My Own PCS Move

As I get ready for my own move back to the states, I realize that being organized, and staying that way is the key to a successful move.  This is my third trans-atlantic move, and it does get easier with each move.  My kids are bigger, and I've added two pets to the family, and you would have thought that it would be more hectic, but actually, it's not been too bad.  Now, to share why:

- I made a plan.  I set dates for shipment of my furniture, car, and unaccompanied baggage so that we have what we need, when we need it.  Just a few more trips to the post office, and we'll be all done.

- I got organized.  Well, as far as paperwork goes.  All of our important papers are all organized, in one carry on, ready to go.  

- It was teamwork.  We got all the kids excited for the move, and they are ready to help get things together for packing.  At first, they were a little upset that their toys and games were gone, but they adjusted well, and well I almost don't want to unpack them.

- I saved money.  Money was put into the savings account and it stayed there (for the most part).  With each paycheck, I put money into the savings account first, and unless we had an emergency, it stayed there.  For the bigger expenses, such as the dog crate, we already had the money saved, and it didn't hurt our monthly budget.

- I researched.  I called ahead to the schools to get information on when school starts, and other policies.  I googled utilities to see how much we'd spend.  I mapped the route from my new house to work.  I researched activities that we can do with the kids.  If you can think of it, we googled it.

If you plan ahead, your move, whether transatlantic or local, can be successful.

Salmon Alfredo

Hello Everyone!

This past Friday, Shawn and I visited a local Italian restaurant for lunch.  We both ordered a pasta dish with seafood.  The Italian restaurants here in Germany are notorious for putting all sorts of seafood in their pasta dishes....and the best part is, they don't charge extra for it.

So, while my pasta had all sorts of seafood, Shawn's was much simpler.  He had a blend of spinach noodles and plain noodles, salmon, and a sort of a Alfredo sauce.  So, without further ado, here is my take on the recipe.

Sauce:
3 TBS butter
2-3 TBS flour
1 pint light cream
1 TBS lemon-pepper
2 TBS Italian seasoning
2-3 cups skim milk
1/2 - 3/4 block parmesan cheese, grated
salt & pepper to taste

Noodles:
Tri-color rotini

Salmon:
3 filets salmon
lemon pepper to taste
salt & pepper to taste
1-2 tsp EVOO

Heat EVOO in a skillet over medium heat.  Season Salmon, and cook until done, set aside.

Cook noodles according to package directions.

In a skillet over medium heat, melt butter.  Add flour, and cook until it becomes the color of beach sand.  Add light cream and spices.  Stir until smooth.  Add 1/2 the cheese, and 1/2 the milk.  Stir until smooth.  Add remaining cheese to taste.  Add milk to thin sauce.  You'll want it thin because it'll thicken as it cools.

Flake fish with a fork.  Toss all ingredients into a bowl and stir until combined.  You'll want to serve this with a caesar salad.  Serves 6.

The one thing that I learned from making my own Alfredo sauce is that it is diverse.  You can tailor it to fit the dish.  Normally, I wouldn't add lemon pepper seasoning to Alfredo sauce, but it compliments the Salmon very well.

I hope you try this recipe and enjoy it with your family.

(Sorry for not posting pictures of this dish, but I'm in the middle of a move, and we are on borrowed cookware.)

God Bless!

Broccoli-Smoked Sausage Quiche'

Here's my first recipe for the new blog.  Sorry folks, no pics on this one.....but trust me, it's yummy.

Here's what you'll need:

1 head of fresh broccoli
1 Smoked Sausage
3/4 cup of diced bell peppers
1 prepared pie crust
dash of Italian seasoning
salt & pepper to taste
6 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350.

Line a pie dish with pie crust, set aside.

Heat a little bit of EVOO in a sauté' pan.  Sauté together sausage, peppers, & broccoli.  Season with salt, pepper & Italian seasoning to taste.  Pour into prepared pie pan.  Top with cheese.

Scramble eggs, 2 at a time with 1/4 cup of milk and pour into pie pan.  Continue to do this until dish is full.

Bake in 350 oven for 50-60 minutes or until firm.  Serve with a side salad.  Enjoy!

Normally I would adjust the spices, but since I'm in the middle of a Trans-Atlantic move, so my seasonings are minimal.