our travels. We spent quiet some time in New York, and one night we went and saw "The Phantom of the Opera". Unforgettable.

06. Make something every week.
I have made so many awesome things in the past and I can't wait to make more, especially for my apartment. I have come to love DIY's because they individualize everything and make it mine.

07. See the Grand Canyon.
I have been wanting to go forever. I am so close, but haven't been. Before I return to Germany for good, I would really love to take a trip to the Grand Canyon.

08. Cook more.
I like to cook, but it has to be easy. Therefore, I am always on the lookout for easy, quick, and delicious recipes, like this, or this.

09. Watch more movies.
I love movies (who doesn't?) and I really feel like I haven't seen enough. Especially "classics". So I need to do that. On my list: All Star Wars movies, The Godfather, Slumdog Millionaire, The Shawshank Redemption, All about my mother, and La Haine.

10. Get my first tattoo.
After years and years of dreaming about my first tattoo, it actually came as more of a surprise. It turned out beautiful and I love it.

11. Quit biting my fingers.
Odd enough I do not bite my fingernails, but my skin next to it. It just doesn't look pretty. So it is time to stop!

12. Learn: How to style my hair.
I have pretty much one hairstyle: The Bun. It's easy, comfortable, and fast. But I really want to learn some nice braids, easy up-do's, and how to make waves. 

13. Plan Dates. 
There is so much to do and still, our dates are usually 'dinner & a movie' dates. To make them a little more adventurous I started planning fun dates. On my list are museums, new restaurants, galleries, 'sight-seeing', adventures, and spa's. Please share your ideas. 

14. Take more time to read and finish reading a book before starting a new one. 
Right now I have 3 books on my nightstand, that I started but never finished. I am a fast reader, but I need to take the time to read and then finish one book at a time. 

15. Buy the perfect LBD.
I have to admit, I had the perfect Little Black Dress, but that was 25 pounds ago. So now, I need to find a new one, until I fit back into the old one, ultimately a result of following #04.

16. Travel.
I have traveled quiet a bit in my 25 years on this planet. But I really want to go to Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Bora Bora, South Africa and sooo many other places... So traveling is basically always on my list.

17. Make another Scrapbook.
I did it. I made one, and it was fun. I haven't made a scrapbook in a really long time, so it took me a little to get back into it. It turned out beautiful and fun. My next goal now is to 

18. Start Smashbooking. 
All those mini vacations and daily pleasures of life, that I don't want to forget need to go in a book. Since scrapbooking my daily life would be way to much work, I want to start filling Smashbooks... I will keep you posted on how that is going. 

19. Keep my space organized. 
No matter if it is a room, an apartment, loft, or house. I am a messy person. I have clothes flying around and books and papers everywhere. So I want to try to be more organized, especially once I move into my own apartment. I would love for it to be organized!

20. Learn: How to sew with a sewing machine.
I used to sew when I was younger, but back then all I did was hand sew. Since that doesn't really get you anywhere, at least not fast, I decided that I need to learn how to use a sewing machine. Last December I signed up for a sewing class at Joann's and I have completed a lot of fun projects so far. This is definitely a hobby I want to keep up!

21. Drink Water.
I love Ice Tea, Lemonade, Juices, and Smoothies. But I still need to drink more water. My skin is super dry if I don't drink enough, so I need to keep reminding myself to drink enough.

22. Learn: How to give myself a mani and pedi.
A nice mani/pedi. One that I can actually wear out. So if you have any tips on that, it would be greatly appreciated.

23. Improve my handwriting / calligraphy skills.
I see all these beautifully addressed letters, awesome chalkboards, and fun motivational posters, and having a decent handwriting or a personal "pretty" style would help making those things.

24. Write more letters and cards.
After #23 I want t write Birthday Cards and letters to the people I love. There is nothing more exciting than getting mail, so I want to give that feeling to my friends and family.

25. Wear more heels.
I love heels, they are pretty and make me feel beautiful. However I am a flipflop/minnetonka kinda girl. But I really want to start wearing more heels. Especially for events, birthdays, and special occasions.

What are your goals?

Recipe - Linguine Carbonara with Cauliflower and Bacon

You can probably tell by now that I really enjoy cooking pasta dishes. This recipe is something I came up with over the years due to my love for cauliflower.

Here is what you need for 4 people:

1 pound linguine (or spaghetti)

5 slices of chopped bacon

1 small head of cauliflower cut into small florets

1 large egg and 2 large beaten egg yolks

olive oil

What you need to do:

Cook the pasta and drain, keeping 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Put the pasta back into the pot.
While the pasta is cooking brown the bacon in a large pan over medium heat. 

Make sure you turn is occasionally until it is crisp. Put the bacon on a plate and the cauliflower in the pan.

Add a bit of olive oil, 1/2 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Turn up the heat to medium high and cover the pan. Once the water has evaporated take of the lid and cook the cauliflower for another 4 to 6 minutes. Add the cauliflower, the egg, the two egg yolks, and the 1/2 cup of cooking water to the pasta in the pot and toss to coat.

Tip: I always turn the heat on low, so the eggs are being cooked just a tiny bitt before serving the dish.

Note: Please be aware that because the eggs in this recipe are not cooked, there is a risk of food-borne illness.

Recipe - Tortellini a la Mama

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved my Mama's tortellini. They are easy to make and delicious. When I moved out of my mother's house to go to college in another city, she taught me how to make her tortellini. Since I love it so much, I thought you would appreciate it too.

Here is what you need for 4 people:

2 pounds of tortellini (I mix the cheese one's with the pesto ones)

1 small onion

1 package of ham

1 package of peas

1/2 a pack of heavy whipping cream 

salt and pepper

Here is what you do:

- Boil water.

- Once the water is boiling put in the tortellini.

- Start a little sauce pan with olive oil.

- Cut up the onion and the ham.

- Put the onion into the saucepan followed by the ham.

- After 3-5 minuted add the heavy whipping cream, salt and pepper.

- 2 minutes before the tortellini are done, add the peas to the boiling water.

- Drain the tortellini.

- Put the tortellini and the sauce into a bowl and mix it all up.

Taaaaaadaaaa, a delicious meal, ready in 25 minutes. I just made mine yesterday, here is what it looks like:

Recipe - Organic Coconut Macaroons

In Preparation for the Oscars today, I whipped up some Coconut Macaroons.

This is what you will need for 12-16 Macaroons (depending on the size):

3 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups sweetened shredded coconut

This is what you do:

Preheat the oven at 325°F.
Line a baking sheet with Parchment paper
Put the egg whites, sugar and salt into a bowl and whisk until glossy.
Put in the coconut and stir until everything is mixed together evenly.
Take a small ice cream scoop or a teaspoon to form little mounds and put them on the parchment paper.
Bake at 325°F for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!

DIY - Trail Mix

Wednesday. Hump Day, as they call it here in America. They day of the week, that is the furthest away from any weekend. Especially on those days I walk into my internship and by afternoon I crave candy. To ensure that I don't start randomly stuff my mouth with chocolate and other unhealthy snacks, I decided to make my own Trail Mix. It is easy and other that bought Trail Mix, you can actually throw together all your favorite snacks.

What you will need:
A Mason Jar (as big as you want) and all you favorite treats. I used:

- Dried Bananas
- Peanut M&M's
- Raisins
- Salted Peanuts
- Dried Cranberrys
- Chocolate-covered Acai Berrys and
- Pistachios

Then:
- You clean your Jar.
- You put everything into a bowl
- Mix it together
- Fill it into the jar

And then you have your personal trail mix. This is what mine currently looks like:

Then I decided my Trail Mix needed a label. I used jamlabelizer.com to make my own label. All you have to do, is choose a design and personalize it. Then you can either print it oder safe it to a pdf. file. I want to print mine on adhesive paper so I can directly transfer it onto my jar. 

How does making your own Trail Mix sound? Let me know in a comment!

Recipe - Broccoli-Chicken Baked Potato

This week was what I call a stressful but successful week. The only time I really spent quality time with myself was when I made dinner. One of the meals I made this week was a Broccoli-Chicken Baked Potato. I just love Baked Potatoes and could eat them every day. To make sure, that it doesn't get boring I try to 'spic' it up. This is my newest variation:

Ingredients for 4 baked potatoes:
- 4 large russet potatoes
- 2 chicken breasts
- broccoli
- sour cream
- butter
- salt and pepper

- scrub the potatoes and poke them with a fork.
- stick them in the microwave and hit the 'baked potato' button.
- cut up the chicken into small cubes.
- season with salt and pepper and start slowing cooking in a pan with a little olive oil.
- boil water, add salt and cook the broccoli.
- take the broccoli off the stove and let it cool down.
- once the chicken is cooked, take it off the stove and put the chicken and the broccoli in a bowl.
- add salt, pepper, 1 cup of sour cream and 2 tbsp. of butter and mix together.
- take out the baked potatoes and cut them in half.
- take a spoon and take out the potato flesh.
- mix it into the bowl with the other ingredients.
- once you mixed all the ingredients, take a spoon and start filling the baked potato skins.

And this is what the end result will look like. I hope you enjoy!

Edit: Today for Superbowl, I used smaller potatoes and instead of chicken I mixed bacon into the potato-sour cream mixture. It was delicious! I can only recommend this recipe for parties as long as you use smaller potatoes.