Nikkilooch

I know it’s list time, and I have some good links for you.  But can we first talk about my new phone?  If you follow me on twitter, you know I’m over the moon about it.  I’ve never had a smart phone.  Yes, it’s 2012.  Yes, I am under the age of 30.  We just… never got them.  We lived in the States for such a short time we got cheap no-contract phones and in Italy we had the same phones we always had.  Not no more.  Expect a ton more tweets with pictures in them from me. I can’t wait.

• Elise’s blog on staying inspired, especially concerning blogging, inspired me.  Mission accomplished, Elise.
• I’m always looking for new ways to make fish.  Andrea’s butter crumb baked cod looks perfect.
• Veggie burgers make a regular appearance in my lunch rotation.  As soon as I get back in a kitchen I’m going to try these apple sage chickpea burgers and these eggplant ones.
• I NEED this frosting in my life.
• Maybe on top of this chocolate chip cookie pie?
• I love this travel art journal.  Just beautiful.

Something interesting about Germany: a consumer can buy a bottle of water at a restaurant for 4 euros but buy a beer of the same size for 2,50 euros.

My life has been consumed with jet lag and army stuff this week.  Even though I was a champ an stayed up until 10 pm German time when we got here after flying all night, I’ve still been staying up later than Nikkilooch normal.  That lack of sleep doesn’t affect our 7:10 am pick-ups from the hotel to in-process.  (For the non-army savvy, like myself, in-processing is the first 2 weeks after you first move somewhere to get yourself sorted: registering at the new health facility, finding a place to live, etc.)

Luckily, yesterday had nothing to do with me in-processing wise (as most of the things don’t).  And I got to walk around our new city.  Around lunch time I stopped and got a sandwich: pretzel bread, lettuce, tomato, and a sliced hard boiled egg with a bottle of water.  I threw the water in my purse, took my sandwich to go, and kept on walking.  I found a cute little stationary store and went inside to look around.  Paper products are one of my weaknesses.  Having finished my sandwich, I reached in my bag for my water and opened it.

It was frizzy water.  Very common in Europe.  It exploded.

My scarf and the front of my jacket were covered.  A large puddle on the carpet in front of me.  All of the beautiful papers were safe.

“Oh, shoot!” I said more loud than was appropriate.  Then I quickly crouched over a little and started frantically looking around like someone who had just spilled half their water bottle in a paper store.  I was in a back corner.  No one saw.  I high-tailed it the heck out of there.

Naturally, the disaster I almost caused made me unsettled.  Another pretzel a little later was just what I needed.  One from the pastry case above, in fact.

Germany, I’ll try not to spill water on any of your beautiful papers.  You keep making delicious pretzels.  I think we’re going to get along just fine.

As soon as we landed in Germany and got our bags sorted, we headed straight to the restaurants.

White sausage and a pretzel with sweet mustard for me.
Sausage and french fries for him.

Germany, I think it’s gonna be love.

image from edubarba

Hello from Germany!  Here are some of my favorites from my last week in America.  But definitely not my last week on the internet.

• Amy’s travel journal/scrapbook is so inspiring.  So many ideas!
• This white bean soup with crispy prosciutto is something I want in my life.
• I love popcorn.  I love Reese’s cups.  This is their love child.
• Oatmeal is my go-to breakfast.  Holly gave up her top 10 recipes.  Even savory ones!
• Megan and Cindy got together and made a few delicious things.  I need to live close to these two.

Happy, happy weekend.

image from sugartraincrane808

3 books downloaded for the flight

19 podcasts I’ve been saving for the flight

1 suitcase bought in the last 48 hours

2 Luna bars packed

5 different notebooks/journals

4 bags to be checked

3 carryons

13ish hours we’ll be traveling total

2 very excited people

as many as I can get prayers

1. It’s this week people.  This week my husband and I are flying to our new home: Germany.
2. The hubs and I are going to buy me this today:
3. Samsonite
4. I have too much stuff that I “need” to have with me on the plane: snacks, kindle, books, saline solution, lotion, extra socks, extra sweater, ipod, 2 sets of earphones, food journal, art journal, pens and pencils, chapstick, laptop, valuable jewelry, freshen up wipes, chocolate.   And that’s just the things I can think of right now.  Obviously that wouldn’t all fit in my cute travel purse so I had to talk my husband into getting me a weekend bag.  And it had to be cute.  I secretly/not so secretly can’t wait.
5. Does anyone else try to think of the exact day someone had sex when they tell you how exactly many weeks and days pregnant they are?  I try to think about what I was doing on that exact day.  Then thank my lucky stars it wasn’t making a baby.  It usually ends up being a Monday or Wednesday.
6.   Addicted.
7. I need to bake something.  Bad.

image from Costume by Bernolli

• Heather admitted that she’s a cornbread snob.  My name is Nikki and I’m a cornbread snob, too.  Solution? Sweet potato cornbread.
• This guacamole grilled cheese sandwich looks amazing.
• Here’s a few Friday the 13th facts for ya.
• Since it is the 13th and thinks are wacky why not bake up some savory biscotti?
• These Ritz stuffed peanut butter cups are the perfect salty sweet combo. Not as perfect as kettle corn, but nothing is.
• I NEED these triple chocolate oreo oatmeal cookies for the plane ride next week.  NEED, people!

Happy Friday the 13th!

My husband and I had the last Mexican food we’ll have for a few years I believe. (Except of course for the stellar stuff I’m sure to make at home).

I love Europe and European cuisine. I can’t wait to move there. I am sitting on pins and needles in fact. Beer, bratwurst, and schnitzel can’t enter my life soon enough.

But I sure do miss those hot chips served at Mexican restaurants while I’m gone.

We’re living with our parents right now. All four of them. His and mine. At different times, thankfully.

While both my husband and I are so grateful to our respective parents, we miss our own kitchen. I know I can say “we” because my husband’s been asking for things I make.

Girls, here comes some boy advice: if you like to cook, find a boy who likes to eat what you make. It’s a recipe for a happy relationship. I love to feed people. Almost nothing in this world makes me happier. And I’m married to someone who likes to be fed.

And we lived happily ever after… in our own house hopefully.

recipe adapted from Skinnytaste

The real shrimp lover in our family is my husband. I could take it or leave it. Another key relationship tip for foodies: make your partner food they like even if you don’t really like it. They will appreciate it. And your plate might even end up looking like this after:

image from pixelandpost

The sun is out in force here in Virginia.

• Elise and Rachel have a new art journal course out.  Can’t wait to sign up.
• Jenna’s quick almond applesauce bread looks like a perfect baking project for a cold winter day.  I’m saving this one up for when we get to Germany.  I’m sure it will start my new kitchen off on the right foot.
• Megan rounded up her favorite bites from 2011.  I want them all.
• Annie posted a list of DIY food projects.
• For anyone else who has ever wanted to just chop your long hair off but know you’ll regret it if you do: how to style long hair short.
•  Freezing these breakfast burritos is genius.