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Cocoa and Spice Slow Roasted Pork and Onions
Fill your house with friends, fun and a planned menu. Sounds good doesn’t it! Here is a slow roasted pork dish that is sure to please the senses: smell – delicious; sight – festive; and taste – perfection! Spice Rub1/2 t whole peppercorns freshly ground… or 1/4 t black pepper2 T plus 3/4 t ground cinnamon2 T kosher salt1 T plus 2 1/4 t unsweetened cocoa powder1 t ground nutmeg1/2 t ground cloves Pork and Onions6T olive oil3 3/4 to 4 lbs onions, thinly sliced1 1/2 t dried sage1 1/2 c water5 pounds pork butt with boneSpice rub Mix all spices together. Set aside. Heat oil in large pot over…
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Apfel Strudel (German Apple Strudel)
Your dinner menu is set, your plan for a fun gathering is in the works. Now dessert is just a topper! Here is a beauty. With the help of frozen puff pastry, your confection will cap off a meal that will please your friends, family and you! Apfel Strudel1 c butter melted (divided)1 c toasted fresh white bread crumbs1 c ground walnuts3 1/2 lbs granny smith apples, peeled, cored and shredded1 t. ground cinnamon1 3/4 t sugar1 puff pastry dough sheet Mix bread crumbs and 1/4 c. butter in a bowl. Mix in ground walnuts, apples, cinnamon and sugar.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Adjust oven rack to the lower middle…
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What Does 2009 Have in Store for Our Military Community?
Whatever happened to 2008? Seems like the year just got started! But here right in front of us is 2009! Before I move onto 2009 I want to say thank you to just a few of the many folks who we have enjoyed working with this last year as they supported our military community in many ways. We certainly enjoyed continuing our great relationship with Star and Tara from Army Wife Talk Radio with a visit to Ft Campbell in December! They sure have a heart for Army spouses! Our friends from USAA, in particular Mike Kelly, have also been great this year. We continue to use their great financial…
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A Simple Thank You for 2008 and Happy New Year for 2009
A simple thank you is often all that is needed to make someone feel good or raise their spirits after a trying or difficult time! With that thought in mind I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our military families and community who provide the support and encouragement our airmen, soldiers, marines, sailors and coasties need everyday to be successful in their tasks and services.How else can we say thank you? I thought of a few ways to reach out to others and make “thank you” a standard within our community. We hear it from politicians, celebrities and TV news-persons but they seem far away and not…
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Seven layer Holiday Pasta Salad
New Year’s Eve and good friends are coming into town. Time for relaxing, staying out of the kitchen and sharing highlights of the year. Here is a dish that serves well, is pretty and can be a side for anything that fits your fancy! Make it at least 8 hours ahead so that it can chill, and the flavors blend. Seven layer Holiday Pasta SaladPrep time 30 2 c. (4 oz) uncooked farfalle (bow tie) pasta2 c. broccoli flowerets2 medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 c.)1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped (1 c.)1/3 diced red onion1 c. mayonnaise1/2 cup yogurt2 T. sugar (or Splenda)1 1/2 c shredded Cheddar cheese (6 oz)1…
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New Years Resolutions
I’ll admit… I have never set New Year’s Resolutions. Maybe because I am afraid of failure. Maybe I have a hard time with the thought of limiting myself to improvement at only the beginning of the year. I think it is because of some reason in between there. I recently read an article with some New Year’s Resolutions from TRICARE: “New Year: Time to Commit to Old Resolutions” It includes ways that TRICARE can help you from smoking to stress to eating right. I think it is a concise way for you to think about how you can commit to a New Years Resolution and stick to it. My resolution…
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Happy New Year
Wow is it really almost 2009? We had a *wonderful* Christmas season with a trip up to my parents’ house for a week. Santa Claus visited us in Michigan, as opposed to at our home in Ohio, and our transportation to my parents became a miniature sleigh as I jammed all of the gifts ready to be opened (in plastic tubs undetected by little children), along with snow paraphernalia (including a sled), a video-system and DVDs (only used for out-of-state trips), two booster seats, toys to play with while we anticipated Christmas’ arrival, plus a supply of clothes for our 7 day excursion. To say the car was full was…
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Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
It is time for leisurely breakfasts, family gatherings and a sweet tooth to be satisfied at sunrise. Our sunrise here in Michigan is bright and white with silver and gold accents. The landscape is snow covered. The tree branches are white lined: winter! The railings are even decorated with brilliant red male and female cardinals flitting in; black and white junco; green/brown siskins; and boisterous blue jays.Now, as we sit and watch all of this move across the deck and sky… a hot cup of coffee and apiece of warm cinnamon scented coffee cake fit the bill! Cream Cheese Coffee CakeBaking time 35 minutes1/2 c butter1 (8 oz) pkg. cream…
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Networking is Important! Your Next Job Could Depend On It!
Maintaining contact with friends and associates has always been a challenge for military personnel and their families due to their frequent relocations and changes to their address, phone numbers, etc! But…the internet has changed all of that with a worldwide resource for maintaining relationships! Add in Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Plaxo and other social and professional networking tools and the opportunities for maintaining a network of friends and employer contacts continues to expand! How important is networking? When was the last time you heard of a great assignment opportunity in the unit, or talked on the phone, emailed or responded to a friend on your Facebook accounts? All are networking opportunities…
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Tis the Season
Wow, craziness has overcome the Kocsis household – Tis the Season, I suppose. Kindergarten Class PartiesHigh School Orchestra ConcertsCookies, Cookies and Cookies – followed by the inevitable Kitchen CleanupShopping, Shopping, Shopping followed by Bills, Bills, BillsPreschool Class PlaysChristmas Lights, garland and hours spent outside freezing my little fingers off decoratingDeadlines for work despite everything else that is happeningChristmas cards that need to be addressed and mailed I don’t think *this* is supposed to be the Reasons for the Season. Quite often my own children will remind me; “I can’t wait for Jesus’ birthday”. Sometimes in the midst of the ‘work’ & chaos I remember what it is all about myself:…
