Lindt Chocolate Museum in Cologne (Koeln) Germany and Randomness

According to my statistics, I noticed you guys liked my travel type posts! Also hair posts and chicken recipes hehe. I was thinking about changing the focus of my blog, since it's getting that way anyway, to my Journeys...from places we've visited, to my natural hair journey, school journey, and my military spouse journey as well as cooking journey. I don't want to get rid of the URL just change the title. I was thinking about calling it "Keeping up with Sommer J or Sommer's Journeys.  I already changed my twitter and instagram handle. Let me know what you think.

I've already told everyone on my Facebook page, but I just want to tell you all that I am moving from Germany next Summer. The location is top secret until we have our orders lol. Don't any of you who knows ruin it!!! As much as I want to travel all over Europe money, unfortunately does not grow on trees. I am fortunate to have traveled where I have, though! And I loved every minute of it. Over Thanksgiving, we will  be on a jet plane to Scotland and London!!! Thanksgiving reminds me of my brother's death...I want to be distracted and with my older brother and his family.

While seeing as much of Europe as possible is important, I also think it's important to see all the sites I possibly can around Germany. Last summer, me and my three went to Northern Germany by the Baltic Sea, we also went to Berlin, Frankfurt, and Munich, we've been to Munich and Frankfurt a few times, but I love both cities so much why not go as many times I can before leaving? I will probably not see either for many many years. I want these trips apart of my children's memories. They really enjoyed Berlin and ask to go back often. That was a 6 hour car ride! My butt was numb!!! But sheesh it was worth it!!! I asked my facebook page how they save on trips and they gave some great tips. I also learned great ways to save for trips in my math class!! I am NOT selling that book. I am keeping it for future reference. At our next location my husband has his  5 places we will go to. We didn't do that here, which why we probably didn't see as much as we wanted to. Check out the tags of some of the places we've enjoyed. I am really enjoying the drive to the Stuttgart a lot. The next place we will hit there is their famous zoo. You guys seemed to really like the Ludwigsburg post! I have some friends by Trier so I will definitely share our trip there, too. I went my first weekend in Germany. And with an old douche  boyfriend...both trips were a bit of a blur, but going with the family it will stick I think.


OK now on to the Cologne trip. We went to Cologne last March. My husband and I made a list of places in Germany we wanted to visit before leaving Germany and Cologne was on the top of the list. Though, I believe Cologne is the best place to visit during the Christmas season. http://www.worldwideticketing.com/images/special-events/germany-market/market-cologne.jpg

We went to Cologne a week after Karneval. It's like Mardi Gras.

Germans really know how to party. I will miss this aspect of Germany a lot. http://www.taz.de/!30800/


Cologne is a bit on the expensive side. I thought since Berlin was relatively inexpensive that we'd luck out in another big city. I guess because it was around Karneval season, prices were a bit inflated. We found a nice Apartment to stay  that wasn't overly expensive. I noticed a lot of times apartments are cheaper than hotels. We also went with the youngest two, as my eldest was with his family.


We hit up the Koeln Dom (Cologne  Cathedral) it's the tallest building n Europe. It had a cool spookiness about it while also being breathtakingly beautiful.

My loves in front of the Cathedral. Our apartment was about 500m from the Cathedral. And still pretty inexpensive.




At night



Now on to the Chocolate Factory/Museum. Check out the website: http://www.chocolatemuseum-cologne.com/ We went on a Saturday and got there about an hour early and there was a long line!  It's opened during the week from 10am to 6pm and on weekends and holidays from 11am to 7pm. Like most placed in Germany you can not go the last minute it's closed to entries an hour before. We went there from the Koeln Dom via the most uncomfortable train ride. But if you have little ones, they will really enjoy it. This city really is gorgeous. So happy we made an effort to go.



The tickets cost us 20euro. There isn't much parking by the museum. So this is the best way to go IMO.


Now the Chocolate Museum




There were all kinds of interactive exhibits. The history of cocoa. A bit depressing with slave trade etc. I am happy after the exhibits there was a chocolate fountain! I  learned a lot and am very picky about my chocolate. Drown your sorrows in Chocolate.











Now to some edible stuff!! I LOVE LINDT.















If you have chocolate lovers they will love this place.

My children, my youngest particularly will miss Kinder Eggs. They are prohibited from the US due to the small toys...CRAZY!!!! WE usually chuck the toys. We've never had a problem with Kinder Eggs.





For you nutella lovers, there is also an exhibit about that. I am not a big fan of nutella but my youngest of course is.I didn't know nutella was around for so many years. They celebrated their 40th anniversary in 2006. I remember my husband eating some when we first met  over 6 years ago and I was afraid to try it because it looked like marmite lol.




HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS POST AND MAKE IT THERE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO!!!!




My next post will be about my home!!!! And how pinterest inspired me to make it a home. I am off from school for ten days so no excuses. Plus more inspiration to clean. Yes, I am moving in about 8 months, but I am still obsessed with making this home cozy. 

Mr. Flavor Bakes? Fudge Brownie-Banana Vanilla Ice Cream Sundae

First off, Happy Valentine's Day! It's important to show love all 365 days of the year, and we all know it's a Hallmark holiday- but it nice to be a bit more gushy on this chocolatey romantic day! We honestly do not have anything planned. We worked, paid a ginormous bill, and budgeted- how romantic! Paying bills is sexy to me...ok not really...

Saturday, my daughter wanted ice cream after a cold day's out at the playground. She really does ask for random things at random times. She asks for sausages when she first wakes up, or asks where's my doughnut before we kiss her goodnight. Haha...food is always on her mind!  Anyway, she asked for ice cream- BANILLA ice cream to be precise. For some reason when she asked for it, I became nostalgic for Baskin Robbins Hot Fudge brownie Banana Sundae. Not sure what the name is exactly, all I know is I ate it by the bucket-loads during my first pregnancy. When we told the little ones about the dessert plan, they were most certainly down.

The brownie recipe was my first successful baking recipe  a few years back. It's posted here with some changes.  This time, my husband and I agreed thinner brownies are better for this and we also added about 1/3 cup of semisweet chocolate chips to the batter. Use any brownie recipe you like. This one is a good one, though! Also, if cooking in a 13 by 9 pan bake for about 17-23 minutes.

The husband took the lead on this one and he didn't do bad at all :) Great way for us to spend some much needed time together, too. Happy Valentine's Day! This is great for anytime of the year if you ask me ;) We forgot to buy heavy cream to make whipped cream, but you don't really need it. Unless you're kinky like that ....

You will need:
A Brownie Recipe
Vanilla Ice Cream- homemade or purchased (we bought Haegen-Daaz)
2 ripe bananas
Your choice of toppings such as melted semi-sweet chocolate, toasted walnuts, whipped cream cherries, etc

Directions:
Once brownies are slightly cooled, cut 'em up, top with ice cream, sliced bananas,  melted chocolate and nuts (or whatever you want)

And voila! Easy peasy husband pleasy ;)



His toes are curlin' ;)

Enjoy!!!

Heath Bits Peanut Butter Cookies

Warning: These cookies are highly addictive. 

While shopping for some quick dinner ingredients Wednesday afternoon, I happened to find a display for Heath Bits on sale. I've never eaten the chocolate bar before, but for some reason, I really wanted to try it. So I grabbed it quickly before I could change my mind hurried my shopping thinking of what to do with the chocolate and toffee bits. When I got home, I checked out the recipes on  the back of the bag for some ideas for baking, but when I saw the recipe for the cookies, I couldn't go on any further! I wanted to make them soon after dinner, but the husband told me to be patient, he has a Physical Training test Friday morning. I did however make them first thing the next morning...he wasn't here and those bits were all "try me....try me NOW!"

The cookies tasted out of this world good. I mean, really, how can you go wrong with peanut butter, chocolate and toffee? The soft chewy cookie along with the slight crunch of the toffee was divine.

If you don't have these Heath Bits in your area and you live in Europe please let me know via e-mail (my e-mail is under contact me). I'll send a package to the first 5 folk who asks...I need to make it to the post office anyway.  But really this can be made with any toffee chocolate bar, just crush it into small pieces.

So no excuses not to try this people!

Heath Bits Peanut Butter Cookies
From the back of the bag ;-)
Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 T milk
1 T pure vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
1 1/3 cup Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits

Directions
Heat oven to 375°F.
Beat shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add egg; beat just until blended. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Stir in 1 cup bits; reserve remainder for topping.

Drop by heaping teaspoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet; top each with reserved bits.


Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until set. Do not overbake. Cool 2 minutes. Remove to wire rack. Cool completely. About 3 dozen cookies.

Crispy Pork with Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce AND Triple Chocolate Cookies

I had intended on making a blog post on just the Crispy Pork with Dipping Sauce last night, but when I was trying to set up the shot, my daughter knocked over my tripod and broke my new lens! I was gutted, but it was an accident and just material things. I seriously did cry (don't look at me like that) but I did forgive my daughter almost instantly. She was genuinely sorry and very apologetic! My husband was able to fix it, but the auto focus is kaput. Makes it a bit more difficult, but still doable :) Anyway, the photo isn't the best, but this recipe is damn good and easy. 

Crispy Pork with Sweet and Spicy Dipping Sauce
Inspired by BBC Good Food
Can be doubled but I recommend you triple this- it's that darn delicious!!!
Ingredients
1lb pork belly
2t 5 spice powder (I made mine homemade)
Coarse Salt such as Kosher or Sea Salt
For Dipping Sauce
4 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 T honey (optional)
1 scallion finely chopped
Directions:
Rub the pork with the five-spice and 2 tsp sea salt then leave, uncovered, in the fridge for at least 2 hrs, but preferably overnight. When ready to cook, heat oven to its maximum setting. Lay the pork on a rack over a roasting tin, making sure the skin is exposed. Roast for 10 mins before turning down the heat to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4, then leave to cook for a further 1½ hrs. Have a look at the pork - if the skin isn't crisp, turn up the heat to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7, then cook for another 30 mins until crisp. Leave to rest on a board for at least 10 mins.

To make the dipping sauce, mix all the ingredients together with 2 tbsp water. Cut the pork into small pieces, then serve with the sauce, plus boiled rice and steamed greens, if you like.




Next recipe!
Since we're trying to eat a bit healthier after a smorgasbord of cakes, cookies, cakes, rich meat and cheese, cakes, pies, drinks AND cakes I thought I'd make one of my favorite "healthy" or rather healthier than your normal cookie cookies. This recipe is courtesy of Ellie Krieger. I tried this recipe last summer and the whole family loved it. They couldn't believe it used whole wheat flour and canola oil for butter! Great if you have a sweet tooth you just can't kick if you're trying to eat a bit healthier. The addition of nuts and dried fruit is optional, but it gives the cookies a but body and crunch. I made them without nuts and fruit last year and they were still amazing....tasted like mini brownies actually.


For this recipe I recommend you use valrhona or natural cocoa powder :)



Triple Chocolate Cookies
Ellie Krieger
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour (or regular whole wheat flour, as I did!)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1/3 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate (2 ounces)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped milk chocolate (2 ounces)
2/3 cup chopped pecans, optional
1/4 -1/2 cup dried cherries, optional

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mash together the butter and sugars with a fork until well combined. Add the oil and egg and beat until creamy. Mix in the vanilla.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, cocoa powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. 

Stir in the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and the pecans and mix well. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

 Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Mama's Christmas

Growing up we didn't make a big thing out of Christmas. I never believed in Santa and we never ever had a tree, though my father would throw some multi-colored Christmas lights on the balcony.

To me Christmas was about Christmas music on the radio, bigger crowds, Christmas movies, and waiting impatiently on Christmas eve for 12 am so we could open the presents our parents gave us (so we didn't feel left out at school after winter break). We also spent time with extended family, however the older we got, the less 'Christmassy' things got. By the time I was a teenager Christmas was just another day.

So after I met my husband, he shared a lot of his Christmas traditions with me and my son. I didn't know A LOT and it has been so much fun learning from him. It was so much fun decorating a Christmas tree for the first time with him. I don't know why, but I was extremely nervous about it. I actually have a video of it, but it's on a broken laptop that my husband is now tinkering with! 

So every year my husband and my children are making our own little traditions, and trying to ensure our children have fond memories of Christmases and pass it on to their own children. This Christmas my eldest son is with his biological father so it was a bit sad, but my 3 and 1 year old were a lot of fun and very appreciative! 

We didn't bring the presents out until the very early hours on Christmas morning so the kids would think Santa brought them loads of gifts, but the first thing my daughter said was "THANK YOU MA AND DAD!" She's too clever and funny ;)

Some photos:

Christmas Eve

A simple dinner- Baked Penne with Sausage and Ricotta with a side salad from vegetables and apples from the crisper and a balsamic vinaigrette 

Mince Pie and spiked eggnog for Santa and a carrot for the Reindeer....yes 1 carrot- we ain't got it like that ;)

Discovered this Christmas morning! Looks like Santa didn't wipe his feet- rude!

At least he's appreciative!

Definitely a White Christmas

Kids woke up late but they got into the presents quickly!!

Peppa Pig obsessed baby was quite happy with this :)

Homemade Vanilla Hot Chocolate to kill the morning chill

Daughter getting ready for Christmas Dinner

The "princess dress" she's been asking for since her birthday :)

Christmas Dinner thanks to Cook's Illustrated Holiday Issue:

 Ultimate Stuffed Beef Tenderloin (stuffed with mushrooms and spinach) 

Candied Sweet Potatoes (not too sweet- just perfect) 

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans with Mustard Vinaigrette

Rolls from Rachael Ray. Those rolls were a hit 2 years straight. They're f##king awesome. Excuse my freedom. ;)

Tunnel of Fudge cake! Soooooo rich and perfectly fudgy! Also from Cook's Illustrated Holiday Entertaining Issue!

My friend's son said the dinner was the best he's ever eaten. I love this kid even more now ;) The dinner was a big hit and we hardly have any leftovers! We still have cake and that's all that matters ;)

Husband aka Santa